Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-10-22

try, and will bear a comparison with heather
in any part Of the world. = . = y 1t is
universally the fact throughout the slavehold-
ing states, that either custom or law prohlb-
its them the acquisition of letters, and conse-
quently they can have no access to the Scrip
lures. x . 4 X In the vast field, eX-
tending from the entire state beyond the Po-
tomac to the Sabine river, and from the At
lantic TO the Ohio, there are, to the best Of
our knowledge, not t,oeire men exclusively
devoted to the religious instruction of the ne
groes. Is to ministers Of their arm color,
they are destitute, infinitely, both in point of
numbers and qualifications, to say nothing of
the fact that such a ministry is looked upon
with d%istrust, and discountenanced. But do
not the negroes have access TO the gospel
through the stated ministry Of the whites =
No. = x = = We venture the asser-
ton, that if we take the whole number of mi
nisters in the slaveholding states, but n Uery
small portion pay any attention to them. The
negroes have no regular and efficient minis
try; as a matter of course, NO CHURCHES ;
neither is there sufficient room in the white
churches for their accommodation. We know
OF but fire churches in the slaveholding states
built expressly for their use. = r = =
ave may now enquire if they enjoy the priv
lIcges of the gospel in private, in their own
houses, or on their own plantationsl Again
we return a negative answer. They have no
Bibles to read at their own iresides, they have
no family affairs; and, when in a~filiction and
sickness, or death, they have no minister TO
address to them the consultations of the gos-
pei, nor TO bury them with solemn and ap-
propriate services.'*
Certainly, the Rev. President Of "Cente-
nary College," Clinton, Mississippi, and the
Synod of South Carolina and Georgia, differ
somewhat as to the religious character of two
millions of slaves. According to the one,
they are regular attendants on divine wor-
ship according to the other, they are sin the
condition of HEATHEN."
No Christian will deny the power of the
Holy Spirit to penetrate the gloomy prison
house of southern bondage, and TO enlighten,
sanctlfy, and save its miserable inmates
But the blessings of grace, as of providence,
are ordinarily bestowed in return for the use
Of appointed means; and where those means
are withheld, or partially applied, or grossly
perverted, other evidence may Justly be re-
quired, that the slave has made the Lord his
God, than the simple fact that he is seen to
receive the communion in his masters church
and in his company.
The southern chntehas number their slave
communicate by thousands /; but profession
is not principle; and, in all ages and coun-
tries, there has ever been a ready conformity
to the religion Of the ruling despot.
The %eSoteric teaching on this subject is not
calculated TO inspire very strong confidence
in slave piety. In an account Of the %''lnten-
ded Insurrection," published by the aulhori-
ties Of Charleston, 1922, it is stated, that of
those executed, several had been ''class-lea-
ders." ''Jack Green was a preacher Billy
Palmer, exceedingly pious, and a commune
cant of the church of his master Jack Pur-
cell, no less devout.'' The ensuing year,
the Rev. DR.. Dalcho, assistant minister OF
St. Michael's church, Charleston, published
a pamphlet in vindication of slavery, but had
the decency to omit his name on the title
page.t Abiding to the late conspirato rs, he
says:-
81 write, with feelings Of the deepest re-
greet, that some of the conspirators were
preachers, class-leaders, and communicate
thus certifying the truth Of a remark which
teachers have too often occasion to make, tina
there is lille confidence 10 be placed in tie reh'
gt0uS professions Of negroes. | speak general
Is. Much animal excitement may be, ant
oftentimes is, produced where but little rea
devotion is felt in the heart. | sympathiZ,
most sincerely with the very respectable and
Mons CLERGYMAN. whose heart must still bleet
sat tho rec6I(ection hat his confidential class.
Ie.dor bnt a woel ~ two herore his inst con
%viction, had received the communion of the
Lords Supper from his hand. This ,cretc
had been brought up in his pastors family
tan,;on &C VAS show 70 ,be;r cbiiJron ~
says The venerable and kev' Or. Ne,sor
a natVe OF tennessee ana formerly rres
dent OF Marion college, missouri
; "The concentrated recollection Of hirt
gears furnishes me with three instances onll
where could say have reason from III
= known walk OF that slave 10 believe MIN
her a sincere Christian
Inc rev. ~ ". zones PROBABLY oe' ~
0 aIqua'"tru v" o,hor snstb bo minie,er saw