Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-08
REroRT OF TIRE COMMITTEE ON SLAVERY.
The Committee on slnyern report, ,he follouin

The Committee on Slavery reports the following:
The Church of Christ, as q witnessing society,
owes it to her Head, as well as to herself, to the
nation and to the oppressed millions in this land,
to utter a plain, earnest and uncom promising
testimony against slavery. AS representatives,
OF the Church in this land, we recognize our
selves as un Ter the highest obligations to
bear this testimony now, not only because we
alone of all the religious denominations in the
United States, have occupied, and do occupy, tie
only true anti slavery position, viz, No union 10Th
Shareholders, IN either Church or State, but because
that, during tho past year, slavery has been on the
increase, and the Slave Power has made giant
strides of usurpation in both Churches and the
Commonwealth. The voice of God. commanding
us to open our mouths for the dumb; the tears and
blood of the suffering slave the prayers of the
millions who, from their prison-bouse, appeal to us
for compassion and help and the command of our
R~edeemer, who came "to proclaim liberty to the
c%aptives," all call loudly upon us to renew our ties.
timony against the iniquitous system, and never to
tire in our efforts until liberty is proclaimed
throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants there
Of. Therefore,
Resolved, l. That American slavery is an evil
SO enormous, o sin so heinous, and an outrage
against God and humanity 50 Infamous, that its
proper condemnation cannot be characterized in
words.
2. Tha. Christianity, the Bible, and the gospel
of Christ, are in deadly hostility against slavery ;
and every attempt on the part of professed Christ
ians to prove that it is iustiiable, or has any
sanction in the word of God, not only tends power
fully to lead to inidelity, but is a gross outrage
against our holy religion, and an insult to the God
of Heaven.
8. That since slavery is the 'sum of all william.
ies'and one fthe most heinous sins against God and
man we hereby, as heretofore bear testimony against
all those religious denominations which fellowship
Shareholders, as, at least in their position on Slave
ry, at war with Christ and his pure gospel and.
30 long as the large and popular denominations
continue to fellowship man stealers, and to honor
the advocates Of slavery, we cannot hope that pure
raliOion and undphlpd prpvail nr that tha nal
ton can be rescued from impending judgements,
or speedily approaching destruction.
That no Church is anti-slavery which admits
Shareholders or the advocates of slavery to her
communion table; which admits pro-slavery minis
ters to her pulpits;nor is any Church truly aud con-
sistently anti-savery, hoaever earnest her profess
sions, which allows her members to vote for slave
holders, or for those who swear to support or en-
force pro.siavery constitutions and avs.
s.. That all those reformatOry associations, how
ever much good they may have done, such as the
American Tract Society and the American Sunday
School Union, which not only have refused to bear
a testimony against American slavery, and which
have expurgated anti-slavery matter from books
republished, but which elect them or their abettors
to Office in those societies, are thus a%rraigned on
the side of oppression, and against the slave, and
hence do not merit our voluntary support or coop
GRAFTON.
G.. That since the Constitution Of the United
States was framed and adopted in unholy compro-
misses with slavery and at the sacrifice of the rights
Of the slave-and since the Union of the States OF
which the constitution is the bond, continues the
humiliation of the liberty Of millions, to whose
rights that Constitution and Union are the greatest
foes-we regard all who are parties to that Union,
or supporters of the Constitution and Government
however anti. slavery their sentiments or honest
their purposes, as virtually sustaining the iniquit-
Gus system of slavery.-
Z. That the late decision of the United States
Supreme Court, by which Northern States may be
desecrated by the presence of masters and slaves,
ond hu which IL "a dacla rod that No nne nf A fri
can descent is a citizen of the United States Gov
eminent, or can be entitled to the privileges OF a
citizen, and that the negro has no rights which the
white man is bound to respect, is not only infa
mousiy wicked beyond parallel, but is in accord
ance with the pro-slavery compromises of the Con
stitution, and the leading features of the Govern
ment, and is another among many evidences tina
if we would identify with that Government, which
with few exceptions, from the beginning, has acted
in accordance with the spirit of this decision, VT
would be false to both God and humanity. Ga the
contrary, we are resolved that in this warfare nov
going on between liberty and oppression, remem
bering them that are in bonds as bound with then
we will identity the interests of the slave with oul
own, and utterly refuse to strike hands with the
oppressor by swearing oaths OF allegiance. hold
ing office, or exercising the elective franchise un
der the General or State Government.
8. That since slavery is q violation of the whole
moral law, directly antagonistical to the gospel o
Jesus, and in deadly hostility to the kingdom o
Christ, SO far is it from being a dissertation OF .h'
Sabbath, or beneath the dignity of the pulpit, t.
preach against this sin and declare the whole anti
slavery gospel it is, on the other hand, the i'm
perative duty of the minister of Christ to pra.
much in public for the slave, and to lift up hi
voice like a trumpet in testimony against the damn
ing sin and curse of American slavery, whetbe
found in Church or State. Moreover, that profess
ed servant of Christ who, through fear of man
from want of compassion for the slave, or fror
whatever similar cause, does not in season and on
of season, in public and in private, plead tie caus
nf tha hapirbta1 md ans1ovo1 rnilliopo ia raaraa n
to his trust and unworthy of the ramo OF an EN-
bassador of the compassionate Jesus.
9. We are cheered by the fact that on thi
great question there is such a growing agitation a
well as rapid progress in the right direction. Thi
is evinced, in part, by the number of pulpits ant
presses once silent on this subject, but which nov
speaks out boldly in behalf of the slave. Nor ar
Abe indications few that the God of Sabaoth !
about TO arise and aveuge the wrongs done to tn
oppressed; and Notwithstanding the alarming
usurpations of the Slave Power, we see indication
that the overthrow of slavery is near at hand
For all these we would thank God and take coul
age.
10. That there is an urgent call for more effol
to publish and circulate books tracts and paper
maintaining our distinctive principle connecte
with this and other questions; and we believe tn
time has fully come when the Church needs and
able to maintain a weekly newspaper testifying
the whole anti-slavery truth. u"ncOntaminated b
any OF the prevailing errors, and containing sue
matter and general Intelligence as the interests
our families demand.
IL. That the great work to which we as an ant
slavery Church, arc called is not the repeal of tn
Fugitive Slave law not to limit the area of slave
ry not to prevent the admission of new slav
States not TO put the control of the Government
into the hands of Northern men but to rectif
public opinion, and especially the public religion
sentiment of the land to secure the emancipation
Of every slave. and the establishment of a right
eous and s%cripturas government, the great object
whose constitution, laws and administrator sha
4. Al - e al - H. Io.s tauoak1 IS al
Church. and the greatest good of all the people.
II. Assured Of the correctness and practicable
ty of our position, as disconnected with all associ
tons, civil or ecclesiastical, which give voluntal
- II ulnua.n -nAd nlnonn u Il