Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-11-14

sure Is the very thing that Is necessary. Sin
never becomes so insidious as when it takes
the cloak of religion to serve the devil
in. Anti-Slavery has no more dangerous
foe to contend with than pro-slavery religious
communities, or societies, which, whilst
they profess regard for the slave, refuse to
make any effort to break his chains.
The Church members of nearly all the
sects in the free States recognize their fellow
professors of the South. This intercourse,
cenented by commerce., intermarriage, and
social intercourse, inevitably tends to strength
en- the pro-slaverv sentiment in the national
mind. We can scarcely appreciate how
powerful are s%ectarian influences; they have
grown with our growth, and strengthened
with our strength; it is difficult to be unmov-
ed by any insinuation derogaiory to the fair
fame of the religious body to which we be-
long. We readily forget the claims of hui
mainly in Difference to those of our s~ectarian
organization. No wonder, then, that relig-
ious bodies in Ireland should vince when
they hear the conduct of their slaveholding
fellow professors portrayed in the colors
which truth demands; when they listen to
documentary evidence of the extent to which
Conferences, Synods and General Assem-
blies have conceded to the demands Of ava
rice and oppression.
If the nominal Christianity of the slave
States supports the horrible system of Slave
ry, it must be exposed to the execration of
the world. 1t must not avail a stakeholder
to say that he is a Methodist, a Presbyterian,
a Baptist, an Independent. TIE facts must
be told. A mere relation of the c~ruelties
and perfidy inseparable from slavery will
not do. We must strip away the mask of
religion worn by the stakeholder. This must
| he 1ooa. an1 M rnan xuho roliac ,,nnn min
| ciple will hesitate to do so.
Since the Increase of steam navigation has
brought the United States so near to us, we
have learned that Friends in America, as well
as all other sects, have been obliged to low
er their testimony-their practical testimony,
we mealI-in order to conciliate the good
opinion of the pro-slavery community. We
know that they are as deeply imbued with
the odious prejudice against color, (that off
spring of the institution of Slavery as any
other portion of the people. We are aware
that thee are some bright exceptions, but,
alas! they are comparatively few. The sum
of the Society's exertions in America, now
consist in an occasional address from a Year
ly Meeting or 4 Yearly Meetings. Commit
tee, instead of the hearty individual exer-
tons which result from a true appreciation
of the evils of Slavery, and a sincere desire
/ lOE tntlI ItliloNdis II VIZ w III We
would not rest satisfied that halfa-dozen Sc
lect friends should keep the conscience of a
whole Yearly Meeting at ease as to their
l%utios, when every one should put his Shout
Ter to the work, for the extinction of this
.ruel, bloody, unchristian system.
What is testimony worth, if 1t be not
felt and acted uponl Are we to be satisfied
that we have done our duty in the matter, if
nee a year we send a gently breathed whis-
per across the Atlantic to our American
brethren. reminding them of their duty,
whilst they respond by a half a whisper in
reply, TO the effect that they will act when
"a right opening comes! A right opening!
When their houses burn, when their chill
dren drown, when money is to be made, or
political parties to be ag4randized by their
assistance, do they sit with their hands be-
fore them. and wait for right openings'l
Let us beware lest the love of reputation,
and the wish to stand we'll with the COM
munity, outweigh our regard for the claims
of humanity. We do not act as if we felt
that our brethren were in bonds; as if we
behieped that God has made men of one
blood to dwell upon the face of the earth.
As a Society, we are not in earnest on this
questions; we rest complacently, satisfied
with the good deeds of our predecessors.
Oh, that the consciences of Friends were
aroused on this great question. This would
be the case, if we turned our attention TO 1T
many important bearings; to the degradation
of the STAKEHOLDER; to the sufferings, tn,
; heathenism, the brutal prostration of the un
: happy slave. Think of 2,sO0,0s0 men, wo
5 men, and children, in the worse than Egyp
? tan night of Slavery. Feel for the perveT
< sion of every right principle, which recon
2 Giles six millions of protesting Christians t
the perpetuation of such wickedness. Neitl
$ err civilization, nor religion, nor the happ.
. ness of the human family, can prosper in an
. extended sense, so long as Slavery is pc
mitted to curse the United States. Ever
one has it in his power to hasten the day
its overthrow. No amount of religious pre-
fcssion, no solemn testimonies, no washin
of the outside of the cup and the platte
will excuse us from doing our parts in Il
10 matter.
l. We remain respectfully, your friends,
e RICHARD ID. WEBB,
u THOMAS WEBB.