Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-04-25

W W.T. " HTVNTNHN-
REV. MR.. LORDS FAST DAY SERMON.

who heard il must have been surprised by two
things hrst its accord with sentiments uttered IF
teen years ago by men Of questionable position,
anu who have now been utterly routed from il ;
and secondly, its total want Of accord with Scrip
turc. There is a text placed at the head of the
remarks which he had determined to make, as if
by the sound OF the words, or bv some influence
, which might be drawn from Them they were APP
plicablc to the tenor Of remark, he meant to APP
pend The text is from Jeremiah 6 4: 10" Stand
We mhe rays ami see and ask for the oid paths, g
&c,-but no inquiry by Mr.. H., what old path
was referred to, no endcayor TO bring the people
to walk in that path. Jeremiah referred to the
path OF goodness, troddcu by Enoch and Abra-
ham and Joshua in cOntradistincton TO the Phari-
sceism the false teachers who aboundpd in his
days and who "hcaed the hurt Of the daughters
OF my people slightly and who cried peace peace
when there was no peace Mr.. l.. is quite as
chary OF Scripture as If he supposed the world
would think that he belonged to the number
who cried peace, peace, with slavery, when no
peace existed, can, until il is exterminated-
The whole tenor of Scripture connected with
the text should have taught him that the ground
he occupies is dangerous Scripture was not suit
cd TO bis object, and ho is TO Doe commended for
his wisdom.
! The ostensbe object Of the discourse is to ex-
hort 20 charity, The true object is to blurt cal
uinny into the faces Of abolitonsts But let us
examine his charity. What is it? WHY this
stand in the ways and ask for the course of con-
duct which men observed before the anti-slavery
discussion began, and continue in that course .
the Bible, the conscience, the Judgment of the
world. except the pro-slayery mem the anti
slavery sentiment, the anti-slavery press must all
be silent and slavery must be continued undis-
turbed. This ia charity But from what lexicon
has he derived shch dcfntiouy The Bible GER
tainly gives no such definition. Webster does
not favor IT, and without the least presumption il
may be said that he has travelled as much out of
of fat
OF his word charity, he has out Of the entire ten
or and import of the teachings Of the Bible for the
line of his argument and character OF his conclu-
sion. But if his premises were correct and his
dehnaton of charity correct, why not apply his re-
marks TO the abpttors of slavery WGv should
they speak? Why should Mr. J.. urge anti-slay-
cry voices and presses to be senty WHY should
not NE be silenty Why should not, for charity's
sake, the stakeholder manumt his savcsY The
pro-slayery sentiment of the land blush even for
its own utteranceg Controversy would then
sease. This war would not continue a week.
The South and the North could then come togcth-
err IN political aud civil concord. This war was
begun aud is continued for the perpeuation and
spread Of slavery But Mr.. J.. would have it
cease and all strife cease by the feeble pulsations
of a voice lifted up in behalf of the contamination
of the most diabolical schemes OF wickedness the
sun shines on. lie must say peace, peace, this
institution is of old. and must not be disturbed a."
Mr.. /. exhibits much of the bcneyolence Dean
swift spoke OF, when he said mankind are natur-
ally benevolent A never sees b in distress but
what he wishes c would help him And when
somebody sees slavery in distress, our author
wishes every body to cease from aggrayating that
distress aud let them acquicsce in its continuance
as a fatality. He says we cannot constitutionally
liberate slaves and if they were liberated they
would be immediately enslaved again. But hear
him;
How then shall we have a union, a restored Union
answer decidedly and empharcall,, by having homo-
Renegus population ask again how shall that popula-
ton be made homogeneous / answer by Christian
charity Of With heaven knows there has been I'm too
lite between the different States and by strict ohser-
ance OF every constitutional duty o., mutual disposi-
iion 10 submit IN silence to all reckless acquisitions and
by mutual termination To bury those restless tbeo
RES which have disturbed the public peace; and by a
purpose consecrated and baptized IN the blood n thos
anas OF our sons 20 walk ia the old paths Of harmony,
consent, good will and forbearance, in which the iisfi.
Gus dead Of country have shown aud led US the wsy
But do you say that slavery first be killed before we
can have homogeneous people, n il were possible
Tor me government TO Kill cunstitutionay in The
eral States, it Is not possible kill or exteminae or
coonze the slaves Aud when Northern States as some
most exposed nave done prohibit the entrance Of free
negroes into their borders where shall the emAncpated
sef find lodameni Is I, not plain that the State. in
soadton the sa sRs s sai Te4e admsS 10 s
Union TO morrow. without slavery aud the negro
should still dwell among them, it is impossible by the
principle Of our institutions, that the General Govern
ment should prevent their re-enslayiug them the very
next day"
Again he speaks of performing in silence every
Constitutional duty, saying 'if there are any
compacts IN that instrument hard to keep so much
the more shall they be kept" The compacts which
he refers TO, undoubtedly refer to slavery. (ac-
cordng to the Interpretation of the courts) Now
why are these hard TO be kent? Not because
fugitive slaves cannot be apprchended and given
up TO their pretended owners but because they
cannot be, and those who do IT, maintain a con-
scince void OF oiienSc toward God and Man. No
man can steal and commit adultery, and perpetrate
kna'cry yet MAINTAIN conscience void OF offence
toward God and toward Man Slavery is lust
these crimes intensified thousand fold bv The
cruelty and tyranny underwhch they are perpe-
uated knowing this, it is hard for the Northerncrs
To give up the fugitive Its conscience revolts
at It. lie says, here am |, take me, imprison
me- drag me INTO servitude, take my property
but will not, ! cannot give up nor retake the
escaped fugitive from labor. and send him back 10
slavery God says, thou shall not deliver unto
ms master the servant which is escaped from his
master unto thee; he shall dwell with thee. even
among you in that place, which he shall choose,
IN one OF the gates where it liketh him best, thou
shalt not Cypress him. But here is a christian
teacher telling rs we must make merit Of rioIat-
,"g Our orn conscience, and Of d,sobeying God.
tits perfectly ineNplicabe how those who claim
TO be conseryaors and usually STYLED proslaye-
ry men can talk and can act in relation TO this
matter They take it for granted that the trainers
OF the Constitution could authorize one man IN
Il
must be subseryient to the first in enforcing and
perpetuating his claim. Whereas God saws. che
that steaeth man and selleth him, or II he be
found in his hand shall surely be nut TO death ~
Again, ''if a man be found stealing any of his
brethren of the children of Israel and maketh
merchandise Of him. or selleth him. then that thief
shall die'-DeH. "A, z. But what is every slave
IN all our country but one stolen by somebody. or
descended irom person stolen, or kidnapped
and the crime of whose capture has been increased
by every change OF masters, and by every wears
continuance in slavery?
Mr. Lord and all that class of writer's speak as
II when the slave had been long here. he lost all
ms inherent rights of manhood when his deseen-
dants come 10 be born, when they possess much |
OF their masters blood, and Of his sons blood
and OF his overseer's blood, or even without any
OF that, they are born with a moral and civil woke |
on their necks manicle on their wrists, fetter
on their ankles, and we were at liberty TO make
Constitutions and laws which should rightly re-
gard them as chained, as Inferior as determined .
10 degraded states, ''as having no rights which .
white men are bound to respect On the other
hand those who believe that Good hath made of
one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all |
the face of the earthn or that all men are born
fee and equal, believe that laws can be right
y enacted, that denies proper manhood and the
lul exercise OF all its responsibilities to all men
loo. NaN