Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-08-31
AbOlitiOnists...the Bible.


Mrs. Swisshcm, aliuding to correspondent
who had profered her his advice and sympa-
thy in matters pertaining to Abolition, sOys'
We agree with the disunion abolitionists in
many things but it is very unlikely we can
ever bo identified with those who deny the in
spiration of tho Bible. We do not very greatly
wonder, however, that members of pro-slavcry
churches, who have been brought up to believe
the Bible sanctions Slavery, should, when once
convinced of the grossness of that institution,
reject the Bible. What else could they do -
Convince us that Slavery is Bible institution,
end you have convinced us the Bible is not the
word Of God. No blasphomy, Iniidclity or
Atheism is to us 40 horrible as to charge pure,
holy, Just and mcrciful God with the crucltics
and crimes of chattel Slavery. We did not
learn religion in that school. Our anti-slavery
was imbidod along with tho shorter catcchsm
and doctrines OF the confession of faith. Moth
| or taught US our Abolitionism along with the
! twenty-third Psalm and the Lords prayer and
DIR. Black imprinted the lessons more firmly,
when he would take us up to ask such questions
as Who matc you? That was many long
day before Garrison was heard of that We
were dyed in tho wool, and never needed to
be converted. Our present opinions do not con-
iiict with former ones. and we have nothing to
rooant, so there is no danger of the assimilation
A. W. deprecatos.
Mrs. Swisshelm has done tho Disunionists
great injustice (unintcntionally no doub) in the
first sentence of the above paragraph. They
have mover denied the inspiration of the Bible.
The question is one upon which, as a body, they
have never expressed an opinion one way or the
other, nor could they do without departing
from their woll-defincd sphere. On that, as on
all other religious and theological questions,
they are divided in opinion. There are many
among them of all shades of bclief from the ad
vocate of plenary inspiration down to those who
think the Bible no better than any other book.
Their associations are formed for the sole pur-
pose Of promoting the abolition of Slavery, and
they have no wish to impose theological test
upon their members. Each individual in their
ranks is left at perfect liberty to select his wca-
pons from the Bible, or from whatever other
source he can find them. True, there are among
them those who do not hold the popular view
of inspiration, and so there arc those who accept
the Five Points Of Calvinism as part of their
religious creed; and if you dcnounce the Socie-
ty as anti-Bible on account of the hercsy of the
first class, you must call them Calyinists on nc
count of the latter.
The simple fact is that Mrs. Swisshelm her
self has avowcd in the above paragraph the only
hcresy in relation to the Bible which has ever
been put forth by the Disunionists, viz: " Con-
vince us that Slavery is a Bible institution, and
you have convinced us the Bible is not the word
of God" That is precisely what we have said
again and again; it is our standing answer to
Prof. Stuart and the whole tribe of commcnta-
tors who steal the Bible from tho Lord to give
it to the Devil and torture its pages to find O
sanction for man-stealing. Our heresy hath
this cxtont, no more.
We respect Mrs. Swisshelm's right of private
judgment, and do not want her to identify her
self with us any farther than she can do so con-
scientiously; but we protest that it is neither
Just nor fair in her to echo the false cry of the
pro-slavcry Churches against us. 1t suits the
purpose Of that Church, covered as it is with
the leprosy of practical Infidelity and Atheism,
to raise this false charge against those whose
reverence for God and for the preccpts of Chris
tianity constrains them, amidst obloquy and re-
proach, to lift up their testimony against the
crime of Slavery. But Mrs. s., if she cannot
defend us, should at least refuse to give curren-
cy to the deadliest slander of our enemies.
..
| tF5THR SPEECH OF III. L. DOUGLASS, which