Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-10-01
COMMUNICATIONS.
FRIENDS JONES

FRIENDS JONES:
see by the account given by you Of the
Yearly Meeting of Friends, held in Salem,
that the Society has made but little progress,
and that little 'backwards." Its not in the
nature of organizations to make progress, and
it is hardly fair to expect or ask it, seeing
that none exhibit the novel spectacle Of ad-
vancing forward. 1t is not quite true per-
haps, that any society is making any perma-
nent steps backward. If they only remain
stationary, those who are really progressing
may think them retrograding as stationary
objects on the highway seem 10 recede as We
move of from them. Where is the individ-
udl who can point out one element in these
organizations, from which we might look for
progress, as the Legitimate and necessary re-
sult2 The natural tendency, if not the de-
sign, of all organizations is, TO prevent pro-
gress. A number of individuals agree in
some grand idea. They are at first naturally
drawn together, as by the affinity Of parli-
cIcs. They discuss it, enlarge upon it, and
finally conclude that they know all that can
be known in that direction. SO sure are they
of this, that they are not willing to trust the
next generation, not even willing to trust
themselves the next year, or month. So
they put it down in impcrishable black and
white, " thus Ear shalt thou 90 and no f~arlhef,"
and here, thou ever rolling tide of mind
:" shalt thy proud waves be staid." Hence,
creeds, disciplines, observation-disclosures,
churches, political parties, governments.-
In settling new questions, appeal is not now
made 10 reason, but to the written word, TO
precedent, to creeds, TO disciplines, to the
- wisdom OF our fathers" Notwithstanding
we have improved opportunities for forming
a correct Judgment, we must set it aside when
1t comes in conflict with theirs. Thus every
loyal subject of these organizations is Chain
ed down TO the past. The ardor of his be-
n~evolent feelings toward suffering humanity
is so cooled down by sectarian and party
selfshness, that it never rises to the acting
point. His most fervent warnings for his
] 'llAtSSNN INV NV cioNtlo, llluSl Ut
smothered within his bosom at the bidding
of this irresponsible power. Every i%ndepen-
dent step he takes in advance of the body, is
at the expense of his loyalty and subjects
him to liability of dismemberment-to the
Anthems of those in power. Organizations
} may, and do, sometimes occupy a higher po-
sition than they did at some former period Of
4 their existence but We have yet TO see the
= power that constitutes The organizations, pro
: posing any thing like Internationally thing
calculated to better humanity, and restrict it
r own power over the individual. Any change
r that is made for the better, is always through
u individual e%Xertion, against all the opposition
that the organization can present, until re
~sistance is no longer availing, and then i
S slowly, reluctantly pulls up its stakes, deep
ly rooted in sectaridn ground, only to trans
\ plant them as firmly, and in soil as barren
o and sectarian, as that from which, by the lon.
/ and arduous labor of the reforner, they hav
c been uprooted. This is only reorganization
and the new one varies but little from the oil
: in its objects, and contains no new element
! A vast amount Of well meant effort is los
/ in this ~fruitless attempt to reform these ir
r situations. There is no individual worth
t the name of reformer, who is so tame an
conservative as 10 talk about reforming lii
y institutions of War and Slavery. Becaus
e these institutions are intrinsically wrong, cor
tanning no Tedeeming principle, their imm
" diate and entire expulsion is demanded b
all genuine philanthropisls. Would it N
i'd be better, then, TO waste no labor in attemp
re ing 10 reform the organizations Of the da,
G. whether political or religious, but deman
as we do of other intrinsic evils, their linn
date and entire abandonment? For, Wit
he we take away the power which one set
P' individuals exercise over others, we reno
every characteristic of the organization itse
n- In regard to that branch Of the Society
Mss Friends, who recently held their YeaI
md Meeting in Salem, ! only wish to say, Il
tho those who attended last year, at Mt. Pleas
nj could not expect them to make further p
OUT gress. They, in common with other religio
not ~ sN"H1 '"u'i '"o i"""e"'e
their preachers. DR.. Schooley, an inteI
gent, and rather popular preacher anon!
them, in a very solemn and impressive d
course, at the close Of the meeting, urg
EN- them "not 10 fly OF in tangent" but