Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-03-08
Notes from The Lccturlng Field.


kindness open their house for the mectings-the
character of The lecturers as I'.fdels haUing ar
rired before them, tie people are AFRAID and
fght My-The Gospel Of ARti- Sdreyy is pro- !
claimed at " Gospel Corners" tohich Gospel the |
people hear gladly The Congregational Minus
tor an exception TO the general rude The criter
preacheh 0 his Church on sabbath morning
Other churches arc recommended to do Hkeioiso
The soi shiaoth brighter at the close than at
the coB,menceD,cat--An encouraging list Of
Subscribers for The Buyic-Tho Comeouters
hare the ray Of the Lord more fully made
kHo,oH to McBt-- The trriter communicated
wah the spirits Of departed ones--Has import
ant questions anslcered-The position Of the
american Society eadorsed-Boh lecturers are
refreshed 'ciM the assurance Of great hoip and
JiHa! triumph.
LiTcnFIELD, Mich, Feb. 20, 1851.
In my last mentioned that we had arrived
at Litchfcld, where VIC were kindly welcomed
by the friends Of tho slave and general pro-
gross. There are number of families in this
place who arc known as e" "Comeouters," or Re-
formers, in consequence of their having discon-
ncctcd themselves with the churches and the
prevailing theology, and identifying themselves
with the Hamonial Philosophy, as taught by
A. ]. Davis, sc. Among these stand conspicu-
Gus Deacon Nathan Stevens and family. The
Deacon is man of years, grave and dignifcd
in his appearance; his whole life even to gray
hairs having been spent in connection with tho
church. Brought up according to the strictost
pattern of orthodoxy, he has lived according to
the law blomeless His family, to use a COM
mon but appropriate adage, arc "chips Of the
old block" But they have all withdrawn from
their old religious associations, and feel them
selves in an entirely new world. l mention
this family because their homes have become
somewhat widely known through the papers in
connection with the rappings," as also because
VIC have made their house our homeland yet
again because the Deacon is uncle to Joseph.
Keeping the object of our mission steadily in
view, our first business was to secure a place
for meeting. We made application Tor the Bap-
tist church, the best, largest, and most central
house in tho village. This we obtained without
much trouble. The village is small compora-
lively, and has Methodist and Congregational
Church, beside the one we occupied. On Tues
day evening we commenced meetings, under
rather unfavorable circumstances, in conse-
qucnee of variety of causes, but mainly by
reason of the mad-dog cry that had preceded
us. On Wednesday Joseph went into the
country to place bearing the significant name
of "Gospcl Corners" and commenced meetings
there, while / continued in Ltchllcld. He
spoke there three evenings, with marked effect,
then joined inc again here. We continued our
meetings till Sunday night, they growing in in
terest the whole time. Rev. Mr.. Van Wagon
or, of the Congregational Church, attended
nearly all the meetings, treating us kindly, and
inviting us to the hospitality of his house. On
Sunday morning preached in his pulpit to Q
, full house, he being present, opening the meet
ing by vocal prayer, SC. This friend docs moi
agrco with us in all things, and even took
ground against us in the afternoon, but he was
manly, refusing to follow the general course o.
the ministry in denying us hearing. If thC
clergy would treat the anti-slavery advocates
thus, our warfare with the Church woult
soon come to an end at least one strong objcc
ton would be removed. II, instead of shuttin,
= the door and refusing us hearing, they woul,
., say Come, let us reason together what coul,
we ask more: They would show their sinccri
g. ty and demonstrate their willingness to learn
. May that time soon come!
In the afternoon and evening We again spoll
!, in the Baptist Church, and thus finished our Ia
! bors here. We should not have continue
quite so long had VIC not had assurance that on
labors would not be thrown away. As an evi
dcnco of this VIC send list of twenty four sui
scribcrs to The Buglc at this Office. As it WI
at Adrian, so we found it here; there was OIL
&c solitary Bugle found its way to this place.
Those known as Comcoutcrs here knew nothir
Of our government views, therefore we toe
d them as did couple of disciples of oldcn tim
and taught them the way of the Lord mo
le perfectly"
70 The readers of The Buglo will pardon me,
ID am sure, if shall occupy few lines in spca
ing of those phenomena known as 'rapping
III etc. Long before we reached Litchfeld, f
l. dcsirous of having tho means of dctcrminil
at the character of the noises said to be produc
A., by spiritual agency OF course no time was Il
c. in our endeavors to obtain communicate
ry though from the fact that the rappngs had !
he been as free usual for several weeks, we
Try most doubted being gratficd. On the day af
Inc our arrival, while number of us were toge
nd. or, rappings were heard and the willingness
rg- the parties concerned to converse with us
an, pressed. was somewhat surprised at the 4
ich of noises produced. Iexpcctcd them to be 10
la and perhaps heavy, like any other rapping;
.wo they were at first lop, yet distinct, like
,scs clicking of the tclegraphic machine. To
C of these rappings were not produced by any OF
hu- parties present is work of supercrrogation.
ism am confident it was no such thing. tai
to with persons 1 never expected to be brough
der. contact with till had entered as permar
the inhabitant the spirit land. l talked of subj
the alone known to ourselves, and received ansy