Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-01-03

of the articlei was not the only one +
who opposed the Circular; and Il / had
been, what the neeessity Of bringing me
beiorethe pubiic7 10y
Again Ibis principal argument in sup
Port OF this position was, ihe statement Of
his belief that slavery was in the print I
tive church, 49,. .:s
: ! will here give the argument, substan.
tally, as it was stated at the Convention,
that it may be seen how Ear the represent
alton, IN this and the FIRST article, is cor
rect
I. Slavery existed extensively in the
apostolical age, throughout the Roman
empire; men were bought and sold and
held as property. This position was not
then denied; and il cannot be disproved
2. When the gospel was preached by
the apostles throughout the Roman en-
pire, men Of all classes and conditions
embraced il, and entered the church; and
il Is unreasonable to suppose that both
slaves and masters were not among them.
8. In this opinion we are confirmed by
several passages in the epistles, where the
apostles wrote, giving instructions to the
churches. as if they contained both mas
ters and slaves.
For an instance: Cor. vii 81, %, %.
Art thou called being a servant2 care
not for il: but if thou mayest be free, use
il rather. For he that is called 10 the
Lord, being servant, is the Lords free
man: likewise also, he that is called,
being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are
bought with price; be not ye the Sci
wants Of men,"
| That slGoss and not hired servants are
here meant, is evident from the following
Expressions; lift thoE maycst be free"
A contract for labor binds and at both
ends, the master as we'll as the servant; :;
and the apostle might, with as much pro-
priety say TO the freeman, eff thou may
EST be free" as to the latter But hired
scrvice is nowhere spoken of as state of
boncagesnnd contrasted with freedom
Besides. it would be preposterous to rep
resent the apostle as saying to one doing
service on a contract for wages, If tAOu
DlGyest be free use 1t rather" Free from
WHAT. His eentract2 Or an employ
ment which his condition rendered neces-
sary 10 his subsistence 2. Free" and
" freeman" are contrassed with servant"
which would not be contrast, if by ser
want is here meant. one working on a
voluntary contract, for wages. 8. BE
not the servants Of men" Who can i'm
agine, that the sacred writer means to
forbid their entering the employment OF
another, for himl And yet, this must be
his meaning, if slaves are not here ad-
dressed. Timothy, vi: l, 2: 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 no
) despise them, because they are brethren
5 but rather do them service, because they
5 are faithful and beloved. partakers Of thu
} benefit"
Upon this, I will make but one remark
The servants, who, 10 the first verse, ART
said 10 be under the yOks," in the secenC
, verse, are said to have beliering mas
J terG"
This passage, then, proves there wer,
: The masters of slavesare Shareholders;
e BY servants slaves are meant in these passa
It ges,slavery existed in the primitive church
s Besides what has now been said il
support Of the proposition that seruant
" in these and similar passages, denote
e sIGres; it ought to be added that such is tn
e meaning Of the original toord dOukOs, {
5. which servant is the translation a tern
!: the plural Of which, is ever translate
lie slGres, the only instance in which th
word occurs 10 the English Testamen
Of Rev 1S: l3.
al Ia reply to this, the editor Of the Telt
graph observed, that 1.-The apostle Pat
Of called himself the serrGnt, doutOs,
he Jesus Christ and does he mean to sa
Sc he is his slaveI' Yes" said l, ii
,lf the most absolute sense, bought tOith h
I'd blood and bound TO scrre him forerer."
he Thus stood the matter before The Coz
he vention: if not, let it be shown to Il
-st contrary. If this argument was reptile
he to-'those who heard must say d
lg not notice it." ND
o. But as | have now touched upon Il
IS meaning Of the Greek word doulos,
g, question of considerable importance
rs, this discussion, will pursue it lit
re further before discussingit.
INT 1t is undeniable that slavery, heredital
nd slavery, slavery which treated and r
m garded men as property, prevailed exte
ry sively among both the Greeks and r
he, mans. Is it admissible, then, that Il
is language of the former, copious as it
lu- contains no term to denote that conditio
On, or to distinguish person who belongs
led tq This will not be pretended. A va
he ely of terms is found in the Greek scr
rs, lures, used to designate one in the emplo