Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-06-11
Che Anti 5laufrp Buelr.
SALEM ONO, JUNE IL, 1853.
~~O~~~~D~O~.~o~O~oo~.~
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE meets July 2.
What the Church is Doing.

The respectability and piety OF the country
has recently had its annual convocations in this
country. We have watched them carefully to
see what they were doing for humanity. They
have given their annual contributions to the
Bible, the tract, and the missionary Societies
But in doing this they have ignored the
cause of the slave. They have ihithed the
"mint and annis and cummin," but have omit
ted the weightier matters of justice and hu-
manity. Ono of their most marked acts, one
that will make some figure in history, If iniamy
shall hereafter be worthy of record, was their
insolent repulsc of one half OF the race, in the
pure and peaceful effort to redeem tho world
from intempcrance. 1t will be marked and re-
remembered, too, that they did it in style wor-
thy tho supporters of system of woman whip
ping and of the Wholesale system of southern
prostitution, and in language beHtting the fro.
qucnters of the brothel or the slave pen.
Some Of tho ecclesiastical organizations, pro.
per, have also beer in session, and have been
most appropriately employed, especially the
rival huukcrs of the Presbyterian church. The
Old School in Philadelphia, and the New
School in Buffalo. This latter body passed
resolutions in favor of colonizaton-recom
mending its agents to the benevolence of its
church, expressing its sincere regret that France
and Brazil, England, Prussia and Belgium, are
before us, in recognizing the independence of
Liberia.
On the important subject of dancing, they
bear tho following testimony:
Resolved, That the fashionable amusement
of promiscuous dancing is so entirely unscrip-
tural and emincntly and exclusively that of the
.world which lieth in wickedncss," and so
wholly inconsistent with the spirit of Christ,
and with that propriety of Christian department
and that purity of heart which his followers
are bound to maintain, as to render il not only
Improper and injurious for protesting Christians
cithcr TO partnke in It, or qualify their children
for it by teaching them the art but also to call
for the faithful and judicious exercise of dici-
plinc on the part of church sessions, wi. en- any
of the members Of their churches have been
guilty"
On the subjects Of colonization and dancing
there seems to hsve been the utmost harmony.
But on the question of mans marrying his
own niece, there was some diversity. DIR. Cox
reported that God had not forbidden the rela.
ton, but finally, after some discussion, and Q
pretty decided expression of the popular press
in regard to this incestous relation, they ex.
pressed their condemnation of il. The great
agitating question, also, did they not escape
The discussion was conducted with much
warmth-was once gagged down, but finally
with threats Of disunion from both North and
South, it was revived, and resulted in the fol-
lowing report:
1. That this body shall reafiirm the doctrine
of the second resolution adopted by the Gen
eral Assembly, convened in Detroit in 1850
and
ii: That with an express disavowal OF anN
intention to be impertinently inquisitorial, anC
for the sole purpose of arriving at the truth, Sc
as to correct misapprehension and allay al
causeless irritation, committee be appointed
of one from each of the synods of Kentucky
Tennessee Missouri, and Virginia, who shal
be requested to report to the next General As
sembly on tho following points:
/. The number of shareholders in conncc
ton with the churches, and the number 0
slaves held by them;
2. The extent to which slaves are held from
an unavoidable necessity imposed by the law
of the states, the obligations of GUARDIANSHIP
and the demands of humanity.
8. Whether the southern churches regard tn
sacredness of the marriage relation as it exs,
among the slaves; whether baptism is only ad
ministered to the children of the slaves profes
sing Christianity; and in general, to what OK
tent and in what manner provision is made fc
the religious well-being OF the enslaved.
III. That this assembly do earnestly exhol
and beseech all those in our church who ar
happily relieved from any personal connectio
with the institution of slavery, to exercise du
patience and forbearance toward their brethre
less fortunate than themselves, rememberin
the embarrassment of their peculiar position, an
TO cherish for them that fraternal con6den,
and love to which, as Christian brethren, the
are entitled, and which they are the more
need in consequence Of the peculiar trials
which they are surrounded.
The following is the resolution adopted
Detroit, which is referred to in the above r
ports
"Resolved, That the holding Of our tello,
: men in the condition OF slavery, except in tho
cases where it is unavoidable by the laws
the state, the obligations of guardianship or q
demands of humanity, is an offence in Il
proper import Of that term ss used in the Boz