Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-02-20
THE CHURCHES.

A,H
Frederick Douglass, at one Of his meet
ings in Belfast, Ireland, gave tire following
description of the pro-slavery churches of A.
mcrica.
Mr.. Douglass, in addressing the mectinu,
said-One of the most painful duties he had
been called on to perform, in the way of his
Antl-Slavery advocacy, had been that of cx-
posing the corruption and sinful position of
the American churches, in regard to Slavery.
(ltcar, helr.) 1t was, indeed, when he first
commenced that advocacy, one among the
Only dulles That liz FELT anything like shrink
ing from. 1t was to him a most painful un-
dertaking; but he had always looked upon it
as possessing, in a supcrlatiye degree, ius-
lice, love Of humanity. and the love Of God.
lie had not supposed they were capable Of
descending to the low and mean work of up
holding and sustaining a system, by which
three millions Of people Were Invested of ev-
cry right that belonged to humanity. (Checrs)
BHt, III examining into the character of the
churches of America, he was led to sec, that,
unless HE Church WAS exposed, unless the
deeds OF her Ministers were nude known, and
.ie light Of truth be permitted to shine into
hrr dark reccSscs, they must have forever a
very sink ofiniluity in the midst of the church.
Niiihlf ilEsll. anu CllttlS.l he n.iN NlH oil
Groying her, aAi earins her from Inc deem
9 rmmatior Of which she %aa Ia danger, and
into which she was pluA!ing, would be, to
expose her, and enlist all the energies of the
good and upright TO reform her. (Chcers.)
In exposing that Church, he did not place
himself in the position Of an cncmy-let no
lnln rank him among the enemies cf the
Church, or the enemies Of religion, because
he dared to move the masses in his favor, tc
tear of the pontiiical robes she wore, and
give freedom to the oppressed. (Cheers.)
1t was for her salvation he did tit was for
her purlnc..tion he did tit was for the re-
demption and disenthrallmcnt of his race from
the chains Of Slavery he did it. cloud
checrs.) lie was exceedingly pleased in the
last meeting which he had held, to hear a
minister, who occupied that pulpit, welcome
him (Mlr. Douglass) to that ELECTROMAGNETIC
in those wIlls-before those people, who lis
tened to him-to expose the corruption and
evil which prevailed in the Congregational
churches of Amaricl lit WIS an act which
must identify that man, that minister, with
The friends of truth and freedom. lie dis
played an openness, a mAgnaniInity, and a
willingness for self-examination, which argu-
ed innocence. Innocence, they knew, sought
ahc light of God-it sought to be examined,
searched, and tried. Truth would not hold
that man guiltles', who, in the light of the
nineteenth century, lent his sanction to the
system of American Slavery. (Hear, hear.)
lie would call their attention TO the do
ings of one or two of the churches of Ameri-
ca. A Baptist brother had requested HIM to
state TO the meeting what the Baptist Church
was doing TO uphold Slavery. They were
aware that the Baptist Church was congrc-
gational-that was, that each church was in
dependent of the other. They met, howev-
or, triennially, Gas we understood Mr.. Doug
lass 10 say for the purpose of counselling as
TO the means of spreading the Gospel among
the heather. At the meeting before the last,
held in Baltimore, the Rev. DR.. Johnston, of
South Carolina, presided and what did they
think were the views Of this Rev. Doctor as
10 the duty of Christians, with regard to Sla-
veryl Why, at that meeting, he said, when
any institution, snch as Slavery, became es-
fabiished by law, in any country, every chris
tian was right in unfolding it. (Cries of
"Oh, Oh!") But they need not be surpri-
sed at his thus expressing himself, for he
was a manstealer, and the other officers were
thieves. There was one undetermined man,
the Rev. Mr.. Gallusha, on the Committee,
who was a friend of abolition, one of the most
eloquent of the delegates at the Worlds con-
vention, and wha departed this life a few
months since. That Christian man desired
TO see Slavery, which he denounced rs a sin
against God, abolished; and what was the
consequence Why, his friends on the Com
miltse had him struck off, and thatfor no 9th,
or offence than because lie hated Slavery
lie was a talented man-one Of the bright
est stars in connection with the Baptist con
grega,ions Of America;-h was a success