Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-07-23

nv STAKEHOLDER, who, we are told, sis homo.
rable in all his dealings with his fellow-men,''
although he does daily rob some fifty or a hum
bred Of them of all they earn-this honorable
man entered into a calculation in regard 10
the matter Of providing religious instruction
for his chattel property, made it a Profit and
Loss account, decided it by the same rules
hold from them a sprinkling of pork to give
a relish TO their weekly peck of corn. He
decided that it would be more profitable to
give his slaves the gospel, as he rather curl
ously calls a pro-slavery priest, and straight
way the fact is trumpeted abroad by the Col
onizationists, as an evidence, we suppose, of
the righteousness of their plan Of expatria-
ton. Although it involves him in an expense
of six or eight hundred dollars a year, beside
the cost Of a meeting house, yet the spec
ulation is a good one, for as he shrewdly re-
marks, "Preacbing will soon pay for itself
on a plantation" The same is doubtless
true o ffed overseerism-we use the term in
contradistinction to church overseeTism-but
the question naturally arises, what must be
the character of that preaching which slave
holders think profitable to their plantation
systems, even as whips and chains are profit
able! The slaves do not go willingly to their
task, it is the fear Of punishment that drives
them to the field at early dawn, and this was
the motive our exemplary STAKEHOLDER urged
upon the consideration of his slaves, as an in
ducement for them to submit TO the religious
instruction of his chosen preacher. You
must 90 unless you are sick, and l will pun
ish you if you do not obey mes No wonder
they were regular and p~unctual in their al
tendance.
We presume that most of the Wanted ca
ses of the religious instruction of plantation
slaves, are about equal 10 that related by
"Philodoulos," though probably pious mem
thieves would be more hypocritical than this
frank, out-spoken infdel. They would doubt
less attribute il rather to lore Of souls, than
lore IF dollars, which, by the way, are often
convertible terms with those who make the
highest pretensions to American religion.
The subjoined extract from a volume Of
sermons prepared by Bishop Mead of Va, for
the use of such preachers as the one employ
ed by this Louisiana planter, will show the
kind of doctrine that is peddled out under the
name of "gospel,' and which makes plan
tation preaching profitable to the planter:
"Now from this general rule, namely, that
you are to do all service for your masters and
mistresses as if you did it for God himself,
there arise several other rules of duty towards
your masters and mistresses, which | shall
endcavor to lay out in order before you.
And in the first place, you are to be obedi-
ent and subject to your masters in all things.
II And Christian ministers are COM
t.. led to 'eXhort servants to be obedient
unto their own masters, and to please them
well in all things, not answering them again,
or gainsaying.' You see how strictly God
requires this of you, that whatever your mas
tiers and mistresses order you to do, you must
set about it Immediately, and faithfully per-
form it, without any disruting or gTumbling,
and take care to please them well in all things.
And for your encouragement he tells you that
he will reward you for it in Heaven: beca-;e
while you are honestly and faithfully doing
your masters business here, you are serving
your Lord and Master in Heaven. You see,
also, that you are not 10 take any exceptions
to the behavior of your masters and mistress
es, and that you are TO be subject and obedi-
ent, not only to such as are good, and gentle
and mild towards you, but also TO such as
NAV be froward, peevish, and hard. For YOU
are not at liberty to choose your own masters,
but into whatever hands God hath been pleas
ed to put you, you must do your duty, and
God will reward you for it.
D Won are NOT In he eve servants. Now
eye servants are such as will work and seem
mighty diligent while they think any body is
taking notice of them, but when their mas
ters' and mistresses' backs are turned, they
are idle and neglect their business. | am
, afraid there are a great many such eye ser
wants among you, and that you do not consi-
der how great a sin it is to be so, and how
2 severely God will punish you for it. You
, may easily deceive your owners, and make
= them have an opinion of you that you do not
, deserve, and get the praise of men by it; but
remember that you cannot deceive Almighty
E God, who sees your wickedness and deceit,
] and will punish you accordingly. For the
n rule is, that you must obey your masters in
all things, and do the work they set you about
: with fear and trembling, in singleness OF hear
j as unto Christ; not with eye service as men
~pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing
the will of God from the heart; with good
will doing service as to the Lord, and not as
to men. If, then, you would but say withir
yourselves, My master hath set me abou
II this work, and his back is turned, so that
h may loi,er and idle if / please, for he doe
d not see me; but there is my great Master il
Heaven, whose overseer my other master is
D and his eyes are always upon me and taking
n nctice of me, and | cannot get any where on
a of his sight, nor be idle without his knowing
u it; and what will become of me, if | lose hi
. good will and make him angry with me 7
If, | say, you would once. get the way o
he thinking and saying thus upon all occasions
you then would do what God commands you
! and serve your masters with singleness o
heart, that is, with honesty and sincerity, ant
do the work you are set about with fear AM
u trembling. not for fear of vnnr masters an