Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-09-18


in bearing witness of the truth. He endured
with heroic patience and calmness the SCOTS
md insults of those for whose well-being he
so constantly labored,a and in the very shadow
of the cross, while the fires Of human passion
were burning around him with lurid glare,
his serenity forsook him not, as with majes-
tic tenderness he brcathed the prayer, Faith
er, forgive them, they know not what they
do. In these characteristics of his life we
trace the lineanents Of his religion and read
the lesson of our own duties and obligations.
In forming an association for moral aud
purposes, our minds are haunted
by no dreams Of q heaven-ordained corpora
ton, with ministers, elders, overseers and
other officials, clothed with special divine
authority and liled above the people as their
rulers and guides. With our whole hearts,
and in the light derived from long and bit
ter experience, we repudiatc such arrange
ments, and proclaim the equality of all men,
irrespective of sex, color or outward condi-
ton. We rely not upon elaborutely framed
rules of discipline, but upon the regulator
which God has placed in the individual soul,
upon the instructive sense ofright aud wrong
in the heart of man, and the operation Of the
law ofkiudness and forbearance, TO preserve
order in our assemblies. If these shall be
found inadequate, we are certain that the
remedy is not be sought in any outward
rules, however ingeniously constructed. We
reject rs absurd the idea that the religion of
Christ is contrary to mans nature and needs
to he forced upon him by external laws
God is not at war with himself lie has not
written one law in the hearts Of his children,
and another in the religion which he offers
for their acceptance.
AS a Yearly Meeting, we shall exercise no
ecclesiastical authority over local bodies
We assume no other than advisory power.
We shall, from time to time, declare our
convictions on such subjects as may claim
our attention, leaving other associations and
indviduals TO Judge for themselves how far
those convictions are entitled to their respect
and adoption. We have seen the blighling
and sou!-crusling effects of the system by
which large bodies make laws tor smaller
associations and hold them nmenable to n
central power--a power TOO often welded
by n few ambitious men who aspire TO lead
ersIip and arbitrary sway in the Church.
We would avoid, so far ns possible, the evils,
which have resulted from this system, aud
therefore we propose 20 leave ench local as
sociation to make such arrangements for the
transaction its business and the edifcaiion
Of its members as TO il may seem good. The
different habits, associations and experiences
of different communities will require cores
pondiug variations in the means to be used
for securing the advantages Of religious so
ciety. The arrangements suited to one place
may not he adapted to the special wants Of
another. We do not regard it as consistent
with tho freedom and self-respcct of those
whose local proximity aud spiritual affinity
for each other mpels them to organize for
hiS puipoSO vi hlhuluiHihs IoHSiouS UIccl-
ings, to submit to he governed by foreign
body. The responsibility of regulating their
assemblies should rest upon themselves, aud
they cannot safely transfer it to other should
crs.
We arc constrained TO advise the friends
of Practical Christianity in every town and
neighborhood, wherever practicable, TO asso-
cinte together in some form to aid each other
in the search for ruth, TO cultivate and en-
large the social and religious elements of
their nature, to strengthen and encourage
each other in the performance of duty, aud
to exert healthiul and benefcent influence
upon their neigbbors. Regular meetings on
the First day of the week, if rightly conduct
ed, cannot fail TO do greut good. We do not
claim any sacrodness for the day, nor would
we assert il TO be the absolute duty of any
individual TO attend such meeting. Let
there be on this point, as on every other, the
utmost freedom OF opinion. We recommend
such meetings, not as dvinely prescribed in
stitulions, but simply as means adapted to
meet our social and religious wants. Espe-
cially would we advise those who may estab-
lish such meetings to guard against the dan
ger of their becoming scenes Of contention
and pernicious controversy. Let them care
fully avoid foolish and unlearned questions
and the mazes ofspeculaiive theology.which
gender strife, and give their attention to the
laws of God ms written in mans nature to
the culture and exercise Of charity toward
each other and toward the race, and to the
relief of the poor, the sick, the unfortunate
aud the oppressed. Let them seek, by all
appropriate means, to apply the practical
precepts OF Christianity TO the individual
henri nnd cnnscinnce mud 10 nll human 30.