Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-01-21
CHRISTIAN ANTI-sLAvERY CONvEN.
TON,

A call has been issued for a Christian Anti-Sla-
very Convention, to be held in the M. Z. Church
In this place, on Thursday, January Goth, at IL
O'Clock.
The so-called Christian movement is sectarian
III its character. 1t builds not q catholic platform
Upon which oil the haters of slavery can stand
and labor shoulder to shoulder, and heart to heart
for the overthrow Of the accursed institution, but
Aims to organize a society into which none may
Snter, no matter how well fitted by experience, by
talent, by the possession of that Christian love
which is manifested by laboring for the redemption
OF Gods stricken ones. unless they can correctly
pronounce the shibboleth Of denominations chris
sianity.
The call either falsely assumes that no Que can
DO q christian unless q member of q sect; or if this
be possible, then the chrietian convention clearly
indicates it does not want such, for it invites none
10 its communion but, "Christians of all pENoMI-
NATIONS" If Christ were now on earth, and a
resident OF Columbiana or Mahoning County. by
the terms of the Call he would not be recognized
a. 4 member of the Convention. and he would 20
and labor with those who establish no test, save u
hatred of slavery, and q desire to promote its
overthrow.
The Call is signed by Prof. Fairchild of Oberlin,
BY five ministers of the M. L. Church, one elder
OF the Disciple Church, and two Members of the
Old School Presbyterian Church. Who are these
men that after twenty-five years Of persistent effort
on the part of abolitionists to preach the Gospel Of
Freedom, think it necessary to take the field as
pioneer missionaries in the cause of Christian
Anti Slavery? What relation enthusiastically do
they bear to-day to the slaves and to the slavehol-
'dara of tho Sop,b7 E;,o,F ,eo,, -. n...L.s II
the NJ. E. Church, an organization which not only
retains without censure, but recognises as ct mem
bers Of the body OF Christ, hundreds, if not thou
sands Of shareholders. men s~tealers. And although
Mr.. Lynch, one of the signers, has for a year or
moro been pastor Of the Nj. E. Church of this
place. we have not been able, after careful enqui-
~, to learn that he has preached here a single ser
mon against what, in the call, he denominates a
sin. The Disciples in Columbiana Co., whatever
pretensions they may make to anti-slavery, practi-
oally recognise Alexander Campbell-thc defender
of tho fugitive slave law, and the i%ustiier Of slave
ry-ss a worthy minister of the gospel of Christ,
go in crowds to hear him preach salvation, aud
hesitate not to receive from his hands the sacra-
mental rites. Whatever exceptions may he plead,
We can only say, that so long as they tain in the
same company, they must expect to be judged BY
The company they keep. And what need be said
Of tho MEMBERS of the Old School Presbyterian
Church, an organization which is known through
out the entire Union as having set its face Of flint
against anti-siavery in every form, and which like
she NJ. 4. Church fellOwships at its communion
table the stoalers OF men! We question whether
. majority, or even q respectable minority Of the
signers of the call would vote for a resolution de-
sl..;,c tbat o,oho1j;n g. - 80 ,.l l...o...
- to disqualify any one who practices it from
membership IN q christian organization; that being
q sin, it should be Immediately repented Of that
immediate emancipation is the right of the slave,
and the duty of the master.
We respectfully suggest TO Prof. Fairchild to
test the character of the proposed convention by
these a b C principles Of abolitionism and if it
cannot endorse them, we submit whether such q
body is properly qualified to put itself forward as
the representative Of christian anti.slavery.