Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-05-16


, cie0t Saviour and common Head.
The Evangelical Christians of Geneva fra
quent!y return thanks to God for having in h
days of Calvin, lighted that torch in their city
whose salutary light has spread throughout El
rope, and reached your lar distant shores -
They also give thanks IL the Lord. that ia thes,
lattor days, when the wrrd Of truth is penetrut
ing intu all uatious uf the earth lie has place
q powerful fIcus in North America ard sen
the children Of G ID from y"'Ir churches both t,
enlighten the ancient countries ct the East
where tho Apostles themselves preached the Cos
pei and To I'M. mnuy suuls out of hea;hen dark
ness to the Llrd and saviour The wuik Of prop
agating ChristnnIty in all the world, is, in oul
opinion. dear brethren, the principal yocntio
which has been allotted to you from on high
Thus ervthing whcb can strengthen the hands
Of American Christians is. we think an advan.
tage 10 the Whole world Whilst anything whicL
would weiken them IL real loss n matter Of aref
not 20 you al0ne, hut to US, aud To all mankind.
Now, dear brethren, we desire to express To
you Thought which utcn presses itself upon
our Hearts. We fear that the laws which cstab.
lish and regulate Slavery ia several &c vour states
are sdurce ut weakness. not only in yaur own
jear country, but to her legitimate iunuerce over
Other nations. We know that there are Chris
sians in the Unitel States who possess slaves, and
we would not offend them. I'll NOR all men, ="
Gays the Scripture, Il Peter ii. H. ana above ALL
we wish ~ do 50 TO them that nave obtained u
like precious faith with nS"-t2 Peter /. l. -
We would assure them come not to speak wdl
them enemies but as brethren. We do not
claim the right Of imposing our opinion with au-
thority upon them--lhe Pore Of Rome alone be.
lieves that he has that pnwcr-nnd we d. not
doubt that these among you who differ from Ms
on this sui j"ct, are sincere aud upright in their
opinions. However. if We would speak in love
we must also 10 so in truth and with that prrciou S
liberty which belongs To- Christians. We know.
moreover. that the city Of Calvin is an object Of
deep and brotherly sympathy in America. Your
citizens WIN visit are continually giving IT,
fresh pr0Ufs of this aud this cir unSance rxciteS
hope that request will find some favor in
your eyes But We repeat we d. not pretend To
teach you but to give you cordial token of onr
brothcrly 1--we. .r.....r r'r...
Beloved brethren, if it is true. nat only that
Slavery is established in several al your states
but thar in many places, it is unlawful to instruct
the children of slaves, even c,r the parents tn
attend public worship; if it is that the ties pi
husband and wife, parent aud chid are often vi,
lentIy severed ifit j. truc tn tster aGqIireS
the pronertv ahl o p,S1s1Slon ur wbm II rs IT she
were his own vile il other tacts, which PIE.
fer. not ~ escrIiIe here, are true we ask cur
selves, and We would also ak you il such laws
are compatible with the eternal principles of
CbristIaiiitv, which we all are hnund Ia nhey
We might Doubtless bring forward other nrgu-
ments-We might remind yon that slavery Is
contrary to natural iSh,-, nnd that all rlta hav
ing freedom alike, ciinnDt be deprived of that
liberty unless forfeited 10y sone criminal act :;
that the rights 1T pr, p, rty IN men and III things
ara widely dilferent aud that no man Is allowed
10 sell IL human being rs he wuull II maternal oh.
iect. We might say, With Montes Iuieu, tant ;in
very il hirtful aliE 10 lr slave nn'l the master,
to the master especially. hernuse lie acquires ali
sorts of vices viii. his slaves. lie bee iulcS ali
proud hnsty. YaSsionhte, hard v0lup;i"u1 cruet
We might add, with that iI.ustrionS author. that
in every cuuutry, huweNer severe the toll which
euuiety sexacts. the results may he obtained
from ireemeu, by encuura6 6lnG them Wiih rewards
and privileges adapting tue labor to their strength
by bringing To their AID machinery which art IN
vents, aud which. we might add. art has invented
sbondantIy sine the days of that great writer. -
But We prefer waving such material 0n>iierit
tions, and dwelling up IN eur nrSumHnt IN II Chris
,ian point Of view We acknowledge. dear brrh.
rem slavery is not explicitly abolished in the New
Testament. we thai Christian members are nn'
prohibitcd irum htyiuS slaves al. ~ |; Eph. Vi.
9 ) and that slaves are eShnried 10 submission
and fidelity, (Eph. 81. s. s Ci. ill., 22, 25 Titus
iiis 9, 10 Il Peter ii s, Il Yes, slaves ought t"
be ohedent und faithful, and nothing should lie
said which gould drive them to revolt that is Ger
tain and yet it is as certain that elavery Is op'
posed TO the true spirit of Christianity.
There are many iexts in the New Testament
which, make this plain Does ,ot St. Paul say to
the Christian slave that il he gain Ills treedom
he is to take advantage Of it? Il Cor. ii u J.
1.-THE Apostle thus demonstrates that liberty Is not
only good, but also IN dvantngeGus than sla-
very" says Calvin. Is it not also evident that
slaves who have become Chr stians. should he re-
gardel by their masters as biciaTen, according IL
the Epistle of Philemun? Does MT the same
Apostle in another place, say that before the
Lord in heaven the Stare is US The titeg (Fph vi.
9) Do'uot the Scriptures elsewhere declare that
the slave AMI the free share in the same blessings
of God in Christ Jesus. the Father. Son. and lIO-
To- q ID llp, spb FIR Is He unT
the true and living God of the black well as of
Ihe white man? lf the Eternal Son, who is God
for ever aud ever, he anne man. was it not for the
Greek wella the Jew, for rhe slaves as well as
the free? Does not the righteousness which was
acquired On the cross BY TIE atoning blood of the
the Lamb. cover the sins Of the one well rs Of
the other? Does the ilolv Spirit, which changes
the hearfa Of al in whom he iwes into temples Of
the Hhya Ghost, make any distinction of color ?
Ought We not TO exclaim now with the primitive
Cbrjslians BY one spirit are we all blptlzel INTO
one bsds. 2hether we &c bond or Tree Z Cor.
xii, l3. "rbere is ncither bono or 'ree; nn.
Christ il all cand in ALL" (Coi. ill., II Such
being the TEACHING Of the Scriptures. d" y1u not
thnk with US, beloved brethre1 that these prlnri-
pies suppress the spirit at slavery ana only
leave is name AMI Appearance D. you not be-
iiese that since God our Common Father bestowS
the tender sympathes Of his love equally upon
the slave and the free. we their brethren cannot
refuse the precious boon Of Liberty, 70 those whO
are deprived Of :t2 3 If Christ has made them free
shall not ,oe free them also? Christianity IN gen
erai did not lay viulent or imnrudent hands on
civil institntons but spread its principles every
where and gave precepts % all men, the applica-
zion Of which was gradually to bring about the
suppression Of all abuses.
These considerations are important; but so re-
peat what particularly induced US to make l APP
peal to your cunseiencesis lhe sHsem ol lSws,man'
ifestls, opposed to ihe preiepts Of Chrisahty,w
which several Of your states have been Obliged to
burden their legislation, in order to maintain Sla
verv in the midst Of you. 1t is not needful to
epumeratcl these laws;- we know them from Off
cial documents published in Europe, and which
havs caused both astonishment and grief to the
friends Of religion, morality, and liberty. We are
aun-.. th..n lIws ID mt aHist In nnnl mnny nt