Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-22
Z Ell E B u G L E
Politics and the Pulpit.


Rev. Henry Ward Beecher has been re-
Gently engaged in controversy with the
Journal of Commerce. concerning the pro-
priety of introducing the topic of slavery in
to the pulpit. That paper has lately had its
sensibilties wounded by an allusion made by
DIR. Lansing to Daniel Webster's position,
and by Mr.. Beechers article in the Inde-
pendent. The Journal has therefore con-
ceived great horror for "Free Soil Ser
MONS" although it seems TO have no objec-
ton to clergyman's writing political pam
phlet i'm defence of slavery as aided and com
forted by Webster. In a late number of
the Independent, Mr.. Beecher publishes a
stirring article justiling the introduction of
the topic of Slavery, as a moral question, in
to the pulpit, and also urging it MS a duty
He says in a strain of indignation:
Three million men, against natural law,
against every fundamental principle of our
state and national government, are. by law,
thrown over the pale of the race and denied
TO be men. This is not fit for the Pulpit TO
mention; il is allowed nevertheless, TO
preach about China and India! Every year
thousands of children are snatched from the
parents bosom, and remorselessly sold eve
rywhither. The Pulpit is not the place for
mentioning such things, though il be allowed
TO snatch children from the Ganges, and TO
mourn over inianticide in Polynesia! Eve
nv year husbands and wives are torn asun-
der, Christian or no Christian and the Jour
nal of Commerce brow-beats that Pulpit that
utters word about such politics when 1t
sI.f.a
cannibals in Malaga, or snatching devotees
from under the wheels of Juggernaut!-
Every wear thousands of women are lashed
for obstinate virtue and tens of thousands
robbed of what they have never been taught
TO prize; and the Journal of Commerce
stands poised TO cast its javeln at that med
dlesome. Pulpit that dares speak of such
boundess licentiousness, and send II 10 its
more appropriate work of evangellzing the
courtezans of Paris, or the loose virtue of
Italy and il assures us that multitudes Of
cergymen are thanking it for such noble
stand. Some of those clergymen we know.
The platforms of our Benevolent societies
resound with their voices urging Christianity
TO go abroad: stimulating the Church not to
leave a corner of the globe unsearched, nor
an evil unredressed. But when the speech
is ended, they steal in behind the Journal OF
Commerce TO give it thanks for its noble
stand against the right of the Pulpit to say
word about e-heathen-about their hor-
rible ignorance, bottomless Righteousness,
and about the mercenary inhumanity which
every week is selling their own Christian
brethren, baptised as much as they, often
preachers of the Gospel like themselves,
eating from the table of the Lord, praying to
the same Savior, listening to snatches of
that same Bible (whose letters they have new
er been permitted to learn,) out of which
these reverend endorsers Of the Journal of
Commerce preach
Ii requires distance, it seems, to make n
topic right for the Pulpit Send it to Green
land, or to Nootka Sound, and you may then
practice at the far away target. And the
reason of such discrimination seems TO be,
that preaching against foreign sins does not
hurt the feelings nor disturb the quiet OF
your congregation whereas, if the identical
evils at home, which we deplore upon the
Indus, or along the Burampootra, are preach
cd about, the Journal says that it will risk
the minister's place and bread and butter
and it plainly tells all Northern ministers
that if they meddle with such politics. they
will have their coats rolled in the dirt; and
the experience which we have had of that
operation, at the hands of the Journal, as
sures us that the process is full dirty enough
Will the Journal tell us how many leagues
off sin must be before ii is prudent and
safe for courageous ministers TO preach
against it |?
Our laws scarcely recognise crime
against man, save murder and violence akin
to it, that is not legal under slave laws
There is not a sensual vice which we are
taught to nbhor, which slavery does not mon
strously engender. There is not sin which
religion condemns that is not garnered and
sown, reaped and sown again, by American
Slavery. Among freemen, the road OF hon
or lies aiOay from animal passion, from SEN
sation, towards Conscience, Hope, Love, and
Spiritual Faith. But Slavery sharply turns
the wretch downward and teaches and com
pels him TO evolve the task of life from such
motives as are common TO him with the OK
the ass, and the dog. The slaves pleasures
are our appetites. His motives are, almos
of necessity, those from which religion mos
earnestly dehorts us. To our children La
Dor is honorable, because il is Gods ordna
ftou of marcy. hecauae IL ia an e0ucatiOn