DR. CHEEVER'S SERMON

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 14, 1859

DR. CHEEVER'S SERMON.

SLAVERY AND THE PULPIT.

Dr. Cheever spoke last evening upon the duty of the Church with regard to Slavery and the power of the Gospel, effectively preached, toward removing that sin. He read lengthy passages of Scripture, showing the effect of the faithful declaration of the word of God upon oppressors in Biblical times, and in his prayer alluded to the great sale of men and women in Savannah. His text was the first two verses of the 58 chapter of Isaiah, which he said was God's indictment against the Jewish people, and not less against this nation. We had the same fasts, prayer meetings in Fulton street and John street. We had the same sins, and to us also was it commanded that we should break every yoke. It was a striking proof of the depth which we had reached in iniquity that professing Christians could read this and not be stricken down by it.—This gigantic crime was piracy and man stealing, living and lasting in lengthened dreadness long drawn out. Murder reached only its victim, but the law of slavery made its piracy perpetual. Every year it was increasing and spreading, while the sense of the crime was diminishing. He cared nothing about the greater profitableness of free labor; slavery was a sin, and as a sin, the Christian had to deal with it.

Dr. Cheever drew a striking picture of this organized system of crimes, sibilant and many fanged, which he compared to the mound of snakes seen in South America by Humboldt. From this venomous mass, now and then new cobra heads darted, lately one in New Mexico, the worst features of which he gave. He depicted the horrors of the great slave sale, and then said that in most of the churches of this city prayer for the enslaved had not been permitted for years; they seemed to be stricken by a hydrophobia which rendered the water of Life, God's Word, hateful to them. The Christian conscience was petrified by slavery into a ready thing upon which to sharpen arguments in its favor. Or if not petrified it was changed into a lifeless adipose. Its effect upon the church was most disastrous. We need look no further for the causes of the prevalent infidelity.—When the church was at variance with herself with regard to such a crime, who could respect it? It was as though a bench of Judges should differ as to the legality of assassination. The contradictory testimony of the churches ruined their power. What could they expect but contempt? Take away the respectabilities of wealth and fashion, and they would become a stench in the nostrils of the world. The wonder was that all men of conscience were not infidels. Such a church ought to be "tied to the tail of the Great Red Dragon, and whipped round eternity." Nothing could meet with the approbation of the great Adversary more perfectly than a continuous revival in such a church.

It was not enough for the preacher of God's Word to speak against slavery occasionally, to introduce it as one head into a sermon, or to use it for an illustration of one of the burdens of society; we must throw ourselves in masses against it; there must be association, to secure constant, incessant action against it. Through treachery of the church and ministry, the slave power had been permitted to advance steadily from position to position, until now there was hardly anything for it to desire, except the power of transit for slaves through the Northern States. Then all the States would become slave States. No influence was strong enough to check it, except the only one which had not been brought to bear upon it—the terrors of God's word. Let the consciences of the people be laid bare beneath the influences of God's word, and within one year the tide would be rolled back.—Tribune.