Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-11-22

him tina. in sustaining this relation he is doing
God service"
His view of the sphere Of Church influence is
comprehensiyely just and If practically adopted
by the church, will make it really the ligh. and
salvation of the world
1t is not merely by an orthodox faith, or by the
pure lives OF its own members, that it fulfls its
WORK on tho earth; it is not merely by its being the
patron OF schools and colleges, or BY its influence
in sending the gospel to heather lands, il is not by
the establishment of Sabbath-scAcol for the chill
dren of its own families, or by zeal in distributing
Bibles and the publications Of the Tract Society
within its geographical limits, that its work is to
be done. Its primary work as q church may have
reference to an existing evil within its own geo.
graphical. limits. Phe burden which is laid upon,
it may not be primarily the conversion of the hea-
then or the diffusion of Bibles and tracts abroad;
the work which God requires it to do, and for
which specifically has it been planted there, may
be to difise a definite moral influence in respect
to an existing evil institution.
Next the author inquiries with evidently earnest
purpose, for the actual influence of the church up.
on slavery. And, although he denies that the,
Church is the "5ulwark of slavery" and affrms
that to the Church at large the cause Of emanci-
patton is greatly debtor, yet he says:
1t is probable that slavery could not be sustain
ed in this land if it were not for the countenance,
direct and indirect, of the churches. That is, If
all the churches SHOULD assume in regard to it the
position which the society of Friends has done,
and which some of the Scotch and German church
es have done, and simply detdch themselves from
it, it is probable that there is not power enough
ont of the church to sustain the system.
Here he gives us a clew to his view of the duty
Of the church in the premises. lie is opposed to
individual comooutism, as a general remedy, but
would ''detacA" the church from slavery after the
manner of the Quakers. In the subsequent part
CT the work he gives his views more fully on this
question as follows:
The churches should detach themselves from all
connection with slavery. They should be wholly
separated from it. They should stand apart from
it. If it is to be maintained in our country, it
should not be by the churches of Christ if it is
70 find advocates and defenders, it should not DO
there. The church, in relation to this, should
occupy the same position which it does in relation
TO duelling or to gambling; the same which 10
seeks to occupy in regard to intemperance and
worldly amusements,- to the theatre and ball,
room. If the practices connected with those
things are to be continued in the world, it is not
to be by the aid Of the Christian church if they.
are to find abettnrs, it is not to he in the pulpit.
Whether they can live or not without the aid Of
the Christian church may be a question for those
l interested in them to determine: but, if they do
live, it is to be without its countenance and sup
t port. They must look for their patrons elsewhere;
5 and, whether they live or not, the friends OF those
r things should not be able tic rely on the support
7 Of the church. If they cannot live, it is to be
e because they have not vitality enough to sustain
y them when detached from the church Of Christ.
I S" it is to be in regard to slavery. The church.
! is 20 dctacb itself from it wholly and forever. IL
is to Withdraw from the system, and so far as tho
support Of the system is concerned, it is to be left
to itself. If it has vital power of its own,-if it
; meets the wants of n worldly society, if it so pro-
notes human happiness,so contributes to industry,
i good morals, and the happiness of human life, as
? TO be needful to the world,-it is to live by its own
vital power. and not by life infused into it by the
u church of Christ. If it would die should it be
separated from the church, it is to be suffered to
: eS pire. But whether, outside of the church, it ~
to live or to die, it is to be suffered to show what
it ~, aud WHAT mould be, if it derived no counte-
c nance from the church of God. Like everything
u else which has no proper connection with Chris
5 tianity, it is To be suffered to stand by itself, look
ing for no countenance whatever from the organ
= izatiOn which Christ has set up with reference 10
o his kingdom on earth. If it can stand by itself,
! let it stand if it cannot stand, let it fall, not
C leaning for its support on the redeemed church of
God.
Assuredly the church might thus be detached
IS from slavery aud in doing it, it would interfere
with no mans rights, it would abridge none of the
liberties which men may claim. If they choose
J. TO keep up the lion of slavery, it is q qucs-
h ton for them to settle but, in doing it, in the
name of all that is sacred and pure and holy and
free, let them not be able to plead the authority
n or to rely on the aid of the church of Christ.
y Ho,c the church can detach itself from all con-
4 nection with slavery is indeed a question for each
l. one of the denominations of Christians to deter
mine for itself: but it can be done it must DO
done it will be done. The example of the
Quakers shows that i. can be done everything in
the onward progress of events shows that it will
be done. 1t may be done by each denomination
peacefully. By prayer. by patience, by exhorta-
to tiOn. nv testimony Inv the eYGrcisn of charity and
Iorbearanee mingled with Christian fidelity, by n
he growing conviction Of the evil, by free discussion,
n bya deeper spirit of piety, the work may be done,-
Is done by each denomination for itself; done by each
family for itself; done by each individual for him
&c self. In accordance with existing laws in the
e churches, Or by such notifications of those laws
is as the age requires, it may he done in each denom-
On nation in such a way that there shall be no
he violence, and that no mans rights shall be in
oil vhded. Is there any necessity that slavery should
tr exist in the church? Is there any such affinity in
rs the church for the system that it cannot move
through tho world without invoking the aid Of sla-
It very? IL it q matter Of fact that the church in its
of past history has attached to itself the institution
e' of slavery, and that it has lent its aid to sustain it
n from age to age? Is it a matter of fact that the
nd church mt large is NOW ~ehcumbered with this sys-
TEN, and that it contributes its support and lends
the prestige of its name to keep it up in the worldl
e- Far from it. The church at large, as has been
an shown, has not been the sustainer and abettor Of
e. slavery; the church at large is not now. This is
US true Of the Established church and the Dissenting
X churches of England; Of the Presbyterian chur'
he ches of Scotland; of the Reformed church in
ir France and Switzerland and Holland; of the La,
in thern churches on the continent of Europe; of the
Greek church, the HISTORIAN church, and the Ro
In. man Catholic communion; and, it is believed, Of
40 all the missionary churches throughout the world
ed The practical supporters of slavery in the Chris
tan Church are found only in the churches in ,the
he Southern States of this Union; and can it be believ-
re cd that. it is impossible for those churches to detact
he themselves from the system, and to stand before
ali the world on n level with the other churches of the
ltedcemer? Are they doomed tc a hopeless con,
dillon on this subject? Are they forever to fee
TX the whitening, b~Iighting, paralyzing; miserable
nm effects of slavery?