Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-08-09
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.

rcpent-to insist that he shall break off hi,
sins by righteousness, and his iniquitics b,
showing mercy TO the poor
Z" But is this what the American churcbe,
are in fact doing in regard to this great sin
To ask such n question is TO answer it,
Alas, that we know the truo answer so we'll
In one half of the States of our Union, the
great mnss even of professed Christians are
shareholders and their npologists. At the
North they are in loving fellowship with
their brethren nt the South In muny cases
the same ecclesiastical jurisdiction is extern
dcd over the entire Union, North and South,
and in other cases the common sympathy is
manifested in associate missionary opera
tions. What is the attitude of the Northern
churches generally towards slavery? is ii
that OF robuke, OF protest? Nay, verify.
I" Is the political power of tine church
welded at the ballot-bOx for the purpose aud
TO the end of breaking every yoke and of
letting the oppressed 90 free " The qucs-
lion suggests lis answer. You all know it is
welded for other, if not opposite ends =.
alas, too often TO elevate those who are up-
pressors of the poor. If the stakeholder is
an oppressor. so is also tie man who votes
him into office and power, and both alike
should he called on by the church to repent.
Christianity therefore makes its teachings
plain on this point. British churches scrll.
pied not TO cXhort their members TO WELD
their influence against West India Slavery.
Shall American churches do less against
American Slavery?
But this document now before us looks
TO secession. Ought il not to do sol Con.
slider the case. Two hundred years dura.
ton has indurnted slavcry-has hardened lis
heart and stiilcncd its neck, and given it a
brow of brass that fears not to confront such
Christianity as that of our American church
es; and now the great question comes 10
practical issue, Shall the Christianity of our
country be corrupted pcrpotuully? Shall it
remain for indefinite ages connected with
tllis enormous sin? How much longer shall
tie SIMPLE testimony Of her Masters gospel
against this great sin he witLheld?"
"ln 1863 Samuel Hopkins, pastor of n
church which comprised not only slavchold-
ing but African slave trading members, pro.
claiming this very doctrine, and demanded
IN the name of God and of Christ that dis
clpllno worthy of a God of purity, worthy of
One who bciricnds the oppressed and alb
hors the oppressor, should he enforced i'm
hls own church; and so powerful were his
appeals, that in his congrc gatonal church
the question was settled righteously. Is it
then too early now to agita,e this same ques-
ton9 After Bellamy and an Edwards and
a Hopkins have spoken, are we indeed too
lasty, too headlong, too much excited? Is
1t too mach TO ask that our own churches
now should take the position of Hopkins?
For twenty long years our country has been
agltated on this subject; for twenty years Il
few conscientious spirits have born their tes-
tlmony against slavery, backed up by a Sc
ries ST Divine proyidences, almost as signifi-
cant and monitory as the plaques on Egypt,
all rebuking our nations sin, and revealing
our Christian duty ;-and is it yet too carly
for effective action?