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Slaveholding Always Sinful

Slaveholding Always Sinful image
Parent Issue
Day
13
Month
October
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

(CONTINUED.)I have but to discuss the remniniug question - Ts American Slavery consistent with the Bièle? I shall approach this subject, too, as I jid the last, and attempt to lend all, who wil] givc me their attontior:, to a wise conclusión. After what I have said in the nrticle of last week, you think, doubtless, that little is left for me to say. I deern it any thing but wise, for the nccredited ministers of God, to wrest the Book of Ilis Love which He has given to mankind for their happiness, to the maintenanceof a system of Hate, which greatlyadds to their unhappiness. For I esteem it beyond historical dispute, that no people, who are greatly civilized, have ever admilted the system of Slavery among them, and that it is a proof of advancing civilizntion in any people, that they are getting rid of it. The present,then, I cannot but regard, at least, as an attempt, on the part of the Slave Stntes, to impose a hindranceon tho F ree States, to a fiirther progress in true refiuetnent and Christian civilization, for whicb they pant. Ifknowing God's character ns a God whose oiher name is Love, some of his ministers in a slight degree had to force the book in which it was revealed, it would not have been surprising; - but ns a departure from Slavery involved a nntional change, and a purification of their religión, - as it would tend to throw into confusión every thing that wns done on that basis, and endanger the salaries and situation, for the time being, of themselves and their families, it is not unexpected that many havo shown themselves unprepared for it. Be it understood, that I consider preachers of the gosníilflsfflfti: that, as n class, they havethe passions of men. I do not blame ihem, because they do not act as angels. My hearthas often bied for them, when I have seen the strait in which they were placed. So much ï have thought it proper lo say concerning the ministors of religión. We will now see the state of the world, under the Roman dominion, in which Christianity, at ils commencement, was chiefly placed. It is useless to discuss facls, unlesswe can agree upon them. - There was no Printing Press to diffuse its intelligence.in every city, every moming, in the time of the Ap'ostle Paul, for an interminable lime before, and for many centuries afterward. To even the few and the most favored, the means of nformation were of difficull nccess. - There were, notwithstanding, some, of bold minds, who did use the advantages which could beobtained,& rose superior to every obstacle that could be plnced before them. These acquired, for the times, a great deal of information, but such as now, in our learned men, would bcdeemed contemptible. It was accompanied too with prejudices and superstitions that have departed from us only wilhin the last two hundred years. Neilher was there any Railway, then. The mass of the pnople - except those who weregnged in military expeditions - were much confined at home. They knew little else,than theirown workshop furnished. Whilat the favored class were comparativeíy fearñecf,' íhe popular body were sunk in the grossest ignorance. They were not regarded as constituting nny part of ihe Government, and no Government wás thoughl to have any relntion te them. It is even, up to this day, one of the most difficult ofthings to make the greaí body of the people ÜibLt they are öonnected wlth the Government, in nny other way than hal ing their neighbors, who differ f rom them - or voting for a party óné day of the year, nnd of serving on juries. Such may be stated as the coridi'.ion of the ftrst nation of the world, to whom all, at least, of the civil- ized portions may be considered as subjected, including the remoto province in which our Saviour appeared. We will postpone what further we have to Say respecing the Roman power, in thister, ns we may ognin have to recur to it. It has been said, wc believe, by all who hnve written on the other side, and conceded too easily, by a great mnjority ofthosewho have written on this, that Slavery existed among the Jews, at the time the Saviour appeared, and thal he walked in the midst of it without rebuking it. No concessionf if it has been made, was ever made more unnecessarily or injuriously. There is no proof that was Slavery among the Jews at the time the Saviour appeared, nor that he ever saw it. Why did not Christ heal the Centurion's servantï He did, it itrue; and it is not here disputed, that Slavery existed in the Roman army. But, Christ did not enter House of the Centurión he healed the servant without entering the house- nor is there any evidence whatever, that he was, at any time,side the house of a Romnn officer, or that he was, in any way, conversant with the manners of that class of persons. It is not at all probable that he shouid be. Nor is it true, nor is there, so far as we know, any proof that is true, that Slavery cxisted among the Jews during the ministry of the Savior. God could not, without the utter destruction of the offending partics, have signified his displeasure morepiainly than he did ngainst the undue retention of the Hebrew servants, in the reign of Zedekiah. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. It is said that the Lord "hnd compassion on his people and on his d welling place." We may well suppose - f we can make such a supposition, at all - that the Lord did, what what He did do, very reluctantly. Notwithstanding all this - notwithstanding the Lord "had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place" - notwithstanding Zedekiah, too, _was the last King, He had greate.r repugnance at the commission of idolatry and oppression -han He had to all other considerations anited. He would not permit His name and the name of man to be dishonored. - Therefore, thus saith the Lord, ye have ot hearkened unto me, in proclaiming iberty every one to his brother, and cvey man to his neighbor;" and with the most terrible irony - "behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine, and I will mnke you to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth." He kept his word. They were removed, and, as a nation, utterly destroved. After the Jews were restored to their own country by the permtssion of Cyrus, 536 years before Christ, we hear nolhing more of their being given, as a nation,[o slaveho'.iling and idolntry - the lwo ins for which they had been nationally ■ Jegraaed. In the time of the Romans, ' they permitted a Procurator, or j nor, with the necessary proportion of troops scattered throughout the country. In the households of the officers, Slavery as well as Idolatry might have existed. - But among the Jews, neilher of them existed. Had they existed among them, they would have been rebuked by the Saviour as other great crimes of hiscountrymen were rebuked. Until, then, we see some reason given for the assertion complained of, we shall set down Christ, as never havingseen the institution with which the surrounding States were cursed. It will be in vain to attempt gettingout of this difficulty, by saying Christ did notcondemn the vicious pracüces of othnations,&. thattherefore,heapproved them or they are allowable. His principies condernn all vicious practices, wherever they exist, whilst he personall v, condemned only what prevailed around him. The foregoing is enough for the argument. Others, who wish to prosecute this matter further, are referred to the wliole of Prideaux's Connection, pnrticularly, page 129 of vol. 2, toshow the cruel treatmentof Alexnnder the Great, and pn ge 431, of the same volume, to showihe aversión with which the Jews viewed being sold themselves into Slavery. But did not Pnul, the most select of the Apostlea - he, who was laken out of the ranks of persecution, and converted, that ie rñight be sent especially to the Gentiles - he, who was favored with a conversation wilh Jesus Christ, himself, previous to his departure: Did he not regúlate Slavery, which he would see among the Gentiles, admilting the ground before taken to be true? Did he not use the followinglanguage in his instructions toTimothy: "Let as many servants as are ünder the yoke count their own masters as worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. "And t'hey that have believing masters, let them not deprive hem, because they are brethren: but rather do thetiï service, because they are (nithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort."This which is by far the st'rongest case in the New Testament, we admit to bc Paui's language, and in the most approved versions ; the interpreta! ion is the greatest difilculty between us and our opponents. If we can produce a doubt,ve are entitled to the benefit of it. For the spirit of Christianify, to say the least of it, is equaUzing. It is more. When we heard, - as we often did, and as yet may be hoard in any of our fashionable Churches - that Chrislianity left men where it found them, that the civil relations remained as they were, we were sensible that much remained undone for Society that might have been done. - Christianity, when properly understood, leaves rnen, nêither tfi pride of Office, nor the pride of Station, nor' the pride of Riches, nor any other pride. It' is" a system of Truth. Men. must be exactly what they seem. A man is to boted; as a Christian, just ns he knows the truth, ns he s blest wilh the gift of mparting it, and as he shows hissincerity by practLsing t. By this riíl'é', is he to take hs plnce as a Chrisííañ. If he assume any more, he must do t by some other rule, lt brings to nought, at ones, all the relations which grow out of humnn enaclments, and subslitutes for ihem a more excellent way. I fan office, for nstance, is held thnt has any part of its duties opposcd to the Divine Law, thnt part of it is at once annulled. So, of SInve-holding - that part of it, which means the whole, inconsistent with the law of God, becomes annulled, immediately on the master's becoming a Christian. A Christian will be content with such measure of influence, as we have ílready indicated; he. ought todesirenothing more. In one sense, the difFerence between Christ and his Apostles was infinite; in another, next to infinite. Yet jid he never assume rnore than his wisjom entitled him to, and one of his lastlessons was to convince lus disciples by ireceDt and by example, that, in proporion to tbeir knolwledge must be their pains-takïng to teaeh those wbo were ess instrucied thnn they were. He says to them, "Jesus knowing tbnt the Palhèr icd given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; he riseth from supper, and laidaside his gannonts; and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." - ;iYe cali me master, and Lord: and ye sa well forso ï am. If 1, then, your Lorc and master, have washed your feet; y e also ought to wash one another's feet. -Por 1 have given you tin example, thnt ye should do as i have done unto you." 7ohn, 13, Ch.) Again, he says, "to the multitude," "But he that is greatest among you, shall be your servan," (Mat. 23, Ch.) In the same way, in various places, he inculcates upon the mullitude and his apostles, the necessity of the strong condescending to the infirmities of the weak. Will it be said, that such a profanation, by the preachers, is altogether improbable! Igrnntit. Yetit is possible. And we are not without admonition in this résped; for we are told - "Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominationsof the healhen; and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the Lord God of their fathers sent them by his messengers, ri.sing up betimes and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place. - But they mocked the messengers of God, and cVpised his words, and misused bi prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy." (2 Chronicles, 36 Cl.) It ought to be borne in mind, as well as menlioned here, that all the civilized nntions of Europe have been, till lately,vorably affected toward Slavery. Till the Somerset case, in 1772, England, from which we have received nearly all our Religión, allowed the Slaveholders to bring slaves to her sbores and take them thcnce at pleasure. Although Slavery was banished from her soil, by that case, it was not till lately, banished from her dominions. Her legislators still held Slaves and Slave plantations, without remorse, in the West Indies, because it was not prohibited by the laws of the Land. In the year 1787, the Slave-frade was attacked, andit was not till 1806, that it was condemned by lato. It soon became unpopular. But Slavery itselfcannot be snid, in this way, to have become nalionally impopular, till more than twenty years afterward, so that till very lately wah but few excèplions, the national iaslc, - and with it the most approved Commentators, seem to' have coi ncided - was altogether in favor of Slavery. The number, now, in that country & probably very few who consider Slavery as a transgression of the Moral Luw; but nearly the whole number consider it as a great inexpediency. In this way, Slavery has escaped the examination, which has been given lo other sins in that country. If proofof this was required, we have need only to take up the case which has already been cited. There is nof á reader of the history of Zedekiah who will not conclude, that the 'destruction of the Jewish nation was as much owing to the retention of the Hebrew Servants, after their term of service had expired, and their seizure,-a second tfme, after rhey ought at once to' have been proclaimed free, as to the prevalence of Idolatry. - Yet there is not oriè of the commentators ihat ï tiaVe consultod, extiëpt' it ba the enthusiasts, Who' do' not oscribe, al most excluFively to the captivity of the Jew1 their subsequent exeniption from idola,iry. Slavery forms no part of cohsideration. 1 would not wrong nny of them intentionally; but 1 have consulted Jahn, a Roman Cailiolic Germán, Chalmers, a Scotch Presbyterian, and Horne, an Episcopalian, the Jatter of whom wrote as late as 1818, and not one of them ascribes the captivity to Slavery as wel! as Idolatry. They say, indeed, that Idolalry was b.xtinguished by it, but not Slavery. One, if r.ot two of them, Horne and Chnlmers, go so faras to say, in plain terms, that Slavery remained with the Jews after the captivity, as it did with the Romans and the rest of the world. The passages cited, by the furmer, are altogethcr insuflicient, for that purpose. They appear to find it difiïcult as it seems to be with all writers who hnve not had Slavery among them, to discern the differonce that there is, and always must be, between a servant who hires his own time andchooses his pwn master, yet is obligedlo rcork, and the siave who has no control of himself or choicef his mnster. Ifl have done the ers, or the persons nbove mentioned, any f vrong, it is done unintentionally. - hey can be consulted. I nm willing to i nbide by quolations from thcir own wriings or snyings. With this temper, let us considor the passages in question, and we will, in all probability, be conducted to a wise conclusión. Paul was born in Tarsus - "no mean city" - in Cilicia, a province of the Romans. He was in good circumstances, vet he givos us no account of his having been a slaveholder. He wrote the Epistle to the Romans, before he hnd been in Rome. Me says nothing of Slavery in it. But he had been much abroad,and he wrote the Enistle to Timothy from Romp.rimoth} was then over the Church at Ephesus, where Paul had been for three years before; and where, from the ïength of lime the Province had been Roman we are to presume, Paul was well acquainted with Slavery. Such are the circumstances in which Pnul was placed, before he wrote the Epistle inquestion. We have selected this case, because it seems the strongest, as we have already said, in favor of Slavery, in the New Testament. If we cast a doubt upon its received interpretation, we render the others doubt ful; and we are, at least, entitled to the benefit of the doubt, in favor of Liberty. If we add to this, the spirit of the Gospel - that civil librrly has prevailed, just in, proportion as there has prevailed an intelligent understanding of its provisions, our pom'l is sufficiontly gained; we rescue the Bible from a con.struction, by which the pride of man has been fostered; by which millions have been debarred from the hopes and consolations of its sacred pages, and by which theevils to which they were exposed have been sanctified for nuinberless nges.

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Signal of Liberty
Old News