Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-06-30

to the Ohio Observer, " with the remark that
it contains much important truth, adapted 10
The fmes.'
The fret extract to which we would call
attention, is in relation to revival meetings,
and reads thus, italics and all
"By acting under the pastors direction,
and consulting him with regard to every step,
they can aid him essentially in gathering the
spiritual harvest, | say, by acting under his
direction, for there is no safety in leaving all
the members of the church, or any Of them,
to act without his advice"
The practical adoption of such doctrine de-
stroys every vestige Of spiritual freedom, and
makes religious duty a thing to be guaged
and measured by the Pastors rule of expedi-
ency. None of the people, no matter how in
t%elligent and religious they may be, must
take a single step, however important they
may deem it, without first consulting their
Pastor with a view TO act under his directions.
Should some Of them think it right, during
a revival meeting, TO urge upon their fellow
members the duty of banishing intoxicating
liquor from their houses, or testifying against
its use at the communion table, no matter
how imperative appears the obligation SO 10
do, they must not dare to move except by COM
mand Of, and under direction of their Pastor!
Do they believe it is anti-christian to have SOL
diers in their church, to mingle the weapons
of bloody warfare with the insignia of the
Prince Of Peace, no matter how loudly con-
science demands a protest against such prac-
tice, they must not presume TO speak or TO
act except under direction of their Pastor !
Are they sensible Of the evils Of slavery, do
the cries and suilerings Of the bondmen move
them to sympathy, do they regard it as in
consistent with their religious profession to
recognize the man-thief as a christian, they
must refrain from declaring it unless by per-
mission and under direction of their Pastor!
And what in such cases has been Pastoral
action and Pastoral Direction! 1t has been
to sacrifice Humanity to Sect, to exclude the
consideration Of every subject leading 10 prac-
tical righteousness, in order that "the great
work OF saving souls"-as they call their eff
lSlho W phiAO "hh biNbSNhSA hidJ "
be retarded. This is the iron rule of the
church, and the consequence is, that within
her borders spiritual freedom is no more, in
dividual responsibility has become but little
more than a name, the organization is cor
rupted, and the clergy glory in oppression.
Many who wear the chains of sect are CALLED
by the letters, and unwillingly submit to pas
tofal OuerSeerism while more are contenied
and happy in their bondage, well satisfied TO
have others do for them what God designed
every one should do for himself, while the
beautiful machinery of mind and heart is left
to corrode with the rust of neglect.
We fully agree with DR.. Humphrey that
there would be "no safety in leaving all the
members of the church, or any Of them, to act
without his (the Pastors advice - but not,
as the DR.. assumes, because they are incapa-
BILE of taking care Of themselves, but because
they are capable of doing it if they hearken
to the teachings of the Holy Spirit; for with
all due Difference to the opinions of the Rev.
erend gentleman, we believe that if there was
not a priest in existence, God could rule the
world and direct his people quite as well as
the clergy now DO. But that such a state of
t things as the DR.. is striving to prevent, would
be unsafe, we freely admit. 1t would be I'M
safe TO priestcraft, it would be unsafe to blind
ed sectarianiSm, it would be unsafe to a reli-
t gion which sanctions slavery, it would be
unsafe to spiritual despotism unsafe as it is
to Catholicism to permit the people to read
r the Bible except under direction OF their Pas
tor.
Another extract and we have done.
sit were infinitely better for the members of
the church not to do anything than to set up
meetings OF their own, Independent of any
supervision, to Invite In Ignorant and tanati-
cal lay eXhoTters OF other denominations or of
, their own or 10 resort in the out districts to
any other high pressure appliances"
T There is the odious doctrine of the supre-
: macy of the priesthood, written out so that it
: cannot be mistaken. 1t is better virtually
says DIR. Humphrey, a prominent and inlu-
. entail leader in the ranks of orthodox divini-
: ty-it is better that the common people do
: nothing, rather than act without pastoral "su-
pervision." 1t is better that the drunkard
S die in the ditch, than that they raise him
from his degradation without pastoral ''su-
: pervision;" it is better that p~rofessed chris
tians should continue 10 murder each other on
the battle field, than that church members in
n %teriere without pastoral ''supervision" TO pre-
vent it; ii is better that the slave should for
h ever clank his chains than that he be redeem
ed without pastoral ''supervision ;''-betler,
n in short, that The Devil reign undisturbed
ihan 10 have him deposed without pastoral