Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-12-29

the form Of man, but who had been debased
below the level Of the brute il beheld seyen.
ty thousand %sentient beings whom God ere.
ated for freedom, but on whom man had inn
posed chains and letters both physical and
spiritual, and who had worn out their lives
in unpaid toll for others. All these il beheld
at its advent; and now that its days are num-
bered and two more suns shall forever close
its existence, where are they 7 The TEN
thousand have died upon the gallows, in
jails and in penitentiaries, or in the loath-
some dens of vice and want, unpitied and
uncared for the TWENTY thousand have met
with a bloody fate upon the battlefield, or
died under the slower ~tortures of camp dis
ease the THIRTY thousand have gone reelino
and staggering to the drunkard's grave, where
their diseased and bloated forms are now Dol.
luting the earth whose soil they fat,en the
SEVENTY thousand have lain down 10 sleep
the sleep that knows no waking" letters
their only winding sheet, chains their only
shroud
And why should this have been? Was
there not sufficient moral principle in the
land to break the chains of the captive, 10
dash the intoxicating cup from the drunk
ards lips, to transform the warrior into a
man of peace, and bring the criminal within
the protection of a happy influencel To de-
ny it, is to admit that the people are indeed
dead in trespasses and sins, for if those who
profess the name of Jesus, and claim to walk
in the footsteps of him who cam to seek
and to save that which was lost, had put
forth an effort worthy of their professed faith
many, if not all, of those who thus wretch
eddy persisted would have been redeemed
and regenerated.
And how stands the account with those
who are the avowed reformers of the age.
who are battling with international error.
and hoary-headed wrongs, striving to brinr
the world up to a higher and a truer positions
VIII Humanity's God regard the efforts thew
have made the past year as their part of the
fulfiIlment Of the Law of Love? Have thew
done what they could TO establish correct
principles, and to destroy that which is false
in theory and sinful in practice! Has the
closing year witnessed such devotion to the
right, such active benevolence, such unwea-
rled zeal, such clear and steadfast faith, such
untlrlng industry as should constitute the
true reformer's life ? Or has their righteous
ness been more theoretical than practical,
their benevolencc slow 10 action, their zeal
broken and tagging, their faith dim and wa
veTing, their industry spasmodic These
are questions each must answer fol himself;
and II, In the past year,, Humanity has had
less OF his services than she has a right to
demand, let increased diligence and fidelity
the coming year, atone, so ia ras may be, for
the neglect.
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND Forty NINE.
with Its duties and responsibilities, will soon
be here. Let us go forth to meet il with
brave hearts, remembering that the more
earnestly we toll TO redeem the world from
wrong and crime, and to restore man 10 him
sell, the fewer victims of suffering there will
be, and bear in mind that the indifference of
others will not justify our neglect. Let US
DSiNJ anu III hlpUs Let our eX-
ample be such that it shall drag none down
to follow it, but bring all up to the highest
point of the reformer's duty. Let it be such
that none may find in it an excuse for idle
ness or lukewarmness where so much is TO
be lost or gained, but one whose magnetic
power will be felt throughout our sphere of
influence melting others to dare and to do
for the cause of truth. Let US, in short,
strive to have the record which the coming
year shall bear TO the throne of the Eternal,
honorable TO ourselves inasmuch as we Go
our duty, glorious to Humanity inasmuch as
it will testify of mans elevation, acceptable
TO our Father inasmuch as we have labored
for the deliverance and redemption of his
erring and oppressed children, even they
yuho r. ~ bro.bra.