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

since, Mr.. Barnes gave expression to tho then
startling truth, that Slavery could not survive the
determined purpose of the church for its destruc.
ton. The early declaration of this Important
fact, proved his csearsightedncss, while the pres.
cnt work cvinces his candor and his sincere and
earnest sympathy with the slave, modified howev.
err, by a very earnest attachment to the New School
Presbyterian Church, which induces him to make
the best of a very bad case in its behalf, and even
to glory in the organization, on account Of its de-
cided iavorableness to freedom.
But il is not our purpose to point to seeming
defects in this work. 1t is so unusual to find one
50 valuable from such a source on this subject, that
we much prefer to initiate the authors treatment
of the New School Presbyterian Churca, and mark
with especial prominence the excellencies Of the
work.
MIR. Barns looks upon the present as tho most
important period for anti-slavery action, and as at
such n period no friend should be idle, no means
unemployed, he brings his own contribution to
the common stock of influence necessary to correct
the wrong. lie commences his work with the in
quiry, "What is the relation of the Church to Sla-
very" This is treated as q question of fact. 1t
is undeniable, he informs Us, that there are not a
few Shareholders in the Church-tha ministers
and officers in the church are Shareholders. That
some of them are shareholders in the most rigid
and offensive sense-that there are those who trade
in slaves-that they hold them under laws which
enforce ignorance, violate the marriage and fami.
ly relations, destroy all liberty of conscience and
religious freedom. He admits that mot a few"
A Ministers and Church members. are either the
. a~pologists or open defenders of slavery,-those
n who defend it from the Bible, as sanctioned by the
. authority Of God.
But we will let Mr. Barnes speak of the criminal
IS conservatism Of the Church in his own language.
e There are those In the ministry, and those who
are private members of the churches, who, whatev-
er may be their real sentiments, are, from their
Z, position, their silence, or their avowed conserva-
tism, classed in public estimation with the apollo
gists Tor slavery, and whose aid can never be re-
lied on in any efforts for the emancipation of those
o who are in bondage. They have attached an inn
i portance to the modern idea of conservation which
cannot be justified by any reference to the teach
iDys Of tho Bible, or the life and iUCtrines of the
Saviour,-an idea which makes it possible to plead
~ their example in favor of that which is ocyOng, as
well as Of that which is right. They regard that
which is fixed and settled AS SO important that it is
sr better that a wrong should be endured, rather
If than to peril the safety Of existing Institutions by
any change whatever. They have affixed to the
Union OF the States such a value that III fairly
l. Inferred trCm their opinion that it is better that
any evil should be endured-that any number of
IS millions of human beings should be held in hope
h less bOndage-than that the existence of the I'm
ion should be perilled. They have affixed an obi
h Gus idea to the word dbOiitioniSt, and so far as
n their influence goes, led the public to do it also
surrounding it with all that is disorganizing and
n radical, with all that is repulsive in fanaticism
If and dangerous in politics, with all that is hateful
in intermeddling in the concerns of others. and
N with all that arouses the sOnl in the idea of trea-
le son. With this name, also, this class of ministers
Of the gospel, and these MEMBERS of the churches,
endeavor to associate the idea of infdelity and,
because some who have assumed the nnme have
ar rejected the Bible and denounced the Christian
church and the Christian ministry a. upholdeIs
of this enormous evil, their influence in fact goes
20 convey the inference that abolitionism and in
fidelity are really if not quite Identical, and that tt
attempt to emancipate the slave would be an at
tempt to spread the evils Of skepticism through thC
ry land.
The authors statement of the pro-slavery inAu
W ence Of the religious presses Of the country, is
"s truthfully explicit.
There are editors of religious papers, and au
" thors of books connected with the Christian churcl
10 whose opinions are Of great value to SHAREHOLDERS
I'm in defending the system of slavery. If there j.
" no formal aud ayowed defence of slavery, and ever
49, if there is an occasional formal statement that thel
" are personally opposed to the system, yet their in
go nueilCc Il sue " II Hlke II possible ana CUnNell
ed ent to refer to them in support of the system. Thei
IN words of condemnation are so cold, so formal ST
br few and SO far between, that with the advocates 0
y the system they pass for mere form. They speal
of the relation oi master and slave as they do o
III any other relation thoy inculcate the duties 0
the master ard the duties of the slave as they d.
the duties of the parent and the duties of the chill
with the underlying idea that the relations al
,ur equally lawful and designed to be equally permu
st nent. They enjOin on the slave submission to hi
zen condition., rs they do on the poor man content
to ment in his poverty, as if both were in the sam
do sense among the fixed though mysterious arrange
ments of providence. They adduce argument
from the Bible in regard to tho relation whic
to are gratifying in an eminent degree to tn
tee slave. holder, and they adopt such expositions {
ct. the Bible as are exactly what he desires in orde
ca to sustain him 10 his position and to sanction hi
lie holding his tellOw-men in bondage. They emplo
his words in regard to the system so smooth that,
ter they do not actually furnish a formal defence
ck' the evil, yet will not disturb the sleep Of the slav,
ed holder, but are rather fitted to give ease to his cor
an science and to impart to him quiet slumters an
nj pleasant dreams. Meantime they make use {
Des Just such words and just such arguments in regar
rst to abolitionism as 10 be grateful in the highest d.
ra- gree to shareholders themselves. No one ca
ITS. doubt that not a few of the conductors of the n
e- llgious press in this country are constantly thu
es, expressing views which are eminently g~ratifyin
on to shareholders as such, and which are among tn
su means by which they sustain themselves in thei
Mr.. pCsIuoh anu ny whlch they justify themselves J
ere holding their teUow-men in bondage.
-" No class of men, perhaps, exert n wider inAl
o"- ence than the conductors of the press; and on n
subject is that influence more likely to be referre
'ih' to as forming the public mind than on the suhje,
of slavery. 1t is easy, therefore, to see that I'll
10 Church in this respect may have q very intima'
- connection with slavery. If the conductors of Il
bag nress-ond esnec;ailv Of the religions nress-shn
not he f,und IN sneak Of slaverv a q a s,rinturoI n no
sea manent, or a 'pStriarchaP institution, ii the
'me more frequently refer to the comparatively dan
'hst and barbarOus times when the patriarchs lived thg
itu. constant rafercnce n II "a an inst;tntion that is
eiV- the same basis as the relations Of master and n
the prentice, husband and wife, parent and child
inc their sympathy is dltoays with the master and nee