Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-04-16
To my Wesleyan Brethren, and others

To my Wesleyan Bre,hTen, and others (:
DEAR B%seTHRrS, |, abont three years and
a half ago, seeded from The Methodist Epis-
copal Church. | felt called upon 10y the
pleadings Of humanity, and my dury to God,
TO dissolve the relation | sustained to that
church,-to that church which disregarded
the crying blood Of shrce millions Of my race;
tina, could unmovtd lock upon the parting
If the frantic MJiicr, from her own dear
| child never more to meet; aye, that could DO
the decd herscy with impunity. When
left the NJ. +. Church, ! LEFT many friends,
| sacrificed the reputation, aud good standing
that | had gained among that people /; ] also
subjected myself to many hard sayings, and
reproaches from those who had been my
friends. | indeed endured great affection,
md sorrow. But in view of all that befel
me, ] can in truth say, | have never regretted
leaving the church of my carly choice, and
the people with whom ! united in my boy
hood days. No, J have never regretted the
moment when J took that cycnJul, inoOrtzri,
and God o5'yiag step, which separated me
from my disorderly walkiHg-my sLgrch9W-
ing brethren.
Al the time ! left the NJ. f.. Church, !
united with the Wesleyan Methodist Church;
to be one with them in name, in labor, in
persecution, and in nartyrdcm, if need be,
for the truth FIR tie si1rs. At the first ses-
sion Of the Allegheny Conference, I was APP
pointed to BakerstoVn Circuit as a travelling
Wesleyan preacher, in which capacity l have
served the church ever since-about three
years and a half in all-two years and a half
Of that time | travelled as an Evangelist. ]
have mingled with the brethren of fourteen
circuits, and ldborcd shoulder 10 shoulder,
with about thirty preachers of the Allegheny
Conference-have seen much good done, and
many made TO rejoice in the truth. But the
has come for me to dissolve my relation
to the Wesleyan Church, again 10 sacrifice
friends, and perhaps again TO subject myself
TO reproaches.
assurediy felt pain Of heart when | left
the NJ. Z. Church-but I feel much more in
leaving the w. NJ. C. When ! think Of the
many warm hearted friends, ] have in Bridge
port, West Middle,own, Leesburgh, Deers-
Vile, WoodGeld, and a number Of other cir
cuits-of the labors We have performed to-
gether for the truth, and of the prosecutions
w have endured how we have labored and
loved when | think Of all these things, my
Aye, | grieve in spirit at the severing Of that
tie, that hath bound me TO many honest hearts,
TO many noble spirits in the Wesleyan
Church and were 1t not for the truth, for
the right, for the sake of the cause of God
and man, | should have remained in the
church, in the embrace and solace of friends
in peace. | shall not give all my reasons 70
leaving the church at this time. 1t is enough
to say, that | have embraced modern infdehi
IN, i. e. that | should be sep~arale-"touct
not, taste not, handle not,"-that | should
love my ncighbor as myself, that | SHOULD
give all my influence to bind up the bleedin,
heart of humaniiy-to lift up my DEGRADED
colored brother, and 10 redeem, and enamel
pate all my race from error and crime.
think il too late in the day for reformers t
give willing support to a slaveholding, law
making and Woodworking Government.
think it too, very Inconsistent for reformel
10 invite to their fellowship and communion
members of the most corrupt associations
the country. Both these shameful thing
apply to the Wesleyans as a whole, as a sec
!, the former by voting with Wings, Dem
5 Gratis, and Liberty Party, (but chiefly by v
ling with the last named)-tho latter by i
f wiling 10 their communion members Of slav,
holding, slave-selling, and slave-killing con
: %panies; with but this prerequisite, profe
a sing to be "with US in sentiment on the gre
e principles Of our REFORM" q. e. to say thu
n are abolitionists.) These things, with maj
le others that | might name, Gas objections
the Wesleyan church, have trammeled II
for months. But | close by saying, | ha'
il inscribed Excelsior on my banner, and mt
S. ascend-l must go forward, promising to
v Dor more arduously to advance all the 90
principles that The Wesleyans have adoptt
with all others that will hasten the eman
&c patton of mankind-ihe redemption Of
of world.
e. shall ever cherish the names Of many
10 my brethren in my memory, and in the al
. tions of my heart they will ever havea hor
d, | do not feel in leaving the chutch, that n
n selfand my brethren should love each OF
no more. | hope stronger ties than tn
to merely ecclesiastical, knit our hearts toeet
Id and that we will unitedly labor $50 far as
ng CAM in spreading over the world the Cos
%. Of peace, and good will TO all men," /.
n my future coarse | design to know no I'M
10 eats hut those of mankind- ~ makemy co
I'd try the wido, wide world-my couhtrym