Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-14

good standing and Fellowship with that body that.
in stead of breaking every yoke and letting the OPP
pressed 60 free, it is laying gricvous burdens on
many of Gods children; that it traffcks in the
bodies and souls of men, rearing them for the
%shambles; that it robs cradles, sanctions prostitu-
tion, swings the blood-clotted cow-skin, that de-.
scends deep iato the quivcring flesh of dercnccless
men. women and children, that it denies the hui
manity of a part Of Gods children, crushing all
the higher and nobler attributes Of their nature,
and making TIA penal offence to teach them what il
claims 20 be the Word of the Lord, and the only
means Of salvation. These statements are equally
true, to a greater OF less extent, of all the popular
denominations in tho United States and those
churches that are not directly implicated in the
sin of slayoholding, arc virtual Shareholders by
striking hands with the siaveholdor-by not rebuk-
ing, but sanctioning and appologizing for his
heaven-daring crimes, and fellowshipping him rs
n brother in the Lord. If these facts and similar
ones be a 'tiradc against the churches" then the
more we have Of SUch TRADES, the better for the
progress Of freedom, truth and humanity every
where.
There were several objections urged by a learned
Doctor of this placed member Of the Baptist
Church and a bunker Democrat, but they are toe
frivolous and foolish to deserve attention here.
We will now proceed to mention what appeared
to be the principal objection which was urged ly
Elder Spear, minister of the Baptist Church IN
Orland. After stating one or two objections, he
said he had another, a priratc objection. of still
greater importance. 1t was this: that he and Ell
der Town, IA Baptist %brother,) having heard of
| fnntinp un,or tbroncL, ,Io ..,.u IL. r II
and Mr.. and Mrs. Grifing were Infdels, and they.
wishing to know the ruth of this matter. called
upon them at Angola, and in a prjratc conversation,
elected their real views of the Bible and theology.
which he declared were horetical and dangerously
infdel; consequently he was opposed to their oc-
cupying his church for anti-slavery work.
Beng called upon in n courteous and gentle
manly manner for their private opinions ON these
subjects, they were honestly and frankly giyen.
little suspecting that Elder Spear would give his
influence Tor closing the church doors, and attemnt
to poison and prejudice the public mind against
them IS anti slavery lecturers, or that Elder Town
would join in the ~mad-dog cry of Lpfae, and vim
dictate such grossly wicked and unchristian con-
duet.
This they haze done; but why do thcy claim
that these persons are infdels? Is it lecause they
differed from them upon the great fundamental
principles of truth, right, and Christian duty =?
According to their own showing. they were all
agreed upon the e points, and only differed in con-
illusions drawn from these premises. Mr.. Grifinr
stated these facts, and claimed that the conversa-
ton had been misrepresented. This was denied
by Elder Spear. Mr. Grifing then said that he never
had been dragged into, nor would he now be d,icea
into a theological discussion in an anti-slaverv
meeting, but he would meet the Rev. gentleman ut
any time or place he wonld mention, either in pub
lie or private, and they would 80 through with the
conversation before the citizens of this place, and
mey should judge who were the infdls. This
Elder Spear refused to do, thus fastening the con
viction upon the minds of the speakers. and n
portion of the audience, that all this outcry about
inidelity was a pious fraud gotten IN for the oc-
casion, to divert the minds of the people from the
true issue-the corruption, atheism, infdelitv and
pro.slavery character of tile churches, which was.
Notwithstanding the effort to Divert shown IN
in a strong light by our friends. After a good
deal OF discussion, and much feeling on both sides.
they obtained permission to speak in the same
house on the next Wednesday evening. On the
evening appointed, MeSsrs. Foss and Griainp were
present and addressed the people on their relation
to the slave and their duty to the oppressed. Mr.
Foss, in the course Of his remarks, alluded to the
above mentioned conversation, the closing of the
churches, and the stereotypeC cry of infdelitv that
these Key. Divines had raised against him and his
associates, as 1t was due to himself, his friends and
the audience that they should be fully understood
lie reiterated the charge of Mr.. Grit6nc. that the
that the conversation had been misreprcscnt.d .
ministers agreed with them in the main nro.
positions discussed. These statements rcra
followed by cries of "False," and "Untrueu from
the Kew. gentleman, and the attempt of n good.
order loving, law-abiding deacon and the two min
isters to speak at the same time. After some c,p-
fusion, which evidently had in it the elements IF
riot, order was restored, when Mr.. GriAHpg and
aiterward Mr. foss' proposed that they would meet
Elders Spear and Town at any time or placa tbov
would appoint, and if they did not prove to the
satisfaction of unprejudiced persons that thew
had f%alsifed, they would retract the charges thew
had made.
They still refused to do so, making the impres.
stronger than ever that they were fearful that n
fair and full investigation of the whole motter
would place them in an odious light before the
community. Mr.. Foss now finished his remarks
exposing in a mastery manner the rottenness and
hypocrisy of the popular pro-slavery religion of
this country. Mrs. Griffng followed with some
very pertinent remarks upon the present NANTES.
tation of priestly arrogance and proscription-
showing that the closing of the churches and the
present attempt to gag and put down free discus
sion, would elicit truth, expose error, and hasten
the day of the slaves redemption. Elder Town
followed, making a sorry attemTt to Justify the
closing Of meeting houses against all anti-slayerv
lecturers who differed, or were suspected Of differ
ing from the theology of the present day. He
justified his own course, and that of Elder Smear
in eliciting the private views Of Grifing and Foss
of which to make public capital, to prejudice the
minds of the people. and close their ears to anti.
slavery truth. lie also stated that Garrisonian
! aIoli innists uara onpoSa1 IN oil alt.