LESSON I.—Wayland’s definition of moral law, page 7 to 8; sin the
antecedent of slavery, 9; the abuse of slavery a sin, 10.
LESSON II.—Wayland on the elements of consciousness, 10 to 11; the
degeneracy of races, and slavery as the scriptural means of
reclamation, 12; object of punishment, 13.
LESSON III.—Wayland on conscience as a distinct faculty, 14, 15;
Channing, Barnes, and abolitionists generally on the same, 16, 17,
18.
LESSON IV.—Wayland on conscience as an independent faculty derived from
Shaftesbury, Hutchinson, and Reid, 18; combated by Archbishop
Seeker, 19; argument that conscience is neither a distinct faculty
nor infallible, 20 to 23.
LESSON V.—Wayland’s doctrine, that slavery sacrifices the slave’s
eternal happiness to the master’s temporal, refuted, 23 to 25; the
master’s interest and the slave’s moral improvement identical, 26,
27.
LESSON VI.—Wayland’s argument, that slavery is at variance with the laws
of God, examined, 27; its connection with productive labour and
national wealth considered, 28 to 32; Sismondi’s theory of labour
and capital, 32; Wayland on slavery as impoverishing soil refuted,
33, 34.
LESSON VII.—Wayland’s doctrine, that the moral principles of the Bible
are opposed to slavery, refuted, 34, 35; Secker’s authority, 36;
Wayland on slavery as a prohibition of gospel privileges and
matrimony controverted, 37 to 40; Luther and Melancthon quoted, 39;
African practice in regard to matrimony, 40; interest of masters to
promote permanent marriages among their slaves, 40 to 42.
LESSON VIII.—Wayland, Paley, Channing, and Barnes on the opinion that
the sacred writers abstained from condemning slavery on motives of
policy, 43 to 47.
LESSON IX.—Wayland’s doubts, caused by Prof. Taylor, 47 to 50; Wayland’s
assertion, that the inculcation of the duties of slaves is no
sanction of slavery, combated, 51, 52.
LESSON X.—Wayland’s assertion, that Scripture is opposed to slavery,
contrasted with the declarations of the Bible, 53; slavery a
desirable and ardently sought condition under certain
circumstances—historical proofs, 54 to 57.
LESSON XI.—Dr. Paley on slavery and the laws of nature, 57 to 61.
LESSON XII.—Paley on cruelty as an argument against slavery, 62;
Lander’s testimony respecting native cruelty in Africa, 63; Paley’s
slander on Jesus Christ and Paul and Peter repelled, 65 to 67.
LESSON XIII.—Slavery in ancient Britain, 67; Dr. Samuel Johnson’s
argument against negro slavery analyzed, and overthrown by arguments
drawn from the laws of nations and the laws of God, 68 to 82.