Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-08-04
From Tie Ohio Obsereer.
A few plain thoughts for The Churches
to Ponder.

Nttn duultcT6TS. rs. ~: is.
Neither be pariaker of other mems
sins" | Tim. s %.
The Church was no doubt intended by its
Divine Head to be a standing witness for
God, Tor truth and righteousness. in this I'M
cody world and TO be a permanent instru-
mentality for advancing the interests Of the
Kingdom Of grace among men. "Ye are my
Witnesses, saith the Lord. that | am God ~
is the divine declaration to the people that
constituted the ancient church. Christ said to
his disciples, 81 have chosen you and or.
dained you that We should 20 and bring forth
fruit, and that your fruit should remaln.'-
Again, 'Ye are the salt of the earth-the
light of the world"
The Church was intended to be-, and to
best answer the purposes for which il was or
gained, must be composed solely by chris.
tians, who are Christ's peculiar people, yea
lous of good works" Those that compose
the church are TO be "a peculiar treasure unto
God above all p~eople"-''a chosen genera
ton, d royal priesthood, an holy nation, a ne.
culiar people" In short the church was de-
signed 10 comprise only such as are "blame-
less and harmless, the sons of God, without
rebuke, in the midst Of a crooked and per-
verse nation, aImcng whom they are to shine
as lights in the world"
For this purpose the church is provided
with excellent and abundant means for its
improvement and purity.
1t has the Word Of God which is 'profta-
BILE for doctrine, for reproof, for correction.
for instruction In righteousness" that every
member may be "thoroughly furnished unto
all good works" 1t has .'pastors and teach
ers," the Sabbath and The sealing ordinances.
''for the Perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the e%difying of the body
of Christ" And, what is equally important.
1t has ample authority and directions for main
tanning thorough and efficient discipline.
Inc church Is taught TO 'be not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers-that evil
communications corrupt good manners, and
therefore she must have no fellowship with
! the unfrulttul works of darkness, bat rather
4 reproVe them"-'must come out from among
S them and be separate and touch not the un-
!, clean thing, and not be partaker of the sins of
others. She is taught that "a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump" and therefore
; that she must ''purge out the old leaveu"-
that she must mot suffer sin upon one of her
members-must not consent to evil, but il
one OF her memhers be overtaken in a fault.
IN must IN the spirit Of meekness restore .suci
e. an one, or cut him off from her communion
and let him be TO her AS a heather man anC
ID a publican
n, Thus the church is required to maintain
IS her appropriate character in this corrupt anc
TO corruptlng world, as the kingdom of God or
20 earth, as a community of regenerated men ex.
Is employing In the sight of heaven and earth
the religion of Christ. Should each narticn.
lar church comply with this requirement, the
Church generally would be whatit ought To
IN he and what lie Divine Had l.;-.- "
D. be.
Of Buthow sad the consequences when world.
10 ly-mlnded and corrupt men are admitted into
,e the church, and are even permitted openly to
bring into the church their corrupt and wick
Y ed practices! And how sinful the remissness
that permits such men and such practices to
enter and remain in the church. And not on
y so, but the whole church becomes aparta-
ker OF the Sins of its unworthy members that
are permitted 10 remaIn in its communion. II
lie a member engages in ''covetous Practices"
.c and is permitted TO remain in fellowship
with the church, then the church as a body
contracts the very guilt Of those ''covetous
Practices" Ii one known as a thief and an
Re adnlterer, is permitted to remain in fellowship
with the church, then it may be said 10 the
individual members of that church. "When
lie thou sawest a thief then thou consenledst with
lie him, and hast been partaker with an adulter-
Ut En-" They are p~artakers ofanother mans sins;
~ they have contracted, no, his identical guilt,
ID but equal guilt. They are, indeed, guilty of
oil theft and adultery as accessories after the fact.
is This principle may be applied to the
lie churches in all cases where known sin in the
r church goes unrebuked. IL church permits
= a member who utters falsehood, or SANDER,
10 or who neglects to fulfil his promises, or is
T. c~oveious and takes usury, or is otherwise an
or extortioner, or is a sabbath breaker or intern
ct perate, or is guilty Of any other practice con-
- trary to the gospel of Christ; if "a church per-
OF mits such a person to remain in its mmun
IN ion, then the several members become parta-
kers of his sins. They are equally guilty
=, with him. In fellowshiping him they fellow
ship the sins he commits. And there is rea-
SON % fear that they will soon be led to com
nit the sane sins. a il'ie heaven leaVen'h
the whole lump.
: in reference 10 the sin OF s.!aveTy. lhey that
. hold slaves in this country give full and d.
. rect countenance TO the slaye-catch.lng ana
t man-stealing p~racticed in Africa, aud hence
5 participate in those crimes. Not only so,
{ but, as every slave is, under God, the owner
3 Of himself, and is always present 10 reclaim
=. his stolen self, so every stakeholder, by with
t holding, and indeed, constantly Wrestling
every slave from his rightful owner, actually
A., pratices continued man-stealing.
The church that knowingly t~olerates a
stakeholder in its communion becomes guilty
Of man-sIealing. And the church that holds
fellowship with that church knowing that i
~tolerates sloveho!ding, contracts equal guilt
: And churches who hold fellowship with 9th
er churches, that hold fellowship with other,
I still, that have SHAREHOLDERS in their bosom