Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-09-20
GIVE are assured from responsible
source, says the New York Independent, thar
the facts on which the following statement
Is based can be depended on,
A Methodist Church Fleeing 10 the City Of
Refuge.

htlugC.
-
A few Days since wns travelling in tho
peigbborhood Of the great road (once gov
ernineniai, when u wae constitutional for
the General government to have roads Or
build them,) leading from the capital of the
Union 20 the sJronfiers" Here / saw what
the historic page describcs but which hop
ed my eyes and heart wonid never be pain
ed with seeiDg-a church fleeing for refuge.
Some ON foot, leading their children by ths
hand, other in wngone, end following the
"leadine Of the better providence" were for
snkiug their homes, lands, neighbors, aud
the church Of their adoption, to find, under
the flag of the crown, that "liberty and the
pursuit Of happiness denied them under
the stars and sfrpcs
Tears and sorrows were their companions
Yet hidden by their hcaving bosoms, were
hearts strong in the fhith Of the covenant
keeping God, that under colder sky, and
on a more congeUial soil, his blessed muni..
iesiations tLoy should enjoy, aud their blood
and the blood OF their kindred and children
no man should dare 10 claim. True, they
bad left farms aud firesides, homes and
friends bnt they were carrying with them
the altar in the heart, and the Shekinah.
As wished them hearty God speed,
remembered that at the last quarterly meet
ing OF the Methodist Episcopal Church, I
had seen them surround the altar, and there
commune with myself and others at the ta-
bic Of the Lord. thought as ran over tho
names of the remnant left, and behold, mere
was large moiety Of the Churcl,--enongb
TO form new Church, "feeiug into the viii
derness" thought, too, of Pastor Robin
sons church, 10 the Mayhower---that Puritan
church, from the West of England, among
whom were my maternal aneestors--Of that
church which fled TO Holland, numbering
with II my paiernal nncestors--of the Huge
nOts, who found in the Georgians that free
dom 10 worship God which France denied.
A host of worthy examples came crowding
INTO my mind: the Holy fauIily, too, who
had sought and obtained in Egypt, liberty
md life, that the constituted authorities Of
Tie Faiberland had refused them; aud
said TO MYSELF they are in good company.
Better to east in my lot with these, than with
the Hcrods, aud Henrys, aud Harleses, aud
other oppressors of Gods people. l~
The pursuer was ON their track; they were
the hunted, painting figiiiyes. SO, too, tho
Innions OF Herod sought for my infant
Lord. ] could not be ashamed OF them.
Before them were The wilds Of Cunnda, and
bnrdslIips, poverty, and suffering. But lib
erfy, blessed spirit wns there also. Behind
them was the hated rice-field aud cotton.
aud slavery.
! knew where they were from, and who
claimed them, and my duties under the con-
siitution, IN the mind Of their claimant; bu,
remembered trho oioned them, having p,u-
chased them with his own blood; and no mar
shaPs baton, no power on EARTH should have
persuaded or forced me TO detain them q
moment. Let no man talk to me of Idlo,
and my duties as a lao abiding subject. l
am law abiding, and io'O ioring subject, No
were all my fathers before me; but my MOTH
ers have been scourged fined, imprisoned,
for refusing to obey the laws of the crown
of England-seLf consolidated authorities of God
and their descendant bonors and venera,es
them for their disobedience. Their blood
flows freely aud boty in his veins. II cur
dies at the fugitive slave law, aud will spill
the last drop before yielding the slightest
obedience to il. Law must commend itself
to my conscience boiore | can conseieniiously
obey II. My conscience Is not the creature
OF the law, but above il, beyond il, could ex-
list without II. A violated conscience, what
law can heal? Yet would not resist by
force this law, however hateful or odious, nor
would resist amy law. Ii is one thing to
resist, and another thing TO refuse to obey.
A refusal TO obey may call for penalties, and
stripes may be glored IN, aud dungeon be-
come the paridise OF God. X. .P.S.