Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-12-08
G. ToMLINSON Secretary,
j. PILKINGTON President
For the Bugle.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE MICHIGAN ANTI
SLAVERY SOCIETY.

The Michigan Anti-Slavery Society held its Con-
vention in BIdwell IIalI. Adrian, on the 18th and
18th OF November. Mrs. Josephine s. Grifing,
Parker PilisbuTy and Giles B.. Stebbins, were the
principal speakers. Our we'll known friond, So
journer Truth, was also present, and with her
songs and occasional remarks-fresh and fervent.
e%nllSened the meetings. Thomas Chandler was
chosen President; Ephraim Ruin and Thomas
Morse, Vice Presidents; Jacob Walton and Mrs.
O.. E. Cochrane, Secretaries; Parker Pillsbury,
Mrs. Josephine S. Grifing, Giles S;ebbins, Mrs
Linden, and Charles Merritt, were tho Business
Committee; and Mrs. A. Hayball and Mrs. jose
phine S. Grifing, Finance Committee.
Parker Pillsbury made the opening remarks.
He said 1--WE meet at a very interesting stage of
tho anti-slavery movement. The church is regar-
ded as an important power, but the church may
ms well be in Heaven or elsewhere, for any good she
is doing in this cause. The Republican party,
with Abraham Lincoln at its head, carries more
terror to the South, than all the preachers in the
United States. And yet tho business Of that par
ty is to assure the South that slavery is perfectly
safe in Abraham's bosom. Every John Brown
or Nat Turner is to be hung, every fugitive is to
be returned. Abraham Lincoln goes further :
Should q State with a ylavoholding constitution
seek admission into the Union, he sees not how
she can be rejected. The party assures the South,
that the constitution is to be interpreted as here
%tofore. "What more could they do for taeir vine
yard 2" And yet tho South talks furiously about
resisting the Impressions of the Republican party.
Every mail brings intelligence of Disunion move
ments. As in the Methodist church, the violent
and unreasonable demands of the southern por-
ton, ultimately rent that body asunder: so it may
be in the Union. The South now demand the re-
peal of our Personal Liberty Bills, and the North
will either succumb or resist more STORMY, and the
consequence may be that the South will secede, or
the North retire in disgust, The Abolitionists
have long been advocating Disunion, and are now
called upon to retain their old position with I'M
shaken frmness. In that will be found the gospel
of Anti-SlaVery."
Giles b. Stebbins having to leave on the NOR
ming of the 18th, to attend the funeral of our VEN
Grated friend Richard Glazier, of Ann Arbor. off
cred a resolution which has been unfortunately
mislaid, but its nature will be understood from bis
remarks. He said ''The belief in the infallibiIitv
OF the Bible, is an enemy to liberty; and it is legit-
innate to criticise all wrong views which put bar
riers in the way Of freedom. The inspiration of
the anti-slavery m%Ovemen is faith IN mans native
nobility in general; but the mass of christians hold
to the dogma of total depravity-of mans inabil-
ity to Fise-of his empty capacity to have grace
poured into him. If this be true, of what conse-
quence is the anti-slavery movement? Such q
humanity is fit only to be enslaved. 1t gravitates
downward. If man has no capabilily Of growth,
then suppose the slave SGT freo-of what avail
would it be? Where man has no faith liz himself
hut in some external authority, reason is crushed
in obedience to chat authority. Make him the
slave Of u book, and he can be made the slave of
a constitution, of a master. The more orthodoxy,
the more infdelity to the instincts of the soul.
From an orthodox believer, to an infdel, is a long
growth upwards. Manly graces grow up TO the
bulwarks Of orthodoxy, and throw them down, or
are thrown down by them, DR.. Cheever is pursued
and branded as an infdel, and he will either fall
in his present course, or go and become one. Many
ministers, once anti-slavery, having gone the
length of their theological tether, were restrained
from going further and are now found all
over the land-in the churches-ministers silent
in the cause Of freedom. Anti-slavery speakers
%criticise the platforms Of the political parties; why
not the creeds of the churches? II we do not thus
strike at the roots of orthodoxy, it's ministers will
soon throng our platform and weigh il ID down with
their soul dwindling creeds. Such criticism will
ALLEVIATE no true sOul,-it will only drive out its
orthodoxy"