Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-10-01
PARKER
THE UNITED STATES CONVENTION OF
UNIVERSALISTS.
Err Co., New YORK, Sept. Goth. 1859.

EN- w., NEW IORK, sept, 10th, 1857.
EDITOR OF THE BUGLE-DEAR FRIEND The
above is the style of an annual convention of Uni
v~ersalist Ministers and Laymen. which l found in
session last week on my arrival in Rochester, The
style is high sounding and very patriotic, but yet,
considering all the associations of the "U. S."
connected with population, fllibustering, land pi-
racy. war, slavery and every other national abom-
ination, it strikes one a little curiously. l think
the initials better adorns a mail coach, a baggage
wagon of the army, the k~nspsack Of a mecenary
soldier, than the buttons or bands of ON APOSTLE
protesting prominently tc represent the religion
and good will of Jesus and his true and early
church. But tastes will differ and this copven.
tion Of ministers, and church members proved
themselves by their restitution of Christianity,
as worthy of the prefix as any court martial IN
the army, commission of the navy, or posse OF
U. S. Deputy marshals. This convention bears
the same relation to the Universalists of the U.
S., as does the General Assembly, to the Pres5y-
rian church, and processes to speak by authority
for the denomination. Although calling itself a
United States convention, there was, so far as l
could learn, no representative present from any
one of the slave owning states. While the noted
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states were there in great numbers, as were also
several distinguished laymen, among them Judge
Galbreath of Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Governor
Trask of Mass. and Hon. Israel Washburn
Of Maine. These notable ministers and distinguish
ed Republican laymen made good their claim to
the title of United States Christians, by utterly dis
regarding every claim of humanity and practical
righteousness, and devoting' themselves exclusively
to the work of building up and perpetuating the
sect.
The early Universalists were remarkable among
tho scots for their liberality. Many of their con-
gregations were without regular church organi.
cations. The congregation owned the meeting
house and paid the minister. and this was all of
their organization. This comparative freedom
from s~ectarian organization and forms, in connec-
ton with the humanity of their doctrine, which
taught that mankind were brethren, all recipients
of the impartial love of a common Father, render.
ed them obnoxious to orthodox bigotry. Their re-
ligion was condemned as RIGHTEOUSNESS, and their
piety sec med Of a vulgar sort, not to be named
beside the respectable, though not less damnable
heresy of Unitarianism. In short, the d~enomina.
ton had neither character nor standing in the
world of piety and theology, and its ministers and
members were treated as outside of any healthy
organization, and of course without ecclesiastical
rights which believers in the lake OF fire and
birthstone were bound to respect.
The United States Convention of Universalists
evidently dissatisfied with this state of affairs,
ambitiously resolved to conquer q standing in the
sectarian world and taught, by what it consider
cd the means OF success with other sects, made it
the whole business of its session in Rochester.
faithfully to copy them. These means were
two.
First, consolidating the denomination by adopt
ing and aping the forms and ceremonies Of Sec
tartan orthodoxy.
Second, by utterly disregarding all the claims of
humanity. in its unpopular forms.
In carrying out this programme, the convention
ha1 several reports and numerous speeches and
resolutions in favor Of sectarian church organiza.
ion-the administration of ordinances-the OBJ.
servance of sacred days and other kindred meas
ures. In enforcing this organization, the reports
presented a creed and form of church govern
ment for adoption. and informed US that what the
denomination needed was more of the forms and
spirit of sectarianism. That without a sectarian
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ed or perpetuated-oonverts could not be made
without it. That for lack of this, Jesus himself
made no converts, not even succeeding in convert
ing Peter. l attended regularly the sessions of
the convention for two days. and this is a sample
of the proceedings during that time, and the pub.
lished proceedings of the previous day indicated
nothing better.
The convention succeeded most perfectly in vim.
dicating its character for responsibility and stand
ing, SO far as that can be done by utterly ignoring
humanity, justice and christianity. in the person
and cause of the slave. Not onoe did | hear an
allusion to him, his wrongs or his needs, in the
whole progress of the convention. By no word
or act did it indicate that there was & slave in ex-
'ssence in this land. Republican lsymen aad elo-
quens clergymen were alike dumb. This remark.