Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-05-17
The Gospel VS.. Politics.
wrsrrrrLD, Medina Co., O., April 2ist.

Mn. ED1ToR Having been reader Of the
spirit stirring "Bugle," see that you are in
the habit of using great plainness of speech
upon the subject of Slavery, the relation that
the modern church as body sustains to it, and
particularly that portion Of the church who pro-
fess to be watchmen upon the walls of Zion. bat
who are in reality an old prophet said, "blind,
they arc all ignorant; they arc all dumb dogs };
they cannot bark lying down, loving to slum-
Der. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can new
or have enough, and they are shephards that con-
not understand; they all look to their own
way, crcry one .tor his gain from his quarter
Still, 1 conclude that you are not inimical to
moral watchmen who endeavor to do their du-
ty conclude rather, from your exposure OF
the false priests and prophets of our time, that
there is such thing as true ones. BE this as 1t
may, l, minister Of the Univcrsalist denomin-
alton am disposed to seek your acquaintance
with my pen. BY reading your paper have
become quite we'll acquainted with you and your
correspondents, and now am going to tell you
something about mysclf
] am young in the ministry, and, although l
belong to the Denomination Of U.niycrsalists,
yet am not, will not be a scctarian in the
cant sense of the term. God is not sectarian
Christ is not q sectarian and God helping me
l will not be. God is the Father Of all man
kind Christ is the brother Of all mankind;
where behold human being there sec one
of Gods children, and ono of Christ's brethren
I . -. ha, arta
We have had too much of sectarianism and it
has been always the worst kind Of partyism we
have many Presbyterian, Baptist Methodist,
and Universalist Churches, which are mere par
ty organizations each aiming to be popular
and respectable, yea, and fashionable, but we
have few Churches of humanity; fcw, but what
would think it more commondablc to cushion
their pulpits and rews, and carpet their aislcs;
than to buy food and clothing for poor family,
or provide for the education OF orphan and va
grant children; few q blush, my blood almost
boils when write it) that would be safe "cov-
crt to the fugitive from the face the spoilcr;"
few, from whose altars he might not be torn
"tcith or pitlom process" repeat, am not
scctarian; l do not preach for any sect or party;
cndcavor to preach for mankind. From my
youth, have been identified with the Anti
Slavery movement; acted few years with the
q" Liberty Party" because thought that course
moro efficient than the Garrisonian Move
mcnt," but am convinced now that the idea
was lallacious. do not apprchond that thcro
is much difference between the two in point of
ftsct, but think the latter is most practicable.
Moral truth is the grand instrumcntalty
which must be relied upon, to accomplish tho
work. / am to deal with the subject of Slave
ry and kindred subjects as moral subjects, but,
nevertheless, in my ministrations of the word,
am often accused of preaching "politics. That
is mortal offence, and it is strange how easy it
is for minister to commit it. If he ventures
to hint that Slavery is wrong, or that any body
in particular is responsible for it, he is sure 10
be said to have preached "politics." So Of War,
moddlc with that and he is preaching "politics."
The pulpit, they tell me, is not the place to
preach "politics; !" whether the pulpit is too
sacred for the preaching Of politics, or politics
for the pulpit, am unable to determine, but
suspect it is the latter. But l tell them that
do not preach "politics" in the pulpit, no, it is
my aim to preach against "politics !" far be
from me to preach ',politics;" but will preach
the Gosple rs. Politics. All there's the rub, it
docs not suit to have the Gospel which declares,
ave ought to obey God rather than men"
preached against the politics of the late "Fugi-
tive Slave Law" No that is not pure Gospel.
But have spun this communication too long
perhaps already. 1 subjoin an extract from a
sermon in which defined my position as q
preacher of the Gospel of the man of Naza-
rcth. Perhaps what have written will not in
tcrest you or your readers. If you are of that
opinion, you can light, not your pipe, for hope
you don't practice the nasty habit of using to-
bacco, but your lamp withit.
"Take the subject of Slavery, for instance,
why should not l as a minister of the Gospel
preach against it. Is it in accordance with the
Gospels Convince me Of that, and shall have
no respect for or sympathy with the Gospel
The Gospel says that God is our Father and all
men arc our brethren, and Slavery is either a
grieyous wrong or the Gospel is lie. But We
know il is wrong, then the question is have we
any thing to do with it, Some Aattcr them
selves that they have not, and would to Heav-
en- it were SO, but it cannot be, If we acknowl-
edge ourselves members of the one body of hu-
manity. Slavery is not an institution of the
South, but of the whole country; the nation
and the individuals comparing it are all as yet
responsible for il, and generally arc striving to
uphold it 100000 of men, women and chill
dren arc daily driven forth to unpaid toll, and
we arc all proating by it and yet some think
that the pulpit should not discuss and condemn
it, and seek to persuade the people to put an
end to it. Aye, the pulpit of the Gospel of
Christ must bo silent, when Christ's own breth-
rcn and sisters are bound in the chains of Sla-
very and thus reduced to chattlohood. The