Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-06-25
From Frederick Douglass Paper.
MODERN

We have often, during the months and years
which have passed since what is termed Spiritual
ism made it's appearance in our country, been con-
graduated by some of it's advocates upon the spec
dy and certain triumph Of truth and righteousness
in consequence Of, and through the influence oil n
faith in this new "philosophical religion'-a re-
ligion, say its disciples, far superior to that
taught by tho Hebrew writers of the Old Testa-
ment, and equal to tho highest teachings of Jesus
of Nnsareth ; made certain and demonstrated by
manifestations too conclusive and convincing to
admit Of even a doubt" To all this we have lis
toned respectfully and patiently we have been
willicg to hear its philosophy explained to see the
peculiar exhibition of it's varied manifestations
and though we may have failed to see it's peculiar
beauties, and have been entirely blind to it's su-
premacy over the religion CT the New Testament,
We have been willing to accord moral honesty to
very many of those who accept it as the living
word OF life, Tue rules laid down by Jesus and
Paul eighteen hundred years ago, by which to
Judge Of men and spirits, We have endeavored to
keep in living remembrance, and faithfully to ap-
ply them in all times and places. by their fruits
ye shall know Them" believe not every spirit, but
ny them whether they be Of God, " are rules which
may be safely trusted, and by these tests we feel
safe in trying Spiritualism as we would try
Methodism. Presbyterianism, Quakerism, and all
isms claiming to be- religion.
Do we find the fruits of Spiritualism to be "the
doing unto others as we would have others do un-
to us" "tbe undoing of heavy burdens and letting
the oppressed 60 free" 'the breaking of every
yoke" 'the caring for the widow and the father
less"-aye, the widow made such, not by the hand
Of death, which we are wont to adjective as cruel
and remorseless, but by the hand Of man, strength
ened and made powerful by statute enactments +?
IL death cruel when it takes away from the child
OF tender years the mother whose care is so much
needed, and whose love is so precious and divine
a gift, that it is impossible to counterfeit, or very
nearly to initiate it? Is death remorseless when
in a moment, without expectation or preparation,
he snatches from the loved and cherished wife the
husband of her hearts warm devotion q? Shall
we in such cases call him the King Of Terrors 7
Where, then, thall we look for words which shall
express the helpless desolation, the deep and long
continued agony of the wife widowed by slavery,
not even respected in this so deeply bitter a wild
owhood, but forced, perhaps, in the very morning
hour OF her bereavement, to wed with brutal and
disguised lust
Are Spiritualists, as Spiritualists, more active
in the work of Abolition than are Methodists and
other sects Do they as o body put humanity be-
fore theory, and practice practical righteousness.
thereby giving us a reason for preferring above
other theories of religion, theirs?
These thoughts and queries were suggested by
some remarks upon this subject to which we lis
tened, during the recent session of the Waterloo
meeting of the Friends of Human Progress. This
meeting was certainly one long to be remembered.
on very many accounts, and which we are sure
must be productive of great good. Secsnrianism,
with all its narrow selfshness, was presented and
ably discussed. The wickedness and folly OF vol
untary slavery to alcoholic drinks and filthy drugs
the necessity of a better education. physical, men
tai and moral, for our children, all these subjects
found a place on that broad platform of the
Friends of Human Progress. Equal Rights for
both sexes found able advocates, and Spiritualism,
in its modern sense, as we'll as its more ancient,
was perfectly in order. And we rejoioed in these
discussions, and in most Of them We felt our place
to be on the affirmative side, heart and hand with
right good will. But we confess to a little pain,
that even in this assembly of retormers, persons
who had broken away from many of these errors
and wrongs, we found those who, when the sub
ject of chattel slavery came up, could not accept
the resolution which declared to be first and pre-
eminent in all the reforms of the day, the anti
slavery reform" And who were these persons,
and what was ''frst and pre-eminent" with them
Were they Methodists, who loved the slave, bu
who loved the church in its Methodist form q l;ttl'
better than the slave? Were they Presbyterian
tI - Iv-..--- ~ -. a. - Io-o H. ,l.vo Q
but. Oh no. Had such been the case, what mat
ter OF surprise would it have been They or
wont to put their religion before their brother. |
was the Spiritualist with lis new ism, insistin
that this, his religion be not disturbed by this ant
slavery question-two millions Of Spiritualist
are, say they, in the country, great numbers c
public advocates, numerous papers, and volumn
GUS BIO, ks-will not ali evil soon disappeari A
MS. that the Spirituulist should not know that hi
theoretic religion, like the American religion as
presents itself in the various churches throughor
the land, is a dead letter" 80 far as any practice
good it produces in reference to this crying, thi
suptrlative evil-chattel slavery. Spiritualisl
fourishes south of Mason & Dixon's line: the Spi
itualist OF the North fellowships with the Spirit
alist of the South. Why should he not? II
votes for Shareholders for office he listens to spes
kers who have no interest i'll the question Of sla,
cry, only that it be kept out of sight. lest it die
turb the harmony of that which they like SO nue.
to speak, if he be a Spiritualist. We confess i
seems to us about as selfish, and as much to b.
guarded against and watched, criticised aud expo
sed, 90 the other sectarisms of more ancient date
RiLTIMnREAN,S NOTION OF TIL