The Church, Slavery, and Caste.
By John G. Fee
In every land the popular religion is to that people the standard of right. As that religion is, so are the morals and statute laws of the land. In our country the popular church is the exponent of the popular religion, and has immense power in forming public sentiment; and, through the public sentiment the church molds law. Albert Barnes, recognizing this truth, said, "The Christian church, if right, would break the bonds of the slave in a year. Let the church speak, and right action will follow as certainly as the shining of the sun causes vernal beauty to spring into life." To see that this is true, we need but look to the localities where a few church members have been true to the religion of Christianity. Let the mass of the church remain as now, criminally silent and indifferent, and slavery will be perpetuated, at least for a time. The people, without correct moral sentiment, will go on from one degree of vice to another, until at last, despising the church for her heartlessness, formality, and fashion, the masses will plunge into Atheism, violence, and bloodshed. What is the voice of history? Macaulay, speaking of France, says: "The church was against humanity; and the ecclesiastics had hearts like ice; they were the apologists for injustice and wrong. Having charge of the sheep, they acted more like wolves than shepherds." As a result, another has said: "Voltaire and his company plead eloquently for the poor and oppressed; and those infidel scoffers carried away the hearts of the people from the church, and caused them to hate it as an institution fostering gigantic wrong. The people rejected Christianity because it was misrepresented. The nation fled to atheism, and to violence, blasphemy, wrong and bloodshed, as a natural result of the influence of an unfaithful church." What are the facts? Four millions of native-born Americans of "one blood" with ourselves, robbed of personal ownership, despoiled in the sacred rights of husband and wife, parents and child; yet most of the professed ministers of Him who came to open the prison doors, to preach deliverance to the captives, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, dispose of the claims of these millions by a "single paragraph" in their sermons, or in vague generalities in their prayers. Others directly enslave their fellow-men, or fellowship those that do so. And in reference to the colored man in the free States, there are but few churches where he is treated as a brother. Most treat him as Pharisees did Gentiles in the time of Christ. No wonder that New York has cast her recent vote against the colored man. Some years since a movement was made in the New York Legislature to extend to the colored man equal rights. It was replied, "It is useless for us to attempt to do so, for the churches will not." The work of justice and reform must begin in the church. She is to be the light of the world. It is just to say some churches bear a consistent testimony and practice for the right. May the number be speedily multiplied.—*John G. Fee.