Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-10-13
from the Northern Independent.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE
SLAVE TRADE.

Every intelligent Eplsc0palian must read the ac-
count of Mr.. jays treatment, or rather the treat
ment Of his resolutions, at the late Diocesan Con-
vention Of New York, with an inexpressible
shame. The Hon. John Jay, a lay member of
that convention, we'll knowing that New York is
the focus Of the African slave trade, introduced
resolutions condemning the abominable traffic, and
made an eloquent spte ch in favor of their adop-
ton; but the convention, after annoying him all il
could while he was speaking, unceremoniously laid
his resolutions on the table. This contempsuous
disposition of q matter so vitality important, is
enough to make the very namo of a Church, a by
word and a reproach in the earth. 1t needs no
argument to prove that such professors of religion
are a curse to the world, and their religion a
~mOckery. The instincts of humanity will settle
that question without the aid Of logic. Such re-
ligion, whatever name it may bear, and wherever
t may be found, is nothing more nor less than that
old muTderous phGrisaism which now, as ancient
ly, pays tiihes of mint and rue, and passes over
judgment, and the love Of God-makes long prayers
and broad phylacteries, but deyours widows hou-
ses and cruciGes Christ in the person of the slave.
This is a terrible conclusion, and gladly would
we avoid it if We could, but The necessity of judy
ing a tree by its fruit, cOmpels US to the decision.
Look at the facts. Here is an assembly Of pro-
fessedly christian ministers and laymen, who with
full knowledge that a horrible crime is being com
mitted in their midst, and with their attention call
ed to 1t by one Of their own number, deliberately
and absolutely refuse to discCuptenance it. Now
on every principle of justice, whether human or
divine, these men must be held to be guilty of the
crime which they refuse to condemn. We must
reverse all the maxims of morality, or class this
Diocesan Convention with those whom the law of
our country styles pirates-either the partnkcr is
not as bad as the thief and the accessory does not
share the guilt of his principal, or this reverend
body has beyond all question involved itself deep
ly ia the crime Of piracy. If there is any way OF
arriving at a different conclusion, so far as relates
TO the majority of the convention, we should be
happy to know it. The only conceivable apology
is that of ignorance. But can We believe that the
intelligent members who secuted the resolutions
Of Mr.. Jay, were ignorant Of the character of the
slave trade. or of the fact Of its actual revival
within their own diocese, and most probably too
within their own Church To Us it seems utter
ly preposterous to attempt the plea of ignorance
III sueu u case feadhy ADMIT that the Epls-
copal Church is not responsible for the outrage
perpetra,ed by the conven:ion--the Church as a
body was badly represented-nay, shamefully
misrepresented. EpiscOp0liaus are not remarka-
BILE for inhumanity, they are not man stealers, pi-
rates. Whatever bluntness Of perception there
may be among a few in the cotton city of New
York, the Church as a whole is most egregiously
s~landered 10y the action Of its representatives
Such cool lodging or a great question of bumani-
~, such actual participation 10 a horrible Sin,
ought to wake up a storm all through the denomi-