Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-07-15
THE NTIISLAVERY BUGLE.

impietv. For men to claim equality, either in the
Church, the State, or in social intercourse, is put
down as a sign of infdelity. Hence all democrats
or republicans are looked upon as inGdels. The
Government preachers teach that Divine Providence
fixes every mans lot,-that it makes one man poor
and another rich places one ON a throne and an
other on a dung-hill; that to repine at our lot is
to murmur against God that to try to rise to n
higher rank is to fight against God and that every
one should abide in the calling in which he is
called. They believe that the Constitution and
Government Ur Great Britain, and the old distinc.
ton of ranks, and the whole system Of established
superiority and inferiority, of authority on the
part of the rich and obedience on the part of the
poor, is of God, and that any who would introduce
u change in favor of democracy or republicanisn,
is an inGdel and a child of the devil. No text is
more frequently preached from by the established
clergy, and the more conservative portion of the
dissenters, in times of political excitement, than
the text fear God and honor the king, and NEEDLE
not with them that are given to change. All
change, except q gradual change in favor of the
rich and ruling classes, is considered sinful and
dangerous.
These doctrines have been preached from the
pulpits, and taught in schools and families for ages
back, and they are so plainly scriptural, that any
one who calls them in question is looked upon rs n
monster. Such is the state of things, at this day,
in the town where l am writing. There are a few
families, perhaps three or four, in the town, who
have read some of my publications, and embraced
ny democratic views; but they are looked upon as
given up by God to the decisions of the devil, and
as doomed to eternal torments in hell. / am nv
self considered by the rich and ruling classes as
one of the most wicked and mischieyous of nil
men. They look on me with horror as well rs
hate. My works are thought most damnable. All
that they can do to get people to refuse to read them,
or to burn them, they do. Persons that would MS
soon drown themselves AS think of equality between
rich and poor, will visit the poor, sit in their houses.
seem iiinitely humble, for the purpose of getting to
know who has read any wicked books, who lent
them' sold them, brought them into town, and who
has spoken in their favor.
In this town, and in the midst of a society thus
organized, and under the influence of a religions
and political system such az | have described, was
my wife born and reared. In schools and churches
IN winch the subordination Of ranks, and political
anu prlestiy absolutism were taught as divine rev.
Citations, she had her education. Her family was
OF the wealthy class. Both father and mother were
landowners But fortunately for nv wife, she
never experienced n thorough work of grace. Both
from her father and mother she inherited
a measure of sound sense, selEwill, good nature,
and a love of right, so that she was always better
than her teachings. She got many a scoldinr.
when a child, for playing with children of an in.
ierior rank, and even after her childhood DAYS had
flown, she incurred reproof for want of a due re-
gard to her social standing. How she became NV
wife, and how l myself in spite Of grace, became
so trightful a democrat and infdel, and how nv
wife has kept me company in all my political and
theological heresies, I am not about to explain. 1t
is enough to say, that l came to the country about
twenty-five years ago, as a Methodist Travelling
prencher'-that saw the lad in the church. mat
l spoke to her whcr the service was over TINT 7
never io'!ed to look at her again when she came
within reach of my vision,-that l wished | might
some day be able to call her my friend, and to have
the happiness of meeting her, and talking with her
as a friend,-that I got the happiness l coveted
and did not think it enough,-that 1 lost myself
somehow, and never found myself again till after
| was married, and that my marriage was the han
piest event of my life, being born and getting re.
ligion not excepted.
Yours. truly, JOSEPH BARKER.