Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-08-13
NORTH NEwpURY, Aug. Cd, 1917.
Yours for Humanity,
7, M.

North NEwpURY, Aug. Cd, 1917.
FRIENDS EDrToRs -
will answer your enquiry in the last Bu-
gle respecting the "Deist's Reply to the ale
ged Supernatural Evidences Of Christianity
by Lysander Spooner, bya statement of facts.
| have seen and examined a pamphlet bear
Ing the above title, written by Lysander Spoo-
ner and "presented to the c%lergymen, gene
orally Of Boston"
Unless 1t be a forgery, or another gentle
man by the name of Lysander Spocner lives
IN Boston, who wrote the above named arpu-
ment against Christianity-Christ and his
Apostles-it must be the same Lysander
Spooner who wrote the celebrated argument
on the "Unconstitutionality of Slavery" that
has become the political bible of the Liberty
men.
This book %evinces in its composition con-
siderable talent and much of the same kind
of cant and ribaldry found in Tom Paine's
theological writings; Christ is held up as a
base and cunning villain whose superiorabil-
tiles made him master of the ignorant mass
of mind by which he was surrounded, and
upon which he imposed the grossest absurdi-
ties as a revelation from God-and the most
tricks as the miracles confirming
his divine mission. | will give you a few
extracts in confirmation of what | have sta
49,.
ted. Page 18th, Mr.. Spooner says 'sPer-
haps the most conspicuous defects in his per-
sonal character were, LIST, his readiness to re-
sort to subterfuge, when challenged to work
miracles, by those who doubted his miracu-
lous power; 3D., his propensity to practice
concealment, and 3rd, his notorious cowar-
dice. A few instances only of conduct illus
trative Of these characteristics, need be refer
ed to.
"As evidence Of his readiness to resort TO
subterfuge when challenged to work miracles
by those who doubted his miraculous power,
the following cases are deemed sufficient.
"On one occasion MARK IL, 1877 when
some of the Pharisees came TO question him.
and asked him to show them a sign-appa-
that they might Judge of the justice of
his claims to be the Messiah-he pretended
to his disciples that these Pharisees were a
very unreasonable set of men to ask such a
and said he would give them no sign,
left them and departed.
SHARK says their object was to entrap him
or to work some mischief with him, hut how
did Mark know that they had any other de-
sign than their question implies? The biog-
of Jesus were very good at coniec.
turing reasons, limiting excuses, and finding
apologies for the dastardly conduct of their
"At another time (John ID, 18th to 2Ist,)
he had been attempting to drive the
from the temple, and they had asked
him, as they reasonably might do, what sign
he could give them as evidence of his right
to do so, the only sign he proposed to show
them was this, that if they would DESTROY
their beautiful temple-a thing which he
of course they would not do he would
rebuild it in three days. Is it possible to
an evasion more mean or contempti-
BILE 2"
This book abounds in specimens of this
kind, too ridiculous and blasphemous to be
r~epeated-even as illustrations. What will
our Liberty men say to these specimens of
the piety of their great light In morals and
law? They cease not day or night 10 howl
on the track of every come-outer the cry of
infidel! infdel!-your leaders are infdels (!
and every obstacle possible is thrown in the
way of anti-slavery lecturers to keep the cars
of the people shut against their appeals in be-
half of the slave-men of the purest morals
and most blameless lives are blackened by
this mad dog cry, that Garrison is an infdel;
Douglass, Pillsbury, Foster, and, of course,
all who labor with them for the redemption
of the slave, are infdels too. Will Liberty
men first apply this charge to the religious
notions of Lysander Spooner, and when they
sell their SpcJner on the Constitution Just
them what beautiful notions he entertains
of Christ and his Apostles and also that
happen to think with him on this Con-
stitutional question, and therefore they are
all infdels.
Yours truly,
b. w. RICHMOND.
As we have said before, we say now