Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-08-16
From Belle Scott
"a SOUTHERN REF0RMER. "

"a SOUTHERN REF0RMER."
General topics at, first, on which none coul,
differ, were discussed. Miss Jane Williams no v
ever, restive she sat opposite Mr.. St. John
and said to him:
"How do you ministers of the SOUTH get along
with slavery?"
Mrs Stlman colorcd to her eyes.-all the other,
at the table looked surprised they would
have done, if she had thrown stono Mt Mr.. st
John but the Rev. gentleman was calm as he
had been at any moment of his life, and replied:
IL have had but little trouble that subject
my greatest difficulties have been with the slave
trade. | have been greatly afflicted On account o
the manner in which it is conducted"
Miss Jane Williams was quite excited, "Oh
Mr. st. John, do not ministers in the slaveholdiny
statcs have great trouble on this matter o
slavery"
Yes, miss, they are greatly perplexed about it
and the perpexity is daily increasing. They d.
not do their duty"
"Wby, do they not faithfully discharge the
duty on that, as well rs on other matters"
They are too timid, miss-they fear mar
rather than God"
"Do they preach at all on slavery?"
"Ies they som etimes do, but in so timid and
timeserving manner, that it is distressing to hear
them. Their sermons make but little impression,
and fear. do but little good"
"Wcl, they pray that their hearers may be en-
lghteped on the subject, hope" said Miss
Jane.
"They seldom mention it in their prayers, and
when they do, it is in such roundabout manner,
that not half their hearers, | fear, understand for
what they are praying. 1t is almost as bad as
praying in an unknown tongue"
'What can be done to induce them to speak
out boldly, as men and as Christians, on this great
dutyY
II do not know. The best manner | think,
is for each minister to take to himself some por-
ton of that subject and by his own precept and
example (for precept you know, is entirely worth.
less, unless it be sustained by correspondent prac
tice, to illustrate the duties of Christians. Act
ing on this principle, took to myself the depart
ment of the slave-trade, and ab0red for years liz
that branch of duty. After that, labured about
two years in the branch of duty connected with
catching those slaves that escape But my efforts
were not sustained, as | think they should have
been, by my brethren in the ministry, nor by the
Christian public. | was pioneer in the enter
prise, and shared the fate of all pioneers IL
was misunderstood neglected, and even per-
secuted"
The iveliest sympathy was shown for Mr.. st.
John by all at the table, except Captain Carter,
who sat in silence, casting, occasionally, glance
at him.
Mr.. Stillman: "My dear sir, you have luborcd
no doubt, faithfully, and you know that we always
lose the hOnors and rewards of this world, in the
ratio of our fidelity TO Christian duty"
"Yes," said MIR, St. Johu, sit is SO; | have al
ways found it So"
4 pause, for minute or more, took place.
Miss Williams said: ,"ls it not shocking, that
parents sell their own children, Mr.. St. Joha /?
Cannot some reform be made in that horrid
practice ?"
Mr.. ST. John, greatly surprised: "You mistake
me, miss! have not been understood, fear
do not think it wrong or unchristian, for parents
to sell their children"
The whole party excepting Captain Carter and
Mr.. Reed, looked at him with surprise. He pro-
,eeded I'VE all agree, that slaveholding, so fur
from being sin, is IN exact accordance with
St. Paul. you know, sent back
Oncsimus to his brother according 10 the flesh, to
be held by him as slave There is not Il word
against slavery, in the New Testament; and the
Old Testament expressly sanctions it, and COM
nands it,
Now, to reply to your question, MISS think
you err on this subject-your philosophy is wrong
1t is right to hold slaves; that must be regarded
rs fixed princple-as a doctrine not to be dis
pued or disturbed.
All experience shows, that it is useless to hold
hem without the power of selling them; because
hat power is essential means of holding them.
rhe master cou,d not keep them obcdient, unless
ie can hold over thcir heads the terror of being
old and in addition to that, they would be Of
10 profit to their owners, unless they could sell
hem le q man sells childrer he must sell
omebody's children and submit it to your own
,ood sense miss whether he ASd not better sel
lis own children, than those of somo other
'erSon !"
Miss Williams excited: "But did | not under
tand you to say, that you took as your depart
nent of labor for several years, the reformation
f the slave-trade 2"
"Nes, miss, certainly said So"
"You condemn the slave-trade then, of course ?"
"Not at all, not at all. am really glad that
ou thus give me an opportunity to correct an
rroneous impression, which, no doubt, my too
cneral remarks have caused. | condemn the
buses and wickednoss, that too frequently prevail
here it is carried on. | found nearly all my
rethren in the ministry, engaged in endeayoring
, reform the abuses of Slare-hoidiRg, by intro |
ucing family prayer, and reading the Bible, to
avehoders and their slaves; and finding one
epartment, as | believed entirely neglected, |
ndeayored to reform the abuses in the trade, by
10 same means. My brethren, for more perfect
,cess to the hearts of Shareholders, became, in
ANY instances, Shareholders; upon the same
rinciple |, for more full and easy access to the
carts of slavetraders, became slavctrader."
Looking round him he said: "I that you
i look surprised but hope to convince you by
he most exact logic that was in the discharge
f high christian duty. The abuses of slave
oldng and the slavetrade were, and will con-
nue. to be, the means of assailing slavery itself;
nd we all wisely judge that reformation OF
lose abuses will be the best means OF sustaining
10 institution. None of you condemn the con I
lct Of those ministers who labor day and night
ith tears, to reform tho abuses of save-holding I
I'd to bring the institution itself more completely
nder the control of christian principles. Apply
10 same reasoning to the slave-trade and the
ne Of duty is plain in the one case as 1t is in
e other" u
Miss Wilhams GLOW did you labor in this
'partment"