LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 898 633 7 E 449 W2S Copy 1 FATHER WARD'S LETTER TO PROFESSOR STUART. The following letter was written to Professor Stuart on his letter to Dr. Fisk,in which he teaches, that the Bible sanctions slavery, and which he allowed him to publish, if he "thought it would be of any service " It was written without the least idea of ever having if published. But some worthy and devoted minister? who have seen it, expressed a wish that it might be given to the public. & e Some may think it severe. I am totally opposed to all harshness and undue severity. But the honor of God and of the Bible, is infinitely more important than the honor of any man. And when men of high stand ing in the church, and extensive influence, attempt to support from the Bible a system of flagrant injustice and wickedness, it seems to be proper to "rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith • 7i!J in tt h t Q f t °/ eWiS t 1 fable L S ' and «»™*nimento of men, that turn from the truth." There is at this day a sad giving "heed to the commandments of men" which support slavery, and which leads many profes- ses and ministers to regard the fews of man as more binding than the laws of God, and to support a sys- tem whose laws forbid men to learn, or to be taught, to read (rod's laws, and his blessed word. Reverend Sir, vou' ^ ¥n} reI r tanCG that l 4 2 ke m y P en t0 address you And perhaps you may thmk it unbecoming in an obscure minister to address one so high in official standing and especially to call in question his expo- siions of the sacred oracles, and his assumed positions. But v, hen a person promulgates sentiments, and gives them to the public, they are public property, and ev- ery one has a right to animadvert upon them 1 recently met with your letter to Dr. Fisk in which you make the Bible, and the God of the Bible sanc^n tne awful sin of Slavery, and which I read with surprise and grief. And as I am fully persuaded you have greatly "reproached your Maker," I feel cons rained to -speak on God's behalf," and vindicate his glorious name and blessed book from the foul re- fh^R.r / anC -' 0ning that ^ stem > which withhold, the Bible from immortal beings, and degrades them to the condition of beasts of burden, and mere property Foi your letter will be quoted by slave-holders, and he supporters of slavery, as authority to prove that the Bible, which condemns all kinds of injustice and oppression, does nevertheless sanction American Sla- very with all its abominations. And of what "ser- vice did you think its publication would be, except to serve the cause of slavery? Could you hink it would be « doing God service ?» If any have in a very small degree that spirit which led Elijah to say, "I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hois " it seems as though they must be deeply affected to'see Ministers and Theological Professors, bringing rvs sacred good old book to authorize the making "mer- chandize of the souls of men," and that they must feel something of the indignation which Christ expressed, * hen the ancient ministers of the sanctuary « made nw homfe a house of merchandise." But which is the rh 1Sl i t °.? 1 , ake the material te mpie " a house of mer- enandi§e,» by selling sacrifices in it, or to make mer- - chandise of God's spiritual temple, and to attempt to ^justify, by his own authority, the selling of those " for whom Christ died," and even those who " are the tem- ^ple of the Holy Ghost?" But you admit that " the theory of slavery is not in itself right," and is contrary to the commands, Matt. 22: 39, and 7 : 12, and yet say it is not malum in se, (an evil in itself.) Do you mean that it is not moral- ly right, nor morally wrong 9 But " the aluse of it," you say, " is the essential and fundamental wrong." This has always been the plea of rum-makers, rum- venders, and rum-drinkers, and their apologists, the opposers of thorough temperance movements. But I should like to know what that slavery is, the abuse of which only is a sin. And what is that Christianity which will destroy what it sanctions ? For you say, "Paul knew well that Christianity would ultimately ilestroy slavery." It is according to modern divines and theological professors, supported by the example of patriarchs and primitive christians, and the author- ity of Christ and his apostles, and of God himself, and yet Christianity will destroy it ! Christianity must cer- tainly have a wonderful power to destroy what is sup- ported by its own authority. Perhaps you will allege, that it only sanctions slavery, but not the abuse of it. You however say it will destroy slavery itself. And therefore it will destroy what it sanctions and supports. And you say " slaves were property in Greece and Rome. The power of the master over the slave was, for a long time, that of life and death. Horrible cru- elties at length mitigated it. In the Apostle's day, it was at least, as great as amortg us." And yet this is the very slavery which you suppose the Apostle sanc- tioned ! The holy Apostle and the Holy Ghost sanc- tioning a system of injustice and cruelty ! As well might you prove that he sanctioned Nero's tyranny and cruelty. "The manner in which the duty of servants or slaves is inculcated," says Dr. Wayland, ' affords no ground for the assertion that it authorizes one man to hold another in bondage, any more than the command to honor the king, when that king was Nero, authorized the tyranny of the emperor." But perhaps you agree with Dr. Fisk and his Methodist brethren in their " Counter Appeal," that ' Christian- ity sustained the fabric (of Nero's despotism',) ' it for- bade the attempt at revolution.' Does your letter however contain any proof to sus- tain your assertions ? Or do they rest on mere assump- tions ? You take it for granted, that servants, 1 Tim. 6:1, must mean slaves. For, if Paul included hired servants, then your foundation entirely fails. And now what proof have you adduced, that he did not in- clude them? None. And, to sustain yourself, you must prove, either that there were no hired servants, or else that doulos always means a slave ; both of which may be abundantly disproved. Paul says, " The heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a ser- vant, (doulou,) though he be lord of all." You will not, I presume, contend that the child "though heir and lord of all, differeth nothing " from a bond servant or slave, and is held by his father as mere property. Paul calls himself the servant of Jesus Christ. Did he mean to teach that he was the slave of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ was a slave holder ? Those whom he " makes free are free indeed." Christians are call- ed (douloi) servants of God, more than twenty times in the New Testament. And Paul styles himself and other ministers, the servants of christians. 1 Cor. 9 : 19. 2 Cor. 4 : 5. Did he mean their slaves ? And he commanded them not to be the servants of men. — You will not surely say he meant slaves, as it would overthrow your scheme, because it would make him forbid them to be slaves. " Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, (doulos) slave ! But you will probably say, that yoke means the yoke of slavery. But how do you know ? It does not mean so in any other place in the New Testament. And it would be rather singular logic to say, therefore it ■must mean so here. "Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy." This is a voluntary and easy ser- vice, ' taken'' voluntarily. The ritual service, which is called a yoke, was voluntary. Acts 15 : 10. Gal. 5:1. See 2 Cor. 6 : 14. Phil. 4 : 3. Though Paul has giv- en directions to different members of families, as hus- bands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, — yet, according to your unreasonable sup- position, there is one class, to wit, hired servants, whom he entirely overlooked. I would therefore read 1 Tim. 6 : 12. " Let as many servants as are under the yoke of voluntary or bond service, &c." " And those vol- untary, or hired servants that have believing masters, &c." And this will entirely free the Apostle from the shocking imputation of sanctioning Grecian slave- ry, and the primitive christians from the charge of countenancing and supporting it, by their own exam- ple, and holding their fellow christians as their property. You are very confident, that Onesimus was the slave of Philemon, and that " Paul sent him back" into per- petual slavery, to be held in bondage by a Christian, and as his property, in violation of the great law of love, as you seem to admit, in referring to that law ! But where is your proof '? As Onesimus seems to have run away in debt, it appears much more rational to suppose, that he was a hired servant, and that he had keen paid in advance, or had borrowed money of Phil- emon. And in that case it would be highly proper for Paul to send him back. But he directed Philemon to "receive him not as a (common hired) servant, bin above a servant," and to treat him as " a beloved (christian) brother." It is astonishing to me, that yoa should adduce this admirable letter to justify Chris- tian slave holding. And no one, J think, would have done it, except to apologize for slave holding minis- ters and professors. You seem to tak<5 it for granted, that we have in Paul's epistles, all the instructions, which he gave the churches on slavery ; that he did not condemn it, and 3 slavery both with the dictates of humanity and reli- gion has been demonstrated, and is generally seen and acknowledged, to use their honest, earnest and un- wearied endeavors, as speedily as possible to efface this blot on our holy religion, and to obtain the com- plete abolition of slavery throughout Christendom, and if possible throughout the world." " The inconsisten- cy of slavery with religion has been demonstrated," contrary to the teachings of Paul, according to mod- ern Theological Professors. The Synod of Ken- tucky, in their Address on slavery in 1835, written by President Young, after giving a description of slavery, say, " And can any man believe that such a thing is not sinful — that it is not hated by God — and not to be abhorred and abolished by men ? a horrible system — such policy as the robber exhibits — a demoralizing and cruel system which it would be an insult to God to imagine that he does not abhor. The New Testa- ment does condemn slaveholding, as practiced among us, in the most explicit terms, furnished by the lan- guage in which the inspired penman wrote. And that it is sinful is as certain, as that the light of God's truth has shone upon our world. Can any Christian contemplate without trembling his own agency in per- petuating such a system ?" especially by writing in its defence . ? Rev. Dr. Hill, in the synod of Virginia in 1S35, said, "the relation of master and slave had its origin m in- justice and ivrong, and was never sanctioned in the Bi- ble." Mr. Maxwell said in the same synod, *' It \spre- poslerovs to go to the Bible to defend slavery. Its universal spirit is against the institution" — though* Dr. Baxter, professor of Union Theological Seminary^ " denied that the relation was unlawful, it was recog- nized by the Scripture. If it were not true, that the Bible sanctions the existing relations, then the aboli- tionists are right in their principle of immediate eman- cipation ; for if there be sin in the relation, its immedi- ate abandonment is a duty." %x. Hodge, a.nothes Theological Professor, says of slavery, " It is in vain to contend that it is sin, and yet profess reverence for the Scriptures ; though he says, the general principles of the gospel have destroyed domestic slavery through- out the greater part of Christendom, and that the South has to choose between emancipation by the si- lent and holy influence of the gospel, or abide the is- sue of a long continued conflict against the laws of God" — a conflict against the laws of God, in maintain- ing what the word of God sanctions. Is not the Bible "divided against itself?" The Synod of South Car- olina and Georgia, in 1834, in a Report on " the Reli- gious Instruction of the colored population" of the South, says " In this Christian Republic, there are over two millions of human beings, in the condition of Heathen, and, in some respects, in a worse condi- tion. From long continued and close observation, we believe that their moral and religious condition is such, that they may justly be considered the Heathen of this Christian country, and will bear comparison with Heathen in any country in the world." Rev. J. R. Breckenridge in 1834, described the masters as having such power over the slaves, as to " deprive them of the entire earnings of their own la- bor, except only so much as is necessary to continue labor itself, by continuing healthful existence, thus committing clear robbery ; to reduce them to the ne- cessity of universal concubinage — and encouraging uni- versal prostitution — abrogating the clearest laws of na- ture ; thus outraging all decency and justice, and de- grading thousands upon thousands of beings created like themselves in the image of the most high God." See the whole picture in the African Repository, Jan. 1834, p. 326. And yet this is the system which you have attempted to defend from the Bible. Perhaps you will say you did not mean to defend such slavery. But can you lay your hand on your heart, and say be- fore God, that you did not design to defend American 10 slavery, but a slavery which now has no existence in the world ? Jefferson, speaking of slavery, said, " I tremble for my country » when I think that God is just, and that his justice will not always sleep." How deeply affecting, that an infidel should thus- ex- press his fears that a just God would inflict heavy judgments upon this nation for upholding slavery, and that our Theological Professors, who are training the future ministers of the Church, are teaching them, that the blessed book of God sanctions such a system of injustice, oppression, pollution and heathenism. I have not willingly written at such length, or with such freedom, or with any unkind feelings towards you, but, as I hope, from a concern for the glory of "the ever blessed God, and the honor of the Bible. I feel that your letter is calculated to do immense inju- ry, to discredit the Bible, and to make infidels,* and that you are " to be blamed" more than Peter was, when Paul " withstood him to the face," and reproved him " before all." It is inconceivably dreadful to sin against, and dis- honor the infinitely glorious God, and the gracious Savior of sinners. And it is strange, that Christians will do it. Yours. &c. JONATHAN WARD. Brentwood, N. H., Aug. 1837. *The Synod of Kentucky, in their report before referred to, say, " If any man can fairly show, that the Bible countenances such slavery as existed in the days of the Apostles, he would construct a more powerful argument against the diyine origin of our religion, than infidelity has ever invented. A religion which sanctions a system of atrocious cruelty can never have come down from Heaven." CHARLES WHIPPE, Bookseller, Newtouryport, — HAS FOR SALE — • Mrs. Child's Anti-Slavery Catechism. Also, her "Oasis," "Authentic Anecdotes of American Slavery," and " Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans, called Africans." The Despotism of Freedom, a Speech by D. L. Child, Esq. C. Stuart's West India Question, showing the safety of im- mediate emancipation. President Edwards's Sermon on the Injustice and Impolicy of th» Slave Trade, and the Slavery of the Africans ; fourth edition. Rev. John Rankin's Letters to a Slave-holding Brother, on American Slavery. Rev. David Root's Fast Day Sermon, on Slavery. The Slave's Friend, a series of neat and interesting books for children, with engravings ; price one cent. , Rev. G. Bourne's Picture of Slavery in America, with en- gravings. Letters of Rev. Dr. S. H. Cox, and H. B. Stantoa, with a Speech of J. A. Thome, before the American Anti-Slavery Society. E. Wright's Sin of Slavery and its Remedy. The Negro's Friend, a series of English Tracts, -with engra- vings. Anti-Slavery Hymns, Cards and Handbjlls, in great variety. Birney's Letters on Colonization. An Address to the Presbyterians of Kentucky, proposing a Plan for the instruction and Emancipation of their Slaves, by a Committee of the Synod of Kentucky. Liberty Triumphant. Rev. David Root's Sermon before the Anti Slavery Society of Haverhill. Misses Grimke's Appeal to th§ Christian Women at the Spnth, Epistle to the Clergy, &c. Rev. H. Easton's treatise on the character of the Colored P«e- ple of the ..United States. George Thompson's Lectures and Debates. The Fountain, a small pocket manual containing a text for each day in the year, -with an appropriate Anti-Slavery senti- ment or fact. Anti Slavery Almanacs, at Wholesale and Retail. Annual Report of the Managers of the N. E. Anti-Slavery So- ciety. The Anti-Slavery Record, and American Anti- Slavery Re- porter, with ensjiavihgs. The Maryland Scheme of Expatriation examined. ■ Eyils and Cure of Slavery," by Mrs. Child. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS i iiiiii iiiii iiiii iiiii mil IIIH lllll mil Hill mil II '"' li'iHir-iniiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiffliii'ii 011 898 633 7 • LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011898 633 7 •