A MINISTER DENOUNCING ANTI-SLAVERY LECTURES

[FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS' PAPER.]

NORTH EAST, Pa., August 24, 1858.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS: DEAR SIR:—At 3 o'clock last Sabbath, the Rev. Mr. Hall, stationed minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church at North East Village, preached at the school-house near where I reside. He spoke from Rom. 6th, 18th—"Being then made free from sin, ye become servants of righteousness." He held up the possibility and duty of living free from sin, and being servants of righteousness, and of the absurdity of attempting to serve two masters. Much of his discourse was very good. He brought up the subject of slavery, and asserted that he was as much opposed to it as any body, and then said there are anti-slavery lectures going about from place to place, lecturing against slavery, and they are the greatest slaves to sin and the devil. He did not say that but are. He did not say they were for any thing else they had done, nor for any thing they had left undone. No exception was made. So, in Elder Hall's opinion, and according to his preaching, all anti-slavery lectures are the greatest slaves to sin and the devil, because, as we are left to suppose, they do just what God requires all ministers and all men to do, "Open their mouths for the dumb; remember those that are in bonds as bound with them; break every yoke; preach deliverance to the captives." "Thus saith the Lord, execute ye judgement and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the opressor; if thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, behold we knew it not, doth not he that pondereth the hearts consider it, and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it, and shall not he render to every man according to his works."

As much opposed to slavery as any body, and denouncing anti-slavery lectures! What inconsistency! And what need of any such assertion? Anti-slavery men are known by their fruits, and so are pro-slavery. What should we think of a man that says he is as

good a Christian as any body, and then say the ministers that preach from place to place, are the greatest slaves to sin and the devil? We read of persecutions for righteousness sake; and anti-slavery men and anti-slavery lecturers are not strangers to it. If they call the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more they of his household! We have no knowledge that the priest and Levite, that passed by on the other side, ever berated the Samaritan for administering to the wants of him who fell among thieves. I pity the soul of him who has a heart to do it. But the man that fell among thieves was stripped and wounded, and left half dead. How thankful would the slaves of our glorious land of liberty be, if they could be left to themselves, only stripped, wounded and half dead. The Apostle says, "Christ came to destroy the works of the devil"—and what greater work of the devil than slavery!

But Elder Hall's theme seems to be to destroy lecturers. How often he thus berates them I know not; but one says he has heard him only twice, the same discourse both ties, the loudest and longest denunciation of lecturers the first time. His servants ye are to who ye yield yourselves servants to obey. How a calling? If we love God we shall love our brother and feel for suffering humanity, bond and free.

Yours, for persecuted lecturers,

SAMUEL KINGSBURY.