Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-08-02
From the n. y. Eve. Post.
A FAITHFUL PREACHER ARRAIGNRD,
WAsuiSoToN, July l3, 1866.

WAsulNGToN, July IL, 1866.
Two important cases, orc in the church on the
other in the courts Of law, were awaiting de-
cison to-day in the Capital City but both failed of
! coming to final verdict. The one was the case
Of Herbert, the waiter killer the other of Conway,
the Unitarian Clergyman, on trial before his con-
gregation for preaching anti-slavery heresies in o.
slaveholding community.
MIR. Conway has preached in this city for the
last two years, in the Unitarian church; The mem-
bers of which invited him the distinct under
/ standing that he was jealous and out spoken
Anti.slavery man. But last Winter, in the midst
of the Speakership excitement he first horrifed'
his Pensioners by the exhibition of its opinions
They had meeting on the matter, but determined
that it was not best to turn him out Two weeks
ago, however, he blew another blast on Kansas
with variations on other anti-slavery themes, that
appalled, his congregation like the trumpets Of
Jerico. The executive committee of the church
could stand it no longer, and called n meeting, af
ter the services of to-day, ITO consider the recent
course of our pastor"
Being little anxious to know what would be
done, attended the religious services which this
morning preceded the threatened demonstration of
the executive committee Mr. Conway chose for
his text Isaiah goth, 10th, which, if my remen-
brance serves me, reads like this: Say unto the
seers see not; and unto the prophets prophcsy
not right things, but speak unto US smooth thingsT
Upon this text he preached discourse marked BY
great plainness Of speech, and much eloquencs
and originality Of illustration, vindcating the
course he had pursued in reference to the question
of slavery. lie showed in the first place by quo
tations from preached to the congregation
before he was invited to become their pastor, that
his principles fully known to them in ad,-
vance. and that he had not gained their confidence
iy any concealment of them. Next he argued
that he had only performed his duty in disobeying
the injunction to preach only "smooih things" to
his flock, maintaining that antslavery was vitaf
and inseparable constituent of the Unitarian creed
and that the preaching of it was sanctioned By
the example of its leading expounders, Claiming.
Dewey, Bellows and others. He said that it was
the Office of Christianity to assail sin, however
strongly intrenched behind the forms of law, or
Incorporated into the institutions of the country.
Those who desire to have the pulpit "say smooth
things" would convert the church into an antiouAr
rian society, which would 60 into extaces of dis
tress over the expressions of Egyptian Pharoah..
or into ecstacies of admiration of Daniel who pre-
ferred the lions den to obedience TO unrighte-
Gus edict of civil authority, but would say nothing
about our modern Pharaohs and Daniels until they
became obsolete as the oppressors and heroes
af Biblical story. For his part he could not agree
with them. When he saw an institution like sls-
very, so injurious to its immediate victims, and
causing such outrages as are now witnessed in
distant Territory-when he saw one of his own
parishioners stricken down in the Senate tor as
serting-a right so essential to the Unitarian faith
the right of free speech, he could not hold his'
peace. Mr. Conway also considered at length the
objections against his course, such as that it could
do no good, and produced discord in the church
and lessened its popularity adding, that if the
congregation would strike out other characteristic
doctrines, besides antislavery, such, for example.
as the unity of God, from their creed they would
still more augment their numbers and popularity;
but he certainly in that case, would have nothing
to do with such church. He denied that he had
ever preached partisan politics in the pulpit but
thought his opponents rather inconsistent in bring
ing the charge against him. since they had once
passed u vote of thanks to the Rev. W. P. Luut
for an anti.higher law sermon, of which they had
also procured the publication.
When the services were over, q meeting of the
congregation was held, in which the conduct of the
minister was discussed with some feeling on both
sides The Executive Committee read a report
censuring Mr. Conway and virtually, though nos