Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-11-20
SLAVERY AMONG THE METHoDIsTs I'M
MISSOURI

Some OF the a~polo1isss for slavery In the Metbo,
visit Episcopal Church having ondeavored to make
1t appear that Methodist slayeho,djng in Missouri
wac quite a different thinp-s m execution IN hi,
aoomina0le system as elsewhere practcied, the
editors Of the Northern Indeprnjspt have been
using their best endeavors 10 ascertain how and in
what particulars its peculiar excrllepcs mid human.
ity consists. For this purpose. Rev. Mr Ms,,;.
son, q corresponding editor of thu Indnen ae,t
and q minister in full and regular standing in tn,
NJ. +. Church, addressed a letter to Rev. n, @. Al.
water of the Providence conference for ;nforma.
ton, MS Mr.. 4. had enjoyed special opportunities
for acquiring it. In reply, MIR Matiisoh received
the following letter which appears in the last nom.
Der Of the Independent. 1t exhibits the real char,
acter of what claims to be the 'anti.slayery church,
Of Missouri.
"SouTH MANCHESTER, Connecticut, Z
October 6, 1858. J
DEAR BROTHER NJ: I am the person you re-.
Ter to in your note of inquiry. n y
Ever since the formation of those missionary Bor-
der Conferences in slave territory, our Conferences
has been assured by those managing the Mission,
airy money in New York, that it was for our high.
est interest, as anti-slavery men, to keep those mis-.
siOnaries there that they were laboring most eff
GENTLY for the overthrow Of slavery, &c.
"knowing that those Conferences were establish
ed by the pro-slayery party in the Church, to-
strengthen their interest, and that the men laboring
there had been taken for strong, not to say rabid
pro'slaSery Conferences, l had reason to doubt
whether they were doing efficient service in the
anti'slavery cause.
IL therefore gave six mon this Of time and money
to the examination of the Border work, and the
region beyond, Travelling in Missouri, Arkansas
Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, as we'll as in
the States bordering on the Me xican Gulf-so that
| can probably say, without egotism, that I am
better posted with facts in regard to the number of
slaves held in the Border Conferences, rs a whole
and of the strength of the slaveholding spirit
among preachers and people there, than any other
person in the Church North.
"Among many things learned in that examine.
ton, the following facts ,cere fully demonstrated -:
First, That the Methodist Episcopal Church
North, in the slaveholding States, and in tho mis-
sion Conferences referred to. both as to ministers
and members. were as strongly pro-slarery as the M.
Episcopal Church South. Both, with equal sensi.
tiveness, repudiated the idea of being abolitioni...
or of having any sympathy with an abolition
Church, or Of desiring to have the slaves enjoy
Liberty.
Secondly, The fact of owning slaves, of living
on tie toll of unrequited labor, lie not the slightest
bar to membership in any Of our mission Church.
es.
Thirdly, That it is a great and uncalled.for
waste of missionary money to keep men in those
Mission or Border Conference s, preaching an emas,
culated Gospel, silent upon one of the greatest sins
upon which the sun shines building up p~ro-slavs.
ry Churches to head off the spirit OF anti,sIatert,
which has become so strong that il threatens to
give this monster sin no longer q baptized place in
the Church. The heather are calling in vain for
the word Of God, while thousands Of money are
turned aside to cherish and make strong the pro-
slavery interest in the Church.
"Fourthly, should a census be taken by our
Church of the number of slaves held by her men,
bers. las there ought to be, and which eouli be-
be done with little trouble it would greatly aston
ish those who, wi,hout having examined this sub
ject personally, honestly believe that the instances
of slaveholding are very rare among our members.
"Sympathizing with you in behalf Of the OPP
pressed, and earnestly desiring that our sscred
missionary money may no longer be turned aside
from promrlgstiug a free Gospel to mid one that
is bound, and offers chains to the colored mani
SANNi NNihui 1Odicb
A. G. ATWATERy"
A TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION IN IMAGiNArfoM-Ths
National Era says that the friends of Mr.. Douglas
propose to give him n %triumphal reception on his
arrival in Washington. 1t gives it's anticipated.
programme of the brilliant affair rs follows:
"Tho friends Of Mr., Douglas propose to give him
a t%riumphal reception on his return to the Capi.
tai, which shall eclipse "all Greek and Roman.
fame" The day will be one of humiliation, fas.
ting, and pray er, to the Administration and the,
whole L~ccomp.on swindle party and it will DO in-
teresting to see the Southern Democratic delegar
ton hasten in a body to make their peace with, the.
victorious champion of Popular Sovereignty, and
receive his forgiveness. lie branded their favorito
measure as the "Lccompton fraud and swindle,"
and he comes back to Washington to receive their.
applause and the pledge of their ~sufrages in 1867
The day of Pentecost was not a circumstance ia.
the scene of humiliation and repentance which
our eyes are to witness when the representatives
of a whole people take upon themselves sackcloth
and ashes for their sins. On that day we shall
see the naughty and imperious Davis lower his
crest. tae irascible Toombs and the malevolent
Clay will 'rosr you as gently as any sucking.
dove" the trenchant Stephens will become oily
topged, and the fre-devouring disunionist, Keitg
will sit at the feet of the conqueror. and imbibe
the new gospel of Popular Sovereignty with the
docility Of a true penitent.
"B ut where shall the President and Cabinet an.
pear in that day Of triumph for their cOnqueror :
Shall they follow in chains the chariot wheels Of
the victor, like tho captive kings of oldf II will
be a melancholy spoctacle--the venerable whitei
haired President, and the no less venerable brown
winged Secretary of State, ,~rudging through the,
mud or dust of the Capital. followed by the ro-
tund head of the Treasury follows with the lean
and caeaverous commander of the Navy-but We
will pursue the gloomy picture no further"