The Liberator

ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY.

Mr. EDITOR:

The Japanese, who judge of Christianity by its professors, and therefore think it a ferocious and bloody system, fear to admit to commercial intercourse those nations which assume to be Christians, lest they themselves should be slaughtered, and their island re-annexed to the territory of some foreign nation. They, however, allow the Dutch to enter their ports, on condition that they annually repeat their profession of Anti-Christianity, by publicly trampling on the cross.

A ceremony equivalent to this, takes place annually (or nearly so, the exceptions being rare and accidental,) in this city. The worship of Mars, the god of battles, being greatly honored, and his disciples being numerous in Boston, it has long been customary that some clerical professor of Christianity should annually appear before the worshippers of the heathen deity, and there publicly renounce the exclusive service of the God of Love and the Prince of Peace, and declare that Mars also should receive honor and service in the present state of the world.

This homage was performed yesterday, in the Chauncey Place Church, by the Reverend William Parsons Lunt, of Quincy. The prayer with which he prefaced his discourse was directed to both deities, who, the speaker seemed to suppose, might live in perfect amity together, and admit an alternate or conjoined homage from their worshippers. Hymns were also sung, celebrating the union of these opposite forms of religion, and then arms and the gown marched, keeping step harmoniously together, to cement their coalition by a dinner, at which the clergymen 'blessed' the military, and the military toasted the clergy.

Those acquainted with ancient history will note, that the modern worshippers of Mars stand precisely where the ancient ones did, and that it is the professors of Christianity who have changed. The Christians' God might have had his niche in the Pantheon, his temple at Rome, and his fair share of worship with Mars and the other deities: but stiff-necked Peter and prejudiced Paul would not hear of coalition or compromise, and so they were crucified.

Our modern clergy have not so learned Christ, and they get through this world much more comfortably by the exercise of a prudent expediency.

K. W.

Boston, June 8, 1847.