Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-01-16

charges which is the same thing,) without
ever trying to convince me that | was in en-
ror! Nor did they proceed in my case ac-
cording to the Discipline, which requires that
they should go to "a brother when he has gone
astray and try to reclaim him. If he will
not hear one brother, another and another are
to visit him, after which, if he persists in his
wrong, his case is to be taken before the
church. Nothing of this was done in my
case, nor was l allowed a hearing before the
church., which | think, should also have been
granted me.
But to the proof of the charges. 1t is well
known that the old Baptist Church of this
place is a pro-slavery body. This fact cam
not be denied, so long as its members have
to pledge themselves not to agitate or men,
ton the subject of slavery before they can be
admitted into the fold of the church mot of
Christ.) The Second Baptist Church ac-
knowledged this Church TO be of the same
faith and order with itself, 1t does this by
granting letters to members to 90 and join it,
and every time its members sit down to the
communion table, they invite the members of
that church to ommun with them! Not
only so. At the time my resignation was
handed in, there were members in the church,
iii good and regular stinding, who contend
was not sinfnl! and this without any rebuke
from the church,! ! Such are some of the
facts in the case, in the face of which they
dare to declare that the church is not connect
ed with slavery, and to disown me for not
believing their assertions, contradicted as |
have shown them to be by facts which can
not be denied.
now proceed to the second charge, which
is that the church supports war. Do the
members pretend to deny that they support
this Government They do not. Is not this
Government based upon the liie-taking prin-
ciple! No one will deny that it is. Were
not the ''great blessings of liberty which
they talk about, and prize so highly, gained
by that same principlel And are they not
now upheld and sustained by the sword7-
| affirm that they are. Take away the life
taking principle, and this government must
fall, for physical violence is it's very bone and
sinew. Now, il seems to me a matter plain
enough for any one, though with but half an
eye, to see that any man, or body of men,
that support a Government which is upheld
by the sword-which requires standing ar
mics all over the country to maintain it-does
support war. Whose are these standing ar
mics! They belong to the people-to the
professedly christian bodies of this county,
to The Second Baptist Church. And yet church
members tell us they do not believe in fight
ing, and in the same breath tell US, that they
believe the powers that be,are approvingly or
dained of God-that the Government of this
country is directly authorized and established,
Then why will they not fight for it, Why
turn traitors to their country and principles
by refusing to use the means which are in
dispensably necessary to its existence1 But
though they will not fight for this God-sanc-
toned Government, the members of the Sec
ond Baptist Church uphold it by voting and
holding office under it, and he who asserts
that he can do this and yet not be connected
in any way with war, or lend any support to
it, asserts, in my opinion, that which is false.
And he who after having thus supported the
Government, refuses when called upon to
fight in its defence is a traitor, worse than
Benedict Arnold, who never went to the polls
year after year to deposite his ballot, and with
it an oath to support the Government.
will not trespass further upon your col
umns, but will leave the question whether
my charges against the Second Baptist church
were false, to the decision of an enlightened
and candid community. 1t has appeared to
me that the design of disowning me on such
charges was, that it might not appear to the
world that | did not leave the church of NV
own accord, or at any rate, that might not
leave it with as good a name as took there.
A. A. DAVIS.
MIGHT AND RrGHT.-Will they (the Bri-
fish Government draw the sword AGAINST thu