Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-05-20
THE BALTIMORE coNFERFNcE.

Ma. EDiToR I'm the w. Q. Advocate OF Marcel
~, lind the following extracts from the proceed
ipgs Of the Baltimore Conference Of the Methods
Episcopal Church. "At the annual Conference o
the NJ. +. Church at Baltimore, on the 18th inst.
Bishop Ames presented n memorial, from the Troy
Conference, to recommend to the General Confer
euee to insert prvhibitory rule ia the Discipline
torbiddlng the buying and selling human being,
except in view of emancipation" aud the yolun
tary anu mercenary holding them in bondage
Ihe Baltimore Conference refused to concur in .h,
recommendation Of the Troy Conference by q
unanimous vote, of all the members present mum
bcring 2gl."
This decision Of the Baltimore Conference. set
ties positively the question, that the NJ r. Churcl
is pro.sayery, anything 10 the contrary, notwth
standing. 1t proves cUnclusiyely, that the sin o
buying and selling, and breeding Of human being,
for merchandise is tolerated by the Church---tha
the Church claims this privilege as a right whicl
she sill not surrender. The unaniniity of senti
ment against the modest and christian request o
the Troy Conference is really wonderful. Their,
could not, perhaps, have been another important
question submitted to that large array of picty
and wisdom, that would have commanded such d
decisive and undivided vote. Two hundred and
ninety-one Rev. gentlemen, ordained to preach the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ, Z" to call sinners to repent
ance, to unose the heavy burdens-to let the OPP
pressed 60 frec-preach deliveranco to the cap
tives-and whatsoever yc would that others do
the face of these ordination VOWS, declare to the
world that we will hold ON to slayery-that we
will buy and SELL and make merchandise Of the
bodies and souls Of our slaves, even if they are
members Of our church, and have with us kneeled
around the Communion Table. This vote should
DO chronielcd, should be placed among the remark
able events in the zenith Of the nineteenth century
and find its place as such iu the Methodist Alma
macs. Bro. Eddy said, "God help the poor mig.
gers, why did he not invoke q benedcton on
the poor lost, and ruined, Shareholders in the NJ.
+. church,
Straws show US which way the wind blows, /"
but here we have stronger indications, positive ov-
idenoe in support Of the sum Of all villanies,
and the Churches which have repudiated slavery,
and cut lose from its sins, with ten thousand out
slders, who cannot fraternize with slave-holding
churches, have now an indisputabe right to ar
raiSn the Nj. L. Church pro-slavery. What a
battle was fought in 1874 and what n conquest
was achieved. The armies of Israel were in the
held, the battle ragged, and big guns charged,
destruction to the aliens--when, 10 |!
Il was found to be merely beating the air. as though
i were more sinful for Bishop Andrews, of South
Carolina, to deal in negroes, than Rev. j. A. Col
ins, Of Maryland.
If tho NJ. Z. Church wishes to be viewed MS an
sntislavery organization, it is time that she doly
cred her testimony against slavery in terms not
10 be mistaken, and support that testimony by
leeds equally unequivocal. If Baltimore Confer
ence, with fugitive slave laws, and Nebraska bills
pouring down on her, is disposed to hold to this
always rotten plank it is to be hoped that many
other Conferences will not. Nineteen twentieths,
perhaps, of the NJ. 4. Church, out of the Baltimore
Conference, concur with the Troy Conference. 1t
is high time that all the Conferences took action
on this subject Perhaps even now the neglect OF
the churches and especially our branch of it, has
totally mised the action. We have refused to re-
affirm our own carly acts, expressive Of our abhor-
renee against slavery, and the world perceying
the Church quiescent, concludes, no longer to bat
tie the rampant pro-slayery spirit The light that
should have guided the world, has become dark
ness, and how great is that darkness.--Ind. Fiee
Dem