Beriah Green
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THE REVEREND BERIAH GREEN “NARRATIVE HISTORY” AMOUNTS TO FABULATION, THE REAL STUFF BEING MERE CHRONOLOGY “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Beriah Green HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. 1795 March 24, Tuesday: Beriah Green, Jr. was born in Preston, Connecticut as the 1st child of Beriah Greene and Elizabeth Smith Greene. NOBODY COULD GUESS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT Beriah Green “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1819 Beriah Green graduated from Middlebury College. He would study theology with the intention of becoming a Presbyterian minister, but would formulate a creed of his own which would not permit him to unite with any religious denomination. LIFE IS LIVED FORWARD BUT UNDERSTOOD BACKWARD? — NO, THAT’S GIVING TOO MUCH TO THE HISTORIAN’S STORIES. LIFE ISN’T TO BE UNDERSTOOD EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Beriah Green HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. 1820 Beriah Green moved to Kennebunk, Maine. THE FUTURE IS MOST READILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Beriah Green HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1821 The Reverend Beriah Green moved from Kennebunk, Maine to Ohio to become Professor of Sacred Literature at Western Reserve College. His persistence in opposition to slavery would bring him into disfavor there. THE FUTURE CAN BE EASILY PREDICTED IN RETROSPECT January 21, Sunday: New-York’s North (Hudson) River froze over. The Reverend Beriah Green got married with Marcia Deming of Middlebury, who would die on March 31, 1826 after having given birth in 1822 to Samuel W. Green and in 1824 to Ann Parker Green. In Newport, Rhode Island, Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 1st day 21st of 1st M / Our Morning Meeting was well attended Father Rodman & Hannah Dennis had short but lively testimonys In the Afternoon we were Silent, but as many as usual attended in the Afternoon. — RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project Beriah Green HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. 1823 The Reverend Beriah Green’s HISTORY OF THE QUAKERS was published at Albany, New York. RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION? GOOD. Beriah Green “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1824 The Reverend Beriah Green left off being Professor of Sacred Literature in the Western Reserve College in Ohio and became the President of the Oneida Institute of upstate New York, located alongside the Erie Canal about 20 miles east of Lake Oneida and 4 miles from Utica. CHANGE IS ETERNITY, STASIS A FIGMENT Beriah Green “Stack of the Artist of Kouroo” Project HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. 1826 August 30, Wednesday: The Reverend Beriah Green remarried with Daraxa Foote of Middlebury, who would give birth in 1827 to Marcia Deming Green, in 1829 to Eliza Merrill Green, in 1831 to Jonathan Smith Green, in 1833 to Mary Clark Green, in 1835 to Charles Stuart Green, in 1837 to Ruth Ann Green, and in 1843 to Clara Foote Green. Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 4th day 30th of 8 M / Rode to Portsmouth this Afternoon with D Buffum Jr on a committee from the Moy [Monthly] Meeting to Visit Wm Hall who has requested to be dismissed from society - he was absent from home, & we were disappointed. — RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1833 The Reverend Beriah Green’s SERMONS AND DISCOURSES, WITH A FEW ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES was published at Utica, New York. HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. 1834 The Reverend Beriah Green, a long-time friend and confidant of Gerrit Smith, having been active in the formation of the American Anti-Slavery Society, became its president. HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1836 July 17, Sunday evening: The Reverend Beriah Green delivered the sermon that would become his pamphlet THINGS FOR NORTHERN MEN TO DO; A DISCOURSE DELIVERED LORD’S DAY EVENING, JULY 17, 1836, IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WHITESBORO’, N.Y. HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. Friend Stephen Wanton Gould wrote in his journal: 1st day 17 of 7 M 1836 / Our morning Meeting was a painful season owing to a communication out of the right spirit & in no way adapted to the state of the Meeting. — In the Afternoon it was a more pleasant time. — A number of Strangers were at Meeting today chiefly Philadelphians who are here on a visit for their health & to enjoy our cool fresh air. — RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS HDT WHAT? INDEX REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. BERIAH GREEN 1839 February 9, Saturday: The American Anti-Slavery Society put out the 10th issue of its “omnibus” entitled The Anti- TEXT Slavery Examiner, containing “Speech of Hon. Thomas Morris, of Ohio, in Reply to the Speech of the Hon. INDEX Henry Clay”; containing, also, “American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses;” containing, also, the Reverend Beriah Green’s CHATTEL PRINCIPLE / THE ABHORRENCE OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES; OR NO REFUGE FOR AMERICAN SLAVERY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. CHATTEL PRINCIPLE THE ABHORRENCE OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES; OR, NO REFUGE FOR AMERICAN SLAVERY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BY BERIAH GREEN. NEW YORK PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY, NO. 143 NASSAU STREET 1839 This No. contains 4-1/2 sheet—Postage under 100 miles, 7 cts. over 100, 10 cts. Please Read and circulate. THE NEW TESTAMENT AGAINST SLAVERY. “THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST.” Is Jesus Christ in favor of American slavery? In 1776 THOMAS JEFFERSON, supported by a noble band of patriots and surrounded by the American people, opened his lips in the authoritative declaration: “We hold these truths to be SELF-EVIDENT, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness.” And from the inmost heart of the multitudes around, and in a strong and clear voice, broke forth the unanimous and decisive answer: Amen—such truths we do indeed hold to be self-evident. And animated and sustained by a declaration, so inspiring and sublime, they rushed to arms, and as the result of agonizing efforts and dreadful sufferings, achieved under God the independence of their country. The great truth, whence they derived light and strength to assert and defend their rights, they made the foundation of their republic. And in the midst of this republic, must we prove, that He, who was the Truth, did not contradict “the truths” which He Himself; as their Creator, had made self-evident to mankind? Is Jesus Christ in favor of American slavery? What, according to those laws which make it what it is, is American slavery? In HDT WHAT? INDEX BERIAH GREEN REVEREND BERIAH GREEN, JR. the Statute-book of South Carolina thus it is written:1 “Slaves shall be deemed, held, taken, reputed and adjudged in law to be chattels personal in the hands of their owners and possessors, and their executors, administrators and assigns, to all intents, construction and purposes whatever.” The very root of American slavery consists in the assumption, that law has reduced men to chattels. But this assumption is, and must be, a gross falsehood. Men and cattle are separated from each other by the Creator, immutably, eternally, and by an impassable gulf. To confound or identify men and cattle must be to lie most wantonly, impudently, and maliciously. And must we prove, that Jesus Christ is not in favor of palpable, monstrous falsehood? Is Jesus Christ in favor of American slavery? How can a system, built upon a stout and impudent denial of self-evident truth—a system of treating men like cattle—operate? Thomas Jefferson shall answer. Hear him. “The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions; the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other. The parent storms, the child looks on, catches the lineaments of wrath, puts on the same airs in the circle of smaller slaves, gives loose to his worst passions, and thus nursed, educated, and daily exercised in tyranny, cannot but be stamped by it with odious peculiarities. The man must be a prodigy, who can retain his manners and morals undepraved by such circumstances.”2 Such is the practical operation of a system, which puts men and cattle into the same family and treats them alike. And must we prove, that Jesus Christ is not in favor of a school where the worst vices in their most hateful forms are systematically and efficiently taught and practiced? Is Jesus Christ in favor of American slavery? What, in 1818, did the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church affirm respecting its nature and operation? “Slavery creates a paradox in the moral system—it exhibits rational, accountable, and immortal beings, in such circumstances as scarcely to leave them the power of moral action. It exhibits them as dependent on the will of others, whether they shall receive religious instruction; whether they shall know and worship the true God; whether they shall enjoy the ordinances of the gospel; whether they shall perform the duties and cherish the endearments of husbands and wives, parents and children, neighbors and friends; whether they shall preserve their chastity and purity, or regard the dictates of justice and humanity.