I shall now take a glance at slavery under the Mosaic dispensation.
Whatever our views may be on the subject of slavery, if we have read
our Bibles, we know that it was tolerated and regulated by the Divine
Being among the children of Israel; no doubt for wise and beneficent
purposes. I know that it is vain for us to attempt to elevate our
minds to a clear comprehension of the moral government of God. There
is much, I admit, that to us is incomprehensible. Finite beings,
cannot fathom the Infinite mind of Jehovah. We can, however, if we
will read our Bibles, learn the will of God concerning ourselves and
our fellow creatures; at least so far as our respective duties are
concerned. This may be learned from the Old, as well as the New
Testament. Forms and ceremonies may change; but the eternal principles
of truth, righteousness and justice, change not.
Prior to the Mosaic dispensation, we read that Abraham held servants,
and that when Sarai treated her maid-servant unkindly, and she fled
from her face, the angel of the Lord said unto her, "Return to thy
mistress, and subject thyself under her hands." It is a notable fact,
that when the law was delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, he received
from the hands of God Almighty the following words: "In it," (the
Sabbath,) "thou shalt not do any work; thou, nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant." It appears that the
Hebrews under peculiar circumstances became servants; and they were
released, or went free on the seventh year. If, however, they
preferred to remain with their masters, they then became servants
forever. The Hebrews were not suffered to enslave each other, except
for a limited time; their servants were taken from the heathen nations
around them. See Leviticus, 25th Chapter, from the 39th to the 55th
verses inclusive. Mention is frequently made of servants throughout
the Old Testament. Men women and children were held in bondage by
patriarchs, prophets, kings, and others. Moses delivered various laws
to the children of Israel, for the guidance and regulation of both
masters and servants. The holding of slaves is nowhere denounced as
sinful in the Old Testament; on the contrary, the Hebrews were
_permitted_ to buy slaves from the surrounding heathen nations.
Masters were commanded in the Old as well as in the New Testament, to
treat servants with kindness and humanity. Inhumanity, cruelty, and
oppression being every where forbidden in the Bible.
Having briefly alluded to the revealed will of God tinder the old
dispensation, we will now hastily glance at the position occupied by
Christ and his apostles in relation to this institution, and at their
instructions and admonitions to masters and servants.
It is clearly and indisputably true that their course with reference
to masters and servants, and the doctrine which they taught, give no
countenance to the wild and visionary views of the faction, known in
the United States by the name of abolitionists. I cannot, however,
stop here to draw fully the contrast, but it will be found in other
parts of this work.
Christ came to preach the gospel, and not abolitionism. Christ came to
preach peace, and not to foment strife. He and his apostles taught
servants to love and obey their masters, to serve them freely and
cheerfully, and not to run away from them. No! No! They never incited
servants to murder their masters, nor to murmur at their service; nor
yet to steal all they could get, and then leave then. But there are
those among us who have been guilty of all these things; and yet,
notwithstanding, they have the audacity to tell us, at least those who
have not embraced the views of Tom Paine, that they are Christians.
The more consistent ones, I believe, are open infidels.
Our Saviour said nothing that could be construed into a condemnation
of the institution of slavery; nor yet did he invest his apostles with
any authority to interfere with it. It was no part of their
commission. Our Saviour preached the gospel of peace and glad tidings
to the bond and the free, to masters and servants, to the poor, the
maimed, the halt and the blind. He intermeddled not with the civil
institutions of the day. On the contrary, he inculcated, both by
precept and example, submission to the ruling authorities. His
apostles followed in his footsteps, for they likewise enjoined on
their followers, to be subject to the higher powers--to those in
authority. They too, preached the gospel to the bond and the free,
masters and servants; and gathered them together in the same fold, as
brethren beloved--the sheep of one common shepherd, the servants of
one common master--members of the same church--partakers of the same
joys. But they did not in a solitary instance denounce the holding of
slaves as sinful; nor yet enjoin it on masters to release their
slaves. They carefully instructed both masters and servants in their
relative duties, as masters and servants; and otherwise left the
institution of slavery as they found it. How unlike the great apostles
of modern reform! Many will no doubt be ready to ask, if slavery is an
evil, why did not Christ and his apostles strike directly at its root,
and eradicate it from the face of the earth? Others may impiously ask
if it is an evil, why did the Almighty permit it, or why does he
tolerate it? The latter interrogatory is fully considered in the
preceding Chapter; but I will for obvious reasons make a few
additional remarks in reply. I again beg such persons to recollect
that we are but finite beings, and cannot, therefore, fully comprehend
the Infinite Mind; and that God is moreover the Supreme Ruler of the
universe, and that to Him belongs the right to govern and dispose of
the work of his own hands, as he, in his infinite wisdom, sees fit and
proper. We may observe His dealings with man, but we cannot in all
cases say why he acts thus; nor have we any right to ask him, why hast
them done thus? Slavery is a consequence of sin, and God, in his
providence, suffered it to fall on the posterity of Ham as a just and
righteous judgment--as a punishment suitable and proper--as a
punishment proportioned to the magnitude of the crime. The Divine
Being, no doubt, intended that the signal punishment inflicted on
Ham's posterity, should be a warning to all future generations, in all
future time, to warn them of the danger of violating his commands, and
deter them from the commission of crime. God, no doubt, willed that it
should continue until the crime was adequately punished, and future
generations warned of the danger of violating his laws; and his own
honor vindicated. We have reason to believe that God moreover willed,
that in his own good time, this evil, as well as all other evils
should be eradicated; and that the sons and daughters of Adam should
enjoy universal freedom; and that "righteousness should cover the
earth, as the waters cover the great deep." But God willed to bring
about this result, not only in his own time, but in his own way. By
his own appointed means as revealed in his Holy Word; and that we as
co-workers with him, in the accomplishment of his designs, should be
guided by his revealed will. So far as we deviate from the revealed
will of God in the use of means, we sin against him, and are destined
to disappointment. The Holy Scriptures justify the conclusion, that in
the process of time, the Almighty disposer of events, will root out
all evil from the face of the earth. "Every plant," (says Jesus
Christ,) "that my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted
up." But there are many evils so interwoven with the institutions of
society, that they can only be rooted out by the general spread of the
benign and purifying influences of the Gospel.
Much has been said and written about slavery as an evil--a curse--a
misfortune, &c. It is admitted on all hands that slavery is an evil;
but it would be well for those who undertake to propose remedies for
it, first to ascertain wherein the evil consists; or in other words,
what are the circumstances which give rise to it. It is essential to
the success in medical practice, that the physician correctly
understands the disease which he proposes to treat. I have shown in the
preceding Chapter that slavery originated in sin; or otherwise, that
Ham entailed it on his posterity by violating the laws of God. The
evils of slavery, to the present day, originate in the same cause, viz,
a violation of God's commands; a failure on the part of masters and
servants to comply with the requisitions of the Holy Bible. It is
disobedience to God's commands, that makes slavery an evil and a curse.
The curse of slavery originates in the disobedience of slaves, and the
cruelty of masters. "Servants, be obedient to them that are your
masters--masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal."
Here, in a sentence of twenty words, the Apostle Paul prescribes a
remedy for the evils of slavery, a remedy too, that has never failed--a
remedy that will remove the curse of slavery; and under some
circumstances, make it a blessing to both masters and servants. A
compliance on the part of masters and servants with the requisitions of
God's word, will disarm slavery of all its evils and terrors. It will
bring peace and consolation to masters and servants. Herein is
manifest, the wisdom and goodness of God. When the gospel was first
promulgated slavery existed in the world, in a form, no doubt, which
made it a sore evil--a grievous curse. The cries of the oppressed had
come up before the throne of God. He was moved with compassion for
masters and servants. Go, said He, to his beloved son, to yonder world,
and remove the curse of slavery. Instruct servants to love and obey
their masters, to serve them freely and cheerfully--without murmuring
or repining--and to be content with their lot. Instruct masters to give
unto their servants that which is just and equal. To never loose sight,
in the treatment of their slaves, of the great principles of love,
justice and humanity.
Jesus Christ and his apostles went forth to preach the gospel of peace
and glad tidings. Their object was to confer the largest possible
amount of happiness on the bond and free, that they were capable of
enjoying under the circumstances. The gospel contemplated the present
happiness of the human race, as well as their future interests. It had
no design of detracting anything from the happiness of masters or
servants; on the contrary, it contemplated the augmentation of the
happiness of all who should be brought under its influence. Slavery
existed. Masters were cruel and oppressive, and slaves were
disobedient. This condition of slavery made it a sore evil--a grievous
calamity, to both masters and servants. The duty of the apostles was
clear. It was to remove those evils as far as practicable. It was to
instruct masters and servants in their relative duties; well knowing,
that obedience on their part, would remove the evils of slavery, and
make both masters and servants better and happier. Having done this,
they could do no more. Any other course would have entailed misery on
masters and servants; or otherwise would have deprived them of all
access to both servants and masters. The apostles adopted and carried
out the only practicable and effective means within their reach, of
ameliorating the condition of servants. Go, ye ministers of Jesus
Christ, and follow in their footsteps. And ye apostles of modern
reform, from whence did ye derive your authority to speak evil of
rulers? To oppose the execution of the laws of your country? to foment
strife? to sow the seeds of discontent and rebellion among the slaves,
and thereby incite masters to acts of cruelty and oppression? "Woe to
you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites."
We may speculate, wrangle, and contend about slavery in the United
States for centuries to come, without bringing relief to the slave;
for after all, there is but one course which can ensure relief to the
servant, the master, and the nation--but one course by which we can
bring about universal emancipation, and secure at the same time the
peace, happiness and prosperity of the Union; and that is obedience on
the part of ministers of the gospel, masters and servants, to the
requisitions of God's word. Let ministers of the gospel imitate the
example of Jesus Christ and his apostles; let masters and servants
strictly observe what is enjoined on them in the New Testament; and
let those not immediately interested, look around, and see if they
cannot find objects of charity nearer home; and then will slavery soon
cease to exist as an institution in this nation. This is the only safe
and practicable means of accomplishing an object so desirable; and
those who attempt to extirpate slavery in any other way, are openly,
knowingly, wilfully and deliberately violating God's laws; and can
expect nothing but the curse of Almighty God on their devoted heads.
If they sow the whirlwind, they may expect to reap the storm. They
will learn, when it is too late, that no good can result from fraud,
falsehood and force.
Hence, we see, why it is that the interference of abolitionists with
slavery in the United States, has resulted in injury to masters and
servants. They have refused to act in accordance with God's revealed
will; consequently, they have augmented the evils, hardships and
calamities of slavery. Thus it has been; thus it is; and thus it ever
will be. God is immutable; his laws are unchangeable; and he that
expects to accomplish good, must do it by His appointed means. "Ask
for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein." Follow
the example of Jesus Christ and his apostles, and then may ye expect
to accomplish good for your fellow creatures, and enjoy the approving
smiles of heaven.
I shall close the present chapter with some quotations from the Bible.
"THUS SAITH THE LORD."
"And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had
done unto him. And he said, cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants
shall he be unto his brethren." _Genesis_ ix, 24, 25.
"But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold thy maid is in thy hand; do to
her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she
fled from her face. And the angel of the Lord found her by a
fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to
Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence comest thou? and
whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my
mistress, Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to
thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." _Genesis_ xvi,
6-10.
"But in it (the Sabbath,) thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor
thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." _Exodus_ xx,
10.
"Both thy bond-men, and thy bond-maids, which thou shalt have, shall
be of the heathen that are round about you; of them ye shall buy
bond-men and bond-maids. Moreover, of the children of the strangers
that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy and of their
families that are with you, which they begat in your land; and they
shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance
for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession, they
shall be your bond-men forever." _Leviticus_ xxv. 44-47.
"Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou
mayest be made free, use it rather." 1 _Cor._ vii, 21.
"Servants, be obedient to them who are your masters according to the
flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto
Christ. Not with eye service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants
of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will
doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that
whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of
the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, do the same
things unto them, forbearing threatening; knowing that your Master
also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him."
_Ephesians_ vi, 5-10.
"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh;
not with eye service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart,
fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord
and not unto men." _Col._ iii, 22, 23.
"Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal;
knowing that ye also hare a Master in heaven." _Col._ iv, 1.
"Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not
blasphemed. And they that have believing masters let them not
despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service,
because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit.
These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise and
consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, He is
proud, knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of
words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings." 1
_Timothy_ vi, 1-5.
"Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please
them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but
showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God
our Saviour in all things." _Titus_ ii, 9, 10.
"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the
good and gentle, but also to the froward." 1 _Peter_ ii, 18.