Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-10-26
The Case Brought Home.


imagine see a slave mother. with
group Of little ones, hurrying at dead O
night through the streets of Rayenna. II i,
a stormy night The winds are bitter-th,
rain is chill-the darkness fearful. The
moon of night" is already past, and sbiy.
ering With cold, they approach one of ON
dwellings. The mother knocks! head /,
thrust put of the window, a voice asks what
is waniing?"
wan shelter from the storm, for myselI
and hfbes, aud bread and fire, to save us
from ferIshing. We have wandered many
weary mile; through forests, over hills
and mountains-waded streams swollen with
raIiIs--ihe stormis pitiless; our master is in
purs'iit, and we are perlshing with cold and
hiluEer" replies the woman.
Alas! poor woman, we would gladly as
| sist yoil-give you shelter, food, money, pro-
tection--all; but il is against the la,c, and
we are "A law-abidiug people, We pity
you, Int we are under heavy penalty not
to aid directly or indirectly in the escape of
the slefe. II is n hard law, but we must
submit or subject ourselves to heavy fine"
We do not ask protection-we do not
nsk fof money; we are faint with hunger
and cold-will you give us but crust of
breads and seat by your fire 7"
Buf, poor woman, that would be indi-
recfiy helping you to escape, and you know
the idlc--"
Can You not give me mere crust? I
do NOT hsk il for myself, hut for these dear
babes Of mine; they are starvihgl Could
you see their thin, haggard faces, and half
clad forms, and know what they once were,
nm sure you could not turn me off God will
bless You for the christian act if il be unia,ofd.
lie mans heart is not flint, and the door
is opened, the fire kindled, and refreshments
given Them. The morning finds them on
their way again, stronger if not happier.
a few hours afterwards, fierce band of
men ridc up to the door, and ask if slave
nothef and her children have been seen in
this vlrinity. We will suppose little child
responds TO the inquiry--a child full of art
less silpplicity.
Ycs, sirs: they come here last night,
and we gave them supper, and let them
warm themselves by the bright cheerful fire.
. they icere so cold; and they ate as if they
were sfarving-poor childrenr'
Yopr fhther will pay dearly for this vio-
lation OF the law" says one of them.
"WIiat! q violation of the law to do a
ChrsfIln net? Our minister read TO us
from " Bible last Sabbath, that we must
10 MY Diners us we would wish others to
do un1 us; and would ace not wish to be fed
and warmed, when hungry and cold ?"
"Thatp replies the man, "has reference
to Christons-to the members of the
Church: these are sldves. They are not
OF Christ's flock"
But, pa says, this woman is Christian
"a member of his Church; is it not the du-
Iy of Christians TO help each other ?"
But they have not come with bosoms ouer
filed with Christian reflection, and they turn
from the door, vowing vengence upon the
man who dared TO act more of the Christian
that the citizen. The vengence comes. lie
has to pay the thousand dollars fine, and
breathes the fetid dungeon air, for six
months. And for what For giving sister
N the church food and shelter, to save her
children from perishing! "Inasmuch as ye
lid il unto one of the least of these little
ones, ye did it unto me-" says Jesus. But
he never dreamed that it would cost as much
rs this, in the nineteenth century, TO feed one of
hs little ones !-UebSter's Sermon at Rauenna.