Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-08-06
THE CHURCH AND SLAVERY.

EXTRACT from a speech by DR.. A. Il. Hart, in
Brooklyn, NJ ~
But, meanwhile, where is the Church Of this ma
ton I Where are the descendants of the men who
preferred exile to tyranny-who braved storms
and cruel privations for freedom to worship God,
and vino made the aisies of the dim wood ring to
the anthems of the free 7 Where are the disciples
of Christi Where are the followers of Him, who,
though he was rich, for our sakes became poor,
that we, through his poverty, might be rich? OF
Him who, though he was God, and thought it no
robbery to be equal with God, yet made himself
Of no reputation. aud took upon himself The form
of a servant, and became obedient unto death, ev-
en- unto the death of the cross, that he might de-
liver us, who, otherwise, through fear OF death.
would all our lifetime have been subject to bon
dags-of Him whose appearance as the Babe of
Bethlehem was celebrated by the angelic song,
peace on earth and good will to man." and who
in us first sermon announced it as His mission
to "proclaim liberty to the captives, and the open
ing Of the prison doors to them that are bound"
of Him who went about continually doing good,
opening the eyes of tho blind. unstopping the ears
of the deaf, curing all manner of diseases among
the people, restoring the dead to the arms OF Wild
owed mothers and bereaved parents and sisters,
and who left it as his dying injunction to his chill
dren that they should love one another even as lie
had loved them Surely their hearts are burning
under the consciousness of this sin Surely they
are weeping between the porch and the altar
Surely they pray day and night unto God, and
pray INCREASINGLY, that the captive may be freed,
and that this terrible reproach may be wiped out
from the land Surely the pulpits are laundering
tho lightning Of Gods word is fashiug-the
Church, terrible as an army with banners, is fight
ing against the foe Alas However natural the
expectation. it 10 doomed to disappointment. Q
deep, indelible disgrace o burning shame The
Church shields and protects the sin Here and
there, indeed, in some Of it's branches, it makes
occasionally, o faint appearance of opposition
gets up 9 discussion, passes a few futile resolu
tions as a quietus to conscience, and files thea
away for future reference, and ass standing evi
ience of i.s fidelity on this subject. Meanwhile
the pulpits are padlocked-the ministry is dumb
the slave and his wrongs are excluded from tn
sympatbies and prayers Of the people-all allu
sion to them is regarded as a violation of wisdom
and there are few, indeed, apparently, VIII
earnestly desire or are prepared to do apythin
for the immediate and utter extinction oil slavery
The Church is intent upon the grand schemes q
ben evolencs-overthrowipg idolatry in the East
{ aiding new churches in the West-giving the b
:, BILE to Turkey, to Africa. to the Islands of the SEE
but, absorbed in these VAST designs, it overlook
e the slight discrepancy that it systematically will
holds that same Bible from four millions of NATIVE
born Americans, and ~sustains, by its silence an
. sanction, a system Of diabolical processes and tol
. lures, which nothing but the interposition of I'M
" mite Wisdom and Mercy could prevent from efec
U ing their eternal destruction.