1841. CHAP. I. light and the truth, and denying that freedom from sin is a Christian's duty and privilege, confess and forsake our sins give no quarter to unrighteousness - put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil believe with all the heart-exercise that faith which overcomes the world, and therefore that cannot be overcome by anything that is in the world—and be willing to be wholly delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom 1 John 5:4. of God's dear Son. 'Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world'—not half succeeds in the struggle, but wholly tri1 John 3:7. umphs. 'Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness IS righteous [not partly righteous, and partly sinful], even as he [Christ] is righteous.' And how righteous was Christ? Was any sin found in him? Did he not come expressly to do the will of his heavenly Father, and to teach his disciples to pray that that will might be done on earth as it is 1 John 3:8. done in Heaven? 'He that committeth sin is [what? a saint, 3:8. possibly no, is] of the devil.' 'For this purpose the Son of God was manifested [what purpose ?], that he might DESTROY 1 John 3:9, the works of the devil.' Therefore, 'Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he 1 John IO. Lib. 11:191. Elijah P. Lib. 11:191. ( cannot sin [what a dangerous doctrine,' what a 'delusive error,' and how 'utterly destructive to the life and growth of true holiness'!], BECAUSE HE IS BORN OF GOD. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.”” A sentiment attributed to the Rev. Edward Beecher, President of Jacksonville (Ill.) College, in the course of some lectures in Boston, furnished another occasion for the display of Mr. Garrison's magnanimity, towards Noyes in particular. The stanch friend of Lovejoy was reported to have "prognosticated the speedy end of the world by 'the general wickedness which prevailed, the doctrines of the perfectionists, NON-RESISTANTS, deists, atheists, and pantheists, which are all those of false Christs."" "With 'perfectionists,' as such," rejoined Mr. Garrison, "we have little or no personal acquaintance. We have never met Ante, 2:144. with more than two or three individuals who bear that name, and then have had no opportunity to converse with them in regard to their peculiar religious views. Some of their writings we have perused, in which we have found (as in other writings) much to approve and something to condemn. We are not their advocate or expositor; for we choose to be responsible only for what we shall utter or write, and to let every man answer for himself. Doubtless, there are some diversities of views among them; and also some, who profess to be of their number, who do not walk worthily of their profession. All are not Israel who are of Israel,' yet the true Israel of God remain loyal. If what we have heard of the sayings and doings of the perfectionists, especially those residing in Vermont, be true, they have certainly turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, and given themselves over to a reprobate mind. So, also, if a tithe of the allegations that have been brought against the abolitionists by their enemies be true, they are a body of madmen, incendiaries, and cut-throats. We know how to make allowance for calumny in the one case, and it leads us to be charitable in the other. "Now, whatever may be the conduct of these perfectionists, the duty which they enjoin, of ceasing from all iniquity, at once and forever, is certainly what God requires, and what cannot be denied without extreme hardihood or profligacy of spirit. It is reasonable, and therefore attainable. If men cannot help sinning, then they are not guilty in attempting to serve two masters. If they can, then it cannot be a dangerous doctrine to preach; and he is a rebel against the government of God who advocates an opposite doctrine. No matter how many, who pretend to keep 'the royal law' perfectly, break it in their walk and conversation, and are either hypocrites or self-deceivers: that law should be proclaimed as essential to the recovery of mankind from their fallen condition; and no violation of it by those who profess to observe it, can make it nugatory. What though the American people, while they declare it to be a self-evident truth that all men are created equal, hold in unmitigated thraldom one-sixth portion of their number? Is that truth thereby proved to be a lie? Is it no longer to be asserted in the presence of tyranny? Christianity has been dishonored and betrayed by millions who have assumed the Christian profession; but is it henceforth to be abjured on that account? "The attempt of Pres. Beecher to associate non-resistants with deists and atheists is not merely absurd-not merely unfortunate—not merely censurable — but it is a flagrant assault upon the character of Jesus, 'who suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.' Non-resistance is based upon the teachings, doctrines, examples, and spirit of Christ. Christ is its pattern, its theme, its hope, its rejoicing, CHAP. I. 1841. Ante, 2:289; Socialisms, p. 624. CHAP. I. 1841. 27. its advocate and protector, its author and finisher, its Alpha and Omega. "It appears that the subject of his [Beecher's] discourse was 'The Last Times,' or the end of the world; and, in order suitably to affect the minds of those who listened to him, and to prepare them for the speedy coming of the Son of Man Lib. 13:23, (an event, by the way, which we believe transpired eighteen hundred years ago),1 he warns them to beware of those who abjure all stations of worldly trust and preferment; who insist that Christians cannot wield carnal weapons for the destruction of their enemies; who, when smitten on the one cheek, turn the other also to the smiter; and who are willing to die for their foes, as did Jesus for his, rather than to imprison, maim, or destroy them!" 1839-41. The doctrines defended in the foregoing extracts continued, as heretofore, to be merely subsidiary to Mr. GarAnte, 2: 305. rison's lifework. They were the unfailing feeders of his anti-slavery courage, energy, and persistence. "We have Lib. 11:99. never," said the editor of the Liberator in June, "devoted more of our time to the anti-slavery movement than we have for the last three years. We are literally 'absorbed' in that movement. We have yet to deliver our first public lecture on 'the Church,'' the Sabbath,' or 'the MinisAnte, 2:326. try,' or even on 'non-resistance.' We have been nominally one of the editors of the Non-Resistant for a period of two and a half years; and, during that time, we have not devoted half a day to the writing of editorial matter for its pages." His activity as an anti-slavery lecturer during the year 1841 is especially notable. The paralysis of this mode of propagandism as a consequence of the hard times, the Harrison Presidential campaign, the schism in the American Society, and the Liberty-Party secession, was lamentably felt at the close of 1840, and Mr. Garrison Ante, 2:428. had done what he could, by taking the field in person, to supply the lack of a full corps of agents. At the ninth annual meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society 1 Father Miller, the head of the Second-Adventists, and so-called "end-ofthe-world man," was at this epoch preaching in Massachusetts that the "day of probation," preceding the millennium, was no further off than a date somewhere between the vernal equinoxes of 1843-44. in January, 1841, Abby Kelley moved that he again go Lib. 11 : 23. forth and meet his detractors. Accepting this commission impersonally, he labored for the cause in a great number of towns in eastern Massachusetts, in Connecticut, in New Hampshire, with the annual May visit to New York, and an excursion, with N. P. Rogers, to Philadel phia. Edmund Quincy made good his editorial delinquencies, and, on the return of Collins, himself also Lib. 11:191, turned lecturer. 211. 1841, MS. Apr. 1, w.L.G. and E.G. Loring to Collins. Collins's absence was, to the friends at home, unaccountably prolonged, and the most urgent private and official appeals to him to come back to his post, which no one else could fill, were disappointed. Month after month the date of his sailing was postponed; and, what with two visits to Ireland, the publication of a controversial pamphlet,1 and the confirmation of the Scotch alliance with the old organization, summer overtook him before he felt free to rejoin his associates in America. He crossed in the same steamer with the Phillipses, arriving July 4, 1841 July 17, 1841, ten days after the Chapmans had returned from Hayti.2 Great was the rejoicing over this reunion, which was signalized by a formal reception.3 The family Lib. 11:127. 1'Right and Wrong among the Abolitionists of the United States: or, the Objects, Principles, and Measures of the Original American A. S. Society Unchanged. By John A. Collins, Representative of the A. A. S. S. Glasgow: Geo. Gallie, 1841' (Lib. 11:77, 138). This was begun, with the aid of Elizabeth Pease, in the latter part of January, and was out by the third week in March (MSS. Feb. 2, 1841, E. Pease to W. L. G., and Mar. 24, to Collins). 2 They had embarked for the island on Dec. 28, 1840 (Lib. 11:3), for the sake of Mr. Henry G. Chapman's health, which was only temporarily benefited. 3 In the evening there was a collation given by the colored people. "Garrison," wrote Wendell Phillips to Elizabeth Pease (MS. Aug. 26, 1841), "was in fine vein-witty and fluent; his wife's eyes worth a queen's dowry. Miss Southwick and I were tied to a Haytian to speak bad French to him, as he could talk only [to] two beside ourselves. Bradburn and W. L. G. brightened each other by their retorts. Said Himes, alluding modestly to his wish to be always acting, though only effecting a little, 'I am but a cipher, but I keep always on the slate.' 'Yes,' said W. L. G., 'and always on the right side.' [S. J.] May, whose extra care to be candid led some new-organized ones to fancy he was going to join them, took occasion to explain his position. Said he: 'One asked me the other day if I was VOL. III.-2 Lib. II: 119 III. CHAP. I. circle of the abolitionists was now complete; discouragement gave way to hopeful, harmonious action, in Lib. 11:139. which the organizing skill and "Herculean powers of despatch" of the man who had "saved the cause" in 1840 were speedily manifested.1 1841. Ante, 2:346. Aug. 10, 11, 12, 1841; Lib. 114130, 134. burn. Of the numerous meetings and conventions now instituted, that at Nantucket in August was a conspicuous example of the glad renewal of anti-slavery fellowship (the sectarian spirit having been exorcised), and was otherwise memorable. No report is left of the social Geo. Brad- delights of companionship between Bradburn (a sort of island host), Quincy, Garrison, and Collins; but the significant incident of the public proceedings has been recorded by the chief actor in them. This was Frederick Douglass of New Bedford, formerly a Maryland slave, and only for three years a freeman by virtue of being a fugitive. His extraordinary oratorical powers were hardly suspected by himself, and he had never addressed any but his own color when he was induced to narrate his experiences at Nantucket. S. J. May's tions, p. 292. Recollec Life of F. Douglass, ed. 1882, p. 216; "It was," he says, "with the utmost difficulty that I could stand erect, or that I could command and articulate two words going to Chardon-St. Chapel [i. e., to the reception to Phillips and Collins]. -Yes.-Why, Mr. May, I heard you were leaving the old party.-Who told Gleanings, you so?-Many people.-Well,' said Samuel, 'when I am going to leave, I'll pp. 17-19. be myself the first to tell it. When I leave W. L. G., I'll tell him so first.' Good, was it not? You'd say so if you had seen the noble, calm, wholesouled speaker." 1 Mr. Garrison wrote to Miss Pease on Sept. 16, 1841 (MS.): "Our antislavery struggle is constantly increasing in vigor and potency; and never were our spirits better, or our blows more effective, or our prospects more encouraging, than at present. Our fall and winter campaign will be carried on with unwonted energy. The return of our friends Phillips, Chapman, and Collins infuses new life into the general mass. The people are everywhere eager to hear. I am covered all over with applications to lecture in all parts of the free States. The many base attempts that have been made to cripple my influence, and to render me odious in the eyes of the people, have only served to awaken sympathy, excite curiosity, and to open a wide door for usefulness." Notice the large and harmonious meeting of the Eastern Pennsylvania A. S. Society at Philadelphia in December, 1841, at which, however, the temporary suspension of the Freeman in favor of the Standard was voted (Lib. 12: 2, 3, 7, 8). |