Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-01
The Arrogance Of a Priest.
RASpoLpu. Nav 10th. i,

tf RANDOLPH, May 18th, 1850.
FRtBSD JOHNSON am just returned from
luitc an interesting Anti-Slavery meeting,
which was held in the Presbyterian Church,
or house, in Rootstown; and such an exhibi-
ton of priestly arrogance, clerical authority,
autocracy, and Phariseeism. Inevcr before wit
messed. A colored man who has worn tho
chain, by coincidence of circumstances OBJ
tanned permission to plead tho cause of his
brothers and sisters in tho general, and a moth
or and two sisters in particular, who are groan-
ing in the prison-house of Slavery, in said
house on Sunday evening at o'clock.
Some of the friends from Randolph accom-
panied him thithcr A large audience was col
lccted. The Preacher, Mr.. Ordway. read
from the prophet Isaiah, first chapter, and then
prayed. The speaker then proceeded in his
remarks on the nature of Slavery for short
time, alluding to many incidents illustrating the
worthlessnoss and wickcdncss of pro-slavcry
religion. At last a sentence was uttered which
produced slight laugh, only perceived eve
ry thing else was most respectful. Immediate
ly up rose this Rev. Man. and called some two
hundred people TO ORDER for prcsuming to do
what for laughing and that scarcely per-
ccivablo where sat he told the people that
unless they rcfrained from any manifestations
of that kind on the " Holy Sabbath, in the Lords
House, the lecture could not proceed" think
these were his words. or nearly so. The preach-
cr's face changed its color the effect on the au-
n. II e1..
others looked amazed, others should say mnni-
tested kind of I-dont-know-how-I-fe -feclativc-
ness, If may be allowed to coin a word.
The speaker very gently excused the people,
observing, that it was not the least disturbance
to him--that they were not out of order, and
he was quite willing that if they could laugh
slavery down they should be allowed to do it,
This hircling Priest then called the speaker to
order, telling him that he was out of order and
could not proceed. The speaker was not to be
put down by such trash. and kept the floor
The Priest seeing that he did not yield the floor,
told him to proceed; and that he was in order
now that he appealed to the people! This
man seemed to manifest no sympathy for tho
speaker or his three millions of iDiJrHted eli.
ents, whose cause he earnestly and ably plead
he seemed occupied as a " swatch "-dog on tho
walls of Zion," lest tho people should " break
the Sabbath or polluto Gods house by laugh
ing irrevcrcntly forsooth ! Wonder il his or
gan of mirthfulncss is dead on that " holy day =
in TINT dedicated house. This would seem to
be tho Uarioloid of the blue laws.
After tho speaker had closed, he gave oppor-
tunity for farther investigation. 1 proceeded to
talk to the people some few minutes on the
claims and condition of the fugitive from Slave
ry; and read from Daniel Webster's speech on
that point, for which he called me to order
that is political" said ho, not to be read in this
house. i replied, that would present his
theological sndorscrs, Leonard Woods and
Moses Stuart of Andover, which did as plain
ly as l could.
i.1.l. Yours to expose phariseelsm,
@ TRUMAN CASE.
P. s. This church kept Zachary Taylor's
Fast last August