Instead of preaching the gospel against this tyranny, rebuke, and wrong, ministers of religion have sought, by all and every means, to throw in the back-ground whatever in the bible could be construed into opposition to slavery, and to bring forward that which they could torture into its support.

This I conceive to be the darkest feature of slavery, and the most difficult to attack, because it is identified with religion, and exposes those who denounce it to the charge of infidelity.
Yes, those with whom I have been laboring, namely, the old{325} organization anti-slavery society of America, have been again and again stigmatized as infidels, and for what reason?
Why, solely in consequence of the faithfulness of their attacks upon the slaveholding religion of the southern states, and the northern religion that sympathizes with it.
I have found it difficult to speak on this matter without persons coming forward and saying, "Douglass, are you not afraid of injuring the cause of Christ?
You do not desire to do so, we know; but are you not undermining religion ?" This has been said to me again and again, even since I came to this country, but I cannot be induced to leave off these exposures.

I love the religion of our blessed Savior.

I love that religion that comes from above, in the "wisdom of God," which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

I love that religion that sends its votaries to bind up the wounds of him that has fallen among thieves.