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

From The SubOrdinGte.'
PROFESSION, NOT PRINCIPLE.
BY T. S. ARTHUR.

"PRoFEssIoN is not Principle" | learn
ed this years ago., and have seen it verified
hundreds of times since. Who has not!-
Neither is profession religion. How often,
too, have l proved this. The best men | ev-
or knew, were those who made few prefes-
sions. The Intervals with them were pure
as we'll as the externals.
I take no pleasure in making the exposures
which follow, but where truth may do good,
/ never hesitate about telling it. 1t is al
ways painful to perceive a deviation from pro-
fessicn in those who make a show of relig-
ion. Christianity has suffered more from the
Irregularities of its pretended friends, than
the assaults of its open enemies. There are
thousands who have taken upon themselves
no vows, who are purer in heart and more
upright in actions than many, very many who
press forward to the altar. This is a sad
truth.
A few doors from my residence, when a boy,
lived a Mr.. T------, a boot maker. He
was a member of the 1890 Church, and a
loud professor. Regularly every mornirT
and evening he assembled his family for wor-
ship, and in his private meetings of the Church
members, he prayed loudest and longest of
any. / often observed him during the servi-
ces of the Church on the Sabbath, and was
iOlCCu W llld tiIG L. v u DlCll dIu utk uLiOIl
which he exhibited. Al first | was led to
believe him a good man, but a little intro
duction into the secrets of his business
transactions, as l grew older, convinced
me that he made religion a means of
securing worldly emolument and honor, rath-
er than Heavenly riches and divine honors.
1t was only necessary to ask his apprentices
his character, to understand something of his
claims to religion. A really good man is
rarely, if ever, the subject of abuse by those
under him, but they spare not the pretendel
to virtues which he does not possess.
Mr.. T------ was one of those who pro.
Tess to consider Heavenly riches as infinite.
ly more valuable than sordid gold, but who
by all their actions, illustrate the truth of the
remark with which We started, that 'proies.
sion is not principle" He was not content
with working his apprentices hard, and keep.
ing them poorly clad and poorly fed, but he
gained his penny wherever he could, no mat
ter who lost the penny or to whom it mosI
belonged. l will give an example of his
dealing in this latter respect.
A colored drayman had brought him a load
Of leather from a house far down town. At
YER the leather was unloaded, the following
dialogue took place;
well old fellow, land the ~drayman was
Old-at least sixty what's to pay!"
three fps, SIR
"Here's a levy. l never pay but a levy
aload. You can't take me in"
-'Indeed, massa, can't take less than three
hps. That's the regular charge, and ! always
gifts it,
"Nonsense here, take your money, and
don't stand palavering there"
Cant, indeed, massa. You knows that
sint enough
"You black nigger. do you mean to say
that ] want to cheat you'll"
mo, massa; but three fps is the regular
charge for a load, and | can't take less.
couldn't make a livin' at a levy
Well, Pm not going to stand fooling here
with you. If you don't take this, you'll get
nothing
Can't take it massa. All or none, is my