How Dwelleth the Love of God in Such?
By Wesleyan
In the North Dutch Church, New York City, at one of the Union prayer-meetings, says the Editor of the Golden Rule, a brother, in the simplicity of his heart, offered up a single petition that slave-holding might be done away. This great sin of our nation, he coupled with others, such as Intemperance, Sabbath desecration, &c., in his prayer to the God of the oppressed. And what followed? Why, the presiding officer of the meeting said to him, "Sir, you will recollect no controverted subjects are allowed here in prayer!" The brother who committed the unpardonable sin of praying this prayer for the slave was taken by surprise. But what could he do? The prayer had gone up—entered "the ears of the God of Sabaoth." The Spirit taught him to pray this prayer, "Remember them in bonds as bound with them." Futhermore, God says, "We know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us." Now, the Holy Spirit did make intercession in this case and led the brother to offer up petition for the oppressed, for which he was reproved, and accused of violating the rules of the house. What now must be done to atone for this high-handed misdemeanor? Restitution could not be made; take back the prayer he could not; and to repent for offering the prayer, he had no heart for it. Sad dilemma! Prayer in this same Dutch Reformed Church, might be made with perfect safety for China, the South Sea Islands, the heathen in distant lands—for Temperance, Sabbath-schools, &c.; but when the poor slave, for whom Christ shed his precious blood, is named, every nerve is shocked! The offence must not be overlooked! Is this Bible religion? "Inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have not done it unto me." "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." How can such men or meetings expect to promote, really and finally, the religion of the Saviour, when they are ready, in the person of his servants, to crucify him afresh, and put his doctrines to open shame by the repudiation of them. We have hoped better things from these united efforts at God's throne, in behalf of the ungodly and ungodliness. But it seems that in them, as in certain hunker organizations of the day, prayer for the slave is an offence, and is strictly prohibited. This seems to have been the case in the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg. A beloved brother in that place had temerity to open his lips in prayer for the dumb—"those appointed to destruction;" and what was the result? The mountains were in labor! Had the poor man committed adultery, or highway robbery, a greater outcry could not have been made.—He was severely reprimanded, and well-nigh excommunicated on the spot! In all the conservative, pro-slavery or dough-faced churches—north, south, east, west—seldom, if ever, is a single petition offered in the pulpit, or in prayer meetings, domestic or public, for those bowed under the cruel oppressor's yoke. Is it strange under these circumstances, that infidelity stalks in open day? that slaveholders are emboldened to commit the most horrid, cruel, depredations? that our nation reels to and fro like a drunken man, when Northern Churches, Missionary Boards, Tract Societies, Sunday-school Unions, hold their peace—wink at this villainy of all villainies? O, for a revival of genuine, Christ-like religion! One that begets sympathy for a man's body, in chains, while not overlooking his soul, both in its ignorance and in its sins. The Lord raise up such churches and church members as will dare to link their destiny both by way of influence and numbers, with all for whom the Saviour died, and for whom justice will yet be revealed.—Wesleyan.