Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-12-05

you it depends, as instruments in the hands
of a mereiful Providence, whether the Heay-
en-daring system of Slavery shall cease to
exist, (for cease it must,) by the intervention
of those measures which are of a peaceful
and merciful nature; or whether it shall be ex-
tinguished in blood and carnage, or any 9TH
er form of the manifestation Of Divine dis
pleasure. Set your faces like valiants in the
cause of Christ, against both war and Slave
ry, and you will undoubtedly effect the hap
ply termination of both; but if you continue 10
give them your countenancc and support, we
cannot but fear that the latter will be termi-
mated amidst the awful and desolating effects
of the former.
We firmly believe that the peaceable abo-
lition of slavery and oppression would be the
harbinger of the speedy approach of that day,
when nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, nor learn wal any more. o, happy
period and joyful state, ardently to be desir-
ed, labored for, and prayed for.
We cannot, in this brief expostulation, en-
ter into a detail Of arguments to prove the ut
ter Inconsistency of both the practices spo-
ken of, with the letter and spirit of Christi
anity, and every dictate Of humanity and mer-
cy. Indeed the proposition is so plain and so
self-evident, as to need no argumen to prove
it, with any whose minds are not grossly
perverted and darkened. We appeal to the
principles of reason, and the precepts of Di-
vine revelation, as set forth in the Holy Scrip
lures, and to the dictates of an enlightened
conscience, to decide whether the malevolent
and bloody system of war be not wholly re-
pugnant to the religion Of the Prince of
Peace, whose precepts teach US that all men
are our brethren, and that it is our duty to
love even our enemies, to do good to them
that hate us and to pray for them that des-
p~itefully use us, and prosecute us. We make
the same appeal on the subject of Slavery. Is
it possible for any sane mind to believe that
a system which takes away every right and
every privilege that distinguishes man from
the brute creation; which makes him an arti-
Gle of property, to be bought and sold like a
beast, to be driven under the lash of a task
master; which, so far as is in its power, bru-
talizes the mind, and wholly disregards and
breaks up all those ties of nature which we
prize So highly, can be reconciled with that
holy injunction of our Lord Jesus Christ
A things whatsoever we would that men
should do unto you, do We even so unto them."
The idea is preposterous! The attempt at
such a reconciliation is an attempt to recon-
cile Christ with Belial. Even the voice of
nature cries out against this ~iniquiiy; and the
pages of divine revelation, and the admoni-
tons of an unperverted conscience, speak in
tones OF Sinai's thunder against this enorm-
Gus system of oppression.
As we firmly believe that Slavery must
cease from the earth before the reign of uni
versal peace can come, we wish most sol
EMMY to call your especial attention to this
subject. We again entreat you to remember
your responsibilities! Remember the language
of our Holy Redeemer to his immediate fol-
lowers, and consider it as addressed to you,
individually: I'VE are the light of tie world"
that is, if We be careful to let your light shine
before men in its purity; shut if the light
that is in thee become darkness, how great
l is that darkness!" And again: "Ye are the
salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its
r SAVIOR, wherewith shal! it be seasoned! it is
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast
= out and trodden under foot of men," Where
t is the light of that Christianity, or the SAVIOR
> of that religion, which %connives at, apologi-
g yes for, defends, and even participates in the
; pratice of American Slavery? Surely the
/ light has become thick darkness, and the salt
has lost its SAVIOR indeed; and by the gross
misconduct of the professors of Christianity,
l. they have caused the way of truth TO be evil
e spoken of. We have no doubt but the slave
o holding, strengthening, and abolition-op-
posing professors have been the true cause
of the fearful inroads that the spirit ofinidel.
ity is making in our country and the apathy
and Indifference of a large number of those
who profess to be fully convinced Of the great
evil of slavery, have added greatly 20 the
l. spread of that spirit. The protested disci'
n pies have held their peace till the stones have
cried out. Impelled by the loud calls of ma
a ture and humanity, even the sceptic has beer
induced to cry out against the enormities of A
merican Slavery; and when he finds the pro
fessed Church of Christ arraying itself a
gainst those who are pleading the cause o
the oppressed, is it any wonder that he SHOULD
u be emboldened in his opposition to that relig
u ion whose professed disciples and accredite,
lie ministers thus uphold and defend a system
e, at which infdelity itselfrecoilsl What NOR
effective weapon could the unbeliever use a
n gainst the Christian religion, than that whicI
OF its professors and teachers have furnishel
y him with! And it is no marvel that he ha
$, been bat too successful in its use. Thous
" ands, we believe, whose hearts have bee
OF touched with deep sympathy for the %sufrerin
slave, have had their belief in the Christia
nc religion shaken by the corrupt fruit of its pre-
nd fessors and teachers. They sec members an
at ministers of the great and popular denomina
e. tons, engaged in the nefarious task of buy
X ing and selling, of claiming and tasking an
Is e~Xacting the sweat of their fellow Christians
e. with stripes, "which mercy with a bleedin
ur heart, weeps when she sees inflicted on
a. beast"--they see these slaveholding professor
49, of Christianity owned and communed with
rs good brethren in Christ, by the great mi
on jority Of the nominal Church-they behol