Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-08-27
CHRISTIAN ANrI-sLAvERY MOVEMENT

We call 1t such, sim ply for the convenience Of
designation for whatever %sectariau forms may
have been adopted by the recent Convention nj Co
%lunDus, whatever iites of worship may have been
observed by its members, we doubt whether it con-
tanned more, if rs much, Of the spirit of Christi
anity, as did the Convention which in 1888 formed
the American Anti-Slavery Society, and invited to
a more catholic platform all who we're willing to
engage in the Christian work Of laboring for the
slaves emancipation. We regard il as no more
Christian, to say the least, than the subsequent
meetings Of the American Society and its auxili.
aries, whose members, annually come together to
do a Christian work by Christian means. The
mere name of Christianity is of little Significance
when so.called Christian men steal babes, and So
called Christian ministers baptise the dead, and So
called Christian Churches endorse the sin.
We last week gave the resolution adopted by the
Christian Anti-slavery Convention, and we this
week give the Address OF that body. We are free
to admit thai we do not attach SO much importance
to this movement, as is placed upon it in some
quarters. If those who inaugurated it, had felt at
liberty to unite with others who were already en-
gagged in carrying forward the moral anti-slavery
agitation, had they been so catholic as to be will
ing 90 work with all who were willing to do the
work, We confess we should have regarded the
fact as "a mark Of progress a doing away Of those
sectarian limits, beyond winch 60 few dare to ven
ture. Whether it will result in the great good
which some anticipate, is II question that had per
haps better be lett to the future to determine, tor
Tue organization which that Convention formed
has hardly. lived long enough to indicate it's char
acter by its deeds. We have il is true, it's Resolu-
tious and Addresses, and to them We wish to
give some attention.
The resolutions justly characterize slavery as an
outrage upon the rights of man, and a violation OF
the clearly revealed will of God. The Sd resolu-
ton declares
THAT the turpitude of this crime rests on all
who ca pture, enslave, import, sell, purchase, hold,
re-eapturc, or re-eusiave human beings on ell
who aid, encourage, pass, approve, or enforce en-
actments for the capture, enslaving, holding, re-
capture, or re-ensaving Gods images, and the
persons thus offending will be held responsible at
the Bar Of God"
This declaration, We apprehend, was made by
the Christian Anti-SlayerJ Convention, as was the
Declaration Of '76 by the Continental Congress-
In both cases true doctrine was stated, but only n
partial application of it was made, or intended to
be made. The resolution presents in another form
the doctrine of mo Union with Stockholders
The legitimate application of it brands as slave
holders and slaye-catchers erery member Of the
United States Government, for if they 90 rot them
selves ca ptnre or enslayo, ro-capturs or re"enslave,
they certainly aid and enforce e|nuctments not on
slave, they certainly aid, and enforce enactments
not only to capture and enslavo, but to r~ecapture
and re-enslave human beings; and We doubt
whether there was a man who voted for that reso-
luton whose political influence, physical power,
and pecuniary means are not given to a greater or
lesser extent to the doing of these very things.
But some may think it unfair to judge from our
standpoint those who claim to use their influence
as members of the Republican party to put down
slaveholding and slave-catcbing. Judge them,
then, from their own standpoint, aud ask whether
they truly practice the doctrine Of the resolution.
We suppose Republicans will not deny-and we
have good reason to believe that most, if not all
the members Of that Convention were Republicans
that the Democratic party do 'aid, encourage,
pass, approve or enforce enactments for the cap
ture, enslo wing, holding, re-capture, or re-enslaviug
Gods images, nor will they deny that the party
is composed of individual Democrats.
By consulting the minutes of the Convention.
we find the following named religious bodies were
Represented there. not by delegates, but by
members :-Methodist Episcopal, Wesleyan. Pres
byterian, Free Presbyterian, United Presbyterian,
Congregational, Christian Union, United Brethren,
Baptist, Free Will Baptist, Disciple. We are
somewhat acquainted with the character, ant;-sla-
yery-wise, of most of these bodies, and we venture
to affirm that there is not more than one or two of
them-and we doubt whether a single exception
need he ~made-which regards membership in the
Democratic party as a bar against membership in
the church. Viewing this resolution FROM the Re-
publican party standpoint, every member of the
Democratic party is guilty of sustaining slavehold-
ing and slave-catching, which the Convention by
resolution declared. CONSTITUTES one Of the most
aggravated violations of Gods law, one of the
most momentous crimes presented to human con-
sideration". And yet those deeply dyed criminals
are fellow-members in good and regular standing
if accidentally not in the individual church,
get in the Sect-with these, who by resolution con-
denim their deeds. Perhaps however, these men,
having received more light, will manifest that in
crease of knowledge in their deeds. We hvpe
speedily to hear Of an extending revival in the va
rious churches of this State, which shall cut off
from fellowowship every member Of the Democrat
ic party, and vindicate the sincerity of those, who,
in the Christian Anti-Slavery Convention adopted
the resolution.
Others of the resolutions recognize very fully
the supremacy Of the Higher Law, which in the
abstract, we fully endorse. But when a man joins
a company of pirates or freebooters, and agrees to
be bound by their laws, it seems q lille out of
place to present the requirements Of the Higher
Law as a reason why he should not, while remain
ing a partner in the confederacy, obey the rules of
the company. If he wishes TO place himself I'M
der the Higher Law and stand justified by it, he
must first dissolve the lower law compact he has
made, for though many have tried it, all have fail
ed in the experiment Of serving two masters. 1t
ruould ha the nnrfantinn of fnllu to insiak thnk ihn