Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-07-21
THE PITTSBURGH CONFERENCE.

We are rather late with the following piece of
news from the late Pittsburgh Conference. 1t met
on the Goth ult. But it is the best we can do, as
all the 'ChriStidn Adrocates' are too bigoted or
too pharisaical to exchange with the Bugle, and
we arc compelled to take our news of its
doings, second handed. As this Pittsburgh Con-
ference is to meet in Salem next year per.
haps we shall do better then. The Pittsburgh
Advocate we are told, publishes the following from
the business proceedings;
Wednesday morning the LIST day of the session,
the Slavery question was disposed of. The reso-
%lutions of the Troy, Erie and Wisconsin Confer
ences were presented, and the Conference voted
non-concurrence in each case by a large majority.
A resolution was then presented by w. a. David
son, proposing to so alter the seventh chapter of
the Discipline, as to place private members on the
same footing with official members on the subject of
Slavery. The first answer to the question, "What
shall be done for the extirpation of the evil of
slavery ?'-would then read thus: ave declare
that we are rs much convinced as ever of the
greet evil of Slavery: therefore, no stakeholder
shall be eligible to membership in our church.
hereafter, where the laws of the State in which
he lives vii. admit of emancipation, and permit
the Liberated slave to enjoy freedom" In taking
called for, and % responded in the affirmative, and
Ii in II negative. So the resolution was passed
by an vTerwhelming majority.
If We understand this it means that the Erie Con.
ference goes for the higher law of freedom and JUS
tice if the Shareholders have not formally repealed
and nullifed it. Let it be remembered, that these
Methodist Rabbis of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vir-
ginia, solemnly resolved, 80 to fourteen to obey
God, if the Devil (of Slavery does not forbid it.
What moral Heroes, "much as ever opposed to
Slayery"-Just about.
Below is a specimen of ecclesiastical courage
from another quarter. We copy it with 1.-THE com,
ments from the Free Presbyterian:
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SCOT.
LAND ON SLAVERY.
AT the late meeting of the Synod of this body
the following declaration was adopted;
o SLAvvRY AND Church MExBERsuIp.-Ths
question of the propriety of admitting slave own,
ers into communion with the Church, was the prin
cipal subject of discussion before the Synod on
Thursday. The matter emerged from q report thai
had been drawn up by the Synod's Board of Mis-
sions in answer to an application from the mission
aries at Old Calabar, for instructions in reference
to the admission of native slave owners into the
Church. The Synod was in favor of the cours
recommended by the board, and a decision wa,
pronounced to that effect. BY this decision, tn,
Synod instructs the Old Calabar missionaries thai
they may admit the slave owning converts into the
Church, provided they sign a declaration, recogniz
ing tie right Of their slaues TO be treated kindly an
justly, pledging themselves TO use every means in thei
IpOcer to effect The extinction of slavery, and prom
q tsing that they 0W not sell their Slaces, ualess ,oher
his may be tie means Of Saving life"
The above action fairly interpreted, is eauiya
lent to requiring the slave owners to emancipat
their slaves, as a condition of Membership in tn
d mission Church. IN no other way can they Urea
n them justly, and do all in their power to effect tn
extinction of slavery" The same pledge exacte
and enforced by the Churches of the Southern pal
of this country, on their members and Converts,
would speedily rid the Church of slavery.
Yet this action may be Interpreted to iustif
the reception and retention of slave owners in m
Church, and thus interpreted it contradicts itscl