Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-03-16

but as it contains nothing very new in the
plan it proposes, and discusses propositions,
the injustice, inhumanity, and impraclicabi-
lily OF which abolitionists have long since
demonstrated, and moreover as il emanates
from one whose name is no longer the spell
of power it once was, we have come 10 the
conclusion that three columns Of our paper
can be occupied with more important matter,
and have therefore only extracted and said
enough to give an idea of its general charac-
ter.
CHURCH RATES AT BRIsroL.-A num-
Der of Dissenters having refused TO pay
the rates in St. Stephens parish, they
were summoned before the magistrates
on Saturday,. One of the defaulters, Mr..
Matthews, printer, on being asked the
reasons for his non-payment, replied, 1T
is not with me a matter Of pounds, shil.
lings, and pence, but one of conscience.
| deny the right Of any man or body Of
men TO compel me to pay expenses con-
nected with their mode OF worship. 1t is
an Infringement of my right TO worship
God as | please. Why don't these men
pay their own expenses? They are a.
BILE to do it if they would. | an a Dis
senter from the Establishment. | regard
some Of their doctrines erroneous, and
their practices UNJUST He also mention
ed that, on a former occasion, goods to
the value Of Sc were seized for u rate Of
lis. Sd. They were sold, and then a
bill of 9s. was sent him as still owing to
the churchwardens! The Bench re.
minded him that they were the admins
traitors, not the makers Of the law. The
mounts due were ordered TO be paid
London Inquirer.
The above is only one of the many acts of
oppression which the Established Chu,rh of
England has been guilty of, and we are glad
that the practice Of extorting church rates
from Dissenters is becoming more and more
odious to rejecting minds both in and out Of
the State Church. The controversy in re-
gard to the justice of exacling them, has
been of long continuance, and will not cease
until they have been abolished, until men
are no longer compelled to pay for the sup
port Of a faith they reject, and religious free
dom is better understood than now. TO US,
who live in a land where no particular form
of christianity is ayowedly recognized as the
established church, where no sect is permit
ted to exact contributions for its support from
those who reject its doctrines, it is difficult
to understand upon what ground the Church
of England bases so monstrous a claim, as
the right to compel all, Of whatever faith, to
aid in its maintenance.
Perhaps it is urged that the existence of
the Established Church is as necessary to the
preservation Of private morality, as |. the ex-
istence Of The Established State necessary to
the preservation Of public order-that each
Of these organizations have their separate and
independent spheres Of action, yet each har-
moniously cooperating with the other, and
together furnishing all the safeguards to So
ciety which it needs.
Perchance it is said that the Established
Church is a form Of religious government
which wise and good men deem necessary
for the well-being of the people-that as it
has been sanctioned by the majority, those
who are opposed to it should leave the coun-
try in which it has been Instituted, if they are
not willing to contribute to its support, espe-
cially as it throws the arm Of its protection
around them, and shields them from the i'm.
morality which would otherwise like a flood
overwhelm and destroy them.
1t may be asserted, that to refuse TO sup.
port the Established Church would Introduce
anarchy and confusion, that there would bt
as many religious governments as there wert
religious faiths, and that even now the exist
ence Of Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists
Quakers, Mormons, Unitarians and others, /
an earnest of the awful results that would en-
sue if yet greater liberty was allowed, fore
shadowing the yet more rapid spread of inf
deity in its various forms.
We cannot say that these are the reason
the defenders Of the Established ChurcI
would present, but we can conceive of non,
better; and however sound they might sp
pear TO the advocates who use them, TO an A
merican they seem absurd when applied to
religious establishment. Yet Americans can
and when it suits their purposes, do use sim,
liar arguments, making quite as unjust an ap
plication of them.
They affirm that the existence of the Es,
tablished Government of this land is neces,
sary for general security; that it was estab.
lished by great, wise, and good men; That a
vast majority Of the people sanction it; and