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 The Acts of the Anti-Slavery Apostles

I was told I'm not to post about the "war" on Sermonindex any more.

So I started looking back in church history to see how national sin issues have been dealt with in the past by the church. Obviously the record is most disappointing especially when considering how the church dealt with slavery. It was only a very small minority of Christians were antislavery. I found the most delightful book and I want to share the URL with you all, and a snippet that made me laugh.

http://medicolegal.tripod.com/pillsburypacts.htm

the book is called "The Acts of the Anti-Slavery Apostles, and it was written by Rev Parker Pillsbury in 1883, in an attempt to set the record straight. Its a fascinating account...here's a snippet, it describes an attempt by abolitionist ministers to speak at a church in New England :


"The next morning, Rogers went by himself to the Congregational house, having understood that Foster would be there, and probably would attempt to address the people. I accompanied Beach and Foster. Foster went forward and sat down in a side slip, opposite the pulpit. It was as perfect a June Sunday as ever shone, but the large house and not less large minister, avoirdupois, had but scattered audience.

At the close of the long prayer, which at that period was offered with the congregation standing, Foster, instead of sitting down, commenced speaking, in very solemn and subdued tone of voice.

As soon as Mr. Cook heard him, he turned towards him, and in most military tone, as became a commander in the "church militant," ordered him to "sit down."

Foster did not obey. "Sit down, sir!" was then uttered with force and gesture.

But Foster seemed only to hear a higher command, saying,

"Cry aloud; spare not; lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins." [Isaiah 58:1].


At which Cook thundered out, in a tone strangely unlike the solemn voice of Foster,

"I command you in the name of the commonwealth to sit down!"


By that time, the sexton and two others came to the rescue, and seizing Foster, (whose non-resistance principleson such occasions always put him into a perfectly passive state), two of them by his shoulders, his face downward, and the other, a most conveniently short man, as though gotten up for just that use, catching hold of him by the ankles, as he might a wheelbarrow by the handles, they bore him down the aisle through the porch, and down the steps to the sidewalk, in the most grotesque and ludicrous manner imaginable.

Rogers and Beach followed, as did I and several others, who were of the audience, though to us strangers. Foster rose to his feet at once, and, looking at his bearers, said, pleasantly,

"This, then, is your christianity, is it?"


He continued speaking, to attentive listeners, too, till the sexton, seeing the attention given, told the people to go back into the house.

"No breaking in upon worship, friend sexton," said Rogers. "We shall have to drag you out if you do. Don't drive folks in, if you do drag them out."


The sexton laughed. We all laughed.

Rogers advised the good-natured sexton to resign and not do such dirty work for such a minister and church. After speaking some time to excellent purpose, Foster walked directly across the common, not many rods, entered the Baptist meeting-house and sat down till the services were closed and the benediction pronounced.

Then, as the people were moving out, he began speaking again.

The sexton at the other house had asked Foster, in a kindly way, why he didn't wait till the exercises closed, and then he would not have been molested.

But Foster assured him

"that would have made no difference. You would have dragged me out then as you have now."


As those Baptists verily did. They fell on him the moment they heard his voice, like blood-hounds. They hurried him down the aisle and door-steps to the ground, with suchviolence as did him and his clothing serious injury, as there was good reason to think they intended. He, however, rose up and addressed them a few gentle words and walked away to his lodgings, at Friend William Bassett's, at that time a most welcome, hospitable and desirable anti-slavery home.

Rogers stood thoughtfully surveying the scene, when some younger brethren of "the Baptism of John," assailed him a little in the style of the high priest's palace, in Jerusalem, eighteen centuries ago. "This is one of them," said a beardless youth, with a leer of contempt. Rogers did not deny.

"You ought to be tarred and feathered," sneered out another, spitefully. "Yes," said the first, "and carried to the county jail."

"And cowhided," said another, "for disturbing meetings on the Sabbath in such a way."

"Ah," responded Rogers, "is that, then, the spirit of your worship? Does your gospel run like that, my friends? Is it tar your enemies; feather them that hate you; cowhide them that despitefully use you? Why, friends, is that your way?"


Thank God there were those who spoke out on the evil of slavery.

 2004/11/22 14:11









 Reverend Foster weighs in.

Praise God!!

I know I speak correctly. Here's something a noted abolitionist mentioned in the prior post wrote about the clergy and church who were pro-slavery circa 1843:

"The remarks which I made at your Convention were of a most grave and startling character. They strike at the very foundation of all our popular ecclesiastical institutions, and exhibit them to the world as the apologists and supporters of the most atrocious system of oppression and wrong, beneath which humanity has ever groaned.

They reflect on the church the deepest possible odium, by disclosing to public view
the chains and hand-cuffs,

the whips and branding-irons,

the rifles and bloodhounds,
with which her ministers and deacons bind the limbs and lacerate the flesh of innocent men and defenceless women.

They [the accusations] cast upon the [U.S.] clergy the same dark shade which Jesus threw over the ministers of his day, when he tore away the veil beneath which they had successfully concealed their diabolical schemes of personal aggrandizement and power, and denounced them before all the people".

http://medicolegal.tripod.com/thieves.htm

 2004/11/22 14:28
rookie
Member



Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re: The Acts of the Anti-Slavery Apostles

Br. Neil quoted:

Quote:
At which Cook thundered out, in a tone strangely unlike the solemn voice of Foster,

"I command you in the name of the commonwealth to sit down!"



I see where Cook's heart dwelled. "I command you in the name [b]of the commonwealth[/b]..." There is no power in that name.

I use to attend this particular men's conference. I became disheartened when I saw that the prayer to the commonwealth started such events. Then a prayer was issued out to our Lord Savior Jesus Christ. The evidence of what we hope for creates the path we travel.

One path will highlight all the fruit of Satan, the other all the goodness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Is our life centered, "in the name of the commonwealth," or in the "name of Jesus Christ?"

In Christ
Jeff


_________________
Jeff Marshalek

 2004/11/22 14:33Profile









 Sound familiar?

Reverend Foster continues: (it's a fascinating read!)

"(President)John Tyler, the present head and representative of the federal government, is a veteran slave-breeder—a negro-thief of the old Virginia school, who has long supported his own family in princely luxury by desolating the domestic heartstones of his defenceless neighbors, and whose crimes in this regard, had they been perpetrated North instead of South, of Mason's and Dixon's line, would have consigned him to the state's prison for at least two centuries, or until released by death from his ignominious confinement.

Of Mr. Tyler's cabinet, a majority are negro thieves—five of the jndges of the Supreme Court are negro thieves—the president of the United States Senate is a negro thief—the speaker of the House of Representatives is a negro thief—the officer first in command in the V. S. army is a negro thief—a majority of all our ministers [ambassadors] to foreign courts [governments] are negro thieves.

And yet these men were all elected to office by the votes, direct or indirect, of the great body of the Northern church and clergy.

But why have the clergy and their adherents shown this preference for thieves to rule the nation, and shape its destinies? Doubtiess, because they are a "brotherhood of thieves," as like always seeks its like.

Away, then, with all their pretentions to Christianity, or even common honesty."

 2004/11/22 14:45
rookie
Member



Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re: Sound familiar?

Quote:
Of Mr. Tyler's cabinet, a majority are negro thieves—five of the jndges of the Supreme Court are negro thieves—the president of the United States Senate is a negro thief—the speaker of the House of Representatives is a negro thief—the officer first in command in the V. S. army is a negro thief—a majority of all our ministers [ambassadors] to foreign courts [governments] are negro thieves.



Rev. 17:1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

Br. Neil you have brought a very insightful abomination of history which will teach us of the substance of the wine that all nations drink. The kings fornicate with the Harlot, the people are made drunk by this spiritual adultery with the seed of Satan.

We will see some of the manifestations of this spiritual adultery that existed then, now , and the times to come. What does the Harlot give to the kings of this earth?

In Christ
Jeff


_________________
Jeff Marshalek

 2004/11/22 16:16Profile
rookie
Member



Joined: 2003/6/3
Posts: 4821
Savannah TN

 Re:

Brothers and Sisters:

Do you feel the oppression that lives in what Brother Neil is sharing? It this oppression of God or Satan. How can we learn from the spiritual adultery of the church that existed during that century?

Satan never rests. How is satan oppressing the church today? What lies, what delusions do we accept? For what do we sell our souls for? It is comfort? Is it security? Is it wealth? Is is power? What does the Spirit say to your hearts?

In Christ
Jeff


_________________
Jeff Marshalek

 2004/11/22 16:25Profile





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