Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-10-08
NOTES FROM THE LECTURINa FIELD


he anxious that should speak on Sunday fore
noon. II being on the road to the above place,
where had to speak in the evening, went, ac-
companied by George Carpenter. When arrived
| found quite meeting assembled to hear the
stranger. found the gentleman who was holding
meeting to be n Mr. Bowman, formerly of Stark
county, now a resident Of the place from whence
write. He was for some years a preacher among
the United Brethren" but now free from such and
all other ecclesiastical fellowship. OF course, we
were glad enough to see each other l. to think that
there was one in this vast region who was not
ashamed Of the Gospel of Liberty; he to meet SO
very unexpectedly an agent Of the Society, whose
cause he was cndeayoring to subseryc single and
alone. While on this subject, will give a short
history Of this brother, in whom have become
somewhat interested. At the time Mr.. Garrison
visited Ohio, he was u member of the Muskingum
Conference, travelling in the ncighborhood Of Mas
silon. He attended the meetings held there by
Garrison, Foster and others, and was convinced of
tho Justice Of our cause. lie began at once to make
confessions Of faith, and to preach the doctrine of
"No union with Shareholders" lie also embraced
non-resistance views. After some time he moved
into this region, and became member of the
duty continued to become moro clear and compre-
hensive,-so consequently, his rcproof of sin and
sinners became moro pointed and frequent. This
brought him into contact with his senior preacher
on the subject who preached regularly on his track
in opposition. Finally he was arraigned for his
ahoitionism, and then for his non-resistancc; but
in securing conviction for these sins they failed.
But finding him herctical on the Sabbath question.
the Quarterly Conference passed him over to the
Annual Conference, where, in his absence he was
found guilty of holding and teaching doctrines sub
versive of the discipline and good morals. At the
same time the Conference affirmed their confidence
in his honesty and integrity, appointing the Editor
of the Telescope" to labor with him. Month after
month passed, and none came to save him. SO to
save himself, he formally withdrew from the body
AT the next Conference he was published in the
minutes as withdrawn" lie is a young man
about twenty-eight years Of age, owns farm at
this place, and since his disconncction with the
church, has laborcd around the country preaching
the doctrines of liberty and peace, frequently
,caking ten and even twenty miles to hold meetings
on Sunday when he had no other means, and that
without fee or reward save the reward Of good
conscience. lie has taken the Liberator all this
time, but was altogether ignorant of our Western
movements. l trust that now the gulf between
us is filed up, or at least bridged over, he will be
available auxiliary to our cause. lie is determined
to spread light and has already put fifteen dollars
into my hands to furnish him n supply. | am sure
you will pardon this reference to an individual, ~
such case is interesting to ALL
Well, at La Faycttc spoke in the morning and
afternoon to q deeply interested audience, who had
never heard such things before. sold every book
Of every kind had with me, and obtained half a
dozen subscribers to the Buge.
Leaving the seed sown went on to Bryan, and
spoke in the Court House, after an adjournment
from the large school house where all preach
There are no churches in Bryan yet and long before
the time Of meeting the school house was filled to
oyerfowing. The Court House was well filed, to
the astonishment of every person. Numbers went
from La Fayettc and the adjoining towns. / was
kindly received by many of the Free Soil citizens.
Mr.. Bakoslee, from the Reserve, is lawyer here
and the candidate for Representative. lie is very
radical anti-slayery man. lie told me he had at
tended meetings held at Chagrin Falls, by Mr. and
Mrs Foster and myself. There is also another
lawyer here named Smith, who is very liberal But
none showed more manliness and treated me with
more kindness, welcoming me to his home and
keeping me there all the time was in the place,
than Mr.. Patterson, the Steward of the NJ. L.
Church. and Deputy Treasurer of the county. lie
is very thorough man, speaks right out for freedom
and will not be fettered. heard him demand from
both the preachers that they attend my meetings,
and that they were bound to preach the ant-slavery
Gospel feel confident that they must do this, or
they get little support from him; doubtful if they
do long any way. | spoke there three times, the
interest increasing TO the last good deal of out
door excitement prevailed, and good many of the
old ridiculous charges repeated both by priests
and statesmen, but none would venture to utter q
word in the meetings, although repeatedly urged
to do so. Confident l that the eyes of many
were opened to the truth they had never seen
it before
| Bryan is in the midst Of beautiful and very
rich country. A railroad is building close by it,
from Toledo to the capital of Michigan, which will
help it much
There is no place in the western country that /
know of so abundantly watered. 1t ought to be
called The City of Fountains" The town is full
of them, and with a small outlay they might be
made very ornamental They bore down about
sixty feet, whore the water is struck. A tube is
then put in few feet down and the water rises in
some cases to twelve feet above the surface. and
runs heavy stream continuously ! saw two of
these fountains close together, from each of which
there flowed eight streams from spouts put in the
centre tube, each as thick as a mans finger Mr..
Editor, suppose you had one of those never-faling
fountains at your door If you had think YOU
would be apt to to turn waterdoctor. The water is
slightly touched with suphato of iron, yet 80 soft
that the people wash with it. Iwish such blessings
were little more equally divided,
| left Bryan for this place on Wednesday, almost
shaking with ague, and commenced meetings the
same evening. But my article is growing too long,
and must reserve this till ! write again.
Yours, W.
Sept. %, 1858.