Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-12-01
Religious Instruction in Kentucky.

course Of the discussion he asserted as a fact,
tina, in Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Ten.
nessee and Alabama the Bible was circula-
ted among the slaves, and Sabbath schools
Instituted for their benefit; he, however, az.
,erward qualified it by saying, that this was
true so far as he knew, and he had been in all
those States.
Kentucky is confessedly the mildest slave
holding State in the Union-if it be not
wrong 10 use such an adjective in connection
with slavery-and here are some extracts
from an Address from the Presbyterian Synod
OF that State. In speaking of the inlellectu.
al and moral education Of the slaves, they
say,
Z" SIarery doon,s thousands Of human beings
10 hopeless ignorance"
1.-The light Of three or four Sabbath schools
is seen, g%limmering through the darkness
that covers the black population Of a whole
State. Here and there a family is found,
where humanity and religion impel the mas
ter, mistress, or children. 10 the laborious
task of private instruction.. Great honor is
due to those engaged in this philanthropic
and self-denying course and their reward
shall be received in the day when even a cup
of cold water, given from Christian motives,
shall secure a recompense. But, after all,
what is the amount OF instruction given to
~slavesi Those who enjoy the most of it,
are fed with but the crumbs of knowledge
which fall from their masters table-they are
clothed with the mere shreds and tatIers Of
learning.
Nor 10 1t TO be expected that this state Of
things will become better, unless it is deter
mined that slavery shall cease. The impress
sion is almost universal, that intellectual ele-
walton units men for servitude, and renders
il impossible to retain them in this condition.
This impression is unquestionably correct.
The weakness and ignorance of their victims
is the only safe foundation on which injus-
tice and oppression can rest. And the effort
to keep in bondage men 10 whom knowledge
has impaired power, would be like the insane
attempt Of the Persian tyrant, to chain the
waves of the sea, and whip its boisterous wa
tiers into submission. We may as soon ex-
pect 10 fetter The winds, seal up the clouds,
or exlinguish the fires of the volcano, as 10
prevent enlightened minds from recovering
their natural condition of freedom. Hence,
in some of our States, law have been enact
ed, prohibiting, under severe penalties, the
instruction of the blacks; and even where
such laws do not exist, there are formidable
numbers who oppose, with deep hostility,
every effort to enlighten the mind Of the ne
gro. These men are determined that slavery
shall be perpetuaied; and they know that
their universal education must be followed
by their universal emancipation. They are
then acting wisely, according to the wisdom
Of this world, when they deny education TO
slaves-they are adopting a measure TO Sc
cure their determined purpose. 1t is, how.
ever, policy akin TO that which once induced
the ~violators of female chastity to cut out the
tongue, and cut off the hands Of their victim,
10 disable her from utterlng or writing their
names. She had 10 be MANNED, or they would
be brought to justice. 1t is such policy as
the robber exhibits who ~silences the voices
that might accuse him, and buries in the
grave, the witnesses of his crimes. He is
determined to pursue his occupation, and his
safety in it requires that he should not in
dulge in The weakness of keeping a con-
science. How horrible must be tina; ysteIn,
which in the opinion of its strongest advo-
Gates, demands, as the necessary condition OF
its existence, that knowledge should be sent
out from the minds of those who live under
it-lhat they should be reduced as nearly as
possible to the level of brutes, of living ma
chines-that the powers of their souls should
be crushed Let each one of us ask, car
such a system be aided or even tolerated
without deep criminality!
K deIriueS IFS subjects, in q great mea
sure, Of The privileges Of The Gospel.
You may be startled at this statement, ant
feel disposed to exclaim, our slaves are al
ways permitted and even encourag ed 10 atten'
upon the ordinances Of worship The pri
vileges of the gospel, as enjoyed by the whit
population in this land, consist in free acces
TO the Scriptures, a regular gospel ministry
and domestic means Of grace. Neither
these is, to any extent worth naming, EMO,
ed by slaves, as a moments considerable
will satisfactorily show. The law, az it
here, does not prevent free access 10 the Scri
tures-but ignorance, The natural result
their condition, does. The Bible is befo
them, but it is 10 them a sealed book. I'll
light shineth in the darkness, but the dar
ness comprehendeth it not Like the pa
alytic, who lay for years beside the pool
Bethesda, the waters of healing are near hlr
but no kind hand enables him to try their c
ficiency. Very few enjoy the advantages
a regular gospel ministry. They are, il
true, permitted generally, and often encour
ged, 10 attend upon the ministrations sp
cially designed for their masters. But I
instructions communicated on such occasion
are above the level Of their capacities. Tn
listen as to prophesyings in an unkno,
tongue. The preachers of their own CO
are still farther from ministering TO their sP
itual wants-as these impart TO them, not
their know ledge, but their Ignorance: tn
heat their animal feelings, but do not kin'
the fame of intelligent devotion. 1t has be
proposed by some Jealous and devoted frier
of the colored race, to supply The defcien
of gospel ministTations among them, by
employment of suitable missionaries, W
may laoor exclusively among them.
need not here speculate on the probable