The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-06-01

ton should be insisted upon with all the
frmness that the vast Importance of the
subject demands
FREDERICK DOUGLASS US. BETHEL
CHURCH..
FREDERICK DOUGLASS was recently denounced
in very severe terms at a meeting held at the
Sixth street Bethel colored church in this
city for certain opinions expressed by him in
q speech at horticultural Hall, on the occa-
sion of the fifteenth amendment celebration.
The speech of Mr.. Douglass, as we remember
it, contained nothing that could reasonably be
objected to on religious grounds, and the
action of the meeting in censuring him was
entirely uncalled for. Mr.. Douglass very
rightly objects to having an ca pGrte judg-
ment pronounced against him, and in the
letter which we published yesterday he ex-
pressed his opinion of the performances of
the Bethel brethren in style more lively
than pleasant. Frederick Douglass is logi-
cal reasoner, which, unfortunately for them
selves, his opponents are not, and he relates
for their edifcation some unpleasant truths
which are particularly unpleasant because
they are true. His offense consisted in
his race as a special miracle, but rather as
resulting from the operation of natural
causes inherent in the very constitution
of human nature. This is certainly the
view that any but a religious fanatic will take
of the matter, and Mr. Douglass utters a
bitter truth when he asserts that so far from
slavery having been specially abolished by
the Almighty in answer to the prayers of the
American Church and pulpit, the influence of
the Church from the birth of the nation to
the hour of emancipation, and even to the
present day, was almost wholly on the side of
slavery, and that to the influence of the
Church more than to any other cause was due
the perpetuation of slavery through so many
long and weary years. Every man, woman,
and child in the United States knows that
this is 80, and as the churches were the main
support of slavery so also they are the last to
acknowledge the justice of its abolition. AS
proof of this we refer to the action of the
Southern Methodists, Baptists, and Presby-
terians, who refuse to renew their fraternal
relations with the Northern branches of
their respective denominations, and who
are endeavoring to keep alive the bitterness
and hate engendered by the anti-slavery agi-
tation and by the war which resulted in the
downfall of the slave system. Mr.. Douglass
explains the purport of his speech when he
says, 81 spoke only as a reformer, under
standing the wisdom of adapting means to
ends, and believing if this sin-cursed earth is
ever to be made better, it is to be made so
by faithful exertion and by the wise applca-
ton of human energies. Moral not less
than physical evils are under the control of
man. When anything has got to be done in
the world, some denizen of the world has got
to do it, or it will remain undone. The
American people violated the laws of justice,
love, and liberty, and in due time that law,
written in the human soul, vindicated itself
through war, blood, and pestilence." We
can see nothing in this that opposes the
popular religious idea of an overruling Provi-
dence that directs the affairs of men for the
attainment of all-wise ends.
The attack on Mr.. Douglass was uncalled
for and his letter is very sufficient answer
to all the charges brought against him. In
addition to defending himself, however, he
gives piece of advice to his prosecutors that
is well worthy of their attention, when he
says that instead of getting up church meet
ings to try distant heretics like himself, they
should honestly 60 to work and endeavor to
reform the character, manners, and habits of
the fostering thousands of colored people who
| live in the utmost misery and destitution in
the immediate vicinity of Bethel Church.
The OFFICIAL TERM of David A. Wells,
| Special Commissioner of Revenue, being