Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-08-07

one country =! Let us thank the God that
made US free, that he can override our evil
and make it minister to his good that out
of this pit of unutterable horror, he has made
his light to shine. What if slavery has shown
us that man has no right to exercise authorl-
ty over man. When we have settled that
point in our own minds we have settled ev-
ery thinq else. The Cause can prosper on
ly as we are s%ternly true to the principles we
avow. If. as ! have often said. Liberty be
of God, it is a divine test and as men and
institutions shall be found true when tried
by it, so shall they be sustained or trodden
under foot.
You, my friends, are men, (not colored
men-don't think of it, and as men, will be
tried by all the circumstances and events that
try mankind. White men are tried by the
temptation Of party politics why not color
cd men also White men shrink when the
truth clashes with their religious sects and
preconceived theological doctrines why
should not colored people feel like shrinking
too! will explain myself. We may have
been, whatever our complexion, the servants
of some political party. But these parties
are all unfaithful to humanity. Do you then
say, Because they are uufaithful, they are
not the parties for me2'rIn like mannner,
if the Church be unfaithful,- if she sanctions
slaveholding,--if she receives shareholders
to her communicate she receive, as Chris
tan ministers, those who teach that slavery
is no sin,-if she fellowship those who are
in fellowship with slaveholders.-do you
then say, because she is unfaithtnl TO hui
man nature she is not the church for me !
Now | should not be surprised at all, (be-
cause we are human,) if TIE colored people
as well as the white people should fall, be-
ing so tempted. When a cause like this goes
careering through a land, jostling against the
prejudices and the passions and the instltu-
tons of men, it is not to be wondered at If
even the colored people should sometimes be
taken undwares: wherefore ! earnestly con-
lure you, my beloved friends, TO be most
careful to preserve your integrity in every
such crisis.
| believe that of all people in the broad
world, you most desire TO be uncompromis-
ing in your adherence to right. Is ii easy 10
suppose it o~thprwiscl Oh no too many of
you have been subjected to the %ruilianly vi
olence of the Shareholder too many of you
have smarled beneath his murdcrous lash,
willingly to become the prey Of tho tempta-
tons his power in the land enables him to
gloss over and to present.
Shall | say that this political temptation
has cost me, too, many a struggle! You
don't know how much | once thought de-
pended upon the result of our town-electors
in Newburyport! CA laugh.) | could not
sleep at nights, when | thought the opposi-
ton were coming in like a flood, to get the
advantage of us in the town meeting
CONTINUED laughter.) On theological ques-
lions, too. | have had to change, again and
again and again. Because | love to change?
because | do not object to being a chamele-
onl No! but because | am ready TO sacrl-
flee inherited opinion TO universal moral
principle, sectarian dogmas to universal
truths. | tell YOU this 10 prove to yod that |
will not ask any one to do what ! shrink
from doing myself. ! know, as well as an
other, and from experience, too, just what is
due to him who is in the wrong, sincerely
thinking himself in the right. | will forbear
to condemn such a one, as long as | have the
evidence of his sincerity. | will say, God
bless that person, he is sincere; all will be
right in due time. But when | hear the old
serpent hiss through his lips, in opposition
to the right, | feel like putting my foot up
on him. All things else, but that old ser
pent, | can take TO my bosom, but him |
cannot.
1t is uncertain, beloved friends, whether
ever meet you again in this life. 1t is very
possible | my never again behold you; and
if | perish on the ocean, | shall trust to 90
calm and composed to my rest, as though
had seen the ransomod millions, and heard
their songs Of jubilee. God has not given
the cause to any man or to any thousand men.
Dear friends, l bid you farewell. Iou
know that | love you and an determined 10
do all l can to give you liberty. Never fall
-.- .. -. haiti ,,rDr eos. slp p,Cnn ~