Circular Letter

Of the Wasldenaio Baptist Jïssocialion, To the sevcral Churchcs comprisine this hodij. l to Df.ar Brethren:- We live in an age of unpanillelcd cxcirrmcnt the re confliciinginterests,. pridc of opinión and rcstlees ambition. The refl contemplates the wide arena of the general conflict, ernbrncin" buth ihe civil o reltginus community. with a full hcart. If we take n glancc'at civil community in our own country, reputed the fairestportiotsSI hourt ie not sickened nt the scenc- civil feuds, lynch law clubs, wlih all their concomitant evila.m!et the eyc, stun our c What a humiliating lesson of human degraJation and wretcbedness. The restless fevcr that rankles in the huninn henrt, seeks relief by di which it suffers, and asan infidel writer says, by " cutting the low creaturc8 forpay.by robbing and bcing robbed, by cheatidg and bein cheated by sérviög that hc may command and by repentina of aH at lenst half truc vvhen he adds, {' the bulk of mankind fl t n crowd of wretches equally criminal and unfortunato. and the globe conuiins careases rntlier tban men " lf we enter our Legislativo halls, the 6acred deposit of hurr jas. r'c. sort of oppressed humanity, here too we see the mighty stiuggle 01 the hist of power, where our representativos legislatc witS .oir mouths and threats in their ears and the weapons of denth by their Truly " rrn of high degree," as well as men of low degree whên laid in üie bnla "■ are altogether lighter than vanity." It is a sage maxim that where G to destroy a nation, he first makes them mad. To Zion it is a day ihat calis for eolemn heart-searching; for " judgmont scems already tohavebesü nf God." The manía that has sei.ed the politician, is not confinod to his ranl Happy indeed were it for Zion if order and consistency pervaded her entire brotherhood, and that her cscutcheon remained uncontaminated with the polín the times. But alas! it is not so. Tt is the imperious duly of the Church search out ihe cause of theso evils whh the candle of divine truth. It must be palpable to every observing and serious mind that two great nationa evils have contiïbuted princ!pally to the present lamentable state oí thins. To wit: Intemporance and Slavery. Be not startled dear brethren, if wc allude to these exciting loncer silcnce upon these subjects will involve us in guilt; for we assert and fea rl esa of suceessful contradiction, that the Churrh have done more to sustain and to extend these great evils than any other class ofcitizens, andfiecause her influcnceis greater. and it now devolves on her to lead the van in the final onset that shall sween them to their destined shades Let the Church take a unitedand consistent stand with persevering eiTort and the death knell of these demon evils will at once bo' sounded. We spcak with confidence on this point. The temperai-ice entorprise struggled for many years, with small encouragement, and what was the most prominent obstaclc to its success? Good God! shall it be told in Gath or be published in tho streets of Askelon? The C.urdi, the influence rftic Chvrch l ! But thanks bo to God the scène is now changed and the monster intempcrance that has spread dcvastation and ruin through the length and breadih of our land, is now retiring with rapid strides to seek repose amid the darkness that gave him birth. And whnt ha3 turned the scale and secured tho viciory. The Church have taken astand tho influence of ihc Chnrch! Thank God then brcthren,and take courage. One inoro battle is to be fought. One more victory to be attained and our country, our Zion is purified from anbther great sin; the jubilee trump offrecdom will thenbeblown and songs of deüverance reverberate through the land. In this great conflict the Baptist Church of all others should lead the van: her constitution is republican.and it is said,gave a cine to the mind of the authór and aided him in giving birth to that extraordinary document called " tho declaration of Independcnce. " Our brethren in England have set us an example. They have clcared their skirts tltey are free from the guilt of slavery, and are now aiding us by their prayers and' their counsels, in our exertions to break the chains and wipe the foul Main from our nation's glory - Our nation's motto stands in fiaming capitals before theeyes of all nations, "all men are f 'ree and equal," and yet strange to teü. our country's banner waves upon our capital at Washington " in splendid mockery over a land of slaves ;" and thcre chattelizcd human beings in the siglit of "the capital of ottr free nation are bought and sold. " and bartered as tks brute f ir gnll." Where ia the spirit of by-gone-days. ':Give me freedomor give me death," said a patriot oftherevolution. -Give us ireedom or give us death, responded ten thousand longues. The note carne íloating in the wind; wa3 thundered from a thousand pulpits. Young men and maidens. Rd men and matruns fired wit'i the racred patriotism bore the echo through the land; the holy ardor of prayer carried the appeaï to the God of the armies of Israel, nerved the arm, and sustained the shock of battle, until the victory was gained. The God of Israel thus sustained our venerable sires, against unjust claims and injuries, an age of which would scnrcely produce anamountof suffering equal to an hour of that we now inflict upon our fellow men- and can the liberiies of our nation, can the prospcrity of onr Zion be thourht secure, while we rivet the chnins of bondage upon our colored brethren who have as strong claims to breathe the atmosphere of freedom as ourselves? Wo say no,no. The god of justice has no attribute that can take sides with tisin such a causo. The abuse of God's mercies, has ahvays precccucd the downfall of ' tions. On this consideration, no nation ever had more renson to trembje than our own; perhaps none were in a more fatal slumber. " Hear ye no waniinrs in tho air? Feelye no eaithquake underneath?" Awnkr, why will y e slumber where the sleeper only wakes in death?" Should our nation fall, and God's ministers and peopte remain silent, and not raise their warning voice, the blood of a nation will be required at our hands, But we are told the Church must be pnssive. ministers must be silent, slavery is the creature of Law, the questton is politica!, you must not interfere. Pray sir, have we no concern 4n the political destiny of our country? Must we withdrew from the ballot box and from the councils of s'ate and give the reign to infideliiy, and passively ride on until our nationa! car plunges in the vortex of ruin? God forbid that such a servilc spirit should pervadc in a land of light and law. The Church can redecm our nation, her influence is mighty and if she does itnot God will require it at her hands. Ileed not the clamour against your interference, no great nationól evil was ever corrected without a struggle. Tremendous throes must agitate the body politie, in giving tho birth offreedom to near thrce millions of immortal beings. The public mindis big with agony upon tho subject. Come up then to her help; the crisis (Iemands it,delay my be fatal.The Jewish Snnhednm atumpted to chokc down thcprophets and aposiles; cvcry enemy ot' '76 would gladly have gngged the ministers of the cioss and prcventcd their infiueuco in the struggle lor liberty - the same spirit still livcs - but ihanks bo to God there are sonie who choose raiher to obcy God than man. Shall not the exampie of our worthy sircewho now sleep in an honored tomb, fire the hearts oL the cross in this hour of trial! Gud rtq'.iires of his ministers to bear testimony against nll sin and especíály against grent national sins. All Bible liistory sustains this position. Slavèry is reeorded on the blackest page in the history of crime. It exists in ils most hateful and cruel form in these United States, and the capital of the proudest nation upon earth, is one of the greatcst markets lor slaves, and is dnily bathcd with the teara a:ul the blood & echoes wiili the cries of injured and cruslicd hunianity. The worst feature of all is. that this "mischief is protected by a av." United States law sus tains iliis fbul damning institution and guards it with weapons of death, and our nation is now in consequence the by-word of a niocking earth! ! Our nation is a na non of slaveholders. wiliingly or unwillingly we are macïo to support it. The disgusting sys'.em was generatcd, and is eustcined by hurnan av;irice, is based upon man stealing, a crime that God twice denounces with death in the law of Aloses - it insults God, by defucing hie image in his creature, man, and brings him lo the level ol the brutes, makes him a thing, a mere chattef, strips him of his liberty, robs him of theavails of his labor, takes ïoni Juin lus wile and childrcn, withholds the key ofknowledge and with a brow of brasa braves thn autliority of Jcsus Christ, by giving Iimits to his ministers, whose commission covers uil the world and reaches to cvery creature. And, to crown the climax of this rcvolting tyranny, niakes the poorsiavo the nn willing instrument, through the avails of his Iaburof bringing more of his ill fated race into the eame wretchect state with himself, to g!ut the avance of his ordly tyrant. Our principal grief ié that Churches and Ministers in the slave statcs nre engaged in this neiarious business and attempt to deènd it as a Cible institutiun. Sin always wears a harli-t face, " she wipeth her mouth saying I ara innocent, I have done no evil." The precepts of Jesus Christ are cxplicit- n love ihy neighbor as thyscli" - "do to othersas yc would they should do unto you" - "givo tu all their Jues. &c. ifcc." io christian, it seems to us, can enj;er the list ol tslavcry untii the tender sensibilities of his heart are blunted by becoming familiarized wiib. ecenesoi ïnjusticc and oppression, nnd his conecierice thereby l;iid asleep ín the tomb of ftilenoe. And note trhai can be done? WHAT ? The darkness ol tlio tomb must bo. penetrateel, by eJCpoeing the arcana of slaccry and staning its votaries with ts Iwnidimagerij; the thunder-tones of God"s truth must rouse that cpnecience, and with the autliority of the Eternal reniand it before the tribunal of rigluedus decisions. This is the Work assigned to God'a Church and to his Ministers. And what more? Let the cause ol the oppreseor and the oppresscd be the burden ot' y mr prayers beforo the mercy 6eat - ihink about it, talk about it, weep fiboiu it nnd in every reasonable way disfellowship it, and all its abettors and defenders and show no fellowship " with the unfruitiul works of darkness but nithcr reprove them." Use your iniluence to select rulers who lear God and linte covetousness. who will administer t us impartlal justice, and look to our peticiona for redress of g.-ievance. Let not the Church bc ïesponsible fur placing vickcd men in powen :' Thu wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.'J Out loose from all party considerations, if nced be, to dii-charge your duty faithfully to God. your country and your fellow men. Act delibernfcly, solemn ly, yei decisivelj, and Iet your christian deportment before the world, yotir zeal in the cause of humonity nnd ber.evolence, your promptitiHJe in the discharge of every so;ial and relative duty, and your kindly spirit towards all men, bc the grand insignia of your chrietian hopes.