The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-02-27

o that in time to come they may, at least, prop.
gate their principles IN decent and respectful
angu"ge.
lI.-ABoLITI NSIsM LEADS, IN NULTITuDEs OF
CASES. AND BY A LOGICAL PROCESS, TO UTTER
ISFIDEIITY.
On this point would not and will not, be
do not say that Abolitionism
Is inhdelity. speak only Of the tendencies of
The system. as indicated in its avowsd prirci-
Piles and demonstrated in its practical hruits.
One Of its avnwed principles is. that 1t does
not try slavery by the Bible: but as one Of its
leading advocates has recently declared. it tries
the Bible by the principles Of freedom. 1t
insists that the word Of Gud must be made TO
support certsin human opinions or forfeit all
claims upon our faith. That ] may not I've suS
pccted Of exaggcration on this point let me
quote, tom the recent work o! Mr.. Barnes, a
passage which may we'll arrest the attention Of
thinking men,.
There arc great principles in our nature, as
God has made us, which can never be set aside by
any authority Of professed revelation. lf a book
claiming TO by revH alton from God, by nny fair
interpre alton; defended slavery, placed it on the
same basis as the relation OF husband and W !e,
parent and child, guardian AMI ward, such hook
would not, and could not be received by the mass
OF mankind al a Divine revelation Barnes on
Slavery and the Church, p 1893.
This assump ion, that men are capable Of
Judging beforehand what is to be expected in a
Divine revelation, is the cockatrIce's egg, from
which, in all ages, hercsies have been hatched
This is the SPIDERS web which men have spun
out Of their own brains, and clinglng to which,
they have attempted to swing over the yawn
ing abyss of infdelity.* Alas, how many have
fallen in, and been dashed to pieces! When a
man sets up the great principles OF our nature
(by which be always means his own precon-
ceived opinions) as the supreme tribunal be-
fore which even the law Of God must be tried
when man says "the Bible must teach Abo-
litionism, or will not receive it," he has al =
ready cut loose from the sheet anchor Of faith.
True belief says "SpcOk, Lord, thy servant
waits to heat" Abolitionism says, "Speak
Lord, bnt speak in accordance with the piinci
pies OF ofhuman nature, or thy word cannot be re-
ceived by the great mass of mankind rs Di.
vine revelation" The fruit OF such principles
is Just what we might expect. Wber ever the
seed of Abolitionism has been sown broadcast
plentiful supply OF infdeity has sprung up
In the communities where anti slavery excite.
ment has heen most prevalent, the power o.
the gospel has invariably declined; and when
the tide Of fanaticism begins to subside, the
wrecks of church order and Of Christian char
acter have been scattered on the shore mean
no dsrespect to New England--to the good
men who there stand by the ancient landmarks,
and contend earnestly for the truth-nor to the
illustrious dead whose praise is in all the chur-
ches; but who does not know that the States in
which abolitionism has achieved its most sig
nal triumphs, are at the same time the great
strongholds OF infidellty in the land? ] have
often thought that il some Of those old pilgrim,
fathers could come back, in the spirit and pow
er Of Elias to attend grand celebration at
Plymouth rock, they might well preach on this
text :--"If ye were Abraham's children, We
would do the works OF Abraham" The effect
of Abolitionism upon individuals, is no less stri.
king and mournlul than its influence upon com
muniieF. 1t is remarkable and instructive
fact, and ore at which Christian men would
do we'll to peruse and consider, that in this coun-
try, all the prominent leaders Of AboiitioniSm,
outside of the ministry, have become avowed
infidels; and that all our notorious Abolition
preachers have renounced the great doctrines
of grace as they are taught in the standards Of
reformed churches-have resorted to the most
violent processes of Interpretation to avoid the
obvious meaning OF plain Scrptural texts, and
from which piety and moral courage instructive,
ly revolt. They make that to be sin which the
Bible does not declare to be sin. They de-
nounce, in language such as the sternest pro-
phets of the Law never employed, a relation
which Jesus and the Apostles recognized and
regulated. They seek to institute terms and
tests OF Christian communion utterly at vari.
ance with the organic law of the Church, as
founded by its Divine Head; and attempting to
Justify This usurpation ofDivine prerogatives by
an appeal from Gods law to the dictates Of fall
len human nature, they would set up spiritual
tyranny more odious and insufferable, because
more arbitrary and uncertain in its decisions
than Popery ITSELF And as the tree is, SO have
its fruits been. 1t is not theory but a demon
strated fact, that Abolttionisln leads to infdel
ity. Such men as Garrison and Giddings and
Gerrit Smith, have yielded to the current o
their own principles, and thrown the Bible
overheard. Thousands of humber men whit
listen to Abolition preachers, will go and d.
likewise. And whether it be the restraints o
official position, or the preventing grace Of Gee
that enables such preachers to row up th,
stream and regard the authority of Scripture il
other matters, their influence upon this one sub
ject is all the more pernicions, because the,
prophesy in the name Of Christ. In this sin
cere and plain utterance of my deep convic
ton, am only discharging my conscience to
ward the flock over which l am set. WheI
the shepherd seeth the wolf coming he is bount
to give warning.
Iv.--ABoLITIoNIsM is THE CHIEF CAUSE OF TIL
STRIFE THAT AG1TATEs AND THE DANGER THAI
THREATENS OUR COUNTRY.
Here as upon the preceding point, will no
he misunderstood. am not here as the advo
cate or opponent fany political party and i
is no more than simple justice for me to say
plainly, that do not consider Republican ant
Aboitionist as necessarily synonymous terms
There are tens of thousands Of Christian mel
who voted with the successful party in th
late election, who do not sympathize with tn
principles or aims OF Abolitionism. Amon
these are some beloved members ofmy own flocl
who will not hesitate moment to put the sea
of their appreciation upon the doctrine OF thi
discourse. And what is still more to the poin
there seems to be sufficient evidence that th
man who has just been chosen to be the head Il
this nation, IS among the more conservative ant
Bible loving men Of his party. We have M
feaas that il the new administration ceuld
quietly Inaugurated, it would or could Abolition
we the government. There arc honest peepl
enough in the Northern States to prevent sue
result. But, ten, while this il admitted, =
simple matter of truth and justice, it canno
be denied, on the other hand, that Abo' 'itionisr
did enter with all its Characteristic bitterness
into the recent contest that the result Deve
could have been accomplished without assist
snce, and that il now apprsprates the victor
in words Of Tidicu|e and scorn that sting like
serpent ct me rive vo,, az n simple snecime
Of the spirit IN which Abolitionism has carrie