The lowness of individual condition, in relation to our fellow men, or
to human society generally, is not incompatible with the humility of the
Christian in the performance of our duty to man or God, because the
Christian is not required to display intellectual powers which he does
not possess, nor possessions not his own. If he has but one talent, its
occupation alone is required,—the desire to bestow one mite marks his
character. It is therefore a very great error which some of the
abolitionists seem to suppose, that, because a man is a slave, he is
thereby prevented from being a Christian or hindered from the worship of
God. On the contrary, so essential is humility to the Christian
character, that Jesus Christ, in a lesson to his disciples, says,
“Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant,” δοῦλος,
_doulos_, _slave_; a figure, a sentence, which the Divine Being could
never have pronounced, if slavery was inconsistent with his doctrine,
either as to the condition of the slave or that of the master. With
great similarity of figure and sameness of the humility in the
worshipper of God, David addresses Jehovah: “O Lord, truly I am thy
servant,” (עַ֫בְדֶךָ _abedeka, thy slave_,) “I am thy servant (עַ֫בְדָךָ
_abedeka, thy slave_) and the son of thy _hand-maid_,” בֶּן־אֲתֶ֑ךָ
_amatheka, thy female slave_,) “thou hast loosed my bonds.” Compare with
_John_ viii. 36, also 1 _Cor._ vii. 22.
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