Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-05-28

isty US. we cheertuliy wait the opening vt the
l"door which no man cgn shntW
II. Z. PECK, DAVID L. TArsoN,
RALPH PLUME, WILSON b. EVANS,
CHAs, IL LANesToN, Henry EVANS,
I A. W. LYMAN, RICHARD WINDSOR,
j. II. Scorr, W. E. LINCOLN,
JAMES bartlett, j, NJ. FiTcu,
JOHN WATSON.
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From tbs Northern independent.
SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN METH0-
DISM.
! The Christian Adrocate and Journal now end
then exhibits its intense opposition to slavery, by
denouncing the Church South for its completely
With the great evil". That southern Me;hodism
has broken away from all the restraints which TIE
Church had imposed on the vanous system of
slave buying aud selling, DR., Stevens is bold to af
frm The Official organs Of the Church Sohth DO
not of course, pretend to DEFY the truthfnness of
of these charges. They glory in their Shame J;
they are 5ol1 and undertaking in their prosiavery
avowas they even endorse the institution as right
and scriptural. But trey reply 20 the assaults
from Ihe Church North, as unconverted sinners
often respond to the earnest appeals of Christi
evsugelists, saying in substance, 1--WE are as sooe
as you are; ; these rebukes cCtne with an i'll grace
from those who practice the same things; FIRST,
purge yourself from corruption. and then will
respect if we do net heed yoar godly admSni-
tions". Thus the Na.hshls Adeocate replies to
late article of DR.. Stevens Oh the POSITION of Soath
ren Mcthodism, and asks respecting Northern
Methodists,
"What is their practice If you allow prost.tu-
ton, or any other sn in your border Conferences,
why not in all Of them? if in laymeh, why not in
ministers and Bishops? Moral questions are not
regulated by latitude Why this respect of per-
sons What spotted, parti colored, and striped
code is this-what sort of ethics /"
The Doctor responds that there is no logic in this
whate yer, only mere show Of plausiblty. But
it appears to us that the objection is we'll taken,
and that the Inconsistency Of the M. +. Church is
clearly shown. This, to be sure, furnishes no just
ifica,on for the Church South, but it is reason
. why we should lay our mouths in the dust, ant
cry "unclean". The facts which are revealed b.
f our own record are humiliating and painful ant
it does not become us to lecture even the Church
South for its proslavery. Have they slavehold
ing la ty? So have we. Have they slavehodpg
class-leaders, and stewards and local preachers
So have we. Have they slaveholdipg ministry ?
So, alas, have we. We have not, as they have, Il
slaveholdiug episcopacy, but God only knows how
long we shall be spared even this infamy. So
far a6 .ho actual facts are concerned, are in
voved in the sin of slaveholding as truly, though
not as a,owedly, and extensively, as is the
Church South. But then we testify against the
great evil" which southern Methodsm has
nIoll E
fetal membership whore the laws of the state
will admit of emancipation and permit the liber
ated slave to enjoy Freedom" and REQUIRE fraDel-
iry preachers to eciancipate their slaves conform
ably to the laws Of the state in which they live, f
it be practicable " and these restraints the Church
south has thrown off and we prohibit the buying
and sell ng Of men. Women, nd children, with an
intention to enslave .hem," while the Bishops and
pastors of the southern Methodist Church haze, rs
DR.. Stevens affrms, plunged generally into the
evil" and town human beings without scruple",
7 Does this record furnish occasion for boast
ling? We have slavery in our "border" Confer
erces then as the NaShrile AdrOcate periinently :
inquiries, "wby not in all of them~ We suffer
laymen to hold slaves then "why not ministers and
Bishops?" What is the difference in principle p
AS u question VI ~ CdunpS W sSt5"'os""
by latitude" nor by position in the Church
What spotted, parti-eolored, and striped code is
this-what sort Of ethics ?"
DR.. Stevens defence is as follows:
"Northern Me.hodism, while it proposes to'e1tir-
pate slavery, makes allowance as the apostles did,
for the difficulties which bsss. the evil; it does not
sanction it, but tolerates it under given crcum-
stances, that it may the more efectnally work its
ameli6rstion and ultimate extinction. 1t mean
while rss,rains it in the Church, By regulations
which are designed to do away i.s worst features,
if not to nufy its essential principle slavery.
This is the position of the Methods. Church, and
it is wise and scriptural."
1t shows tact and strewdness in Dr. Stevens to
bring. in the "apostss," and throw part Of this
0dum upon thsir broad, consecratcd shoulders
They are dead. aud cannot speak for themselves
but we WI nder sometimes that they de not rise
from their graves, and shake their indignant bones
in the faces of these prosla.srJ Doctors Of DVini-
J ty, who So insult their blessed memories! As il
the apostles of our Lord could have tolerated"
such mercenary, God-de!ying system OF oppres-
sion as Ar,ercan nsavery-"thoVifest', according
John Wesley, "ihat ever saw the sun. As 1t the
prmit councils of the Church prohibited in Bish
ops, lnnisters;and official membersthat which they
allowed laymen to practice with impunty. 1t is
such perversions Of history and scripture as these
such outrages upon humanity and common sense
coming from those who occupy distinguished
positions in the Church, and brought forward to
sustain Complicated vilany," which subjects
our Christianity TO an ineffacable reproach, and
fosters ipfdelity in all our borders.
But the great ofhciap' makes distinction be-
tween toera,ing and sanctionng slavery-a dis
nction which. we apprehend,is. in this case with
out difference. Does not Church which tolcr-
atcs sinful relation, if you please, "undcr given
circumstances" sanction the wrong in view Of