Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-04-04
THE SPIRIT OF ABoLIT1oNIsM. :"

The st. Louis Presbyterian commenting on the
resolution OF the Home Missionary Society, "that
IN the disbursement of the funds committed to
their trust, the ommitte will not grant aid to
churches containing slavc-holding members, un-
less evidence be furnished that the relation is such
n, in the judgment of tie Committee, is iustifa.
Die, for the time being, in the the peculiar circum-
stances in which it exists" remarks:
e see in the resolution the true spirit of Alb
olitionism. The Bible is no rule of faith and
practice for 1T: advocates and the good of slaves
is no part of its aim. All admit that the APOSTLES
Iof Christ preached without hesitation to Just such
churches as the ommitte refuse to send the Cos
uel TO and all admit, that the very be.. way Of
sIneliorating the condition Of slaves. and Of secur.
ing their freedom, is to preach the Gospel both to
masters and slaves. If Abolitionism could pre-
vail generally, amongst ministers, the GOSPEL
would be wholly removed from the slsyeholding
States and the condition of the slaves would be-.
come unspesksbly worse than it has ever BEEN
Practically there are no enemies to the slaves
whom they have 30 much reason to dread, as the
the men who would take from them the light and
hopes OF the Gospel, and leave them in the hands
OF men wholly destitute Of it's benefcient inhu-
ence."
1t would be hard to express more untruths in rs
many words. There are five sentences in the
above extract, and there are five distinct falsehoods
The second sentence contains two The Bible
Is no rule for lite advocates, and the good of slaves
IS no part OF its AIM" The Bible is the rule of
the class of AbIlitionists referred to, and the good
of slaves is a main part of their aim. The decla.
ration that ''all admit that the Apostles preached
without hesitation to just such churches as the
Committee refuse to aid" is a stupendous false
hood. "All admit" no such thing. There is not
one Jot or title of evidence to show that they did,
bat a mass of overwhelming evidence to prove they
did not. Tie declaration that if Abolitionism
could prevail the Gospel would be taken from the
Slave States, is utt,rly false, and DR.. Rice krows
it. He has lived in Kentucky and knows that the
Abolitionists have been preaching the Gospel there
amid persecution and reproach, FOR years. lie
knows moreover, that they have tried earnestly to
to introduce the Gospel into North Carolina and
other slaveholding States, and that they have en-
dured all manner of persecution in the effort.
All that the christian anti slavery men of this
country have opposed in this matter is the preach
ing to slaves and masters of that false and souri,
Gus Gospel which teaches that the Bible sanctions
Slavery. They regard such preaching as a libel
on christianity, and an unmitigated curse to mas.
ter and slave. But they have done what they
could to send the pure Gospel of Jesus to the
South. The work to which Christ declares he was
especially anointed was 'to preach the Gosp ell to
the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to preach de.
liverance to the c%aptives, and to set at liberty them
that are bruised" This true and loving Gospel
the Abolitionists would preach all over the South
were it not that infdels. like DR.. Rice, in the
church, and rutians in the world. combine to drive
their missionaries away.-Ffee Presbyterian.