Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-12-03
B. FRANKLIN PERKY.
Ignorance the Strong Tower of Slavery.

EpIroRs:-
Could the mass Of minds DO Induced to do
their own reading and thinking, the doom of
American Slavery would soon be scaled
Nothing would be more sure to eventuate in
it's destruction. But every thing in the train
Of reason and investigation, so far as minds
in general ere concerned seems to be done
by proxy. A few do the thinking for the
multitude, while the latter grope in igno-
rance. The principles that control the gov.
eminent, receive their origin in the c~onclave
sittings of a few dem~agogues. The mass
content themselves with bowling at the beck
Of these, their masters. On this account ex-
lists such impervious prejudice and hostility
towards every moral enterprise. 1t is for the
interests of the majority that these reforma-
tory measures should prevail, but coeval with
these interests Is the disad vantage of the
choice Eu.-The interests Of the mass NOR
ally, and pecuniarily, demand the universal
liberty and equality Of all mankind. But the
selfshness ofthe d~emagogue demands op-
preston. In exact ratio with the ignorance
of man, is the Infringement of his rights,
speaking nationally. No one will knowing
ly suffer oppression ifh he can avoid it. And
it wonld be casting a direful stigma upon hui.
man nature, to suppose that mankind as q
body could delight in the oppression of their
fellows, or ,Oould Cypress them, for the mert
purpose of expressing them. The lewdnesl
of the majority never required the ~enslave
msnt Of the minority, and never did %enslav,
them. But the c%upidity of the latter has cue
inundated the right of the former. The ma
jority have through ignorance been mad
"cats paws" for their own destruction. Thi
principle may be clearly distinguished in al
most every ramifcation of society. But il
no organization does it stand forth moro con
spicuonsly than in the churches of America
These bodies are in fact, nothing but e%cclesi
a%stical hOcdWinhs, managed by a few ''brea,
aud butter" priests, whose business 1t ia t
blind their followers by ''cunning craftiness.
Is it not sof Who ever in his candid me
ments, believes that members of the Amer
can churches as individuals would have or
posed the various reforms which have fror
time to tiLce, been promulged in communit
if they had been sufficiently intelligent, an
, left to do their own G;nking3 No one
Who then instigates through the ignoranc
of the church such vile persecution OF refol
mers. A bigoted priesthood, wio in propor
ton to the darkness in which they arc abb
7 to keep the church, increase their bread al
cheese. 1t is for the interest of the churcf
{ and in accordance with the ostensible objeC
, for which she was organized that the prime
? pies of these various reforms should triumph
but on account of gross ignorance throug
4, the diabolical Vaccinations of the priesthoo
, she knows it not. 1t matters not what II
d form is progressing; long before its advocate
I enter different communities, each church ar
q society has had its ministerial charge of cal
lion, with reference to giving countenance
!, them. While they are indited with multi
rions anti-christian principles, and innnmer
A BILE snti-christisn intentions. And in this exis
" the reason for the wonderful superstition, ar
N bitterness with which reformers have to col
If on the part Of the church.
The truth is. none of US have been educ
1. ted rightly. We have been led 10 think tn
If. "the minister" is a sort of demigod. Or
/, no, so, a being, who. although human sl
II fnil, 10 never in the wrong. Aaa hence