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Writing of the absence of political discussion from the sermons of the Irish Orator, reminds me of Mr. Spurgeon’s recent ebullition on the Slavery question. I have seen nothing for a long time more violent and preposterous, than the terms in which he has been pleased to deliver his opinion of slave-holders, in a letter to the Watchman and Reflector, of host on. It seems that Mr. Beecher charged Mr. Spurgeon’s publishers with mutilating his sermons so as to suppress in the Americaneditions his denunciations of slavery. Mr. Spurgeon relieves his publishers of thecharge by saying that having no slavery to .deal with in England, he lias rarely thought it necessary to mention the subject. But as if anxious to indemnify himself for his past silence, he proceeds to denounce slaveholders most unsparingly.— lie calls them “manstealers,”and declares “that he would as soon commune with amurderer as a.slaveholder.” In the bitterness of his wrath he declares “that if aslaveholder should dare to show himselfin his neighborhood he would receive a mark which he would carry to his grave, if it did not carry him then,’* meaning, I suppose, that he would lay violent hands upon him. In the same article he eulogizes Jolm Brown who was executed in Virginia, as a glorious martyr! I am not surprised that even the Boston Watchman, decided as its anti-slavery views are, was not able to endorse the monstrous doctrines of its correspondent, and found it necessary to introduce them with a preface which might blount their edge. Mr. Spurgeon is a young man, and when his views are enlarged by more extensive observation and maturer reflection, he will be heartily ashamed of this production.—Few men have achieved a wider popular-ity#as a preacher,but there are many slaveholders whom I could name, at whose feet he might sit and learn lessons of meekness, humility, love, and other qualities of piety, of which, if we may judge from his letter, he is singularly ignorant. I supposesome extenuation ought to be made for him from the fact that his notions of slavery have been derived from the distorted representations of the most ultra abolitionists. As it would be dangerous for anyslaveholder, or friend of the system, to approach his lordship, I see not how hismind is to be relieved of these prepossessions. lie promises in his letter that this is only the first instalment that “ BrotherJonathan’’ may expect from him on thissubject, and adds, that as Messrs. Sheldon Co., will print anything which he may write on this subject, he intends to make himself heard in America against this sin.I am not, of coure, in the counsels ofMessrs- Sheldon tfc Co„ but you may rest assured that they will neve, send to any Southern State such intemperate and unjust iliable abuse of your people as Mr.Spurgeon has been pleased to pour upon them, I hope the Christians at the South who are so wantonly assailed, will indulge in no spirit of retaliation, but simply pray that it may please God to bestow upon one who claims to be a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus Christian charity towards his fellow Christians in this country.We are soon to have another minister from Georgia in this vicinity. Rev. Albert Spalding, of Madison, has accepted the call of the Berean Baptist Church, West Philadelphia. The church lias beenbut recently constituted, and though few in number, they are enterprising and united, and will co-operate most earnestlywith their pastor. They are about completing a beautiful brown stone structure,of the Gothic order, and perhaps the most beautiful house in the particular part of the city in which it is located. These ministerial interchanges must do good.— I learn that the Baptist church in Agustahave called Rev. I). II. Miller, of Connecticut, to succeed Mr.- ltyerson. As he goes from the land of “steady habits’* he will doubtless walk straight himself and teach the people to do likewise. I heard him make an admirable speech last Spring in a Convention in New York, flis views on the vexed questions are. I believe, entirely conservative.TIIEOPIIILUS.
Newspaper Details
Penfield Christian Index
Penfield, Georgia, US
Wed, Feb 29, 1860
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 22 Oct 2019
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