Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-06-27
VOL. XIII, NO. 2.

there are numerous and formidable diff
culties to be encountered and overcome;
but he has made al the necessary prepare
tious for the perilous light; can see him
now as be starts, his eye steadily fixed on
the only certain friend lie really feels he
can trust; blood hounds Of both the quad
ruped and biped species are braying on his
track; without money, without a known
friend on all his long and tedious Journey,
he makes the effort and starts: see the
painting, fleeing fugitive from injustice as
he wends his weary way, travelling ~
night and resting by day; lie is nearing
the borders Of the promised land, but his
pursuers are in bot haste, baying on his
trail; see just a. his feet rest on Canadian
soil his master is on the opposite shore !;
but listen when he feels thai the danger
is past he wildly losses bis old cap into the
air and triumpbandy shouts, "iarewell to
chain and whip; safe at last safe ut
last
We have said thus much without indi-
eating our belief in reference to the moral
character of American slavery, and were |
addressing my own congregation / should
not deem it necessary to say that | believe
slavery is a sin, for my position is always
clearly defined. AS it is, l will avail my
self Of this favorable opportunity to say
that believe slavery to be the devil; and
if you were to dilute it until would be
apparently infinitely less poteat than the
teeblest struggling Of the palest moon
beam to melt an iceberg, then divide il in
to infinitesimal quantities and administer
it in homeopathic doses, it would be the
devil still That's SO.
A few years ago a man took it into his
head that he could propel boat by the
application Of steam power He affirmed
it could be done; but they laughed He
was poor and no capitalists seemed willing
to embark in such an uncertain speculation.
He urged; they called him crazy. AT
length he went to work with the slender
means at his command, and day after day
he might be seen vending his weary way
home, carrying a few chips with which to
cook his frugal meal. After having en-
countered almost incredible difficulties, the
dav arrived that was to decide whether he
or the mu titule were the crazy party.
The trial was made in the presence Of
the gathered multitude, and when the boat
proudly combatted the current Of the
Hudson river. the shouting Of the multi
tude and the waving Of hand..erchets,
plainly told which had been the insane
party; and the name and fame Of Robert
Fulton were secure forever. What cared
he then that the rabble, men aud boys, had
called him the "crazy steam boat man."
John Brown, of Ossawattomie and
Harper's Ferry notoriety, affords another
striking illustration of the truth Of our
proposition. He lived and acted little aud
but a very little in advance Of his times.
With less than a score Of men be went to
the great State Of Virgnia-the Old Do
minion--and proposed, as it appears, 70
rid the State Of all its slaves without the
shedding Of a single drop Of human blood.
And did not nearly everybody then say he
was crazy? |, for one, am heartily sick
and tired Of the shilly-shaliy, wishey-
washey truck constantly falling from the
ecclesiastical and secular press in reference
to John Brown. He has been pronounced
fanatic, an enthusiast, a murderer, trail
tor, and everything else that is mean and
bad. But in our opinion he died a patriot
martyr; and the time is not very far dis
tant when Eliza will be the great Ameri-
can Mecca.
Men will yet wonder that patriotism
stood still and saw him executed as traitor
and murderer. John Brown lived and
acted for the future, and events now
Transporting prove incontestably that he did
not die in vain. Noble man reverence
thy name and thy deeds Of patriotism.
Unborn generations viii yet rise up and
call thee blessed. a thousand John
Browns will spring from thy ashes and be
nurtured with thy blood, and Virginia viii
yet atcne for the shedding Of bis innocent
blood. Whenever this nation comes 70 its
sober senses it will blush to remember its
completely with slavery and that John
Brown was permitted to die as malefactor
But he can well afford to wait awhile; the
pen Of the future historian will do justice
to his name and memory.
In conclusion, | must not forget that l
am addressing number Of men to whom
the words OF the text have peculiar and
most forcible MISUNDERSTANDING
band of blood-besplinkled christian mar
tyrsl They indeed 'endure as seeing him
who Is Invisible" Pre-eminently was this
! the case with regard to the early pioneers u
that form Of christianity deuomi-ated
Methodism. They realized practically
what it meant to endure hardness as good
soldiers Of Jesus Christ They suffered
the loss Of all things and took joyfuily the
spelling Of their goods, knowing that il
heaven they had more enduring sub
stance
These men he.oically breasted the pitiless
storm. What though the rain and hail
and snow beat upon their unprotected heads.
Souls by scores aud hundreds were con
yerted 10 God, and that was ample reward
for the present; and when ealth's history
shall have been terminated, and those Een
who have "endured as seeing him WHO y
invisible shall be congregated together ols
the hi1h hills Of immortality, aud meet and
Inn 4t.4,s.4