Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-05-21
Letter from Parker Pillsbury.

CoNcoRD, N. H., May 4th, 1858.
DEAR MARrus: am just now improving
my first leisure time, to examine the proceed =
ings Of your "Ohio Bible Convention" For
copy of the pamphlet, 1 am indebted to the
kindness Of our friend, James w. Walker.
In the Preface, is copy of the little note
sent to the Publishing Committee, by two
ministers, who took prominent part in the dis
cusson, very pru1ently requesting that their
speeches might not appear in the Report. -
Who docs not admire their forecast What
pity il is however, that they had not been as
wise, before they entered the Convention at all.
We might not then have known on how false
a foundation the claims of the Bible rest. do
think still, that the case admits of much
more able defence than they, or any others in
the Convention made, so far as the Report
shows.
Permit me in this connexion, to alludc to
another circumstance. One of the first things
to be done, always on my return home from
my lecturing tours, is to read over the Bugles
which came in my absence; and which my
family always lay by for me, with scrupulous
care. In one of them is letter from N. N.
Seby, complaining bitterly of me. for reckon
ing him with those who put the private opin-
ions Of abolitionists to the account of the anti
slavery cause itself. Ills words are, "I DEM
The 'ohole charged is utterly mtounded." AT
terwards he speaks of a rejoinder he made to
James w. Walkers reply to his first letter,
and thinks that "should have put the matter
forever at rest"
! 1t was his first letter, to which l REFEREED
His second, had not then seen. am glad Of
his explanation; for in the first letter. address
sed to "he members of The Bible Contention"
he distinctly said, 81 cannot go with you in
yepr present movement. must again dis6and
for can no more fellowship your position,
than could pro. slavery church, or a slave.
holding or fighting religion"
We will not have many words on the subject.
Bot thought the position of friend Sclby was
just like that of the new organzationists-
They said. ave cannot fellowship you or the
Woman Question, on Non Resistance, on the
Sabbath, and other things, therefore "we must
disband." And hence we had new organza-
ton in all its malignity.
Nobody, to the best of my knowledge, was
ever asked, or expected to endorse any heresy
whatever, on the anti slavery platform, against
his wishes, or belief. And 80 l thought friend
Selby's letter oil disbandonment was wholly
uncaled for; and am sure, to me, it seemed
in its spirit, to be very priestly, dogmatica and
captious. l am glad therefore to have it more
fully explained and better understood.
But perhaps am making too much of few
small affairs. 1t was of the proceedings of the
convention, that intended to speak 1t seems
to me great pity, that more full account could
not have been published; and in much more
elegant style, as to paper, printing, proof read
ing, and every thing else. For more import
ant and valuable book, than this might have
been, the world has scarcely seen in half
century. The publishing committee were lin
tied in their resources, and SO must do the best
they could with their means. And for one, l
accept with gratitude and joy, the offering
they have made, and praise them for doing so
we'll.
After going over the book with some care,
especially the arguments of the defenders of
the bible, am led to txclaim, If these men
are the fruits, if such be the heads, and such
the hearts, which faith in its divine inspiration
and authority, fashion and form, then indeed,
it is time to unmask its pretensons. One of
these Bible champions told you in the conven-
ton, he was "compelled to read the works of
Thomas Paine and Robert Taylor, in his child
hood" "Many time have been whipped
to this, by an infdel father" he adds with
melting pathos. i have read those two authors
somewhat myself. And 1 could not but wish
that father had lived to whip his son into good
reading till this time for am sure those two
authors never begat in him the spleen or stu
pidity, which make up almost the sum total of
his speech.
What if Mr.. Barker did come from England,
What if he was poorly borni What if he
cannot speak good Buckeye Anglo-Saxon, as
he affirmsi Do you think, friend Marius, that
Eternity will be long enough for being that
could taunt him with these things, to grow up
TO the sublime position which Mr.. Barker oc-
cupied when answering the grave chargesi 1t
seems to me, that last speech of his, is among
the very best ever uttered in human language.
would rather be its author, than to have been
the composer OF at least half the Old Testa-
ment. 1t was worth infinitely more. to the
well being Of man, than tho Pontateuch, Josh.