Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-12-10
COMMUNICATIONS.
Religion rs. Humanity.

The greatest evil under which this coun-
try labors is its religion. The religion of
the land is its bane. There is too much reli-
gion. 1t is the foe of man-the enemy of
the race. The people are too religious; this
is their ruin. 1t is because the people have
too much religion, that they have so little
humanity-that the bordman pines away ia
his chains-that the cries of millions in all
the agonies Of despair and wretchedness are
unheeded. 1t is the religion which abounds,
that hardens the heart, %siiIens the neck, sears
the conscience, stops the ear, dims the eye,
aud letters the tongue.
| wish to be understood, and understood |
IN sure to be, by all whose understanding is
not darkened. | do not mean that the people
have too much christianity, INT too MHIe.-
When speak of religion, | mean that which
has taken the place Of christianity, and which
bears no analogy 10 it; but is its most dead
ly foe. ! mean just what Paul meant when,
after passing through the streets of Athens,
and seeing the temples and affairs, the deyo-
tees and their misunderstanding the
prayers and incantations, declare, 81 perceive
thatin all things We are too religious Why
were the Athenians too religious or s%upersti-
tious, as the common translation has it Be-
cause they allowed the worship Of their Gods
their solemn mummeries in their temples,
to prevent them from paying that attention TO
the truth, which the truth demanded. Is not
this emphatically the case with US? Let US
see.
We enter a town on the worship days
the days on which the people agree 10 honor
their God; the first thing that strikes the eye,
is numerous temples dedicated to as many
different Ideas Of God. We behold the peo-
pie at their devoIions. Some standing with
fixed gaze upon a person more elevated than
the rest, who apparently is engaged in ad-
dressing som one aloud-others kneeling-
some sitting in silence-others chanting to
the tones of an organ while others are shout
ing, jumping, falling down, clapping hands,
crossing, sprinkling or plunging their bodies
in water, with other modes of pleasing or APP
peasing their Gods. All, however, too much
engaged to listen to the cry of distress, the
moan of sorrow, or the demands of Justice
Whenever persons are so engaged with any
thing that they cannot listen to The voice Of
sorrow, or find time for the exercise Of mercy,
affirm they have too much of it. Is it not
clear that the people have too much religion,
when they can allow the claims of three mil
lions Of their fellows to pass UNDECIDED, and
their wrongs unredressed do not say that
the people as a whole are doing what they
know to be wrong, or engaged in a religion
which they know TO be false. But | do say
that between their ignorance and the designs
of their spiritual guides, they are in an unen-
yiable Position-in a position thatleads them 10
call evil good, and good evil. And ! am sorry
to say that many who are called abolilionists
have come under the same influence. They
suppose that religions duty is something sep.
arate and distinct FROM human duiy, or the
duty and service we owe our race. Hence
they speak Of religion and temperance, reli,
gion and anti-slayery, sc. How often do
hear people say we must not neglect ouI
religious duty" meaning something d~ifreIen.
from the benevolent labors Of humanity. a