There are times when my heart sickens within me. I feel, I know that there is oppression and wrong in our world, and that millions of my fellow creatures are interested in perpetuating those wrongs. I know that wherever the human foot has trodden the soil, that might triumphs over right, that the strong oppress the weak, that the poor and dependent too often become the servants of the rich; that the man of quick discernment, too often overreaches and takes advantage of his simple, less gifted, and unsuspecting neighbor. That the master, the land-lord, those who are endowed with superior knowledge, those who are in possession of wealth, power, and influence, too often become oppressive, tyrannical and cruel to their inferiors, servants and dependants. I know that these evil exist, and that many believe that they would sustain damage by any attempt to mitigate, or remove them. Self-love, self-interest, the love of money, the love of ease, the love of wealth, splendor, and power, stand in the way of any reformation. Their prejudices, too, that have grown with their growth, and ripened with their years, must be removed. They moreover imagine that not only their self-interests, but their honor, their ease and convenience, their all—all that they hold dear in the world, will be endangered by any attempt to eradicate the evils alluded to. Will they, under these circumstances, listen to the calls of suffering humanity, the voice of reason, the laws of Divine revelation, and the stern dictates of conscience? Can we expect it, when so many interests are involved, when so many prejudices must be broken down, and old institutions rooted up, and a new order of things introduced? Can moral obligation, a sense of duty, the dictates of conscience, overcome that instinctive passion of the human soul, the love of gain? Oh! the love of money, that mighty leveller of power, the golden serpent that beguiles us to transgress the laws of God, to disregard the rights of man, and to burst asunder the common ties of humanity, which were designed in the wisdom and beneficence of the adorable Creator to bind us all together—the world, every member of the human family of all nations, kindred, and tongues, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, into one common brotherhood. Will men ever reflect, that we are all brothers, descendants of the same earthly parent, children of the same heavenly father, having common interests, alike the subjects of joy and sorrow; that the author of our existence is no respecter of persons; and, finally, that we must all stand before a just and righteous Judge, and give an account of the deeds done in the body, "whether they be good or evil." These are solemn thoughts, and we look in vain for a correction of the evils under which the world groans, unless the minds of men can be disentangled from worldly pursuits, and can be impressed with their responsibility to the Author of their existence, and the obligation to each other. Here all our hopes must center, and to this end must all our efforts tend, if our object is the regeneration of the human race. Men must understand their true interests, their relations and obligations to each other, and their accountability to God, before they will "cease to do evil and learn to do well." If either the writer or the reader, expects to do anything in behalf of suffering humanity, he must never lose sight of the corruption of our natures, and the great fountain of error and misconception, self-love, as the source of all that mars the peace and happiness of the human family. And what is of paramount importance, we must bear in mind, that without Divine aid, we write in vain, we read in vain, that God alone can accomplish the great work, and that we are but instruments in his hands. We must then, with unwearied patience and diligence, do our duty, and leave the event to him who has all power in heaven and earth.
The memorable words of our Saviour, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself," comprise the whole duty of man. God requires nothing more of any man. He that loves God will yield a ready and cheerful obedience to all his commands; and he that loves his neighbor, cannot, under any circumstances, or in any condition of life, do his neighbor injustice or wrong. I have shown in the preceding Chapter, that all oppression, all injustice, that all the evils and calamities which befal the human family, originate in, or are perpetuated by our self-love. Selfishness, self-interest, or otherwise self-aggrandizement, is the mainspring of all our actions if we are devoid of love to God and man. This innate principle of our hearts, the love of money, the love of ease, wealth, power and fame, must be overcome before we can love God and our neighbor; or otherwise discharge those duties incumbent on us as Christians, good citizens, and philanthropists. While self-love or selfishness is the dominant principle in our hearts, we can be neither humane, just, nor generous in our intercourse with our fellow creatures. It is impossible. Under these circumstances we must and will invade their rights; provided that our interests are enhanced thereby. I have said that this innate principle of cupidity must be overcome before we can love God or our neighbor. The question present itself, how? By what means or agency? The gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was promulgated for this special purpose. By what agency? Through the pervading influence of the Holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts, purifying our corrupt natures. To whom was this gospel committed? The church of Christ. We look then to the church of Christ for its promulgation, and an application of its principles. But some branches of the church are so corrupt that we can no longer look to them as the depositories of truth, righteousness and justice. Our Saviour sowed good seed, and the devil sowed tares; and the tares have grown and multiplied until they have nearly superseded the product of the good seed. But the difficulty does not stop here, for we find, at this time, multitudes who have crept into every branch of Christ's church, who give incontestible evidence that they are under the influence of the worst passions and propensities of the human heart. Who are devoid of every principle of the Christian religion. What is their object? What are the motives of such persons when they attach themselves to the different branches of Christ's church? Search your hearts ye whited sepulchers, and tell me what was your leading object when you became church members? Tell me, was it to serve God? No, for ye continue to serve the devil with more alacrity than formerly. Shall I hold you up, naked and deformed as ye are, or shall I forbear? The truth must be told, be the consequence what it may. It was not your intention when ye entered the pale of the church, to place yourselves in such a position as would enable you more effectually to serve either the Author of your existence, or the father of lies. You made a profession of religion in order to serve yourselves. You designed nothing more nor less than to make a profession of religion subserve your business, profession or avocation; or else, give you character and notoriety in the world. Here now is the principle of self-love, selfishness, self-aggrandizement, prompting men to attach themselves to the different branches of Christ's church.
The politician contemplated, no doubt, that by becoming a church member he would secure the suffrages and the influence of a large portion of the members of that church to which he attached himself. The merchant by the same manoeuvre, expected to sell more goods; and the physician was aware that it would afford him an excellent opportunity to brother and sister himself into a better practice. The lawyer expected to get large fees from avaricious and contentious church litigants. For church members will engage in lawsuits, the authority of John Wesley, and the still higher authority of St. Paul to the contrary, notwithstanding. The mechanic too, must have the patronage and influence of the church. Neighbor B., over the way, is a regular church member in good standing; and I must become one too, in order to compete with him in business. Dear me, says the farmer to his beloved spouse, don't you see that we are raising a large and promising family of children; and we must make them respectable. How, my dear, says the good lady; by dressing our daughters in silks, and our sons in broadcloth? No, no, says the close-fisted farmer, there is a cheaper and readier way to accomplish it; though I have no objection to seeing the children decently clothed. Have you not observed that all the respectable families in this neighborhood are Methodist, Presbyterians, or Baptists, (as the case may be,) and in order to become respectable, we too must go and join the church. These are the corrupt, the impure, the abominable motives, which too often lead men to attach themselves to churches; and these are the considerations which are too often presented to non-professors by ministers, as well as private members. I regret to say it—I blush while I record it: I have frequently seen professors of religion approach non-professors with all the sanctimoniousness which they could possibly assume, and abruptly address them in the following words: "Come, my friend, you must be religious; you must get religion and join the church." The poor sinner objected—difficulties interposed—he could not, at least at the present time; begs leave to be excused until a more convenient season. "Well, but—come my friend, you may find it greatly to your advantage. We are numerous, we are respectable, we are influential, we can aid you in your business, and elevate your character in society." This is no fancy sketch, I have seen it with my own eyes, and heard it with my own ears, a thousand times; and I beg those who honor this work with a perusal, to reflect for one moment, and I think that they can call to mind similar circumstances. I am loathe to wound the feelings of any one, but a practice so well calculated to corrupt the church of Christ, so contrary to the spirit of Christianity, must and shall be exposed. It is thus that men are frequently drawn into churches, by appeals to the worst passions and propensities that characterize the human heart. By appeals to their cupidity! their love of fame! their love of power! By touching the mainspring or the root of all evil—love of money! What can be expected of those on whom such unhallowed means are brought to bear? They were begotten by unrighteousness, "conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity." No wonder churches are corrupt.
It behoves us to inquire in what, this ungodly procedure, on the part of professors of the Christian religion, originates. It originates in an undue desire on the part of ministers and church members to strengthen their party. It is the same spirit that actuated the Pharisees of old, when our Saviour told them, "ye compass sea and land to make a proselyte;" and what then, after they had succeeded, why he is then "seven-fold more a child of hell than yourselves." No wonder, nothing else can be expected, when people are induced to attach themselves to churches from such impure motives. I never yet saw such extra efforts made to get some poor, indigent, ignorant, insignificant individual into a church. But if the man has wealth or influence we generally find all hands at the bellows.
There are a class of religionists in the world, and there are more or less of them among all denominations of Christians, who are never easy, never satisfied, never content, unless they are cramming their own peculiar notions down other people's throats. Their object is not to change men's hearts, but to change their opinions. They take up the New Testament and read Christ's sermon on the Mount; but they find nothing in it to answer their purpose. It is but an ordinary production in their estimation. They pass on through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. How stale, how dull, how uninteresting these gospels, they are led to exclaim. They see but little beauty in the God-like teaching; or the inimitable example of Christ. His last agonies, his death on the cross is insufficient to move their callous hearts. But on they pass through the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Romans; but, oh! stop, they have found it at last? Reader, what do you suppose that they have found? What were they in search of? Why some text of Scripture which seem to support their own peculiar notions on the subject of Baptism, Election, Predestination, the Final Perseverance of the saints, &c. The zeal of such persons to propagate their opinions is not more remarkable than the confident, dogmatic manner in which they express them. It is remarkable that professors of religion who are most ignorant and depraved, those who have embraced the grossest errors, are the most confident, arrogant and intolerant in their efforts to force their opinions on others. It may be set down as a maxim, that where there is most ignorance and error—that those whose creeds contain the least truth, are under all circumstances the most forward to engage in controversy with others.
Truth is quiet—error is noisy and boisterous; truth is meek—error is proud and self-sufficient; truth is modest—error is bold and forward; truth is diffident—error is confident and assuming; truth is resigned to the will of God—error is self-willed. To arrive at the truth is not the design of such persons. It is not their eternal interests, nor those of their fellow creatures that stimulate them to effort. They read the Scriptures, not as honest inquirers after truth, but with a view of finding something that will give support to some preconceived opinion, doctrine, creed or ceremony. That will give support to some abstruse doctrine, form or ceremony, which has no direct reference, whatever, to their eternal interests, nor to their duty and obligations to their Creator, nor yet to their fellow creatures. Their motives and intentions are dishonest, their professions insincere and hypocritical, and it is not in the power of their bigoted and corrupt minds to comprehend, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report."