Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-08-14

But this WAS not the fact Paul admits that One
sinus has at some time been servant in the tam-
Nv of Philemon; whether before or after his con-
version, does not appear. And he seems to adj
NIT that he had, IN some way wronged his OLD
master, or owed him, but he does not appear dis
posed to settle that point fiji IS so, then VIII
pay you. In what the wrong consisted, or no"
the debt was contracted, he does not even intimate
The parties knew more about the subject than be
did, and he wished them to settle the difficulty
themselves The fact that Onesinus oped some
debt to Philemon, proves that he never had been
his slave. but some domestic, who could make a
bargain, contract debt, which he was morally
bound to pay. This slave could not do, being
himself the property Of his master; but hired
servant could do this. Onesintus was not then
slave under Roman laws, but some domestic, who
could contract debt which he was bound to pny
And the fact that he was servant no more proves
that he was slave, than the fact that Joab and
all his mighty men were the servants OF David
proves that they were all slaves. And all attempts
to prove slavery from such expressions arc per-
fcctIy absurd, if not dishonest For, all who hire
out to labor, or wait upon others from love, for
money, or by conpulsion, are servants. And If
any arc yet so proslayery as to insist that Onesl-
mus was a slave because he had been a servant,
zoe deny The fact and call upon them for some bet
ter proof We cast back the burden of proof up
on the advocates of slavery. And we protest a
gainst the slave practice Of booming mar TO per-
petua bondage because he cannot prove that he is
e. l.. .ba bo ,rnsuna1 lint u
free as well as innocent until legal proof to the
contrary is produced. We call for such proof
Bring forward clear and substantial proof, suf1i-
cient to justify court of equity in deprivng n
man of his liberty, or break those clerical bonds
with which Onesimus has been cruelty bound, 10
these many centuries, and let Philemon no longer
be classed with heather shareholders. He has
been slandered long enough by ignorant or wicked
men call for proof, or demand that the nfa-
nous charge 6e wholly withdrawn aud do this
with the more confidence, since Dr. Fuller has
boldly asserted, that the apostles oXtrpated the
system of Roman slavery from among Christians
This being true, Philemon could not hold slaves
under that system; and such crime should no
longer be imputed to the Brother beloeed 1t is
time for Christian ministers to censS accusing such
men AS Philemon, and let Satan do his own dirty
work
! Q. Did Paul send Onesmus back to Philemon
as fugitive slave and thus sanction the SYSTEM Of
Roman slavery? We think there is ample proof
that the apostles every where extirpated that sys-
tenn from among all who received the gospel. Paul
could not, then have given any sanction to such
system of iniquity. Yet this is the system, with
all its impurity, injustice, oppression and blood,
which grave divines have lorg endeavored to make
the world believe the apostle sanctioned. won
der not that the rancorouS heart Of Byron, or a
Tom. Paine, should wish to lasten such a crime
upon the apostle; but that men who profess to be
ministers OF Christ, should do it, is a marvellous
thing. Surely they know not what they do, or
they would not treat the blessed apostle worse than
tbs bloody Nero ever did. He killed the MANI
These christian diyines kill his character, blast his
fair fame, and represent HIM as ready to sanction
a system Of oppression and crime, when ms olon
populsrii1@quired. Has not tho venerated apos-
tie been sadly wounded in the house of his pro-
fessed friends? When will the church cease to
cruelty again thateminent servant Of Jesus Christ!
Was Paul indeed the minister Of SIM Thanks be
to God, the Bible is in our hands, and we can APP
peal from expositors and commentators and Drs
to the unerrng word. On such questions they
are all not worth straw. And if the way farin&
man cannot find the truth by carefully searching
the Holy Scriptures, he may as we'll give up th'
search.
nnn had hon sloUa anfh hid pgr 0pH
he was under 10 obligation to return; but If HI
was a freeman, and had defrauded his old master
or owed him a just debt, then was he bound It
make Just satisfaction, and the apostle might prop
erly require him to do it. And it might be gooC
reason why he selected Onesimus to accompan,
Tychius, that he might visit Philemon and sett
the important affair; but it must be remembered
that Paul was not magistrate, that he had nj
mower to send slave rom Rome to Colosse, ant
could use no compulsion in this case; and had hi
been base enough to send back TO slavery ont
whom he claimed as his spiritual son, and &c
knowledged as brother beloved, Onesimus nigh
have declined the service, and left the apostle Il
wait on himself But Paul was not kept in chain
at Rome that he might catch fugitive slaves ant
send them back to their masters. And if his ties
! tmony is true, he sent Onesimus with TychluS t.
Colosse, not as servant, but in a capacity abov
a servant, even as an apostolic messenger ant
u christian brother beloved. This should settle tn
question. Colloss. A: I, 8, 8. 1t will be har
work for Drs. to twist, 'not as u servant but a
hove servant" into fugitive slave. They ma
: try their skill ifthey choose And ifany Christian
: think it their duty to heap little more slande
. upos-4ho apostle, they must join with Satan an
; see how well they can act their part
y Thus, all the smoke, and dust, and reproac
y which have been heaped upon Paul and Phemo
} by Christian dvines, arc rolled off by an appeI
to the Bible and there is not shadow Of eY
= dence that Onesimus ever was slave, that Philt
mon was stakeholder, or that Paul sanctione
the unjust aud oppressive system of Roman slave
ry Like the other apostles he attacked this stron