Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-03-26
Che Anti-5laperp Buale.
SALEM, OHIO, MARCH 26, 1850.
RESPONSIBILITY OF CHURCH MEMBERS

mo Individual can possibly divest himself of that
accountability which is q part of hi. being. 1t
came into existence with him, and without it he
would be but the fraction of a man. While lega!
responsibility is generally we'll understood, moral
accountability is as generally misapprehended. If
a man endorses a note for another, every one un.
derstands that he is responsible for its payment.
If he becomes surety for his friend, every one
regards it as an admission that lie is responsible
for the short comings of that friend in tho dis.
charge of specified duties. If be certifes to the
honesty, and integrity. and pecuniary ability of n
merchant whose character and position is the very
opposite, every one knows he is responsible for
the debts contracted by virtue of that certificate of
character.
But how is it with man in reference to his
moral accountability ? Does he not often endorse
as Christian truth that which is not Christian !;
and this too, without giving it a hundredth part as
much examination as he would bestow upon the
pecuniary ability of u man whose $500 note he
was about to endorse, and without feeling that he
is in the least accountable for the matter? Does
he not without any h~esitancy become surety for
his church organization And when, instead of
doing the work of the Father, it is industriously
engaged in tcampling under foot the rights of the
Fathers little ones, and the fact is proved upon it
beyond intelligent controversy, be emphatically
disclaims all responsibility for its action. And
when. because of his endorsement, and the endorse.
ment of others of its character it is enabled to oh.
tain members. and money, and reputation BY
false pretences, when charged with his accounta.
bility in the premises, he innocently asks "Why
do you hold me responsible for the character of a
sect of which | am only n member"
Now we have no objection to individuals joining
church organizations of any kind-evangelical or
heretical, anti-slavery or pro.slavery-prorided,
that they fully understand the character of those
organizations, aud realize in its full force, tha.
they are individually responsible for all constitu.
tional actions of the organizations with which
they are connected, and that each endorses the
christian character of every other member. Those
who are pro. slavery, if they join any church,
ought, of course, to join a pro.slavery church,
and endorse cradle pluuderers as excellent chris
tians. That certainly is the place for them-it is
just where they belong. So long as there are such
christians in community, there ought to be such
churches for them to go into. But whether a per.
son is pro slavery or anti slavery he has no moral
right to join n church until he has made himself
acquainted, not simply with its theological faith.
but with its moral teachings and practice. With.
out such investigation-an investigation which
should be as searching as was ever any judicial
~sifting-how does he know but he is endorsing as
Christian that which is a gigantic fraud upon com
munity,a libel upon Christianity, and a blasphemy
against God
The converts to Catholicism oftimes blindly
rush into the arms of Holy Mother Church, no,
asking, nor apparently caring what is the influence
which emanates from Rome, whether she eulight,
ems or degrades, exalts or debases, blesses oy
curses. And in this land, within the past two
years, tens of thousands of converts have as ig,
norantly and as unthinkingly, and with as utter q
destitution of an intelligent sense Of moral account
liability, rushed into the embrace of Protestant
sects without knowing whether they were pro.sla.
very, and thus anti.christian, or anti.slavery, and
thus far christian. They asked not whether the
influence which emanates from them strengthens
the might of the oppEessor and the oppressed, o,
whether it speaks JOY and hope to the heart of the
enslaved, and breaches the gospel Of Him whc
proclaimed deliverance to the captive. OF suct
converts-and their name is legion-whose yea
without knowledge has blinded them, and sen.
them cropping through the world, vainly~ attempting
to divest themselves of all responsibility for tht
character of the sects with which they are connect
ed, there is no prayer so appropriate as that which
Jesus offered up for their prototypes when they
were about to cruelty him, Father, forgive them
They know not what they do"
1sS- We commend the lecture Of Dr. Brooke, on
our first page to the attention Of our readers. II
contains many valuable statistical, as well as other
facts, and shows very clearly pho are the slave.
holders