The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-07
The Great Missionary Work.

auuIeSS UellVeTeu py O1SnOp Gu1OC
before the Georgia Episcopal Con-
vention. 1t is eloquent and very
timely under our present cizcum-
| stances:
Never, in the history of the world,
has there been such rapid and eff
fective missionary work as the Chris
tian church has performed in this
land in connection with slavery. For
we must remember that the slaves
when brought here, up to period
as late as 1908, were the same
savages as our missionaries are now
combating, with so very little effect,
upon the coast of Africa; were the
same savages as are cutting each
others throats day after day, and
perpetrating enormities, which dis
grace humanity, upon their own soil,
even in the very sight of military
operations. And yet, within the
period of two centuries, there has
been made out of these savages q
Christian people, having clear dis
cernment of right and wrong, under
standing very distinctly the system
of our religion, having educated
teachers of their own color and their
own race; gentle, kind and, until
they are meddled with, faithful and
affectionate. The number of COM
municants in the various churches of
the South far exceeds, in proportion
to population, that of the whites.
They had churches of their own in
all the large cities, managed by them
| selves, containing thousands Of COM
municants, and in the rural districts
they were visited by missionaries ap-
pointed specially for their own bene-
tit, or they mingled in the same reli-
glous instruction with their owners,
eating OF the same consecrated bread
and drinking of the same consecra-
ted wine. Their behavior during the
long, fierce war which has now ter
minated, is the sublimest vindication
of the institution of slavery, MS it
existed among us, which could have
been offered to the world. With
years of preliminary agitation about
the rights of the slaves and the
cruelty and barbarism of the mas
ters; with hordes of deceitful fanatics
scattered through the Southern oouI1-
try, some i'll the guise of teachers,
some of pedlars, some of book
agents, some Of mechanics, and ali
alike tampering with the slaves; with
war which required the absence of
all the ablc-bodied and the warlike
from home; with proclamation of
emancipation sounded in their ear rs
early as 1862, and summoning them
virtually to strike for their rights;
with large armies of those who
called themselves their friends ira
verslng the country and laundering
at their very doors, these people
never once lifted their hands or their
voices, voluntarily, against their
owners; but, with nobody to coerce
and restrain them save weak women
and intirm men and boys too young
for military purposes, they remained
quiet, docile, industrious, obedient,
exhibiting in no case, that I have
ever heard of, insubordinatiolr or
disorder. Any cruelty they may
have since exhibited, they have
learned from other teaching than
ours-any barbarism into which they
may have since elapsed, they have
fallen into after they had passed from
under our influence. Where, in the
worlds history has there been case
like this of forbearance and quiet
ness where an inferior race has been
opposed by superior, and had the
means given it of vengeance? Our
own times furnish us two instances
i'll fearful contrast-the one of the
ferocity of the French in their terri
bic overthrow Of the Church, the
monarchy, and the aristocracy, and
that of the negroes Of st. Domingo,
who have furnished to this age u
name for everything inhuman and
barbarous. One of two things is,
therefore, clear-either that these
people suffered no oppression worth
the name, or that slavery has pro-
duced Christian virtues, through it's
teachings and discipline, of the most
rare and striking character.
This aspect Of things leads to two
important practical results. First, it
vindicates the Christian church in
the South from the obloquy that has
been poured upon it, as if it was
winkling at a barbarous and unchris-
tian system, and doing nothing to
ameliorate in a vindication which it
ought to have done, and which 1 now
lay humbly upon its altar. No peo-
pie have ever labored more ia .lfully,
more devoutedly, with more self