CHAPTER XLII. THE RESULT.

lastweek,averyexcellentpiousmulattowomaninmychurchcametometoknowwhatsheshoulddo.Hermasterwasdeterminedsheshouldlivewithhimasamistressyetshehasahusbandontheplace.HowamItoadviseher?Themanisaveryinfluentialman,andcapableofmakingagooddealofcommotionbesideswhich,shewillgainnothingbyresistance,buttobesoldawaytosomeothermasterwhowilldoworse.Now,thisisaverytryingcasetoaminister.I'msure,ifanythingcouldbedone,I'dbegladbutthefactis,themomentapersonbeginstomoveintheleasttoreformtheseabuses,heiscalledanabolitionist,andthewholecommunityisdownonhimatonce.That'sthestatethesenorthernfanaticshavegotusinto." "Oh,yes,"saidDr.Baskum,aleadingminister,whohadrecentlycomein."Besides,amancan'tdoeverything!We'vegotasmuchaswecanstaggerunderonourshoulders,now.We'vegotthebuildingupofthechurchtoattendto.That'sthegreatinstrumentalitywhichatlastwillseteverythingstraight.Wemustdoastheapostlesdid,—confineourselvestopreachingtheGospel,andtheGospelwillbringeverythingelseinitstrain.Theworldcan'tbemadeoverinaday.Wemustdoonethingatatime.Wecan'tafford,justatpresent,totackleinwithallourotherdifficultiestheodiumandmisrepresentationofsuchamovement.Theminutewebegintodoanythingwhichlookslikerestrainingtherightsofmasters,thecryofchurchandstateandabolitionwillberaised,andweshallbeswamped!" "But,"saidfatherDickson,"isn'tittherightwayfirsttofindoutourdutyanddoit,andthenleavetheresultwithGod?Oughtwetotakecounseloffleshandbloodinmatterslikethese?" "Ofcoursenot,"saidDr.Packthread."Butthereisawisewayandanunwisewayofdoingthings.Wearetoconsiderthetimes,andonlyundertakesuchworksasthemovementsofDivineProvidenceseemtoindicate.Idon'twishtojudgeforbrethren.Atimemaycomewhenitwillbetheirdutytoshowthemselvesopenlyonthissubjectbut,inordertoobtainafootholdfortheinfluencesoftheGospeltoworkon,itmaybenecessarytobearandforbearwithmanyevils.Underthepresentstateofthings,Ihopemanyoftheslavesarebecominghopefullypious.Brethrenseemtofeelthateducationwillbeattendedwithdangers.Probablyitmight.Itwouldseemdesirabletosecurethefamilyrelationsoftheslaves,ifitcouldbedonewithouttoomuchsacrificeofmoreimportantthings.Afterall,thekingdomofourLordJesusChristisnotofthisworld.Theapostlesenterednopublicprotestagainsttheabusesofslavery,thatwereadof." "Itstrikesme,"saidClayton,"thatthereisadifferencebetweenourpositionunderarepublicangovernment,—inwhichwevoteforourlegislators,and,infact,makethelawsourselves,andhavetheadmittedrighttoseektheirrepeal,—andthatoftheapostles,whowerethemselvesslaves,andcoulddonothingaboutthelaws.Wemakeourownlaws,andeveryoneofusisresponsibleforanyunjustlawwhichwedonotdoourbesttoalter.Wehavetherighttoagitate,write,print,andspeak,andbringupthepublicmindtothepointofreformand,therefore,weareresponsibleifunjustlawsarenotrepealed." "Well,"saidfatherDickson,"GodforgivemethatIhavebeensoremissintimespast!Henceforth,whateverothersmaydo,IwillnotconferwithfleshandbloodbutIwillgoforthanddeclarethewordoftheLordplainlytothispeople,andshowuntothehouseofJudahtheirtransgressions.AndnowIhaveonethingtosaytoourdearnorthernbrethren.Imournovertheundecidedcoursewhichtheytake.Brethreninslavestatesarebesetwithmanytemptations.Thewholecourseofpublicopinionisagainstthem.Theyneedthatth