Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-11-21
PRESBYTERIAN PRESCRIPTION.
FRIEND JoNFs.

its merits, l have waited from June until the
present time, to see what the result Of the dis
interested and christian visit Of yourself and
friends to this place would be; and now ]
think | am prepared to say that it has had a
good effect on the minds of a large number
of the inhabitants, in bringing them to see
their true position in regard to American sla-
very, and what their duty is both in Church
and State; and on none has it had more eff
feet than the Clergy, but alas! it has been
the means Of hardening them in wickedness.
l need not state facts to you with which you
are personally acquainted, but for the infor-
nation of the numerous readers Of the Blu
gle, will give a brief account Of the mat
ter from the commencement. And first, be-
fore you came, a friend engaged lodging for
you in a private family, and the friends of
the slave opened the Presbyterian meeting
house for the occasion. We occupied it the
first afternoon, the Bishop being absent, but
returning home that evening, he learned what
was going on and caused the house to be
closed against us; and the same night threat
ened the lady of whom your board was hired,
with the eensure of the Church, if she did
not violate her contract and turn you out
doors, thus placing you on a par with your
Master, who said he had not where to lay
his head. The Methodist friends to their
praise be it recorded, opened their Church
which was greatly crowded on the two fol-
lowing days, and their preachers like men
wishing to know the truth, attended. But
how was it with the Presbyterian Bishop, he
was in the place, all the time, and never came
to hear, but from report alone made you and
sister Kelley the foundation of several dis
courses, and this he no doubt called preach
ing the Gospel. He e~ndeavored in much
weakness, and in many instances by grossly
departing from the truth, to show that under
cloak of philanthropy you were trying to
establish the system of infdelity. But fail
ing to convince his hearers in that, as he
must necessarily do, through want of intel
lect and of facts, and finding some Of his
members had left, and others about to leave,
which they have since done, he had recourse
to stratagem to effect what he was unable to
do otherwise. He invited a minister from
abroad who made some pretensions to anti
slavery principles to occupy his pulpit for the
express purpose Of convincing the people that
it was wrong to secede from the Church on
account of slavery. In the morning he spoke
principally on the sin of oppression, and its
connection with the Church, and presented it
in as dark colors as the most ultra abolition
list could wish. There was nothing that
could be said of the abolition of slavery, but
what he admitted; and the action of the last
General Assembly he apparently lamented
very much. In the afternoon he labored hard
to convince the people that it was wrong to
leave the Church on account of the wicked
ness that was practiced by it, nay that it
would be a sin to do so; it would be contrary
to the Bible, and asserted that there was no
example in the past history of the Church
for such action; and indirectly invoked the
mob spirit by saying that such a course
would destroy all religion, and civil govern
ment; and before he closed his remarks he
said that whenever a respectable number
would leave the Church he was ready to 90
with them. How true is the saying of the
Apostle, "A double minded man is unstable
in all his ways"
The next attempt in order of time, to keep
up the $500 a year was a letter said to be
written by a man in the State of New York
who is himself interested in the unity of the
Church, as he is now protesting to preach
the Gospel; but who formerly tried to make
a living in this place by pleading Law, but
in which ne could not succeed for want of
natural ability. Fortunately his character
was SO well understood here, that his letter
had no effect. 1t was very abusive on the
the old organization abolitionists.
The next attempt in order was a holy con-
vocation of four days continuance in order to
soften the hearts, subdue the refractory spir-
its, and bring all into the sectatian traces to
work togethet, perhaps, for the good of souls,
but certainly for the continuance Of the $500
a year. On this occasion there was another
Bishop present from a distant diocese, and
he too claimed some kin to anti-slavery.-
He had also been a member of the Genera
Assembly. 1t was hoped that he would sue
coed in reconciling all parties, a thing the
others had failed to do. But alas! all eff
forts to serve God and Mammon at the same
time, and with the sam service have failed
hitherto. This last Bishop made many
anolouiea for the Aesamhlv nm account of a..