Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-08-11
WHOLE NO. 2O6.

NHZE1NnEHEIEI
with cip,ives her bas,iles Of biqoiry, silenced
the prophets. blinded the seeFs, as often a.
she has confronted hoary abuses. storned ths
strong hold OF wrong, poured light on the
low streams Of ignoIance and heTalded re-
fotml In stric, truth, such statements err Ola
The side Of tameness rather than Of severity.
What honest historian dreams Of concealing
facts SO notorious as the past corruptions Of
the Church! What sincere follower Of Him,
who came not TO be minisiered Bnto but to
minister, is not humbled with shame al its
present shortcomings.
Is il a matter of surprise, however much
we may feel sorrow, that the People-isnia-
LIKED by promises OF future good, while fain,-
ing under present burdens,-disgnsting al The
word patlence,"-' patience" from those
who, propped on soft cushions and riding at
ease. look down on dusty, foot. sore wayfarers
with nl'concealed conlempt-moved in the
biindnes Of despair mistake the white-washed
sanc,imoniousness Of q respectable" Chris
'lans for Christianity itselfl Is il matter of
surprise that Refotmers finding their best
efforts hindeTed rather than helped by those.
who as professed ministers of the All-Good
would be the leaders Of the people-taught
by fiequent experience that ecclesiastical poli-
iicianS but loo often surpass secular polite
clans in unscrupulousness-painfully and per-
petually reminde that throughout Chrisien-
dom the most prPjudiced uphoIders Of dead
conventions are found among the clergy
should come at length 10 attribute the luke
warm charity, the fearfulness and degrading
suspicious Of the chrisiened chutchmsn 10 a
radical weakness in the Christian church,
Ought we not rather to be surprised, that the
disciples Of one, whose every word and act
were a protest against exclusiveness and d
prophecy Of mutualism, should not long since
have put away all riskso Of popular corruption
by effective measures for popular improve
menl? Indeed, il is surprising, that any res.
der Of the New Testament should fail to take
10 heart that pungeni =" Parable of the Two
Sons who when commanded by their IA
lher TO go into the field alternately answered
IL will nor,'' and 81 go Sir" yet in tntn
contradicted the word by the act. Is moi the
question pertinent to-day as Of old, 4" Which
now of The twain did the ,ciH Of his faiherl''
Sad as is the spectacle Of professed, much
more Of practical infdelity throughout Chris
tendon, yet The Age is bright with cheering
auguries. The Spirit Of HcMANITY is at
work in all classes, soothing jsalousies. soft
ening c%allous hearts, breathing in forgiveness.
tolerance, respect, and every where preparing
for a Real Reformation alike Of Church and
State.
: The very in6dels Of our generation ara
Christians 10 principle and Purpose 10 a ae-
gree thai asionishes themselves. Won ire
sistibly by the benignant loneliness Of The
Son Of Man they cry reverence The Master
Of us ALL" Their keenest weapons, where
with to attack social evils, are drawn from
Chrisl's aImory of Good viii. The banner.
that guides their hosts, is blazoned with
Chrisl's motto of Fraternity. They provo
themselves Chrisi's " frienJs,' by his %unfail-
ing standard, obedience to the New Com
mandment. Their ideal of lie is ChIisl's
accomplished Gospel Of Universal Love-
Undeniably in their person and methods tkey
are yet mde; but their mountains of pride
are falling, their valleys Of meanness rise, and
in the deserts Of their neglected spirits is
made ready a highway for The Lord.
Quite as Encouraging are the signs that
this spring-breath of Humanity is melIowing
the most frost-bound Journalists. A PRETEND
ed spirituality, which shows itself to bp
merely sentimental, or which is manifested
chiefly in negative or restrictive acts, is be.
coming odious TO all persons of pla n good
sense and unperverted feeling, however hs-
bituated to pieiism. They recognise in it that
very "leaven Of The Pharisees" which
Christ denounced as hypocrisy. The thought
is every where taking substantial shape, that
just, humane and pure conditions are as near
ly allied to spiritual health, as sanity Of body
is 10 sanity of mind. Churchmen emulate
Como.outers in active reforms. And even
they, who hold it blasphemy TO hope for a
heaven upon earth, yet see that heavenly
mindedness is never fostered by keeping up
a hell. In a word, still rife as is infdelity.
there is a rapidly augmentiug .~overPlus Of
faith,