SLAVERY : ITS ORIGIN, NATURE AND HISTORY. ITS RELATIONS TO SOCIETY, TO GOVERNMENT, AND TO TRUE RELIGION, -TO HUMAN HAPPINESS AND DIVINE GLORY. CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF BIBLE TEACHINGS, MOilAL JUSTICE, AND POLITICAL WISDOM. BY REV. THORNTON STRINGFELLOW, D. D., OF CULPEPER COUNTY, VIRGINIA. \ ALEXANDRIA \ PRiNTEU AT THE VIRGINIA SEXTINEL OFFICE. IS^iQl' r^ A' s^ / / * SLA. VERY AND GOVERNMENT. CHAPTER I. Question. What is an Apprentice in tl le United TThat gliv^ry is--v?h't freec^om i? — None nre States? I. Ill' ite- iill site' Iciii • sln^ss-sliMEiy n AiiiiTfr An nrrroutife, atnprling to the neccss.ilj' — Why the wLUj nioe is iiirijl.J D. iiJ( iLuti. ii, is a puistu «lic owai atl'uce, or with political freedom at 21- Why is it is with- labor tn another person. held from the black race for life— Slavery is Question. Do-s a child stand in the san le rela- juH— and why— None are born enual— in- tion to his father, (as regards service and subjee- equality the ground of social happiness— What t'o" ^o his will) that an itpprentice, or slave does to eoverninentls— what its object is— where it ^i" master? oriffinated—bv whom it should be exercised— Answer, lies— until h» is twenty-oae years old. anfwhv— In'eriority of the black race— the Qiestion. Is this serrioe, or labor of chi Idren, f 'f 51. apprentices, and slaves, legal property hithi) Uni- P"^*"" °^ ted States ? It is not many years since our brethren at the Answer. Yes— it is so declared by tbr laws North engaged in a crusade against Slavery; be- of every state in the Union, exoept as to cause, (as they said) it was denounced in every slaves, and by the slavehelding States as to them page of the Bible, as the greatest sin on darth. What is the difference then between^! slave, wnd a Q If Bible hasheen examined, and it hiis been white minor who is called free ? The difference is, found that slavery is fully sanctioned by it. th.at a slave of the black race owes labor and sub- Nevertheless, this crusade has waxed warmer jeetion to his master for life ; while the white against slavery, as a sin of the deepest dye; be- minor and apprentice only owe service and sub- oau@e it was a sin (as they have said) against a jeetion until they are twenty one years old. higher law than the Bible. No appeal is now Question. Has a parent a legal property right; made to the Bible— but to consciences begotten in the service or labor of his child, and a legal by infidelity. By this new conscience ev^ry right to control him and coerce him to obedience question of right and wrong is to be tried— and without his consent ' every penalty inflicted. These crusaders have Answer. Yes, he has exactly the same proper- adopted, as their Bible, on the subject of slavery, ty right in the service or labor of his chi d until Mr. Jefferson's deolar.ition, that "all men are he is twenty one years old and e.\ttctly thesame born free and equal." It may not be amiss then right to control him, and to coerce obedience to to try this new Bible by the common sense and his authority until that time, that the master has the common observation of all men — to see ju, and over his slave. whether it ought to have preference over the old Question. Has the parent of the child, and the 3ibie, be*"ore we throw the old one away, as our master of the slave, unlimited discretion in cona- brethten of the Nonh do wtien it conflicts with pelling obedience to their authority' their new anti-slavery Bible. First then, let us Answer. No. Both the parent and the master guqyire, are restricted by statute laws, and judicial deci- Whatis Slavery in the United States? sions, to the use of such means only as are neces- Answer. It is a system of personal servitude, gary and propt-r to secure obedience. Both pa- ander a form of government adopted for the renta and masters are responsible to the state for African race, the leading principle of which be- the exercise of means that are improper and uu- longs to every form of government among men. necessary to secure this end. Qu«stion. What is that leading principle? Question Why does the law give freedom to Answer. It is submiFsion to, and control by the white race at the age of twenty-one, and the will of another. This is the essential princi- withhold it from the black race during life ' pie of all forms of government ; and without it Answer. Because experience teaches that the there can be no government. It is the principle white race oan be prepared in that time to take crdained of God for the government of a family, chirge of families, and perform the duties of Its administration is given of God to the heads citizens; while, on the other hand, experience de- of families who have instinctively accepted and monstrates th.-t the black race cannot be prepared acted npon'it in all ages and countries during a whde li*"e to take charge of fami ies or Question. What is the amount of power in perform the duties of citizena. But if they could their hands to enforce obedience over children be prepared in th»t time to use freedom for their and slaves' And what is the object aimed at in own good, and that of the community, would it its exercise ? ^® right to accord it to them ? Answer. It cer- Answ»r. The amount of power in their hands tain y would accord with christian obligation. to enforce obedience over chil Iren and slaves, -pije ^^ly safe guide we have in a family, or ia limited to the use of all necessary and proper gtate, by whieh to decide ttv* amount of sel con- means to secure obedience, and the object aiined t,-ol • or freedom to which men or minors are en- at in its exercise, is to develope their faculties, titled under any form of government, is ex- and fit them to take care of families, and discharge perience: that, and that only, will tell us how political duties. _ much of freedom they can use as a good to them- Question. What is a slave in the United States? gelves, in subordination to the genernl good of An^iwer. A slave, according to the Federal Con- the family, or st.ate. Wh°n freedom is not a good atitntion, is a person ivho owes service or labor to both, it is a duty to wi hhold it to another person. In the language of tha Scrip- If self-control constitutes freedom, and control tares, he is a "man's money." by another constitutes what is properly called \ slavery, then, is not every person to the extent of is defined to be, "independence," "liberty," "e that control a slave; whether he be called free, or emption from control." Man, when bom is th bond ? Answer. Certainly he is a slave whether most dependent creature on earth. He must be so called, or not. The name does not always in- deprived of all liberty, to save his life. Can ha dicate truly the actual condition of person.? in a be deprived of all liberty and still be free ? He particular relation of life. must be controlled in every thing. Is he still ex- Question. Is the citizen who owes allegiance empt from control ? There has never been an as- to the state for life, as properly a slaveto the state sertion made and believed, which all miffht know for life, as the African, who owes service, or labor to his master for life ? Answer. Certainly, he is as much a slave to the state, though he be called a free man. The state subjects men while with so much certainty to be untrue. Man when born is helplessly dependent, free to do nothing: without permission, and entirely under parental control, until he is given up to the control of the within her jurisdiction to her control, and claims ^^ate' which holds him under control till death.- • ,^ i. iJi-.- :_- • 1.^. f^ , If this constitutes freedom, then all men are born a right to their service in whate ,"er form she may in her sovereignty, be pleased to call for it; so the master subjects his slave to his control, and claims a right to his service in whatever form hs may call for it. But is not this service or labor freCj but not otherwise. The second thing affirmed in this Declaration of Independence, and, which with the above error, has been adopted by a portion of our countrymen as a . ,, , , ,,,. ,- ,. i , ii ' -i. partof their Bibleis, that "allmenare born equal." to the state, and this subjec .on to her authority, ^ ^^jjj „^j ^ ,j^. .^^ \ ^^y^j.^ all men 'know allvoluntary on the part of the white race? An- to be true, that they are not born intellectually swer. It is not more voluntary with the white ^^^^1. ^^at thev are not born morally equal; that minor, and the female half of the white race, than ^^^^y j^^g not born politically equal; that they are with the biack slave. Both may quietly submit not' born equal in social position, or advantages; to it, while neither may like it. The white minor nor are they in any other sense equal, as integral and the black slave are both born equally subject parts of earthly governments, of which I can con- to absolute control without their consent. Both ceive, from their birth until their death. And yet are born in a state of domestic bondage, one for a belief in these abstractions, these palpable false- life, to his master, the other for twenty-one years, hoods, is at the bottom of a crusade against organ- to his father. When this age is reached he who ized society and constitutional liberty in the Uni-i has been in doiiestic bondage up to this time, ted States, which aims at the destruction of all the; silently acquiesces in subjection to the state, safe-guards of life and property, and a universal which now binds him for the balance of his life, to service and subjection, as the African is bound to his master for the balance of his life. The state, who is the master of the citizen, and the man, who is the master of the s'.ave, is right- fully clothed with authority the world over to, maintain dominion over both. overthrow of law and order, save that of the "high-; cr law," of every murderer's conscience. Wehave'^' lateli' had a specimen of the conscience which this "higher law" produces. It was exhibited in the person of .John BrowTi and a few others. This specimen is much admiied by all of the ., ., same faith and order — so much so, that he is re- botli. J his authority, gaxded by them as the second Saviour of the world or power to govern them, is from God. It was _who is "destined to be as much honored for sub- given to Adam before the first child was born, stituting his own conscience for the Bible, as Jesus God said to Eve that Adam should rule oyer her. Christ has been for giving eternal life to them This included the family and the state. that love him — and who prove that love, as the Prom my knowledge of both races in the Bible directs, b)' yielding a willing obedience to United States, I am of opinion, that the per law and order, in all the relations of life. And cent of Africans who are satisfied with their do- because of this assumed freedom and equality, with mestic bondage, is much greater than the per cent certain assumed unalienable rights, the conclusion of the white race who are satisfied with their is dr.awn, according to this new political Bible, political bondage. Question. How is this to be that all good government must originate in the accounted for ' Answer. Because domestic bond consent of the governed. But seeing— as we aU men are parts of families for whose comfort, am- must see— that none are born either free or equal pie provision is made. They are supplied with --''^il'^ ^'^^^ subjection to government from birth is good homes, with all the necessary wants of them- a uniyersal necessity-it is not true that govern- „u.„ „„ 1 +1, • f -T c Tc ■ -1 J ment originates in the consent of the governed. — sehes and thPir families f;or Me, m sickness, and ^,,^ ^^^^^^ ^j^^^.^ ^^ ^^ ^^.^^ ^^ choose his govern- in health, in infancy, andin old age,---with an en- ,^^^,^^ .^^ .j^^ ^,1^^^^ ^-^^^^^^ ^^^jl ^j^^ white minor tire exemption from anxious care; while political reaches twenty one years of age. At that age he bond.age subjects the citizen to pecuniary bur- oegMiVe, a right, inmost of our states, to make, dens, .nnd an oppressive competition, which or aid in making improvements in the laws ; but leaves him too often without a home, and a com- he can never acquire a right to abolish government, fortable supply for his necessary wants. In addi- for that is God's ordinance, and cannotbe rightful-'" tion to this, political bondage subjects the citizen ly abolished. to all the perils attendant upon war, and a due Two questions are appropriate at this point: — execution of the law, from all of which the Af- rican ''felave, in domestic bondage, is entirely exempted. But if "all men are born free and equal," does it not follow that children must be released from parental authority and service, apprentices from What is government ? And ^yhat is its origin '?- Answer : Government is control ; it is the opposite of freedom, or a right to do as we please. It is powder to compel obedience to the will of a superior. Where did it originate ? It originated in the will of God ; and was ordained as soon as sin entered this follows as a necessary consequence if all men ^^jg^ j}- societies or nations were all dissolved '^'"w ,,7- ^® "^ c' this government would still exist. Its powers, ob- Well . is it not true that all men are born free jgcts^ and administration would remain the same, and equal ■• Answer. No. Every man who ever Family government is a necessity in natnre.— raised, or saw an infant man, raised to manhood. Every new" family instinctively assumes it because knows that it is not true. What is freedom ? It it ia God's ordinance. It is the best model of a atatc. Ht-re the principles and objects of govern- ment are tirst learned. Without tlii;< seliool the idea of government could not bi- known. Adam's taniilv were i)art.'< of hiniself ; and so of all families. This is the Divine e;uarantee for a right use of familv authority. Tiie impulses of na- ture con.-ititut(" the guarantee that the ilivinelr constituted head will rule the family in righteou.s- ness, and not abuse his authority in chastising for disobedience. Family government cannot be diispensed with; Without'it, the world would be di'jxipulated. It is the nui-sery and school room in which the materials for large families or States, must of necessity be prepared. A well governed family is the best ino- del for a State which exists among men. It w in the familv that every human being loams the na- ture, thcnece.sssity, and the objects of government and the necessity "for such modifications as rxpo- rietice suggests.' Here we learn that government we give to every man that which is his dac" — Shack says "it is retribution" — which Bacon de- hnes to be, "return accommodated to the action." Both definitions claim for the slave— whether the white minor, or the black African — an C(]uivalent for the service they render, and the submission to which thev are subjected. It is ))erfect foil v" to ignore the analogy between the slaverv of our children and that ot the African —and claim for our chihlren a legal exemption from a clbii(, 'J')'! ill «»* «*»**•' 6 ecuy for infinite wisdom and Ahniofhtr power, He moto his own p!,'ood, and that of the State; and to ordained helplessness at thf^ir birth— delegatad continue that state of flaverv or sopvitude fo'- any power to Adam to rule oyer them — and then by a length of time which the State thinks will best nere.-sitv g.-owin^u' out cf this helplessness, coin- subs-^rve this end. This slavery to thi State may peiicd bini to tike charge of then' until their phvs- consist in rendering service or labor in the peni- ical and intellectual natures could be educated to tentiary, in the work-house, or to a domestic mas- tak ■ charge of themselves. ter for a price to the State which he shall pav for The Divine constitution of things on which so- this se vice, which b.'longs of right to the State, cial happiness and lu-osperity are made to depend, All this shows that the reason for which persons is ada;ited to this condition of h-^lpless depen- should be subject'-d to slavery in any form, for deiice at out- birt'., and the want of equality in limited or unlimited periods, is because they are every iiulividual of the species. In this constitu- unfit to use freedom as a good to themselves, in tion of things there is a harmonious blending of subsc'viencv to the good of the communitv. mir |Hn,l?, lestoad of croat'^d ■:(;>'((" >!!/ M-hidulne' ^Vn h:ive shomi nil)' lineij was Just to mi- ll U 'si:,t uiiniii; men -mid wliiuh can be IminJ nun; that Ley itt;ei5e.l as inuoh, or "more than n.)where- -we lincl created i)irr/(/'(?t7// everywhen — they were ju-^tly entitled to; and in a form best and this i)K'(^('rt('iV.y among men, is made of God to accommodated to th;; service and subjection ren- be the <-o/tes)i-fi f/eme((Y which binds all together in dered, as an equivalent for it. It remains to be the social b,>dy — so thnt the head cannot say to shown that domestic slavery for life, is just and the feet, I have no need of thee— so that the least proper for the African race -because they are not honorable, and the ni ist honorable, mase up but qualified to use political freedom, and' becau,se one social body without any schism — all the mem- they receive the full due for this service and la- bers equally needful and harmoniously blending bor — and that in a form accommodated to the ser- in the ]iroduction of results which can never be vic" they pay for it. reached by the control of any ))rinciple, which The African race is constitutionally inferior to refuses subordination, subjection, and dependence to the white race. Experience proves this in all among the various niembers. the conditions and countries they have ever occu- In the family, wliich is the oldest and most im- pied. The African has left no memoiial which portant social organi/.ation, inequality in every proves his cajiaeity to improve, unaided by a su- respact, is found to evist among all the members, perior race, or to pi-ogress when improve- Some have endowments to advance the general ment has been given him. Th"re is a great phvs- welfare — some are so dwarfed as to be incapable ical, moral and intellectual difference between the of a higher function that that of executing what two races. The tendency ui)on each race of the another contrives- -some have powers fitting them same set of circumstances, does not diminish, but for control — others have qualities fitting them for increases this difference through life. The age of bumble submission and grateful dependence. In twenty-one, which gives bodily maturity to both, this most ancient organization, experience unfolds developes moral and intellectual manhood in the the principles for constructing a social body out of white race, while the African remains at the end parf,s unequal — by which each member shall be of that time, a mere child in intellectual and moral rendered useful — made a contributor to the gene- developement. perfectly incapable of performing ral weltare — and a partaker in the general result the great functions of social life. By nature he is to the full amount of his due. " contented everv where in destitution, until want It is in the family that individuals learn depen- pinches him. ^n freedom, he cannot be educated dence upon each other— ho^^ they can help each to provide for his present wants — much less to lay other — and how they can injure each other. It is by him in store for the future. It is the present here that our moral nature is trained to "wee]) only that excites him to action. No wages will with them that weep," and to ''rejoice with them secure habitual and continued labor fi'om him, them that do rejoice." Here we learn to love while he is free to consult his own will. He can each other, and to be grateful. Here the kind imitate, but cannot originate any thing. He can otlices have been practised n hicli bind the heart execute but cannot contrive. By nature he is af- of the grown man to the decrepitude of him who fectionate to his master, and if he has a good one, has watched his infancy — which controlled his will separate from wife and children, sooner than boyhood — and elevated him to manhood. It is on from him; so will a wife from her husband and this theatre that the thrilling events, and cheering childr-en. He intuitiTcly looks up to the superior reminiscences, have been acted which bind broth- race for control and protection. In slavery he er to brother, and sister to sister, children to pa- yields hearty submission to authority, and is as rtnts, and man to man. It is here we learn the proud of a rich master, as if his master's wealth wi'dHiire of incnpaeity, which dif»gust upon the free negro, because of his pover- with which the African slave can be invested ty and rags, and because he lacks those qualities coii,-.istently with his own good and that of the which entitle freedom to respect. As a general communitv. The kno\^ ledge thus gained testifies rule, he refuses marriage with a free negro, be- tbiitthe clomesric slaver}' of the United States ac- cause of his merited degradation in .'r to the Cape of Good lIo|n all knowlege of God, of immortality, of mh. of right and wiong, of heaven and hell, which oi iginally they must have brought with them, is entii ely lost; and instead of settled homes to raise their children, and an organized system to supply their W'ants and protect thvii- lives, they have become, .by day, homeless, roving vagabonds, picking up sometliing as chance may I'avoi , to sup))oi t life; and brutes by night, piled up like hogs, in holes they scratch in the sand, to rest thi ir naked bodies. Wliile its northern half, stretching fiom the Equator to the Mediteranean, with slight ex- ceptions, is one great grave yard, enclosing un- numbered millions of the dead of my race, who have been sacriliced by war and famine for the {uivilege of making slaves Of their brothers and sisters, and their own children,— without the slight est advance in civilization. I have Icai'ned also from the Christian's Bible that the Bi nx V( ho made this world, once de- stioyed by a Hood of water, all its inhabitants for their wickedness, except one man named Xoah, and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and .lapheth, and their wives. Ham my father was a compound of beastly wickedness. I learned from this Book following compensation : If you will allow me that these three sons were types of nations, that to control you and your post 'rity, I will give you were to spring from them to repeople the earth. in return what will be worth more to you and to The descendants of Shem were to be distiuguish- them, than your freedom and the avails of your ed for the blessed God tliej worshipped, whose labor. I will guarantee to you and to them, from character and peifections it was their mission to the cradle until death, the beuetit of all the en dowTBents ,)f the V hiti race, in the following par- ticulars: Fiist, an unceasing watchcare shall be given to your persons; second, the best medical skill shall be furnished you when sick; third, the make known to all others ; and that the descend- dants of Ham, my father, were made their ser- vants. The descendants of Japheth, were distin- guisl, ei for a progressive intelligence, and a conn- manding influence upon the destinies of the world. l)est surroundings of sympathy and kindness shall These qualities were to, give them dominion in the tents of Shem, and the descendants of Ham were made their servants. And this I'uture eleva- tion of Japheth to the dominion of the world, was to harmonize with supreme reverence foi- that God, whom they had been brought to know by dwelling in the tents of ■ hem, whose God was the eternal^ All, and not dumb idols. The descendants of Ham, the beastly and de- graded s(m of .Noah, were subjected to a degraded servitude to Shem and .Jaiiheth. After this I learni d thtit slavery was spread over the whole globe, embracing the descendants of Shem, Ham and JaphHh. I learned also, that subsequently, freedom was extended in ni:iny na- tions to the descendants of Sh.'m and Ja:)l)''th, and last of all, to some of the descendants ot Haoi, my fath.-r. I was astonished at the n ,-ult. be secured to you when aHlicted; fourth, good homes and houses secured to you for lile; fifth, good and suitable clothing shall be furnished vou to put on; sixth, you s^all have a bountiful supply of lood at all times to eat; seventh, you shall D.' protected irom insult and injury; eighth, you shall be relieved from all anxious care; ninth, you shall be shielded from the perils of war, and the bui dens oi government; tenth, you shall be furnished w ith gospel instruction; eleventh, you shall enjo_\ the benehts and blessings of the best school in the world, that of domestic association for life with a superior order of honoiable and cul- tivated men ai.d women. By their example, and thai sup rior intellects, you will l?arn lessons of more real value to 3 ou than all the books ami school masters on the globe could ever teach you. The tmancipated descendants Of Shem and Ja- pheth, invariably made progress, a.nd reached hifijher attainments in freedom. Aly race, invari- ably retrograded from the position they bad reached under the enlightened control of Shem, bi' Japheth. The invariable tendency Of freedom was to sink tliem to the level of their original degradation. • ' . ; No\y, 1 ^vill not mftke A decision for this young African, on the continentof Africa— but I will say, that all enlightened manhood, which thinks it un- just and Sinful to subject such helpless and hope- less moral and social' degradation, to intelligent arid human control, ancT to invest it with the social and religious advantages of the slavery of this Union — dishonors the human understanding, the best instincts of our nature, and is utterh- un- , fit to take charge of a nation's welfare. The pictui'e drawn expresses sober historical truth With respect to Ham's sons when invested with freedom on the one hand, and American bondage on the other. Exceptions niay be found to the genei-al i-ule of good treatment to the slave 'in the United .States:— so they may in all the rela- tions existing among men. Tile , rehxtion of hus- band and wife should secure kindness to the wife; yet the per cent, of husbands, where .slavery does not exist, who abuse their authority and neglect their' duty to their wives, I set down from all the information I can get, asgreater than the per cent, of masters at the tSoutli who abuse their authori- ty and neglect their duty to their slaves. The per cent, of fathers, within the range of exclu- sive freedom, who abuse their authority over their children, or who use it without regard to the object for which it was given of God, I set down, from all the data I can command, as greater than the per cent, of Southern masters, who do the game thing to their slaves. The per cent, of free white families at the north, for whose comfort there is not a regular and proper provision made by their domestic heads, is greater than the num- ber of slave families, whose southern masters have failed to make such a provision for them. The per . cent of white families, for whose condition in infan- cy, sickness, and old age, there is not suitable medi- cal aid and sympathetic attention provided by their domestic head, is perhaps, many thousand" times ■greater at the North, than the per cent of slave families who are unprovided by their southern masters with these indispensable blessings. Among four millions of slaves at the south there is not one pauper, although one-fourth of their lives they are helpless, either from the weakness of infancy, or the infirmities of old age. At the north, every sev- enth family is without a home, and in the cities, one-fifth of the persons must receive help or perish; while four millions of slaves at the south have good homes, and three plentiful meals of good food pro- vided for them, by their masters, every day — with comfortable clothing, and an unlimited supply of fuel lor fires, in winter. Such a provision as "this, has never been secured to any equal number of free laborers on the globe. It"is perfectly horri- fying to a Southern slave owner, to read the statis- tics of poverty, vice, and suffering, whore monev is the master of labor. The skill and industry of : the white race in general, justly entitle them to a comfortable provision for life— but, within the boundaries of exclusive freedom, cupidity, ; and the power of money, withhold it as soon as the suppjy ot free labor exceeds the demands of capital. That state of things often happens .with slave labor and capital at the South; but then, the slave's wages are not diminished: nei- ther is ho dismissed to perish of want, or to sell himself to work wickedness. Slavery, or control by the will of ^mother, in .some form, and to the extent which varying cir- cumstances make proper, is now, and has been in all ages, an indispensable necessity. Too large a measure or too great an abridgment of liberty is equally fatal to the welfare of a people and to the happiness of individuals. The elementary princi- ple which should control a wise settlement of the proper amount of freedom to classes or individu- als, under any form of government, whether fami- ly, state, or federal, is best learned in j-earing and governing a I'an.ily. Here experience becomes the basis of theory ; and not theory the buisis of prac- tice. Here we learn that of the white race, in the highest forms of civilization, about seven eighths of the number to be governed, are subjected without their consent in any form, to the conti'ol and gov- ernment of about one eighth of the individuals who make up the families or states. One half being females, are so subjected for life: and three fourths of the other half, being minors, aie so subjected for a tei'm of years. The remaining fourth, are all that can be said, in any sense of the word, to be governed by their own wills — and, when formed into states, they are slaves, or what is the Same the same thing, are subjected to the control of their own state law, and are as liable to its burdens and penalties as anj^ other class of persons. The reason and the propriety of ensla- ving or controlling this large majority by this small minority, are so obvious, that no government within the pale of christian civilization has ever been constructed without being controled by the reason which makes it proper. What is that rea- son ? It is, that the portion thus excluded from the governing power, are not qualified t3 exercise this power, with safety to themselves or others. — In that disqualijication, the propriety is found oi withholding this power from them ; and of subjec- ting them to the control of those who are qualified to govern. In this state of facts — disclosed by the experience of all ages — originate all the varying forms of involuntary servitude found among men. The principles of righteousness lend their full sanc- tion to the control which subordinates individual freedom to the general good — and accords to in- dividuals, only the amount they can use as a good. By this standard of measuring the right and the wrongofslavei'y— of freedom, and of government — African slavery in the United States ought to be tested. Whenever it is so tested, it will be found to be right for the white race — just and humane for the black race — -expedient and proper for both races — and in accordance with the highest respon- sibilities of christian freemen. $0 far as the capacity of the African has yet been developed, we have no reason to believe they can retain the blessings of civilization and the gospel which we have given them, when our con- trol and protection are withdrawn. The evidence which sustains this conclusion, stares the civilized world in the face, like the sun in the heavens. On this continent, at an early stage of our his- tory, well meant efforts were permitted in the providence of God ; the object of which was, to bless Ham's race by releasing them from our con- trol, and giving them freedom. These efiorts have gone on among well meaning men for more than two centuries. For the whole of this time, facts have been accumulating which prove their freedom to he a curse; both to them and the white race. Still, additional aids, suggested by benevo- lence, have been resorted to by good men in the slave States, to make the experiment successful, until the demonstration seems complete ; that freedom to them is a curse on this continent, and every where else on the globe. These untiring ef- forts on the part of benevolent individuals, have been in silent progress in the slave States — and are but little known by tliose at a distance. Their voice is the voice of God. He thus jjroclaims to us, that in these efforts, me are xcarring against His fixed plan. Misguided philanthrophy however, still found excuses for the failure. That failure, it- was thought, would not have taken place upon a fair field for the experiment. To meet this be- witching blindness of benevolent slaveholders at the South, God in Ilia providence has tolerated the selection of three different theatres, more favo- rably situated, upon which to make the experiment on a large scale. Two of them, ho surrounded highest order of minds — the purest philanthropy — the most disintcrc-ilod patrioti-im, and the most 8clf-aacrificin!» bencvcilence— smifjht to do good to tJiis race of [jeople, ami to oiij,niiate and put ia operation a practical i)lan for elevating them to the bles.sing.i of a higher civilization, and a moro with the'orerflowings of sympathy, aid, and conn- enlarged freedom, or self control. For aecomplisb- ' ' ■' " " ■ '■ ' '' — -XT..!-- jug their desires, these great men, so distinguished in the world's history for disinterested goodneea, met in the city of Washington in IHI*! — and after mature deliberation, adopted a plan for carrying out their wishes by the agenov of an organization which they called "The American Colonization Ho- ciety." 'I'heir purpose was, to aid free persons of color to settle a colony or colonies in Africa. In pursuance of this plan, they raised by voluntary contribution a sullicient fund — employed suitable agents to explore the coast — and finally purchased of the natives on that continent, a territory large enough for the settlement of every negro, free and bond, in the United States. To this well selected home — rich in soil — salu- brious in climate — and highly adapted to com-' nierce — they commenced transporting such of Ham's descendants in the United States as were most advanced in civilization— public spirit — and intelligence. So great was the desire of Southern philanthro- pists to succeed in this experiment, that through their influence, indirect aid was obtained from the federii,! government, to sustain the infant colo- ny against the hostile natives. Places of defence wuie built by the aid of our sailors— and the pres- ence of our war ships afforded security against aggression., . ; ■ . 'The passage of the emigrants to th^ir new home — six mofitlw provision when they arrived tfaere^^ lands surveyed and ready for settlement — hospitals fpr the sick — and medical aid for their assistance — were all thoughtfully arranged and secured to them by these noble hearted men. But the above catalogue of bounty, falls far short of the whole- souled benevolence and forethought which charac- terized their efforts. The Society and its influence secured for the colonists, all kinds of tools to culti- vate their fields, carts and wagons for the use of their farms, steam mills to saw their lumber, to jrrind their grain, and to manufacture their cane ael, by three of the most powerful nations of the earth. In Jamaica, one liundred millions of dollars was paid to the owners of Ham's descendants in that island by the English government, to release from bondage a set of well fed laborers — who were sup- plying their own wants, rendering a remnnerating income to their owners, and a needful sujiply of trop- ical productions fcu" the wants of the mother coun- try. Here, the experiment was thoucrhtfiilly made, and surrounded by a wise forecast, tliat seemed to bid defiance to failure. The land was owned by the white race — their farms were all in good order — on these farms, there was a supply of good houses — in these houses, the slaves had lived and reared their families — these farms were supplied with the tools and machinery necessary for their successful cultivation — and to the use of these tools and this machinery, the slaves had been accustomed since childhood. These farms — the houses on them — the tools and machinery — with the supervision of the owner — was the capital which England said, and believed, was to be rendered more valuable by free, than by slave labor. On every farm, the needed supply of labor was to be found. A moral guarantee was given to the laborer, that capital should not oppress him; because the demand of cauital for labor, should always be kept greater in that island than the supply. Of cimrse, capital would be compelled to give the highest price for labor which a small return of profit would allow. What has been the result of this well arranged experiment, to give freedom to this race of people? Homes were ready for every one of them — homes too in which they were raised-r-the highest price for labor awaited every one of them who would work — a powerful and sympathetic government threw her shield around them — the avails of their labor were secured to them — with assurance doub- ly sure that merit should have everything accor- aed to it which justice could demand. I ask again what has been the result of this well arranged and into sugar and molasses, draft animals to plough costty experiment, to give freedom to Ham's de- their land, arms to defend their persons by land, scendants? The result is, according to reports and ships for their commerce by sea. made to the English parliament (oy abolition They provided for them a government free of members sent in mtterent years from their own charge, and secured for them, either directly or body, to make a strict personal examination) that indirectly — school houses and teachers tor thdr the export of sugar hi a short time, had fallen off from upwards of six liundred millions, to two thou- sand pounds — and very soon after, to nothing — and that every other product of labor had shared the same fate. That the farmshad grown over in bush- es — that the ditches were tilled up — that the roads were impassable — ttiat the machinery was rusting and rotting unused — that the houses were surroun- ded with brushwood and trees which nearly con- cealed them — that thousands of negroes were hov- ering around the towns on the coast in destitution and starvation — whose existence was a mystery, as none could account for it — that others had re- treatTnl from civilization .and the reach of law to the mountains, where they were living in savage and beastly degiadation on roots and herbs — and that no price would secure labor. That the value of real estate was reduced according to an assess- ment, twelve millions in a very short time — in children— churches in which to worship God — Bi- bles and preachers to teach them the way to hea- ven — books tilled witli instruction on all suitable subjects — printing papers to diffuse knowledge — clothing for their bodies — and affectionate ana en- lightened counsel for their minds. Thousanda of hearts, in all parts of our country ascended to God for their success — and followed them to their new homes, in every form of benevolence. Our Gov- ernmenthas indirectly secured them against hostili- ty and violence, at an expense, if fairly estimated, that would reach many millions of dollars. Every motiye was quickened into activity which could be awakened in their hearts, for the regeneration of Africa, and their OVyn progress in christian civili- zation. ' Could a better theatre havebeen selected — could better materials have been secured to occupy it — could wiser and better counsellors have been seleo- short, that the island, and the negroes were ruined ted on the globe, to guide their infant movementa ■unless efficient control in some form was reassumed by their well meaning but misguided benefactors. The second experiment, to which allusion has been made, is the one in Africa. The best materi- als to be found among the free negroes of the United States w-ere selected for this experiment. Long and anxiously in our country had the in the mission of self improvement, and Africaa redemption ? The noblest branch of Japheth's descendants — who had been so long accustomed to progress on this continent, were slow to doubt the success of this experiment, and could nt patiently and wise- ly weigh the evidence time began to furnish, that 10 its -uccess was doubtful. Whether by desis-n or One of the ordinances of God is, that man shall not, di.-C(aii aging facts were withheld from 1 hi- pub- cat b ead in tho swat pf his face, that is, that he he, ;ind fliitt-jiing pictures of success woi'S given to shall by labor, co'itribute his shaie to the coniipon thi! wi'rld. ■ stock of supnlv for human wants. Christ has or- Our country was wade familiar by' the ^ press, daincd that in his kingdom, no man shaJl eaf un- witb comparisons botwe-n this, and other coloni- less he woik. We have sent Ham's descendants to zi.ig expcrimenta, with a large balance in favor of Afj ica to raise and srovern families, and to assume L.bjrii. Yet in Wi?,. more than twenty years the higher responsibilities of organizing and gov- atter tho-i'ttleuient of the colony, their statistics erning states. Fiom the best authenticated tkcts showed that the a ve";ig-' quantity at' land cuUiva- wo can gain, we are obliged to believe they are not - tud in this agiicuitiual colony (including town cjualilied to do either, because they will iipt per- lots) was about onij third of an aero per head— form voluntary labor. Among Ham's race in free- and that not asingle draft animal— plow, wagon, dom, here and elsewhere, there are but a few indi-' t, was used at that time for any pixrpose — viduals who are willing to labor continuouslv for the support of a family. No people can multiply and raise families, unless they have homes, and are well f'd. In the Northern States, in Jamaica, and in Liberia, the deaths, among the free blacks, steadily exceed the births. The slaves at the South that no lariiiing tool was used, except a bill-hook and hoe. That the machinery sent them to saw their lumber — grind their giain, and nianufactuie their cane into sugai' and molasses, and the tools si.'nt them to cultivate their lands, were then rus- ting and rotWng unused. The colonists have at all multiply faster than the white r&ce at the North. times aliirnud that thesoil was exceedingly produc- On the field of experiment there is another that tire, yet their custom-house, at that time, I'epor- deserves our notice. In Hayti, the slaves were ted not a single article exported f; om Liberia, emancipated by the assembly of France in 1793. — whicii was pioauced by the laboi' of the colonists. In the same year they slaughtered the white race, The articles for which their soil was peculiarly and appi-opriated to themselves the invested wealth adapted, such as tobacco, breadstuffs, cotton, cof- of the island. This island had been in a most pros- fee, suoar, molasses, potatoes &c., were imported perous condition before that event. Its exported from aoroad: and so was their meat. All these ar- productions had been immense. From that time tides commanded high prices in their own ma; ket, its productions declined, and from the address of prices, which ought lo have indued their cultiva- their President last year, they have reached the tion by any human b.ing willing to labor. lowest level of laziness, and poverty, are in a very After they had been adding, to the outfit which degiaded condition, as much, or more so than the they carried with them, the avails of their own original inhabitants m ben the island was discovered labor, and all that ha "iven them by their by Columbus in 1492. benefactors for more .„-.. ...eiity ycais, the'assess- " I have said, the evidence which proves the unfit- ed value of their agricultural wealth was five dol- ness of the African for freedom, stares us in the lars and a few cents pei' head During the whole face as the sun in the heavens, that it amounts to a of this time, their government had cost them noth- demonstration. That evidence lias been passed in ixtg. and our navy had given them peace and so- review before my reader. It consists first, in the cu'ity. experiment at the South, of giving freedom' to Statements however were in conflict, and its the most promising of the race. We of the South f. iends from time to time, sought for information kno^v, that it has pioved a curse to them. It has that certainly could be relied on. 1'he last accred- involved them in a little more than ten times the it.d agent was Mr. Cowen fioni the Kentucky Col- amount of crime, and a measure of poverty desh oni/.ation Society, who in 1858, alter a sojourn of tructive of .ill comfort. An unwillingness to" labor Seven wecKS, macie a report. This i-eport, witn is almost universal among tnem. respect to agriculture, present* about thesauestate Th ■ North emancipated that portion of the rao* of facts as tnose oi 1843. Ttie colonists have alwa_) a thev held in bondage. Prom the same unwilling- affirmed that the climate was healthy, yet with a ness to labor they are too poor to raise families, are rich soil to give them food, and a healthy climate to diminishing in numbers, and are degraded by an prolong their lives, and forty years to multiply amount of crime which exceeds more than twelTe their race, they are now about one fifth less in times that of the white race, number than the original emigrants. In Jamaica, no wages can overcome their unwil- The general view I have taken of Jamaica and lin^ness to perform labor. Liberia is derived from sources that are entitled to In Liberia, where they have been literally held the highest xiredit, but my information has been up by kindness and counsel, and stimulated by the obtained from difl'erent sources and at difl'e/'ent prospect of regenerating Africa, we see the same times, and was not carefully preserved, supposing incurable disease. it could be obtained again at pleasure from histori- In Hayti, we see them sharftig all the,evils which cal records, and in chionologital order, but in this flow from self control, and an unwillingness to lar I was mistaken. There is nothing however, in bor, while we see the slaves at the South under the point oi' fact, from any quaiter, tending to a differ- control of the white race, contented and well pro- ent Conclusion, from that at which I have ariived; vided for, increasing in numbers, and improving in that is, that this race of people have never as yet, morals and intelligence. proved themselves capable under any circumstan- What I have written thus far was intended to ces- of retaining in freedom, what slavery gives disabuse men's minas as U^ the origin of eovern- th ni; or of making progiesaive improvement, un- ment, as to its "resting on the consent of the less they arc subjected more or less, to the control governed," — as to b ing ''born free and equal", as of the white race. For more than three vears, I to what constitutes slavery, as to what constitutes have been trying to get statistical and histotical freedom, as to the rule by which freedom or self facts, concerning these experiments on foreign control is to be meted out, as to the propriety, in fields. But the libiajy of Congress, the propiie- civilized life, of subjecting seven eighths of the hu- tors of bciok stores, and some of the best inoinud man family to the control of one eighth, as to the ■of oui- public men could give me no aid. This is a justice of according freedom to the white race at a fiiiggi stive fiact. "He that doeth tiuth, comelh to <;iven age and withholding it from Africans for the light," says Chi ist. Here are expe: iinents that life, as to the evidence furnished that they are an in- have be.n in progress for more than foity yeais, feiior race, and unfit forsocial and political freedom, one of them by the most enlightened government In my ni'xt, slay(ry will be tested by the Bible, in th" wo Id, the other, by manv of the most en- as a qu"'stion of moia'ls, and a divinely appointed li;.'htencd individuals in the Unit: H States, tnat are ciemJnt in the social and religious progrestj oi lae a;:iiO£t eve;-' a .:■ ^'.Ifnef*. Why is this? world. 11 CUAPTER n. _ ^'''^1^ "'• \t,ny hkv for liiinsclf that this mistake Las Te«fI,iH<,, o/ih^ mUi.— J'he uodd '''J]^fi;^yt"J^ Wliiii I.ut. wai tak.ii \,umwY, Gen. XIV : Vi, tcr thcj/oud i-y ilircv 'ia>ilcn~Domeiitic ilacei-y .-■•.iiuiioiitd of O'o"^ '" '/'<^ /iuniheit of the I"utiiuichs.—A , riui.^Wrt^ iluve i-Huru- ed tu the owner by v, upevuU ntisociiffer fi'om HKUven. — A riatioit of the dwotcd J«cc, uko ucrv. free, ouiaved by the Alini(jhty.'—A nutioii of the free race, who were doi /lextir ultfeholdern, libera. ed by the Auniyhty, fi^om bondnije to the devoted nice — A xUtve code. e)ia<-(crf by the Al- mlijhty. — Slucc markets de jiiynatcd by Him for the purchase of slave. — T he devotcdrace divided ■into iiatioiia — iSeveii of th ^g^. nationx devotfd to ut- ter de^itruetioii. — The b aianee of them to ulavery. — Divine authority, t/ ,«( Klavery is in harmony with the moral preeo^t, which reqnires us "to lovt our neiyhbor an our ftclf.'' — The ej:teiit, and char- acter of siatery I jhen Clirisl came. — All govern- incuts at that t'' ,,ng mnctioned slavery. — What Christ iiiper>,o'^ (/(V/^ ,(^1 fatufht his disciples to do, in referen ^g to yovernmenty: Having, in. x\^q preceding chapter, attempted to allow that aiavrn-v is nothing more, nor less, than coutiol '^Y the will of anothoi — and that that this conti ^1 jg jjy indispensable necessity tVoin our biith «"'.ilour physical, uioiai,and intellectual laculties '%re suliicicutiy develojiert Jor the responsibilities of social and po'litical liu-— and that this developc- nicut is generally reached bv the white race in jibout tweiitv-one years, and t"liat it ha,-i never as yet been reachecl by tlie black race at any age, either ou this continent or any ^vhere else, of which we have knowledge: and having as-igned that as a true, proper, and suilieient reason for holding thaiii under the control of the white race, both as a good to that lace and themselves, — 1 will now proceed to exauiini! slavery by the Bible, as a question of mo- rals. It will be of service to tho^e who lever- ence the Bible, but who do not know what it teaches, or where to look for its teachings on the subject of slavery, to serve up a portion ol'thyniun that subject, and refer to the books, chapter and Turses, w heic tb-jy miy bo found. In Uoi>, Ix : 2.5, 20, "'.i7, you will find that soon «^ter the Hood, Ham's descendants were doomed b}- the Almighty to a state of sla^'ery, and that the desceudauts of Shein and Japhtthj by uie saiue de- cree, were ordained to be their masters, iioui Ham descended tifteen nations that settled between theEuph.ates and the Meditenanean. Seven ot these nations were devoted to utter destiuction, jiua tueu- land given to Abianam's seed, rtce I>eut. AX: l(i, 17, and Deut. Vli: 1, 2, The re- Biaiuiug eigut nations were to pe subjected by Abraiicim'sseed toii'Uio««i ooudo'je. See i)eut. XI : 'Zi, an'i XX: 10, 11. If they would not submit to national bondage, wlieii summoned, Ih'.nx the luaies were all to be d.'stroyed, anu the t'emales subjected to Uome-ctic bondatj'c. :-;ee Diut. XX: 12 to 1«. \Viieii these eighi uatioiis weie suojucteu oy AOia- haui's aetd to wHonul b: adaije their authority over th^? this, Abiaham was diiven by a i'ainiue into Ku'ypt, when the items of his pi inciiiul wealth are given M. Gen. XH : If), Ki. In this catalogue his slaves f-Hiu a conspicuous part us items ol projieity. Soon .if- ter this, in a neighboring kingdom, Abiaham re- ceived a large present from the reigning jovei-eign of the country. Among the Talualile items of property which make up this gift, slaves agiiiu form a conspicuous part. See Gi n. XX : 14, 15. IC. In default of children, Sarah, his wife, prevailed ou him to mairy her slave maid Magai-, an Kgyr>" tian woman who was given to Surah by I'haiuoh King of Eypt. To marry slave wives, and to hiive a plurality of wiyes, were both lawful under the law of tlie patriarchs. They were both made lawful four hundred years after by the law ot" Moses. This shive woman Hnna-- i;in away, bc- c.iuse of roi::;li i. e.iciiK'iit lo \\iiieh -lie was subjec- ted by her mistress, on account of her insolence. — In the w ilderness she was met by an Angel of (iod and ordered back, with positive diiections to sv.b- mit herself under her mistress's hands. See Giii. XVI : 1 to 9. The conduct of God's messengcT- to this down-trodden female, as our Northern breth- ren would call her, ditt'ers very mucli from tlnitr conduct at the present time, lliat messenger ir- dered tile fugitive slave back to her owner— the Abolitionist refuses to deliver them up. In Gen. XVH : a covenant is mentioned. In this covenant God gave to Abr: 'lam's seed citizen- ship and the land o/ Canaan, 'ibis covenant sr cu- red both to Abraham's male i)osterity througli Isaac, Jacob, and twelve of Jacob's sons, ex,; eluding from citizenship and the soil, IslunaeJ, Abialiam's first born son, and Esau, Isaac's first born son, and all others forever. Not one foot of this land could be alienated. It was entailed in perpetuity on Abraham's male descendants through the above line, and with it political respon^ibihty and power. Political power and the soil wery oiven exclusively to them. Abiaham's othoi' children and slaves were bound by cii curacision to acknowledge and yvorship Abraham's God. C'ir- cduicision gave religious privileges, but notnatioa- al identity, or political power. Abraham was bound to impose circumcision on his children and slayes. Ilencc Abraham circumcised, not only Isliniaol his son, but himself and all his slaves that were born in his h^use, or that wet; rjougiit \vitk his UJoiiHy o. any stranger. See Gen. XYII : 'l^ to 2(i. Question: 'Could our noi them brethren hold fellowship with this old slaveholder if he were to appear among them ? ' ■ ■ e Th= ntxt view which the scriptures furni.^h us of this distinguished slavi hoicier, and '.avoiite of th« Almigl.tv, is the occasion he improves ofg'jttiug a wife lor his siui Isaac. Isaac had beer, aesignaied by the Almighty as tho piogenitor of the Mestiah — iji w'":t. an t'ne nations oi the earth were to be blessed. See Gen. XXI : 12, and XXII : 1 to l!?. Aoiaiiaii. "Jtrusted this mission ol getting a wife for Isaac, to the most aistiiigui.-h';d si'rvant he had. At an eai lier period of Abi ahaiu's lite, ano oelvre he had a child, he thought of making this servant, on account ot his high qualities and sterling irneg- rity, the heir ot his wnoie estate. He now -■. ids him on this delicate ana important mission, under suecial instruction. H'> requiies hiu. to taiie a iolemn oath to follow his directions to the very letter. He put* him in possession of all the means Kc, .;Tas to nse t<) insure suceew; jewels t:,at ».ei » bea«*if"'.t". ano ».'"?♦."' '•>" *'^" 'a-y, jpi*:' "•-■ r>:>»ceiL'.s 12 which he intended to give his son at his death. — This estate the servant enumerated to the lady's family in the following words : " I am Abraham's eervant, and the Lord hath blessed my master s;reatly, and he is become great ; and he hath given Lim flocks and lierds, and silver and gold, and men servants, and maid servants, and camels, and asses. And iSarah, mv master's wife, bare a son to my majiter when slie wa.s old : and unto him hath he given all he hath." See Gen. XXIV : 34, 35, 30. After this marriage of Isaac was consummated, Abraham married again, and had six sons by Ke- turah, besides his first born son Ishmael by Ilagar. Before his death, he sent those seven sous out of the country which God had given his posterity through Isaac. To these sons he made presents when tie sent them away. But true to the message lie sent by his servant to get a wife for Isaac, lie gave to Isaac all that ho had, and this included the land of Canaan which God had given him by pro- mise. Gen. XXV : 5. To his other sons he' gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac, his son (while he yet lived) eastward, out of the promised land, unto the east country, and died in a good old age. Gen. XXV : C, 7, 8. Question : Can holding men and women in bond- age, giving them to our children when we die, and sliaring the honor thej' in part give us in the sight of God and men while we live, be sinfnl ? that is, If the word of God was written to teach us what sin is. Soon after Abraham's death, his son Isaac made a verv distinguished tigure upon the stage of the worla. The nistorical notice given of him is, that he was "a prosperous man"— "reaping an hundred fold" from the lands he cultivated. That he "wax- ed great"— "went forward" — "and grew until he became very great — for he had possession of flocks — and great store of servants." The next account we have of him is, that the citizens of the govern- ment under which he was living, envied him ex- ceedingly. Why, says fanaticism, a tvrant who lives upon the sweat and blood of his t'ellow man ought to be_ abhorred of God, and should be hated of men. Well, let us see how he stands with Abra- ham's God. He was then living in the kingdom of Gerar. The envy of his neighbors, who were citi- zens of this kingdom. made his homeso disagreeable, that he removed thence and went to Beersheeba, grieved in heart that a people to whom he had done no harm, should invade his home, endanger his life, and the lives of his servants — violently wrest his property from him, and render it unsafe for him to dwell among them. See Gen. XXVI : 12 to 23. But the Lord appeared to him the same night, after these painful demonstrations of unconquerable en- vy and hatred had caused him to separate him- self from this people, and said to him, "lam the God of Abraham thy father; fear not" the malig- nity and lawlessness of these men, "for I am witli thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed." Gen. XXVI : 23 24, 25. The lawlessness and malignity of these people were enough to awaken the fears of this princely slaveholder. We are living under analogous cir- cumstances. While we may not have for our com- fort the direct assurance of" this great slaveholder, tliat God will be with us, and bless us — yet through patience and comfort of the scriptures, we may have hope that he will. Isaac had two sons, who were twins. He was led by a prophetic impulse to make a public trans- fer of the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant to one ()f these sons before his death. Under the in- fiuence of partial feelings, and common usage, he was about to transfer these blessings to Esau. But means were used by which they were unintention- ally, on his part, transferred to Jacob. Isaac was dnly assured by iDivine impulse, after the deed was <]one, that it was God's will that Jacob should liave IMe- inheritance; and under prophetic inspiration he said to Jacob, "Let people serve thee, and na- tions bow down to thee : be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee : cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be every one that blesseth thee." Gen. XXVII. Jacob's subsequent history showshim to have been one of the greatest slaveholders of the age. If my views were those of an abolitionist, I should be obliged to hate the God of Jacob, and instead of saying as God did, "Cursed be every that curseth ihcc," my abolition views would compel me to say, "Cursed be every one that hle»neth thee." Soon after this transacti(m of blessing Jacob, Isaac, his father, called Jacob to him — gave him a chaige to take a wife from a God-fearing family, and not from an idolatrous jieople — and then sent him away with this inspired benediction — "God Almighty bless thee, and multiply thee; and give the blessings of Abraham; to thee, and to thy seed with thee, that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a strana:er,"which God gave to Abraham." Gen. XXVIII: l,to4. Jacob thus charged, and thus blessed by his in- spired lather, went to Padan Aram— married — and lived there twenty years. The night after he left his father's house to go to Padan Aram, God ap- peared to him and gave him this assurance: "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father, and the God of Isaac; the laml whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed," (^ now mark the cau- tion used here, and in every other place to desig- nate the heirs of the land of Canaan: they must be Abraliam's male descendants through Jacob) "and thy seed shall bo as the dust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South: and in thee, and ill thy need, sli.all all the nations of the earth be blessed." Gen. XXVIII: 13, 14, 15. *When Jacob, twenty years after this, was thinking of leaving Padan Aram, where he had been badly treated by his father-in-law, this is the account we have of him — "The man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maid servants and men servants and camels and asses." Gen. XXX: 43. This proper- ty in slaves which he accumulated in Padan Aram, and that which he inherited from his father soon after, made him a princely slaveholder, as his fath- ers had been. In all these catalogues of property ov.-ned by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, servants occupy the place of chattels. Thev were bought with their money-*-they were called "their mo- ney" — they were, raised in their families, and were passed as an inheritance to their children in perpe- tuity. Hired servants, are carefully distinguished from hereditary, or bond servants. During the life of the patriarch Jatob, we are presented with a very suggestive fact in favor of enslaving a people for their own good, who are not qualitiecT for freedom. A branch of Ham's race occupied, at that time, the fruitful valley of the Nile in Egypt. They were liable, by laziness, neg- ligence, and a want'of forethought and energy, to famine — owing to a casualty of frequent occur- rence, which caused a failure in the annual crop. To teach Ham's race a lesson, and tlirough them the world a lesson, the Almighty allowed Jacob's son, Joseph, a descendant of Shem, to be sold into slavery in that kingdom. It was Sliem's mission to preserve the knowledge and make known the character of the true God to all nations. Shem was sent to Egypt at this time, in the person of Joseph, not only to make known the character, attributes, and perfections of the true God, but to make known the character and elements of good govern- ment among men. Joseph soon convinced Pha- raoh wiieu brought into his presence that essential elements were wanting in his government, — that wise forethought, and an energetic control over his subjects would save them from this national , calamity with which they were atiSieted — that his government nnist be changed— and that his sub- 13 jecte were not qnalified for self-control, or freedoui. compelled by Pharaoh to suj>i.ort themHolvcs and Accordinglv,underimiiul.«es: awakened in Pharaoh's their faniilie.s— as their political nia^tcT, he made heart, this'vounff man wan invested with autho- very heavy drafts upon them for labor, and .sub- jected them to unreasonable and eiuel oppress' by overtaxing their plivfieal enerpief. This, aie told, was grievous to be borne, yet it "yielded tlie peaceable' fruits of rigliteouHnets to them whea cxeici.sed thereby." It led these .slaveholder.^ to ritvbv Pharaoh, 'to change the political .structure of iected them to unreasonable and cruel opnre.s.mon the government, by enslaving the persons, and by overtaxing their phy.-ical energies. This, we purchasing the property, real and personal, of the whole kingdom, with the exception of the priest- hood. He secured for Pharaoh an absolute right to tlie control, service, and labor of this people for- ever. A new arrangement was iiumediatelv made by .Jo,seph for the more ettlcient coiitiol of labor — and for a careful preservation of the surplus. This was done by bringing a number of families together in cities,' from one end of the kingdom to the other, so that a few competent overseers (men of skill, enterprise and authoritative energy) could supervise the labor and the civil conduct ot" a great many persons. ]}y this change, labor was well hus- banded — a bountiful supply 'was secured for the •wants of the people — a surplus was put in store for contingencies, and a regular supply of means laid by for the support of the government. The authority for all this, is to be found in Gen. XLl: t« XLVIt: inclusive. Subjecting this ))eople to .slavery was God's work. He, by a special providence of seven years continuance, brought them into a erni'ifi'in th;!t unavoidably subjected them to hereditary slavery — or to death by famine, if they refused submission to it. Now let me ask all vvell meaning, honest minded men, this question: If slavery be a sin, as the abolitionists say it is, then why did the Al- mighty take advantage of the condition into which he brought this people, to deprive them of liberty and subject them to slavery '? I would answer this question by saying, God designed it for their good — and to teach them, and all others through them, that slavery was a greater good to any people, than freedom, without proper qualifications to use freedom. All of this is written iu the Bible for our learning — that we, when called upon in the providence of God, to arrange the best form of government for men who prove themselves inca- pable of self-government, (as the Africans do among us, and everywhere else with but few individual ex- ceptions) that we do not sufl'er ourselves to be led away by the intidelit}' which sanctions universal fieedom and equality- — a freedom and an equality, of which the Bible knows nothing ; nor by a false humanity which takes away a good from a people, and puts an evil in the place of it — as this infielity in the United States seeks to do, by taking from the African the protection and control of the white race, and leaving him to perish by giving him freedom to do nothing — which is the onl^- free- dom he desires. The difierence between freedom and slavery to this race of people — when the comparison is made between the masses in slavery hei-e, and freedom in Africa, — is almost as great as the imaginative difter- ence between the two future worlds of the Bible. Tne difference is the fruit of slavery. By the fruit the tree should be judged. The seven years famine wliich was the occasion of exiilting J oseph to the control of Egypt, brought his father Jacob, and Ja.'ob's other eleven sons, in- to the same kingdom thr. they might avoid starva- tion by famine in the laml of Canaan. A beautiful and productive portion of the land was assigned to them bv the King. Here they became a niition, Deut. IX: 34: and enjoyed great i)rosperity and coui'tlj' favor for a long time — but at length a new King arose who knew nothing of Joseph. The rapid increase of Jacob's posterity in Egypt awakened the fears of the new King and he sub- jected them as a nation to bondage, and their male chiJdrento death. Now, let my reader remembei' that this was not domestic ' bondage — for thev' were the owners of domestic slaves tliemselves — they were literally a slaveholding nation, and so reniaiuvd until iLvii" fc.\y(.Ui;. "Wiiiie tLev %,v.e call upon the Lord in singleness of heart for deliv- erance. The Ijord heard their i)rayer, and deliv- ered them from this cruel oppression — not, howev- er, as modern deliverers seek deliverance for do- mestic slaves who arc not opj)reHsed — that is, by- spears— Sharpe's riHes— conllagation — rapine and plunder. The lesson God taught this pcojile by Moses is the lesson he teaches us by the Gospel — that is, that inflicting vengeance upon nations be- longs to God — that we are not to avenge ourselves. These oppressed national bondmen, jieaceably pe- titioned the throne under fiud's diiection for a re- lease, and after the Almighty had endorsed their petitions by national judgments im Pharaoh, they were .allowed to march peaceably out of Egypt with the consent of Pharoah their national master — carrying their own domestic slaves with them — without having reci'ived the pennission of God in- i'.''vidu;iHy, cv a.^ ii iiavic.ii, to i-a^pv ^.ato a deed of violence," or to ofi'er an indignity to Pharaoh, or to any of their national oppressors. How does this comport with plans and efforts to release our do- mestic slaves who have no oppression to complain of? The domestic slaves of the J ews in Egypt had none to complain of. The oppressed in Egypt, were masters .. their bonda Ere was political — from this, God delivered them, and they marched peace- ably, as a nation, to the Bed Sea. Pharaoh pur- sued them — and here, God destroyed him for a breach of his covenant to let tfiem go. Thev marched throuph the Red Se:i. as on dry land^ and soon stoocT at the base of .\It. Sinai— where they received a moral constitution from the imuuh of (jod himself, and soon after through Moses, the laws ordaining and regulating, according to God's will, their sj'stem of domestic slavery, and their civil, social, and religious institutions. Here we see the Almighty, displaying his vengeance upon the political oppressors of a nation of domestic slaveholders, while he writes his approval of their domestic slavery, by giving their slaves a place at the table of the passover, tlie night these masters were delivered from political bondage — and their slaves at the same moment, from the destroying an^el for their master's sake. 'Their genealogies were carefully examined, and the male descendants of Abraham through Jacob, who could prove their descent, were formally re- cognized, and reorganized as the nation to whom God had promised the land of Canaan. They numbered six hundred thousand fighting men. — See Xum. 1: This nation voluntarily accepted the covenant, God made with their lathers and promised obedience to it. E.xo. xix: 1, to 8. The night they left Egypt, the passover was in- stituted. It w as to be a memorial of their na- tional deliver.ance. The qualifications for its re- cipients are carefully worded in Exo. xii: 43, 44, 45. '-A foreigner and an hired servant shall cot eat thereof; but every man's servant that is bouglit for money, when thou hast circumcised him, tliea . shall he cat thereof." This law proves Jacob's descendants to have been a nation of slaveholders ■. when they left Egypt. They had been a slave- « holding people dining all tlie intervening time, - from Abraham's da}- until they, went down into s I'.gy'pt witli their father Jacob during the si:\en.t yea!vs of famine. This covers a period of nvve* than four 'hundred and fifty years. Among the patriarchs of this period, their slaves are declared in the Bible to be, "their money" — they had bought them with their money, or they raised them in theiv I'aiiiilifcj — ana tiiey we: t iientaWe property in pg-- 14 ■jjetu'tv. Daring thJfi period slaves were carefally distill ffuislied fionv. liiied servants and free men. — And in the moial law, or ten coninLandiuents, de- Jiyircd in I'ss than three months alter they left Epvpt their slaves areregistered by .tlie Almighty iu th ■ tenth oomraaaidKient as their property, in to.mmon with other articles of property which •were nut t* be coveted. See Exo. xx: 17. And in the fourth of the ten .commanduientS rest from labor on the tJabbath was secured to these slaves. Exo xx: 10. And now I. ask again, how can any man who puts forth claims to Bible knowledge, solemnly declare and teacb the world to believe, ih&i the Bible iiiakes slavery to be the greatest of alls'ns? Here is a miraculous interposition to ehall go out with him. If his master have givcB: him a wiie, and she have boine him sons, urc'.augl»- ters; the wife and her children shall be her mae- tei's and he shall go out, by himself;" (and in I)eut. iv: 13, 14, 18, the master is bound to fur- ni.-h him for house-keeping agaiu.) "But if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children ; 1 will not go out free ; then his master shall bi ing him unto the judges ; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." These persons belonged to clas-es which will be found in all civilized society until time ends. The persons who make up these classes embody moral purity in the outset of life - but are without the deliver a natioE of domestic slaveholders trom a. , _ .. „ . . ^i. ■tate of national bondage te which they had been auahtications to contend successfully with the snbieeted in Egypt, t an w« believe 'God would difficulties of securing a comfoitable support— and a this and sanot'on their holding slaves, if sla- hence they are exposed to the temptations which Terv was a great sin ? assail social virtue and moral purity, with great It niav seem stcAnge to an abolitionist (for they severity. For the social comfort and moral se- ' not to knov7 what is in the Bible) thtt the curity of these classes of his peculiar people, these " " laws were enacted by the Almighty. am's seed that were subjected to slavery. The^e classes also, have been found in civilized society in all ages and countries. They are criminal classes, tor the good of these criminals, whose puni.-hment was short of death, and for the good of society, no human legislation has ever equaled the law of God. The classes he d signed to correct by this legislation, included such persons as bi'oke into houses— that stole cattle, sheep, or other stock — that trespassed on their neighbor's fields or forests — that appropriated to their own use whatever they could stealthily get hold of— that swindled by false pretences — that contracted debts without the means, or intention of paying them — in short, all M-ho proved themselves unfit to be trusted with freedom. The object to be accomplished by these laws was to dry up the sources of moi al miasma — neutra- lize this poison — improve the morals of the cul- prits — and preserve the health of the social body. One great principle lies at the bottom of all this kgislatiou, which was enacted of God to relieve society — first, of criminals — secondly, to correct the criminal classes — and third, to save the vi; tu- Alm^s-fctvshoirid pollute flia lips, in the blaze of laws were enacted by the Alcuighty. glory tji at surrouiifced Him, (a^. the time He pro- There were other classes amon^ Abrah claimed the ten eommandments;^ by acknowledg- " ' i.- _. j .. -i__ in'o- aiid legalizing it relation among men, that inakeepioperty of ajellow being. They profess to believe this "to be the greatest of sins. But their surprise will not be lessened when they discover that in the next breath after enunciating the moral law or tea commandments, the God of Abra- ham commences to deliver a body of law for the Jewish nation, the very first utterance of which, enlaro-es the field in which they might lawfully 'secure a greater supply of slave labor. The abolitiiinists of our day have been laboring to dry up the sources of supply— but the Almighty, an the first utterance of the law — designed for the orp-anization. &t)d regulation of their social and t)jculiar institutions,— enlaiges the boundary in wKich they may obtain a greater supply of slave And in'so doing has famished the world a They ought ^o study labor leescin for their ip«iruction it. For more than five hurdred years, Abraham's descer/lants had beai domestic alaveholdeis ; but nntU itJiis time, tho Alii;ighty hud never given them it-* sanction to snt lave thejr own brethren. andtOiSniikeproperty <.»f them. But He now opens ouspoorfiom that condition of poverty, which ..new source of supply for slave labor in several classes , of Abraham'.-^ "descenciants. In the first place He authorized Abiaham's poor female chil- dren to be ivold into herexiitary bondage by their fathers. T'iie pi oof of this is found in Exo. xxi: 7. and Deiit. xr-: 17. "If a man sell his daughter to he a raaid' servant, slie shalS not go out, as the men eervant* do." Again. Ho authorized the poor male descendants of Abraham to sell themselves and tiieir wiv.s into perpetual bondage. Sec Leut. xv: 12 t <.t-..„„^ . .1, A 1 I..:., iU . r\:..:"' I- •ompetition- anxious care -were allowed of God to throw otf all -to sit down in social quietude — and These sti'angers shared largely in the Divine fa- vor. Three several times the Israelites are coni- to enjoy the provision secured by labor, to domes- inandcd not ''to vex or oppress them ; but to love tic bondmen for life. The innocent poor thus pro- them as themselves." Exo. .VXIl : 21, L'vit. .\X V : ▼idjd for — the future danger to society thus guard- 33, 34, Deut, VIlI : 19. Yet God allows the Isra- ed against — the Almighty, by the aid of this great elites to buy and hold these stiangeis in he:editary money principle, next subjected the criminal class- bondage, as an inheritance to their children forev- ee to a more efficient remedy, and society to a less er. Here is proof positive, without inference, costly correction, than that of building peniteutia- that to hm/, and hold a person in 'ilaue^i/ harmoni- ries and work-houses, and employing incompetent zes with lovincj that person a'^ families, laoor, ana passea to the purchaser a right to con- without the ekiii to proviae lor ttiem. He extbnd- trol him by all necessary and proper means. Theae ed the same advantages. means, the state furnished when necessary. All these classes were benefitted by slavery. — By this system of making labor a merchantable The idolatrous class, was better governed, "bek- •ommodity, the productive resources of the state ter protected, better fed and clothed, better were increased — the personal and property righta instructed for this life, and that to come, shared of the people were secured — prolific sources of vice in social sympathy and intelligence, unknowa *nd crime were dried up — and the morals of the to them in heathenism, and were greatly i»- community preserved and strengthened. But ac- vored by the Almightv in allowing them to atind cording to the abolition standard of morals and in such a relation to a people whose God was the unalienable rights, God must be the greatest sin- eternal I AM. And does not truth compel us t* Ber in the universe if He be the author of such say all this of the African race on this continent ? laws as the above. John Brown is eulogised as a These Africans were the most degraded, supersti- martyr for resisting to the death such laws as I tious, and ignorant of all the heathen races o» have quoted, or referred to, from the Bible. He earth. By domestic slavery, they have bee» left many behind him, who are boiling with rage brought into a progressive state of civilization, against all such enactments. and to share largely in the blessings of the go.'''• His judgments were sent upon them for their for their uistruction. In the first place the hireling dii^obedience. These judgments were inflicted for of the Bible who is not to beoppressed— and whose causes that are on record in the Old Testament.— oppression is the great sin of the'Bible, is the free Before inflicting these judgments, the Almighty man of the Bible, or the man whom the Bible de- raised up prophets to make known to them their clares to be free— and not the hereditary bond sms,— to warn them of their danger,— and to ex- man of the Bible— the man who is declared' by the hort them to repentance. In all the indictments Bible to be his master's money. All this will be hied against them by the prophets,— there is not seen in the legislative protection given by the law- one for holding slaves in bondage. The law auth- of Moses to three classes of laborers. These three orized them to hold their brethren in bondage for different classes of laborer.^ are plainly set forth la SIX years— and it authorized them to hold the hea- that law. Two of these classes were created by- then in bondage forever. It required them at the that law,— the other class by their own free choice, end of the six years to restore their Hebrew breth- The two classes created by the law, were slavefl— ren to freedom again. For the violation of the other class, consisted of free persons, who this last law, which required them to restore their hired themselves to work for wages. One of theae Hebrew brethren to freedom again at the end of slave classes, were Abraham's descendants, who S1.X years, the prophet Jeremiah was sent to them were sold under the sanction of the law into slavery with this message, "Thus, saith the Lord, the God for six years. At the end of this time they were ot Israel, I made a covenant with your fathers iu released by the law from this slavery aud restored the day that I brought them forth out of the land to their freedom again. The other class of these of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, at slaves were heathens who were bought for monej the end of seven years lot ye go every man his according to the law in XXV: Leviticus, and were brother, an Hebrew which hath been" sold unto made by' that law to be their master's money, and thee, and when he hath served the six years thou to be hereditary bond men and bond womea to Shalt let him go free from thee, but your fathers him and his children forever. hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear. For the class of free laborers who hired them- therefore, thus saith the Lord, ye have not heark- selves for wages a law was enacted (which has ened unto me in proclaiming liberty every one tohis been quoted) that required their wages to be paid brother, and every man to his neighbor ; behold, I to them promptly. For the violation of this law, proclaim a liberty to you, saith the Lord, to the God threatened to visit, not the employer only, but sword, to.the pestilence, and to the famine, aud I will the whole nation with severe judgements— thereby luake .you to be removed into all the kingdoms of making all the individuals of the nation responsb- ttie earth. This judgment was sent upon them for ble for the due execution of this law. For the yio- V|iolating tl^ law which authorized them to en- lation of this law Ring Jehoiakim and the uafcion. .^ave their Hebrew brethren for six years, written were visited with the awful judgment I have pr&- Ixi u 'V''-^^' I'tie judgment pronounced against viously stated from Jer. XXII : 13, 19. them by Jeremiah, the pioiihot. for violating this For the protection of Abraham's seed who wore Jaw will be found in Jer. XXX1V:13 to 17. in bondage for six years, a law was passed, which in jjevii. A.l\:l:), tho'aiy .'or the wages of free exemoted them in ttie Urst p;ace rrorr rne r:g'jr:;us laDordeciares, "The wages ot mm that is hirea shall treatment ot tieatben slaves; i^evii. XXV : 39, to not abide with thee all night until, the morning." 43,— and restored them in the second place to ii(iclaimed freedom again at the end of the six years. For a thisjudgmcnt by the mouth of Jeiemiah against violation of this latter section of the law, God Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, King of Judah: "Wo threatened the whole nation with judgments, there- 17 by making the natit*, as well M the master, rcs- Eonsible for retaining Abraham's seed in bondage eyond the six years, except in cases where thev voluntarilv chose to subject themselves to heredi- torv bondage, after the six years were ended. This law, as I have before stated, was riolatcd by Zedekiah, King of Judah, and by others though his example. For this sin the nation was overthrown — Jerusalem destroyed — Zedekiah's sons and no- bles slain before his eyes — ;Zedekiah's eves put out, and he bound in chains to be carried to"Babylon by the Chaldeans. Nothing is more prominent in the Old Testament than the legal protection given to free labor. God threatened by judgments, that were awful, to avenge the oppressions of the free laborer. There is one law for their benefit, which embodies the divine benevolence in a very conspicuous manner. He gives the free laborer a right to borrow of his brother, (even victuals when hard pressed) and makes it the duty of that rich brother, under a heavy penalty — that of having God's blessing with- held, — to loan him a supply, and that without usury and to release him from all that was unpaid at the Sabbatic year, or the year of release, Dent. XV. 7 to 10. The Divine legislation for this class of free laborers, suggests to the mind that there is a na- tural tendency with the rich to oppress free labor — because, in"all God's legislation against (Vppres- sion there is not a law passed, or a judgment threatened to guard the hereditary slave against want, or oppression of any kind, save that of per- sonal abuse in anger. To prevent this, He freed the slave so treated, as we have seen in Exo. XX. 26, 27._ This remarkable fact, of legislative si- lence for the protection of slaves, can only bo ac- counted for by supposing, what we of the South know to be true, that the relation of master and slave, which God ordained between the superior races of Shem and Japheth, and the inferior race of Ham^wasa relation thatiu the nature of things, constituted the strongest guarantee, which can bind the superior, to take care of the inferior man. That it was more effectual than legal enactments enforced by the severest penalties — and therefore no laws were necessary to secure the hereditary slave from oppression and want, as the relation it- self would make it the interest of the master to provide well for his slave, aud not oppress him. This relation abates "the irrepressible conflict" between free labor and capital, and secures the affection and confidence of the slave to hia master and family where he lacks nothing. And hence the remarkable fact, that in all the divine legislation for a slavebolding nation, there is not a single law express, or implied, against servile insurrection. The wisdom of this omission is proved by the his- torical fact, that in the fifteen hundred years of their national existence, they never had a single fear awakened on that subject. Their various wars — and the awful calamities, and burdens of their wars, fell upon men who were free — while their domestic slaves were sitting under their vines and fig-trees in peace. For the privileges and blessings of slavery under such circumstances, tke Jews themselves, in the wilder- ness, often turned back in their hearts, greatly preferring their slavery among the flesh pots, on- ions, and leeks of Egypt, to the perils, dangers, and privations of freedom — as you will see by reading their history during their forty years so- journ in the wilderness. Their history further proves that after they were quietly settled in their own land. -there was an irrepressible conflict betw^^ n free laoor ana capital — or between the nca i.ci tae poor. T'.is began to snow itself with the oppressions of King Saul; and was intensifaea until the oppressions ana exactions of King Solomon upon free labor, led, just after his death, to civil war and disunion — ten tribes on the one side, and two on the other, ar- rayed in bitter hoetilitj and deadly strife, until the names of the ton tribes were blotted out from the catalogue of nations. This conflict botweea free labor and capital, will always be greater, or leM,accordingto tuelaw of supply and demand; that is, when the supply of free labor is large, and the demand for it small— the price of labor comoB down below the laborer's necessary wants, and he is rendered desperate in his feelings towards the owners of capital. On the other hand, when th« demand for free labor is greater than the supply of it, then the laborer extorts a price for it beyond its value, and then men of capital become desperate in their turn and meditate revenge. This antag- onism and its consequent alienation, can only be prevented by a controlling sense of justice. When our Northern brethren get their consent in rears of difficulty and small profits, to share witn free labor the profits of prosperous years — at we find it our interest as well as iileasure to do with our slaves at the South, they will abate this irre- pressible conflict among them; which already needa every now and then the strong arm of the govern, ment to suppress it — and which if not checked by a nearer approach to justice, will bring forth the fruit it has always produced — that of some bold spirit, who like Jeroboam, will seize the sword and put an end to Anarchy by burying in the grave of despotism, the liberty and the covetous- iiess of wealth which produced it. I will now leave the Old Testament and open the New to see what our Savior and the Apostle* did with slavery. Eome swayed her sceptre at the time, over one hundred and twenty millions of people. According to a most careful survey, not of translations, but of all the ancient authorities in the original languages in which they were written. Gibbon affirms that one half of these one hundred and twenty millions, were domestic slaves— that they were made slaves by victory over opposing nations — tliat the enslaved were persons of every rank — that the means of controlling them v>as left to the discretion of the master, — that the power of life and death, without responsibility to the State, was in his hands— that this was the state of things in the Roman Empire when the missiona- ries of the Cross were sent through that Empire and the world to set up the Kingdom of Christ. Now the question to be settled is this, what did Christ and the Apostles do wiih slavery? They were obliged to meet with it everywhere. It ex- isted everywhere — among Jews and Gentiles. The first thing done by Christ in person in reference to this, and all other subjects of like kind, was to di»- close and act out one great principle. That prin- ciple was, that earthly governments were ordained of God for the regulation of human conduct in aft the relations of this life — and that these govern- ments were to be obeyed and honored — and that our spiritual relations to God involved no obliga- tions to disobey them. This line of separation which gives to God onlr jurisdiction under the first table of the law — and which gives to man jurisdiction only, under the second table of the law, was disclosed in the Sa- vior's reply to the Pharisees. They supposed, if he had courage to speak the truth, he would have proclaimed to Abraham's seed exemption front obedience to the law of the Roman Empire. Thelaw of Moses was from God. The Roman law was from sinful man. The Pharisees thought that disobe- dience to Caesar was obedience to God. This was John Brown's theory. It is the theory of all the fanatics at the North. The Savior's "doctrine is containea n nis rep v. o;; ne Poarisees. _ Tiiat re- ply IS in these wor^s — "render unto Osesar tae things that are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." 'The same doctrine is tauerht by him when tribute was wrongfully demanded of him at the Sea of Ga'ilee. He taught on that oo- casion and acted out t e principle, that submission 18 to earthly governm''nts was a dvity, even when in our private judjjer'^nts its power was abused, as was the case' in tha' instance, in exaetinec of him, a "Jew, what strangers only were bound to pay. That the les*on might be more imppftssive, he re- fusLKi to be released from personal re'sponsibility, afid sent Pett-r to get the tribute money for them both from the mouth of a fish, which he made to serve him on the occasion, by an exerciee of his Di- vine i)Ower. Refusing to acknowledge this prin- cii)le and to act upon it cost John Biown his life- Before Pilate our Savior proclaimed the same great prineinle when he said, "my Kingdom is not of this world:" meaning thereby that allegiance to God in religion involved no treason, but obedience, to earthly governments — if otherwise, twelve le- gions of angels would have lent him their aid to overthrow them. Brown differed with the Savior — he thought obedience to government wrong, and treason against government right — for his wickedness he lost his life. Although Christ was a King — and had a king- dom here on earth — yet it was not set up for world- ly purposes — it was not to wage war upon the governments of the world. Its sphere of operation and supremacy was the heart of man. Its design was to call into exercise the spirit of good will to man and peace on earth. Christ taught that the subjects of his kingdom were still to retain the civil and political relations they had previously held to earthly governments. Tne husband — the wife — the parent — the child — the master — the ser- vant — the ruler and the people, when called by gi-ace, into his kingdom, were to abide in these re- lations, and were still bound to render obedience to their respective earthly governments, and that in doing so, they were rendering obedience to God as well as to man. There is perfect harmony between the teachings of Christ on this subject before his death, and the teachings of the apostles after his ascension to heaven. On the subject of submission and obe- dience to earthly government, by the followers of Christ,, we have tne following plain instruction bj the Ap(>stle Paul to the Church, (or rather tne cnurcnes for there were several of them,; piantea in the City of Rome. In the XIII: of his letter U} these churches, some of whose members belonged to Cesar's household, from the Istto the 8th verses he says— "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers : the powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power reeisteth the ordinance of God : and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? Do that which is good and thou snait have praise of the same; for he is the minister of God to thee for^ood But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God; a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject; not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. — For, for this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers; attending continually on this very thing. Render therefore to all, their dues — tribute to whom tribute is due — custom to whom custom — fear to whom fear — honor to whom hon- or." Here is the political creed of Jesus Christ; de- livered by the Apostle Paul to all Christians. Com- ment onthis creed to make it plainer, wouia be iik^ gilding pure gold. The Apostle here teaches, that human governments are God's ordinances, that they originate in His will, that He; has dile- gat h1 to th >m His authoi-ity to punish evil doers. And that Christian objdience to human govern- ments is service done to God. Thw' govei'nment within whose limits, this sub- J2Ction an J ob.'di;nce would bj first calL'U into ex- ercisj, was a g;>vjrnment that sanctioned slavery. It was a government, as wo have seen, that sanc- tioned the use of all such means in .securing the suboi'dination of the slave, as the mastei- in his dis- cretion, might think proper to use. This db dience to civil government is enjoined, not only to avoid wrath, 01' the penalty of the law, whicli is God's, (i wrath, but this obedience was to be rendered fqr _ conscience sake towards God. How great must ba the difi'erence between such a conscience and that of the "higher law!" One of these conscijncee ii'ada by the political creed of Christ jireseiits an offering to God of the obedience it has renderefl to human government as service done to Him. The other oi these consciences, made by the "higher law." presents an offering to God of the reheHion and treason it has made against human government as service done to Him. Are both o£, these off r- ings, alike acceptable in the sight of God ? Who will answer yea ? It may be that some will ask, does Christ sanc- tion, as right, all the abuses of power in humaa governments? Not at all. He commands all that is right, and sanctions nothing wrong in his king- dom, and leaves all other kingdoms to the control of those who are providentially responsible to Him for the exergise of their authority in civil matters. His kingdom, which is not of this « orld, was in- tended to be the "light of the world." His king- dom is "righteousness and peace." Every subject of his kingdom is required, "if it be possible to live peaceably with all men," and to "seek after the things that make for peace." When his king- dom reflects "righteousness, peace on earth and good will to man," it puts forth all its legitimate power for the correction of wrong in earthly king- doms. When the professed subjects of his kingdom take the sword, not as citizens in obedience to civil authority, but as christians in obedience to Christ, to resist human governments as Peter did, when he struck ofi' the ear of the law-officer, the Saviour admonishes them that they shall perish by the sword. The Apostle Peter gives the political creed of Jesus Christ to all Christians, in the following words : "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for ttie ijora's sake, whether it be to the King as aupreme; or unto governors, as unto tViem mat are appoiniea oy nim, lor so is tne will of God. — Honor all men ; love the brotherhood ; fear God ; honor the King. Servants, be subject to your masters ; wives, submit yourselves to your hus- bands ; husbands, dwell wilh them, according t* knowledge ; giving honor to the wife. Finally, d» not "-ender evil for evil, but blessing ; don't retura railing for railing ; refrain the tongue from evil, and the lips from guile ; escnew evil ; do good ; seek peace, and ensue it. But, and if ye suffer when ye do all these, how then ?" Well, says the Apostle, "if when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God ; for even hereunto were ye called." Here we see the case supposed, that after rendciC'' ing the most perfect political fidelity to goveratr ment, yet christians may be called to suffer by aa abuse of political power. Instead, howevtr, of re- leasing christians from allegiance to government la such, cases, or authorising wholesale mu:der ajid treason by men who had never been called to stifi'er at all ; the Apostle teaches that this suffering oa the part of christians for patient continuance ia well doing, is acceptable with God," and that they are hereuoto called by Him. 1st. JPeter 11 : 13 to 25. From this plain instruction, given for the gov- ernment of christians in th.'ir political relations what are we to think of the "high u- law" crusade of the present day, made, not by citiz.ms in ob .'di- ence to any authority recognized of God, but prcv fessjdly in the name, and to meet thj demands of Christ, whose "kingdom is not o this vi'orio '!" Again: Tlu Apostle Paul, in writing a I ttor to Titus, who was an evangelist, shows a .special soli- 19 eitndc that christians should be taught by him thi; gioiit duty t>r .■submission to (.'arthlv povorniiionta, and ihat t"lii;y fcliould not b.' allovvL'd to fonjil their. dulv in tkii huknf. IL'nco tho i'eniaikabl(i language in'Bitus III : 1, t, "put them in mind to b'.- subject to pi incipalities and poweis, toobjy magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no nan, to be no bVawlern, but gentle, showing all meekness, to ail men." Again : The same solicitude is shown by the same Apostle in writing a letter to Timothy. " Timothy and Titus were evangelists, employed "by the Apos- tle in visiting the churches and preaching the gos- pel on each side of the maritime boundary, which •eparates Kuropc from Asia, and from thence east- waid and westwaid along the continents of Asia and Europe, and among the Islands of the Mediter- ranean Sea from Kome down to the borders of Aiabia. In this first letter of Paul to Timothy II : 1, 2, he exhoita him to instruct the churches," that in exhibiting the character of Christianity in its doc- trines, spirit and prartiral requirements', to let their loyalty to eartlily goTeinments be very conspicu- ous. First of all, he exhorts Timothy, and all the members, to let rulers and all in authority, and all who attended theii' worship, know the solicitude Christians felt fo, the honour and success of their rulers, as the ministers of God, into whose hands He had committed the welfare of the State. Having shown, as I trust, by the example and teaching of Christ — and by the teaching of thy apostle« that governments "such as then existed, (and they are known to have been slavcholding) are declared by the apostles, to be ordinances of trod, and that obedience to tliem is one of the kigheet earthly duties enjoined upon chiistians, I will now proceed to sliow that the relation of sla- rery sought to be overthrown by our Northern breth en is not only, not condemned as a sin, nor prohi it? 1 by the JJible, but fully sanctioned as a iawiui reiacion among men by Christ and his ApostJies. CHAPTER IIL J. General View of ivhat the Bible teaches on Slaver^/ until the Aicen'iioH of Chrint, — Faal to the Gen- titei. — i/i's Uphenian Letter. — iipiriticatinm. — Idotatry. — Aboi itioninm.— Forbids fellowxhip with AboiiUonistx. — His Letter to Tiviothy. — To Titus. — 'lo Corinth.— J'eter'g Letter to the Jews, — An^ t/iority given the Husband. — The Father. — The Halter. — Obedienee enjoined upon the Wife. — Tue OkiiJ.. — Tne Save. — The Relation betiocenthc Parlies Ordained by God.-— Based upon Justice. — Reciprocal Duties, Obedience fo God. — Obedi- ence, a Test of btscipiethip.— The Teaching of .. ike Apoitles. — The Teaching of the Abolitioni' ct in tlie light of the Bible, to k^Te a b.ief, but connected view of it from the fiist ray of Bible light, «hich in stied upon it, ua- tll the Xew leetauient is closed. Slavery is first brought to vi,>w in connexion with liod's newly disclosed pu pose, alter the liwifj of Bubdiviaing the (i -sccLiuauta of Noah into BatioBB. This puipose was effected by dividing their tongues or languages. Until the flood, Adam'g descendants formed but one great family, •peaking the game language, with political and •ocjal I quality. The resuii was tnat the earth was •ooB filkd with violence. This was written for our l«ar«itt£, aud it ia lull of inst. uction. Aoaif naa tnree gong, SLein, Haic, and Japheth Yk«M Ai'e« soua are declartid by tb« Almicht* to from thftm. Thoy are made typical representative* of superior, inferior, and medium nations. Th.Mr viTK {^ M^ tk«t i£ ti* awm. «dU;s ir 20 pear? in these rays of Divine light, with character- slave labor; and anthoriKcd them to enslave poor istic reverence for the true God. This reverence young females of their own race, to save them from always includes qualities which fit men to control poverty and crime; and to enslave such of their the slaves of animal appetites, devoid of self-re- own brothers with families, as had not skill to pro- spect, and to train them in virtue and religion; vide for themselves. They were directed also to sub- hence Ham is made a slave and subjected to Shem's ject their criminal brothers to the domestic control control. Japheth is enlarged by the Almighty, and service of masters, that their morals might be until he dwells in Shem's tents, or in other words corrected; and society secured against their aggres- until he controls Asia. And he is further enlarged sious. All this shows that God's peculiar people by the Almighty, until Ham is made his servant, were taught to use slavery, as a good to the degra- and he Ham"s master — or in other words, until he ded and helpless. And it is written in the scrip- exercises despotic control over Ham, and friendly tures for our learning. control over Shem, in working out the great results When Shem's mission was ended in Asia by the of human progress. coming of Christ, Japheth had begun in Europe This shows that in God's law for securing these to assume the responsibilities of his mission. It results, in nations as well as in families, slavery was at this time that the Savionr set up his king- must be used as a necessary means for controlli|ig, dom. We are deeply interested therefore in know- improving, and elevating "the inferior and degra- ing what .Jesus did in his kingdom with slavery, ded man. It shows also, that qualifications, fitting which Japheth had established, within the limits men for religious progress, such as Shem had, are of his control. His control, or government, ex- not the qualifications which fit them for political tended over a hundred and twenty millions of souls, and scientific progress. This shows also that the We have already seen that Christ interfered in medium man may do well in religion, while he can- no way with the prerogatives of earthly govern- not rise above mediocrity in the higher attainments ments. But we have seen also, that within his ofscience and skill, in the'progressivedevelopements own kingdom, he exercised ahsolute control over of the natural world, unless Japheth,or the superior everything sinfid in the night of God, whether it be man, will dwell in his tent, and lead him on in the that which is sinful in itself, or that which is made path of progress. Religious progress is best pro- to be sin by Divine prohibition. If slavery there- moted by the moral power of the masses— the fore be sinful in either of these respects, it must be world's pVogress, by the intellectual power of the piohibited in the Church of Christ ; and just here, classes. " let me remark once for all, that if slavery be a The great truth of Japheth's superiority and lawful relation, yet it is a relation that subjects the mission, has been in a course of development since slave very often to injustice and cruelty by the he was inaugurated in the West pf Europe.— master, just as the marriage relation very often In China, the East Indies, and Asia generally, does the wife ; just as the parental relation very Shem had risen to a level above whicli he can often does the child ; just as the political relation never rise unaided. Ham never has, and probably of ruler and people very often does the subject. — never can, share in the great results of Japheth's The authority pven of God in all these relations mission, without the absolute control of Japheth is often abused by those who exercise it. Now, let as a humane benefactor. Freedom and equality it be noticed by my readei', that Christ in his king- are Ham's social poison. Moral health, or intel- dom, has given his full sanction and approval to all lectual manhood, cannot be secured to him while those relations, but not to their abuse. And let my he drinks this poison. reader notice, that Chrisf in his Kingdom, has cor Slavery was decreed of God for tiie correction rected all the abuses of aithority in these several of sin and the good of the world. It made its aj)- relations; and has made obedience in them, to be pearance according to the Bible, first, in the fami- obedience to God ; itquiring that this obedience ly of Abraham, in the domestic form. This took be rendered with good will to tire authoritive head place when God called Abraham from Ur of the of these relations. This is as true of all tWese re- Chaldees, to inaugurate Shem's mission, under the lations, as it is of any one of them, patriarchal form of government. God called him The reasoning which aims to destroy the rela- into the land of Canaan to survey the theatre upon tion of slavery, because of injut ;ce, cruelty, or which, after four hundred years, his mission was oppression, on the part of the master will apply to be prosecuted to its consummation, under a na- with exactly the same force against the marriage tional form of government, with God himself as relation, the paternal relation, and that of ruler the lawgiver and governor. Abraham while pros- and people, because God's authority in all these re- ecuting his high trust of treasure keeper, and pro- lations can be abused — and His authority in all of mulgator of God's will, bought and raised a very them, is abused. If therefore, the abuse of His large family of slaves. At his death, this man who authority in one of them, makes the relation to be was selected of God to know and teach His will, sinful, tllen the abuse of His authority in the oth- gave these slaves to his son Isaac in perpetuity, ers. makes them to be sinful also, In the Church Isaac at his death, willed them to Jacob. Jacob of Christ, the abuse of God's authority in these while young, married in Padan Aram, and by his relations is prohibited, and the right use of His own skill and industry, made large additions by authority, is enjoined. It is enjoined equally in purchase to those slaves which he inherited at his all, as in any one of them. lather's death. With these slaves, and their in- While abolitionism h«lds slavery to be a sin; yet crease in Egypt, Abraham's seed were miraculous- it admits it was sanctioned in the church. If this ly led_by the Almighty from Egypt to the land of be so, then according to abolitionism, the direc- Canaan. They had then been domestic slavehold- tion given to masters and slaves in the New Tes- ers lor some four hundred and fifty years. While tament, is direction given to teach them how to the Almighty delivered them from national bond- live, in sin; and so of the direction given to • age, He fully sanctioned their system of domestic husband and wife, parent and child, ruler and ■ • bondage, in allowing their slaves to celebrate the and people. Consistency will make all these di- - passover, and prohibiting it to hired servants, rectious, to be directions given to the parties to They were required, when they reached the prom- teach them how to live in sin. How can we estab- ■ ised" land, to destroy utterly, without mercy, seven lish a diti'erence when the Holy Ghost has made no ^ of the most degraded nations of Ham's descendants, difference? God, in his word has established each and to enslave the balance of them; which amount- relation, and given to jts head the authority to a ed at that time, to seven or eight nations more, govern. He has enjoined obedience in all these within the limits given to Abraham by promise. — relations, and for the same end in all. That is, God gave to Abranam's seed at the same time the that God may be glorified — as you will sec in the aiarkvts of the world ^\io, fc;- r large:' supply o- i'eiei tiices jiO'tV to .Oe made. 21 The object now to be aecompUshed, is simply to show from the New Testament, that the Roman Slavery which existed when the pospel was fifst proclaimed, was a relation which the e^Bpel ganc- tioned as lawful, and that its reciprocal duties en- joined upon the master and the servant, grow out of the relation itself; that they do not exist out- side of it, and that thev rest upon the foundation of justice, just as do tbe duties of husband and wile — parent and child — ruler and people. These relations all involve justice. The duty enjoined upon the husband, r- facility with which statesmen, both in Europe and vact is to glorify God, bv an obedience to his Asia, could obtain knowledge concen ing the ef"- niHSier, the»ameiuchaiMcter as the obedience fee .8 of Umsuanity on cml government; and be is Commanded to render to Christ. The secondly, for the influence wh ch would be e-x- niast.ristoglo.iiyGod, by an exercise of his en.ed by heP i"embers, m this great social and auihoiiiy over his servant, the same in characur cotiunetni'^ centre, upon men "* business and as the obedience requirea of his servant o lii'm; pleasure who visited that city, as well as "I <>^ that is, that he is to exercise this auihority with the membrrsot other churches on the two au* singleness of heait as to Christ — Chr st having jacent continents. required it to be done, aud made it to be a me- j^ addition to the importance of Ephesus, as dium o. serving « im,wheii done by a right rule y^ social, commercial, and religious cistre, the and to a righ eud. Th> se several reciprocal Apostle attached additional import ince to it, duties, grow out of these several relations. Each fp„ni his personal knowledge of the tiabi'S of of tlhtii- relations, of husband an. wile, part nt [1^ place, aud tne character of the materials ol ai d ciiilfl, master and servant, lias the sanciiou which the church was composed. He had la- and approval o! God, both among the patriarchs bored here iu person, r'ght and day, for three Under the law of Mioses and now by the aiitbor- yt.,,!-?; going from hou- • to ho se, teaching the iiy of Christ, in the organic laws of his king- jocirines of the gospel, and exhorting to the dis- dom, * ich visibly, is a gospel Church where all charge of \U practical requirements, during its oidinanc not tence among Ham's descendants in Pale-".iue.' grow out ol iac- rcictioa he siaads m t\j his mas- God, in h s law, ordered them and ido.aters lo t^r. , , ,.,;.,j; I, be put to death, loth were pui. to death for .^Oime of .ihe great st and best men in the the ameVeis;>n. Both exalted lytng^ spirit8 »bf,.livioii rank.'i '.ave put iorth such an interp above the E ert'al I AM. Hence, t'le New es- ta.tiou as the above, of those i lain |>ort;Oi.3 of lament cauHO'i, '*Try the spirits." Go I's word. Goii'"f I lie ri ianoi u.-elf, ami which Gwd Ivjs positively commanded Ser ani.s are posi- ti»t 1.* CO ..mand> d Ui tUe letter above quoted "lo ob> y ihem who are tiieir m isters according to Ihe llesh, wiih tear and iremblin^, iu sin^ie zed existence in China, aud that this orgamza- lion, d.Mps back cen uries before the leaer «f I aul to the Ei^hesians was wriiteu. The m-ti- tt rs (if this ■ ittbolica! art, and tiieir Satanic me- diums, are among us. Their mediums are per- »- 86 of their heait as u. no iMirist, with good will liape as unconscious of Satanic po.'^SBBsioB, as doini' ihemseiv C-." Qneiy i>u the Slav..- of was the damsel who followed Paml Butil ke thejiw Tesiumeu', "land u; a re'aiiou lo mil turned and cisi the Devil uai oi i»er • an lioii bodies f men whei: here Bu earth and r«e'ar- »K»i.«r:ij frttfc W»*, i» «»utrtti, itrtc'., ai*i re- wg tc«« »e tted? Jw^ai oiutiU agAia. 1Sj<* .a|«»° 23 r ' tlop werp comtninsionrd by Clirist to cfls* oni by the grrt=poI upon parpntp nnrl chili?rr»n. Thus, devil. Tlii'>c ilpvilb uii;iht, and irobablT ilid, a Uour was npi-ni'd, which mad-' re propiT to b> liie as. iicjf of those niaptcis ofilie di;ib( lie teach t ein that, obedi' iict; to the com nui ride J art, piisacss meii'8 bodie.f, tnid distrac' the r 'dn'ie'? of ihcse S' vi ril rida id^vsi, vr*.s a ri'-ti^iOns miiidti. 1 he niHstf IS of hia ;n't., whtisi- object t^erviee, that ir icfl c'fd Hod's g!oj to ( thcrs, was rain, were per.-ons of pol cj and skill. We secured a-stiru' ce of tiieir own accep'niiee wifh may veil Mippo^, tliey were slow to ventnro a God, and conpiitnte ' visible and cr<-dible eVi- diie t eneounttfr with tnuii; bu' at Ejilicsu;;, denite that he who said he I .red Christ, aiid did Paul invdded their i-Huki by the gospel, and wns ngf keep tlie.«e cm Hridment.s, "was a liar and made mighty through (rod in ove ihrowiug their the trutii wiis not in hi ." supfratructure. He destroy.', the fou idatioa The Ap08ti(! hcidbP''n adtnoni'»heil by the Holy uponwhich it. rest' d. That foundation whs a pre- Spirit, before h.- leti Ephe.-tu.'J, thni, after lii..^ de- ference in their hearts, f r the ■■ as er who paid pa'ture, gri toih wolvi's wo ild come in am'itig t eioclot, rather than the iiia-tif who emptied th^ in, not spaiiug thi' tl ick,and rjiav from iiinong it, 'n were 2. > nd they ^ar have believing masters let invaded, and tleircrft eud^ingered by the Apos- them not despise them because they are breth- tl-'s labours. .dolatr» wa.s as fatal to salva. ion rer; bively controlled had gottei; into tfee chuicr; at Ephesu-', and was by tht- highest order of sutanic Hgents, the Apos- proilu'Miig the same results which it is producing tie nlu^t have felt intense solicitude, and hence now auiont; us. In the first verse above, ibS his til. «t let er to this church, which is principal- Apostle enjjins all servants under the yoke uf ly occupied upon the great doctrines of the ffos- bondage, to He^.-ount their own misters worthy pel Fioin th's letter, a quotation has been of all honor. This duty of counting masiers wor- niade on the domestic reUtious. The Apostle thy of al. honor, was ei joined upon christia« Was moved by the Holy Ghost, togive them writ slaves, who had unbelieving masters, as the ' ext ten ai d ii.sf)iri-d autlioiity lor the legality of verse ^hows. This ii junction, of a 1 honor to niiirimony, and lor the legHlty of slavery in the U!ii)elieviu masters, constitutes a new iiein in gight of G d; both of which, are now question- the catalogue of directions to servants. Itshows ed, or condemn d, by the fieedoin and equality plainl , 'hit a sy-iem ot fal.se t'viching had made doctrine of till' hig'icr law; a-^ one, if not botii this injinc'ion necessiiy. Tins i.> tne tisr, and were at Eplusus. And he irave them wri ten • nly tune w.; ev.-r hear in the ^ew Tesiam.iit, and inspireil authoiiry for the dut es impo.sed of the condi » of helieving s'avos, cnising the ujjOu these partiea ; and the duties iiupysed also name of Ood and His dodiiue to be bLs^jhcmtd, 24 Blaspheming Hi ^ name and doctrine, are repre- The Apostle says of the abolitionist at Ephe- sented as conseq ences originating in the insub- sue, "he is proud knowing nothing" — that is, he ordinate tendency of the doctrine which these knows nothing of God's will concerning slavery, believing servants had received. Now let it be •is that, will has been announced by his Spirilla noted by the reader, that the Apostle had never the Bible— or if he knows It to be in the Bible, delivered any doctrine to servants, that had an then he does not submit to the Bible as authori- insubordinate tendency. But on the contrary, ty. in his letter to this church one year before, he These five verses bring to our notice the doc- had taught servants to "obey them that were trine of Divine subordination established under their masters according to the flesh in singleness the Gospel between masters and servants. They of heart as unto Christ, with good will doing ser- bring to our notice also, by unavoidable infsr- vice as unto the Lord." In the same letter, he ence, the teachers of a doctrine that is subver- taught the servants in that church, that Christ sion of this subor.Hnation both in Church and would reward them for that service. In the se- State. The moral character and conduct as- cend verse he teaches believing slaves, who had cribed to those who subvert the doctrine of Di- believing masters, that they were not to despise vine subordination, in Church and State, is also their masters because they were believers; but brought to view in the small compass of these the rather to do them service, because they were five verses, and at the end of them, a command faithful and beloved brethren, who would be ben- is given to withdraw from the opposers of Divine efitted by their service. Now why were such subordination. direction and doctrine as this necessary ? Nei- The question comes up : who are they from ther Paul, nor any other Apostle, had ever whom, by this command, Christians are required taught the servants of that, or any other church, to withdraw themselves? Can individuals be that the doctrine of the gospel authorized be- afcertaiued from their character, and with as lieving slaves to despise christian masters be- much certainty, as that light and darkness are cause they were believers in Clirist. Where did not the same ? I think so, for the following this anti-christian hatred in the heart of these reasons: Fir.-t, there are classes of individuals servants come from ? Certainly, not from the at the preser>t day, who teach what the Apostle teaching of the Apostle. He taught obedience forbid to be taught- that is, that servants under to masters with good will from the heart, wheth- the yoke of bondage are not bound by the law er they were believing or unbelieving masters, of God to count their masters worthy of allhoii- He taught that God required this of them, and or — who teach that all laws which subject men that when they rendered it, they were to render to slavery are laws which disgrace the civiliza- it as to God — which made it a part of their tion of the world. Secondly, there are classes religious service. The doctrine which begat ha- of individuals who teach that such laws ought tred in their hearts to their masters, was a doc- not lo be obeyed, and that resistance to them is trine taught by some one else, who did not con- the highest style of Christian duty. Thirdly, sent -to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus there are large' classes who teach that slavery is Christ on this subject (referred to by the Apostl^ the greatest of sins— the Fum of all villainy. — in the 3d verse.) This being the state of facts,' There are classes who teach that the slave so far the Apostle tells Timothy in the second verse, from honoring his master with all honor, ought that he was to teach servants, "to honor their to run away from his master, to steal his proper- masters, and to serve thetn with good will from ty, to burn his house, and in every way to resist the heart, as to the Lord"— to teach, that this these New Testament directions. Organized ■was their duty, made so by the Savior, —that he abolition is a unit, made up of thousands, if not must "teach and exhort," them to the discharge millions, of individuals who are actively and of this duly, that God might be glorified, his zealously engaged in teaching all the abolitioa doctrine honored, and scandal avoided. He then opposition to the laws of God and men, that I tells Timothy, that 'if any man teach otherwise, have specified above, and much more of the and consent not to the wholesome words of same kind. They are banded together, not only Christ"-— and would not wipe his hands of all res- to teach it, but to carry out their teaching, by ponsibility for such treasonable and insubordi- overthrowing slavery and the sovereignty of the nate sentiments in the church, it wo .Id be proof slave States, at whatever co^t of life and suffer- that he was "proud, knowing nothing" on this iug, so that four millions of happy slaves shall subject, that he was in rebellion against Christ; be made free from labor, to perish of want. and therefore he orders Timothy, at theendofihe Now my reader, I must be permitted to say fifth verse, that from all such characters.he must that the abolitionists of this country and Europe "withdraw himself." In the fourth aud fifth are engaged in teaching a doctrine which is verses, he tells Timothy the description of char- plainly and palpably at war with a most impor- acter such Abolitioa sentiments produce, and taut doctrine of the New Testament— that of how such characters employed iheiiiselves. Now civil and ecclesiastical subordination. A doo- if such characters were not already in Ephesus, trine so dangerous to the peace, prosperifv, and then why does the Apostle speak of their char- happiness of Church and State, makes it the im- acter and co duct?— and why command to with- perative dutv of all Chri re mem- birs of ihe c'-urcli oftlirist. Now the question naturally arise.s, did God command these believ- ing niHsieis to free ihe r sUves? Did He t.-ach them that slavery was the gieatisi sin imioug men? Did He teach ihem that every man was creautl tree and equal? Did He t- aeh them that every aiau,l)ad an unalienable right to life, masters, and to' please them well in all things. > ow I ask is this the teach- ing and exhortaiion of Abditionisis ? lie char- ges litus tote.ich them not to {> r'oin. Purloin- ing is defined to be "to take, or carry awav for one's self." is this the te.-iching of Aboiiiion- ists? No, it is exac ly the contrary of their teaching. He instaicis Titus to leach them "to show all good fideliiy to their masiers." Fide i- ly i.- dtfiiit d to be "fa thiuluess — a ctri f 1 and exact ob.-ervance of duty, or performance of obligaiions." Is thi the teaching of Aboliiion- ists? And why i.- this required by the Apostle of the servan ? The next words teil us why. — It is that tin y "may adorn the doctrine of Goi our Saviour in all things." . his obedience and fidelity of he servant, then are to make the doc- trine of God our Saviouron slavery, appear beau- tiful— "t'l decorate it " This isdcfi ed to be the meaning of "adorn." Qitestion. Is this the doctri e taught by the Abolitioiiisti? Do they tet'Ch that the er ice, obedience aid fidelity of p aveS to their master-, rendered with good will from the heart, decorate and beautify the doc- trine taught by God our Saviour ? No my read- er; but t e it s bo dinate doctrine they do leacb is declartd by the Apo^tle to be blasphemy aeainsi the docrine of godliness taught by <'od our Saviour, as you will isee in so m.iny words iit 1. I will now present my reader with Paul's teach- ing to the t'olossian cliurch, on ttie sulject of slavery. This church he had never seen, but hetiring they had been c-illt d by the Gospel into a chuich state, he wrote them a. le ter. The gr- at doctrine of Salvaiion by Christ, is his theme ill the cominei cement of tliisletttr. After un- to ding Chi is 's divinity, the sufficiency of his sacrifice foi- t-e atonement of sin, ot fii- right- eoiisiKss for the ju-tific-»iion ol the ungodly at i. ti.eir completeness wUtii iiuitpd to liim, he pro- 27 ceedalo aliow thpin hnw t|»jpy are tofjlori'v Gofi, b_v H c irse of confiuct prest'iihi-d hy Oo he tliankfiil, ti> li't the woid of Giul dwell in tlietn rii'lily. to do every th n • in 'he n lu.- of servi.ie as men pleas- er." but in singleness of 1 cart, f -aring God : and whatsoever ye do. tlo ithetiriily as totlii' Lord niid not ifittK men, knowing: that of the Lord ye shall receive tiie reward of the inheritance; lor ye serve liie Lord Christ. Hut he thi.t iloeih wrong, shall receive for the wrong wiiicfi he hath done, and there is no respect of persons. Ma.sters, gi e unto your servants that which is ju.-t and • qu-il ; knowing that ye also have a mast -r in heaven." To und-^rstand any spt cial instriietinn, it is ne- cessary to understai'd the condi ion andeitcum- sti'ices of tliose to whom tlie inslruetion is giv- en. This instruction was given to Roman ser- vants and masters, who were conver'ed to Chris- tianity. These servants were their masters' money or property. By the Roman law they were bound to service or labor for life. They were bought and sold as any otht r spuries of property. lu these respects their condition re- seniblid Aiii' ricaii slaves. Their Roman mas- ters, although converted 'o 'hrntianity, had power by the Roman law to coerce obedience bv any intans they might think proper to use, and Were respousiide to that Uiw for no cru< Ity they might practise. In this there is no resemblance between Roman and American slavtry. The American sl.iveis protected by law and secured in comfort. His service or labor is si^cnred to the master. For this service or labor the m^ister is legally bound for more than justice could demand as an equivalent — and that paid in the best font. Notwithstanding all this, our Northern breth- ren have allowed themselves to believe that Sou liern SUvery is as bad as Roman slavery. — No wonder therefore that it should awaken their sv"'pathy. NoTf let us suppose for argument's sake, that Southern si;' very is as bad as Roman slaveiy was ; what would our abolition brethren gain by the admission? Can they induce the world to believe, that they have reached a per- fection tha renders them more susceptible of sympathy ban the Saviour? They know that the Saviour had Roman slaveiy before his eyes consanily to awaken hi.s sympathy, and they believe he had the power toabolitsh it at any time, as much as he had to control the winds and waves of Galilee. Would it not then be respect- ful to Him to enquire how this a mighiy powi^r of bis wa<5 exe»cised for securing the gratifica- tion of his sympathetc heart, and how hi.« infi- nite bene olence niauifes'ed itself foi' the down- trodden and help|.-ss slave ( f flie Roman Em- pire ? To the man who will net consent to do tld^, W'- may safely apply the de-cripiion given of an Ephe>ian abolitionist in VI. Tim; that is, ''That he 13 proud." Pride is an iinr' asonahle conceit of oue's owu super oriiy, but is there a nv,n i^<\ p«rth. who thinks himser'" *'i«' ""PPrinr of ChriFt in betievolence and rvi.'U'*'''.^* ^' that. 1 w II leave n.y reader to judije by ■\\"'y where in a worse form tlian any that now exiav*"* in A ia. Europe or America. I hive made 'he above (piota'ion from Paid's letter to tne C'lossians that my read"r might set! how (3liii>t's sympathy showed its If to- wards the «lave, and how his aii'hority was put forth upon tlie master. 'Ihi'* pattern of svmpa- thy was given by infinite wiS'Om and benevo- lence. It eer aiidy ought to be followed f)y us. This pattern er joins oliedienei' upon ihi- slave to his 'I aster, in all tliinirs, and tliis obi dier e se- cures to the master he service and labor of the pluve — but it does not stop there. It demands of the slave, not tmly this service in the letter, b t it demands a moral character for this ser- vice. With tint character, Christ 1 romi.-es to accept this service from the slave as a service done to him; and assures he slave that when this literal service to his eartldy master is ren- dered witii the moral qua iiies in his hear to- wards that master which Christ r^ quire- of him, that then thi service will he worthy of that re- waid which hi-^ heavenly Master has promised to them that obey Him. On the other hund, a moral charac'er is re- quired for the master's authority, exercised 0"er his servant, which in jus: ice and equity shall re- semble that of his heaven y Master This ia the way Jesus Chri>t expressed his sympathy for the po r down-trodden slave of the R 'niaa Empire. He did not abolish the relaiioti that that the slave stono>vr and social, but alr^o in personal and iiational righteousness. Tiiis lirtle let-i is .-o lull i>t' i ivic.e M ijiic, that nv ral pu tri'lity ii- individuals a' d(=fatep, chii be unnnAsk- el 1) i 1, as i(;i liij a5 bj the t-aviur ndn n lie expo«' d ho i< T;ienne>s to view, «hicliliy con- cealed bcnea h beaud ully whited s which adorn the private and official ehnracter of a chri-tian minister. The apostle, after this sla/e's conversion, was -o de- lighted with his christian depor meit that he felt a deep iuterest in him and cherished a most in- tense affection for him. The let er iniorms us that the Apostle was ad- vanced in vears, hid lone been bound wth the prisoner's chain, and was daily looking for the s(hi- tence of a prejudiced trib iial t 'at would end his life. He was poor, and occupied a position which made hi-' friends quail under the expreseion of sympathv for him. In thistryi g condition, he found his fugitive convert pre-eminenily fitt- d to minister to him, an that he took great phasure ia doing so. Upon the master of this slave the Apos- tle had the stronges claims for any favor h • might ask of him. Any man under like circumstancps, who was not the immediate representative of God, in word and deed, would have first written to the master and b -gged as a favor that he slave might remain and minister to him. Anj man without intense feelintrso'. responsibility to God and men lor every word he spoke, and eve- ry act he performed, woidd have al owed his condition., under such circumstances to furnish a sanction for r taining this servant until he mas- t re iild be heard f.-^ni. How completely this case is invested with all the circumstances wh'ck aiood. Ill the progress of human events, this inforiiiaiion was not needid until the nineteenth century. I^iit the precise information wh ch tills letter furnishes is now wanting It is want- ing to show the sin which men are now commit- ting a&'ainst God and men — notonlv m opposirig slavery, but in refusing to deliver up fugitive slav-.s. Among a'l the covenants made by nations In- volving the obligations of morality and good nughborship up to the eighteenth century, there Was none to deliver up fuijitive slaves to their owners. Duiing -Solomon's reign, Shinn i pur- sued and recovered two of his slaves, who had taken refuge with Acliish, son of the king, in a nei hboring state. They were delivered up on application of the owner— and national comity, as ill that case, has trequ-iitly beeri practised in regard to lugitives (rom labor and fugitives from justice. But no sol mn covenant has ever been entered into by nations to deliver them up on applciiiion of their owners, until the original sovereitiii states which formed this Un on, co e- nanted to do so. When his compact was en- tered into, the oblijration of an oath was relied on; and by the solemnities of an oathj the par- ties to this compact, in (he person of their agents bound themselves before heaven and earth to deliver up fugitive slaves. Paul little thought, when writing this letter by a fugitive slave and returning him to his Christi- an master, (who was also a minister of th Gos- pt 1.) and most affectionately entreating that Christian master to receive this fugitive again and to forgive h'ln, and binding himself in wri t.ng to pay that niasti r for all whieh t is slave bad stolen or wrongfully taken from him — that it wO' Li prov'^ as leaven liid in three measures of meal, until it produced such a sense of what was just, and proper, and ri ht, and Christian- like, as to induce t irteeii sovereign States, seven- teen hundred and twenty-nine years aft- r that can g've weight and character to the lesson G'd letter waswri'.ten, to copy his example and bind designed to teach by it! The runniitg away of themselves i i a solemn covenant to imitate him if th* ir future course of national conduct. How painful ills to see the moral power of this in- spired example dying away uinler the sway of infidelity, which repudiates the Bible, and pro- claims "freedom and equality," where God in Lis word tea hes there is one. li^re IS an iiicid nt in tlie providence of God, so reiiiarkably .-urroiiud- d «itri p culi rities, as to make it ou this sulject, a complete compen- this slave, his conversi n to l.'hrist bv the Apos- tle of the gentiles in a distan' country, its con- nexion wirh the Apostle's condition at ihe time, and with his personal acquaintance and high es- timate of this slave's master, his high claims upon that nia-ter, his assitriiing the i: jist'ce of appro- prlHtin;; to Ids coinfrt what belonged to another man as the reason for sending the slave home ; — putting these thiiurs fogeiher, cm any man oa earth read ihii letter, and allow it to expand ia hiB thonj!:''tR to the cVciiinferpDce of its plain jinpoit, a' d tli''n look hi?' fellow man in ilip aoe and Hrtv, that slawTy ia a .-in, tliat to ri'tiir a fufiitiv.- pluve to liig nia>tcr, i- smftil? lti the ligl t of this oi-i" no man On earth can he i'tve it. We of ihis Union liavo fiolcinnly boiini otir- selvee to deliver up Ciigiiive slaves to thi ir mas- ters. I he Apestle Pmil was undc r no bucIi cove- nant obliiJHt on. No earrlily law bound hi d to do it. No New Testiinient statute h.id b< en de- livered, which in so many words, required it i.f him; yet he did it, beciiuse he was pu dedbyi - ppiration, in estcd with an office, and placed in a condition, that ■■ tide his conduct in this whole matter, an authoritative law of chriMia^iitif, so phiiily w riti n thai all men who .-eek to gio- rif\ Gild by HCtinf; out His will, in justice and righteousness on this subjet, cannot mi.-under- stand it. Tlie Apostle in complying with the demands of justice to the mas er by s^ndint; his slave bac to him again, and in exeinplilying the doc- trine o Ciir St, — which requires ol u what- soever is just, whutsoev. r is honest, what- soevtr is of go d repot t — and especially that we act out the spirit, as we!l as the letter, of l.iyalty to government as God's ordi- nance, — deprived hiniisi It of all the soothing sympathy and suitable assistai ce, w'nieb this convt ried slave could have reiuh red hitn; that he miyh' by his conduct let the pure and unal- loyed ri I teou-'S. lie had sent it to thmi, and to the evangelists in leiters. He now cm'^'odi. s all he had lauglit, and the legi'imate rt suits of his teach ngs, in his conduct. O'lr fatlieis citered into a c >venant lociiryou the righteous course ol coiiduct exhibited by this inspired example. Butalas! their covenant i> DOW declared lobe "a covtnant w:th hell", and the breach of it a passport lo eai thly honor. OBJ EC ION- WANTED. There was a statute which forbade the Israel- ites to deliver up fugitive slaves. The aboliiion- i-is teach, that tlii law acte on the slaves of the sraeliti s. This is not so. It acted, not on their -.laves, but on he .-lavc'^ of the nations around them. It was, in that day and has been ever siice, a practice ainoug nations, not to de- livi f u[> fugitives fiom labor, or ju-tice, unless it suited their policy and pleasure to do so. As a matie of comity, it has .it times been practised. When thest sovereign state- forn ed a Fi deral Union, ti ey agreed by a Si lemu covenant to de- liver up to their m.isters, tugi ive .-laves who fli d from another state. The Almighty forh d the Jews to iio ihih, because ih-- slaves who fl d to tht m fled from id latrous n.a>lers, and ido.atrous nanons around t leni. Thpse idolatrous na'ions and their idolatry were devoted to de.-ti-uclion by the Almi:hty. — To lave d. 1 veied up ihe.-e lu;;itiT' s theiefore, to the r idolatrous at d cruel inasteisa<;ain,\vou d bave been . quiv^ilent to puiting t tm to eaih, because d ah awaited hern oti their return. Aaaiu. Bv a. law of the Israelites, Deut. xvii: 2, to 7, — it any person practised, or was 31/ ffuilly, of idolatry among them, he was imm(»di- aie*y p nislied with deaih. Tin' tugiiive from an iih»l'tidus nation, «ho tie 1 to ihein, iiiusi there- fore renounce his id"lHtry, or incurthe penalty of this aw; he c 'tild not continue an idohitor, and live. Had the iTaelit' 8 been permitted to de- liver him up to hisidohitroui' master, they would hiive presented the htrange anomily of giving aid and encouraL'em'-nt to that v ry idolary, thev were commissioned to extertninaie. The hiw as 1 have said, had not ing t) do with the slaves of the Israelifrs when they fled from th' ir ma-itrs. The Almi.;hty lad given the Israelites leL'al aut lOriiy to purchase slaves, made the-iC slaves property, bound them to -tt- Tic ■ or labor, and passed a law author z;ng iheir nnisters, to transmit them as an inlieritance to their children foiever. See Lvii. xxv:44 45.46. ^arah'- slav" maid Hagar, ran away from her mistnss. The Almighty sent an angel from Heaven to order her back to her mi-irees again. Onesimus, a slave man, ran away from his christian master Philemon. Tiie A;i03- tle Piiul sent this sla e wheti converted, bacU to his mrt^ter again. '1 hese, 1 should sup ose, might be taken as safe pa terns to 'ollow, u. der like cir- cumstances, unless we are better than Angels or Apostles. There WHS another statute in t' e Mosaic law, wlrch forbid stt »ling and eilmg of men. The abol t onists te ch that this la* proves ^lavery dm not exist among the Israelites. There ia such a law as this in all the sl.ve states of the world, and it is the h g«l existence of .-lavery that renders such a law neces-ary. Where there is no slavery there i- no need for thi- aw. While all slave sta'es however, fort.i 1 the Mealing office men, or slaves, they sanc'ion and legiita'e by aw, the buying and selling of slaves, as did the Mosaic law. What the Mosaic law forbade was, ihe uteaiing ol Hebrews who were free, and making slaves of them. Deut. xxiv 7. 0< steal- ing any man to ma e gain ol him. Exo. xx :16, W here the service, or labour ot men in any country is made yiroperty by 1 iw, then, as a mat- ter of course, rogues are tempt d to steal them, just as they are any other species of property wh ch is valuable; and for the same reason they are t mptod to steal free tnen and make .slaves of them, and hence the necessity for siu^h a law. NoTK : — According to the Biole, the Alini;;h- ty subjected the E:;yptians to national ho:.d.ige by Joseph, and afterwards, with o ens of anger, released the Israelite- by Moses, trom national bondage to the E-yptians. How is this apparent ii consistency to be accou t-d for ? It is easily accounted for, if we h t the -cripiures be our teacher. Th- descendan - of Ham, in Gen. ix: '25.26. 27, are devoted to slivery, and Shem and Japht th were made their mas ei8. In the davs o Jitcoh, Ham's de-cendants isi Egypt -ere free, and were about 'o per sh for the want of proper (jiia ifi ations to use freed'^m.