Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-07-25
Gbc Antt-5laprrp Buele.
THE SPIRIT OF THE METHODIST EPIs.
C0PAL CHURCH


the Methodist Episcopal Church, upon the coDs
tutionality of Slavery it now exists in that
Church, which is wide in its scope, earnest, and
we may add very able. 1t would afford us pleas
ure, had we room to transcribe large portions of
what is written for the satisfaction Of our readers
out limits compel us to condense, and present sim
Ply the gist of it.
~ Or. Stevens of the Christian Adrocatc, and Dr.
ui6bard, of :hc Northern Christian Adrocate, both
maintain that the discipline does not in letter M
spirit prohibit simple slavehoding. These are
the only two editorial brethren in that de no nina
sion, as far as we understand, who have taken
this ground And, indeed, as articles are quoted
approvngiy by all the other official editors, we
infer that they are in sympathy with the views of
ZiOR's Herald and the Northern Independent,
where it is maintained that constitutional
change is necessary to exclude Shareholders from
the Church
The best and ablest minds are employed in this
discussion and the antislavery spirit is rising
with strength and majesty, that If not checked,
promises important results That readers
may see what the views are, now advocated by
individuals and Conferences, we furnish them with
brief extracts, which cannot fail to secure atten-
ton.-- Wesleyan.
DIR. STEVENS.
"Every man that knows our history as n Church
knows that saveholding(not with its abom nations
as has been imputed, but qualified by the moral
code of the Church) has from the beginning exist
cd among us there has not been years excep-
tion. Historically, then we have been slavehold-
ing Church. in such sense. Every such man
equally knows the administration of the Church
under Coke, Asbury Nj Kendrec &C., has been in
accordance with this fact. Every such man equal.
ly knows that the only constitutional law in the
Church on slavery forbids the slave trade, but not
the holong OF slaves, as above and that, did it
forbid the latter, it would have been in collision
with our whole history, and the administration of
our fathers. Every such man also knows that
while one Church following the example of the
primitive Christians, has tolerated thus simple
saveholding under given circumstances, it has
been openly an anti.slavery Church, aiming ut
the amelioration and extirpation of slavery by
evangelical means These are sheer matters of
fact. What man in his can deny them
And vet, because We have sad that in this man.
ner I'VE have been historically, constitutionally,
and Enthusiastically Stdreholding, though an
dnti-stdpery Church." Needles utraists have ceas-
ed not to cry out against the phrase, and for
using 1t, with pulmonic powor that might benefit
old Boreas himself But this is not the worst of
the case; they take good care to omit all the es
sental qualifications of our language,ev the small
but decisive one above given Everybody knows
that to quote simply the phrase, Tho Methodist
Church is historically constitationally, admins
tratively slaveholding," would be downright
outrage against the truth-because thus unquali-
fed it would convey to the popular mind the idea
that the Church was devoted to slavery without
qualiication,to slavery with it's incidents and evils
Such an unqualified quotation would be what Col
eridge called "the worst kind of lie-that which
includes q portion of the truth"
- DIR. HIBBARD.
''The present General Rule of Discipline Sla-
very is prohibtory and reads thus: "Ihe buy
ing and selling Of men acomen, and chldren,'eH an
intention TO ensiave Mem." The change proposed
at the last General Conference, in the majoritory
report of the Committee Slavery reads thus
"The buying selling or holding a human being as
property"
Many contend that the spirit and intent of the
law as it now stands in prohibitive OF all slave
holding and arguments to this effect. deserving
serious consideration, have been advanced and
urged by Dr. Dempster, DIR. Bowen, and others.
But we need Rule direct and unambiguous in its
language, expressing and embodying the prohibi-
bitve sentiment which pervades the body of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. The present Rule
is imperfect. We will not now stop to argue up
its history and the original intent of the trainers
Of it; but is clear enough that it tldefecve, and
is the cause of much dispute as to the extent Of
its application. 1t is prohibition laid upon buy
ing and selling" with intention to enslave, but
not prohibition of holding slaves that are nher-
tied, received by gift dover, or born upon the
plantation. However, therefore, the language
may be construed as prohibiting the holding of
slaves bought it is ineontestible that the inherit
ed, the donated, and the home-born slave IS not
reached by the words Of the law.
- DR.. HAvENs.
Is ;sstrsry protected by the cOns'ituti0" Of our
we condense into the fewest possible words few
remarks upon DR.. Stevens last article, simply
stating that in New England it is now the settled
belief that slaveholding is not protected by the
Constitution and that our object is only to de fend
the truth. The question at the head of the artc-
le we answer in the negative, and for it are
charged with we know not how many ohenses
nevertheless it is true and though we shall not,
in the classical language Of the Advocate, sire
away !" and fume away p' we shall defend the
Church against the bitter attacks Of its foes, who
now base their enginery upon the statements of
DIR. Stevens Want of room only prevents us
from quoting these attacks.
He asserts in this question, if it has any mean
ing that slavery has been expressly tolerated with
given qualifications (!) from the very beginning"
Now this, in a constitutional sense We point blank
deny. We deny that the General rule 'tolerates"
slavery of any kind. We assert in this argu-
ment, that the General Rule does not mention
burning polygamy. We assert that it does
an principle condemn slaveholding, because no
man of common conscience can see any difference
in the guilt of holding slave for life, AMI in
selling slave to be held by another for life
And assert. finally, that if the church has tol-
ated' slavery" it has done it-not compelled TO
do II by the General Rule, but either careessly, or
by the suferance of the General Conference; and
that now being enlightened, that same General
Conference ought to do so no more. But positive
ly we will not waste ink in so transparent fact.-
We appeal to the church and posterity. The
great battle which is to decide for freedom sla-
very lie near The church must take the right
ground, or so far as it ceases to do SO it becomes
not the church of Christ but an organized defend
er of sin.
We have never used the word "mercenary" to
qualify evil slavery in opposition to justiiia-
able slavery We do not believe in iustitiable sla
very, any more than in justiiable stealing or jus
tfable murder. We have carefully avoided the
use of such an india rubber term There is not
one STAKEHOLDER in a hundred that will allow him
self 10 be megcenary and some Of the very yiles