Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-08-21

To the Ministers and Churches of New England
DEAR BRETHREN:-
CONCLUDED.
The reader must bear in mind, that the fact,
whether the apostles extirpated or patronized Ro-
man slavery, must be settled, before any satisfac-
tory explanation can be given of those texts,
which constitute what may be called the slave
code. For every honest man must confess that
the meaning of the terms master and servant US
ed in that code, must depend on the connection
in which they stand, or the circumstances with
which they are related. Thus when we speak of
Southern masters and servants, every one under
stands US to mean slaves and Shareholders; but
this would not be the case, il we were speaking
ofservants and masters in Great Britain So the
meaning of the terms in hes TEXTS must depend
on the fact, how the apostles treated Roman
Slavery. If they really patronized that system of
niquty, then it would be reasonable TO admit the
proslavery construction; but if they extirpated
that system from among christians, then a very
different construction must be given. These texts
cannot then, with any regard to fairness, be ad-
duced as evidence by either party, for or against
until the question is settled. How did the apos-
ties treat Roman slavery? We claim that the
apostles were sent to destroy that Institution OF
Satan, Roman slavery, as much as Idolatry, or a
ny other work ofthe devil, and that they did ex-
tirpate it from among christians, and that all these
texts must be explained in accordance with this
fact. And this ground we shall maintain until we
see some better reasons for stgmatiZing the apos-
ties, than we have yet seen. The proslavery par
their service, until they have proved, that the ho
ly apostles baptized, and took into the christian
church that system of iniquity, which their master
had directed them to destroy When they have
done that, | give up those texts to help strength.
ell salans cause; but until that is done, say hand
off, let those witnesses stand back, and remain ST.
lent, until they know themselves the true mpor
Of the facts, which they are called upon to sub
stantiate.
1t was once said, by an apostle, "Be not thou 5
partaker of other mems sins: keep thyself pure
1 Tim. 522. We have proved beyond all rea
sonabIe doubt, that the apostles wholly excluded
from among christians Roman slavery that al
christian churches should follow their example
and exclude from among them every kind ofsave
ry, which is essentially the same, that if any will
not do this, all, who respect the example Of the a
postles, must withdraw all fellowship from them
that men ought not to be employed as missiona
ries, who will not treat modern slavery, as the q
postes treated Roman slavery; and that it is
paIpable violation of apostolic rule to build u
saveholding churches in heather lands. How
: can those mon, who fellowship heather slavery
y or Turkish slavery, christian slavery, avoid be
ing partakers in the sins of those systems, or ho'
can they keep themselves pure from all the inju'
tce, cruelty, oppression, RIGHTEOUSNESS aud blood
. which attach to those systemsl How can sue
: men be followers of the apostles, OF obey their e1
> press injunction, "Be thou not partakers in othe
mems sins: keep thyself pure" And would it nj