36

ADDRESS.

o f m i l l i o n s do not rise for e v e r u n h e a r d b efore t he t h r o n e o f the A l m i g h t y . T h e h o u r o f d o o m m ust s oon a r r i v e     t he s t o r m must s oon g a t h e r     t h e bolt o f destruction must s oon b e h u r l e d     a n d the g u i l t y must s oon b e dashed i n p ieces. T h e v o i c e o f past h i s t o r y , a n d the v o i c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n , b oth w a r n us that the c a t a s t r o p h e must c o m e , unless averted b y repentance. A n d let us r e m e m b e r that w e a r e e a c h o f us i n d i v i d u a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e . W e are i n d i v i d u a l l y a s s i s t i n g to pile up this m o u n t a i n o f g u i l t . A n d e v e n i f t e m p o r a l judgments do not f all u p o n o u r d a y , w e a r e not, on that a c c o u n t , the m o r e safe f r o m p u n i s h , ment. I f w e " k n o w o u r L o r d ' s w i l l a n d do it not, w e s h a l l b e beaten w i t h m a n y s t r i p e s . " T h e sophistry and f alse r e a s o n i n g b y w h i c h w e m a y delude o u r o w n s o u l s , w i l l n ot b l i n d t he e y e s w h i c h " a r e as a flame o f fire." A f ew y e a r s , at most, w i l l p l a c e us w h e r e w e w o u l d g l a d l y g i v e a l l the slaves o f a u n i v e r s e , to b u y off" the p u n i s h m e n t t hat o p p r e s s i o n b r i n g s d o w n u p o n the s o u l . It m a y be d ifficult t o do o u r d u t y ; but it w i l l b e f a r m o r e difficult t o stancl i n the judgment w i t h o u t h a v i n g d one i t . B r e t h r e n , w e h a v e d one. T h e h o u r is c o m i n g , i n w h i c h t he s l a v e a n d h i s m a s t e r must s t a n d together b efore t he tribunal of G o d     a G o d who judges righteously. Are y o u p r e p a r e d to p l a c e y o u r s e l v e s b efore h i m w h o w i l l d ec i d e u p o n y o u r e t e r n a l d e s t i n y , a n d s a y that y o u h a v e d one j u s t i c e to those w h o m y o u n o w hold i n b o n d a g e ? Are y o u p r e p a r e d to s a y , " A s I h a v e d one u nto these, so let i t b e d one u nto m e ; as I h a v e s h o w e d m e r c y , so let m e r e c e i v e m e r c y at the h a n d s o f m y j u d g e ? " Anticipate, w e b eseech y o u , the feelings a n d d e c i s i o n o f t h a t g r e a t d a y w h i c h is fast h a s t e n i n g o n     t r y y o u r s e l v e s n o w , as G o d will then t r y y o u . ' W h a t doth the L o r d r e q u i r e o f t hee, but to do j u s t l y , to l o v e m e r c y , and to w a l k h u m b l y w i t h y o u r G o d ?" A r e y o u " d o i n g j u s t l y , " while you ret a i n y o u r f e l l o w - m e n i n hopeless b o n d a g e ? A r e y o u " l o v i n g m e r c y , " w h i l e y o u a r e s u p p o r t i n g a s y s t e m that deg r a d e s and i m i t a l i z e s beings w h o m G o d c r e a t e d i n his o w n i m a g e ? " T h e s e a r e solemn questions. L e t reason a n s w e r t h e m ; a n d let c o n s c i e n c e d ecide y o u r future c o u r s e .
:

JOHN
JOHN C. YOUNG^

B R O W N , Esq.,

Chairman.

Secretary.