Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-01-02

religious Societies make them anti-religion-
lists!
Are those members of a religious Society
who are inactive in the cause of the slave en-
titled to any credit for the meritorious con-
duct of their fellow membersl or does the
rule work but one way| fit may be rever-
sed, then are the pro-slavery members Of a
Society entitled to much credit for the pass
age of an act of the body which they have VI
ohentiy opposed.
The arguments of friend Barnaby, not alrea-
dy answered, may all be couched in the fol-
lowing propositions, viz:
LIST. The Society of Friends make a high
profession and disown members who, in its
opinion, fail to come up to this standard.
end. B. B. D. being a member of that
Society either does or does not believe it right
to make these high professions and to disown
its delinqucnts.
3rd. If he does not believe these regula-
tions to be correct, he deceives the Society
and the world, by remaining in connection
with it.
4ih. He cannot be ignorant of the fact,
that the Society does not live up to its pro-
f%essions, and as it disowns its members for de-
linquency b. b. d. is bound to disown the
Society, and this obligation rests even strong
er upon him than it does on the Society 10
disown its members.
9th. The difference between the regula-
tons Of a Temperance or other reform Sccie-
ty and Fricnd's Society, is such that mem
Der Of the latter is necessarily implicated ia
the guilt Of other members, even of ether
Yearly meetings acting under different dis.
c]iplines, but in those reform associations, the
members are no more responsible for the acts
of the body TO which they belong than are
the different individuals in a ncighborhooj
for the evil deeds Of each ether.
On the first, second and fifth propositions,
| would remark, that | believe it right for all
persons and societies to ondeavor TO do what
to them appears to be right, and that the So
cicty of Friends do no more. Also that it is
right for all associations, and societies, and
individuals in them, to manifest their dissent
to every thing that appears to them to be
wrong among them,- '~'tcstily against
them and thus clear their own skirts; and
that all societies and associations and even
individuals to 4 greater or less extent, Do this.
Every word Of disapproba;ion Of a wrong, is
in effect, what Friends do when they disown
a member. The idea is the same, whether
it be incorporated in a discipline or be kept
in the mind. The object Of a protest against
an error in a reform society, has in it the cs.
sence of a TESTIMONY against a delinquent
member in a religious society. The farm
does not change the Substance of the thing.
The real difference is all in the Imagination.
And every argument which will apply to one,
will apply to the other. 1t may be supposed
that because a Friend after disownmont is
not permitted to participate in the meetings
constitutes a real difference, but is the feet
ing Of r~epulsioa not the same toward grog.
sellers who intrude themselves into a temper.
ance meeting, and NEEDLE, and sway its ac'
ton, and thwart its purposes, as against {
disownod a~lienated member of Friends socie'
ty, who should persist in a similar course il
their meetings? | have heard no little grum
bling among Abolitionists when thus intru
ded upon, Temperance societies often formal
y disown delinquent members.) | am sur
prisel at the sentiment that there is no kinC
Of responsibility resting on one member of al
Anti-Slavory Society for the action of the DO
dy. Why does my friend get up in thost
meetings and testify against their acts if HI
has no responsibility to bear in the case
Were he not an unassuming man he woulC
leave US to inter that he merely desired to bt
heard. | cannot conceive of any other goot
object under the sun that could actuate him
than that which he disclaims. If I nnder
stand him, he will not protest against the act
f at our next A. s. Anniversary the Societ,
adopts a resolution to support J. c.. Calhoun
for President in 1918. He will not be "re,
sponsiblo" for what they do, no more thar
are two neighbors for each others acts!
But the contrast is very great when | com
pare with this, his idea of the responsible,
ola member of Friends Society. Itamount,
to something like this. Were Abby Kel
ley Foster a member Of the Ohio Yearly
Meeting, and were she to labor as she does il
behalf of the slave, and with her wonted de.
votedness to truth and duty, would labor IN
as well as ont of that Society for the advance.
ment of her cause, she would, if she did moi
withdr,w on ho,ri,no e A.