In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

145 Letterto the editor:describing the hartford bible Convention June 14, 1853 Hartford, Connecticut Shortly after the convention, on June 14, 1853, Rose wrote a letter to the Boston Investigator, offering her own account as a participant-observer at the convention. It was published in the paper’s edition of June 29, 1853. n Mr. Editor: . . . To any one capable of realizing the spurious and superstitious origin given to that book [the Bible], its falsely assumed authority, and, above all, its pernicious influence, the immense importance of such a Convention must be plainly apparent. It would be impossible for me to give anything like an adequate idea of the amount of heartfelt interest it created. A few allusions to the proceedings upon the occasion, are all I shall attempt to offer. . . . . . . . . The Hall, in which the Bible Convention was held, will accommodate , it is said, about 1600, and it was well filled at every session. In the evenings, especially, it was crowded, every standing-place being occupied even to the outside of the doors. As for the debates, I need hardly tell you that on one side there were plenty of speakers who clearly and forcibly demonstrated the falsity, inconsistency, and corruption of the Bible, as a whole; and many more would willingly and ably have lifted their voices on the same side, but for want of time had no opportunity. The speeches made by the President, William Lloyd Garrison, Henry C. Wright, Andrew Jackson Davis, and others, were unanswerable and unanswered. Not a solitary argument was disposed of by the defenders of the Bible. They had just wisdom enough to know they could not do it. However, on Saturday evening, last but one of the Convention, they seemed to concentrate their forces and to use the best and only argument at their command in favor of their Bible—namely, disturbance, confusion, and riot! I was speaking at the time, and it appeared to be taken advantage of as the signal for the tumult that followed. That they should have been rather more afraid of the voice of a woman raised against their idol 146 ernestIne l.rose than the voice of a man, is perfectly natural; for they knew too well that so long as they can keep woman in ignorance and subjection, they are safe in their irrational and nefarious practices, for the churches rest upon her subjugated humanity, and that if she once breathes the vivifying breath of knowledge and of truth, when the extension of human rights and freedom shall enable her to do her own thinking and acting, when the light of Reason based on human rights shall lift her out of her present prostrate and enslaved condition and enable her to stand erect in the full dignity of her humanity, the churches will fall, and the priest’s, like Othello’s occupation , will be gone! And knowing well that knowledge disperses darkness, they showed their ignorance by thinking that by letting off the gas, the light of knowledge could be prevented from shining. But whoever were the instigators and managers of the pious mob, they used the best arguments they had, and I am sure I had perfect charity for them for doing the best they could in their position. I spoke full an hour on Saturday evening, and more than an hour and a half on Sunday afternoon—on the latter occasion without the Hall being darkened, for the priests could not turn off from us the light of the sun, or depend upon it, they would! . . . . . . . . In conclusion, allow me to say, that the signs of the times are encouraging . Freedom’s car is on progression’s track, and no obstacle of priest or superstition can throw it off. Humanity’s motto is, Onward and upward! “Silence will not retard our progress, and opposition will give increased celerity to our movements.” Yours, in the cause of Truth and Right, Ernestine L. Rose New York, June 14, 1853 ...

Share