Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-10

heart of the enemies country. Much regret was
expressed at the inability Of the church to raise
funds sufficient to l~iquidate this debt. and TO send
new Missionaries into the field who are now ready
to devote themselves to the work. An estimate
o. made by one Of the deaccns, as to the amount
necessary to be raised by each individual member
of the church in America, in order to pay this
debt. BY the aid Of his mental Arithmetic he
came to tho conclusion that the trifing sum Ct
tcenty free cents to each person was all that was
required, and in a very melancholy tone EXPRESSED
his regret that this could not be raised
While this conversation was going on he was idly
twirling n tobacco box in his hands and rolling n
quid of the vile weed as a swest morscl under
his tongue
Tobacco and the Gospel Very probably the
amount Of this worse than useless drug, consumed
by members, of the church in one year would
pay that debt and leave n handsome surplus in
the treasury of the Lord. To me it looked simply
ludicrous, the solemn gravity with which the
statement was made, and l feel half inclined to
enter a protest against its candor and sincerity,
when / reflect unon the momentous importance OF
the object, and see the tenacity with which poo.
pie cling to n bad habit. Probably it never enter
ed into his calculations that he could pay that trin.
ing sum many times over, simply by discarding
tobacco and applying the amount wasted for the
pernicious article, to the missionary cause. How
inconsistent to mourn over perishing heather who
are furnishing for the bread of Life, and make no
effort to save them.
This triAing circumstance led TO n train Of
painful thought and nv own thoughts became as
C1oo,,u M tIrso ~ ,rb;,b hoI loon letop;,r
We look over the world and see the mass of man
kind bound in adamantine chains Of error, hug,
ging the letters that bind them and feeling no de-
sire to be free. We look within our own hearts
and feel the links of the same chain resisting our
efforts to attain freedom of thought and action,
and struggle to lift ourselves and others from the
pit into which we have fallen. And some times
we feel that our struggles are vain, and almost
despair Of the good time coming" The world
is cropping in darkness, and i1quiring minds are
saying what is truth" anxious to embrace it
in the love of it. Teachers of the law and ex-
FOUNDERS of the gospel, differ in their answers to
this question and we sometimes turn from their
teaching with sad hearts, feeling how great is the
moral darkness which envelops the so called chris
tian world, as well as the dark pail which shrouds
the heather in its midnight folds. Yet if people
are sincere when they tell us that all light ema-
mates from the church, they should keep her lamp
trimmed and burning, and use every effort to send
the brightness Of her rays into the surrounding
darkness. This leads to another item OF the afOre-
mentioned discussion.
In speaking Of tho prospects of success they
we're rejoicing over the change of governmental al
fairs in Ava, a point long closed to missionary
operations, but which has recently passed
under British rule consequently II great and effec-
tual door has been opened to their labors. One
remarked that the Lord WAS working in India
and man should work where He worked, thnt his
hand seems to be Withdrawn aud their labors un-
blest ut home Sympathy for the heather seemed
all expended upon those in foreign climes but for
the TIRES millions in our own land which the gov
eminent of this nation has closed tho door against,
| heard not a word, even though the worthy pas
TOR was evidently allied by the ties of race to the
class. l oljectnot to sending the gospel
to distant lands, to working where there is an open
field and letting the light Of a true Christianity
blaze, throu III every open door but in the name Of
consistency, let us not deprive our own native born
people Of its light. Talk not of the Lords open
ing Il door for the gospel to enter, while we rs .
nation, are shutting up three millions Of people in
heathenish darkness, denying them the dearest
rights OF humanity, and doing this in the name Of
religion andlmcraIity and, strange inconsistency, of
the present evil times, calling the whole system n
missionary operation and calling God and the BIZ
bic to prove its justice.
How inconsistent to spend thousands Of dollars
YEARLY in sending the rospel to heathen lands
rhile the heather Mt our doors are utterly neglect
ed, and pc. mitted to perish for the bread Of life,
beneath the very 'droppings of the sanctuary
while the door is closed against them by the
laws Of our country, which make it a crime TO
teach them to read. Consistency thou art a
jewel"
AsHTABULA, County Ohio.