A Christianity that tells man what his origin is--of God; his destiny, to God again; his errand on earth, to grow toward goodness, and make the most of himself--this Christianity is rank rebellion in despotisms, and insurrection on plantations.
Beecher describes a Christianity that promotes personal growth and challenges oppressive systems.
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And aroused by that spirit, there shall spring up the yet unaroused hosts of men that have not bowed the knee to Baal--and we will war it to the knife, and knife to the hilt.
Let us give sap to the tree of Liberty, that it may not wither and die!
If the South shall give to the country a policy derived from her heathen notions of men, there will be such a peace as men have overdrugged with opium, that deep lethargy just before the mortal convulsions and death!
And if by an insane blindness you shall contrive to put off the issue, and send this unsettled dispute down to your children, it will go down, gathering volume and strength at every step, to waste and desolate their heritage.