The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-08-26
COMMUNICATIONS.
,c,>,.e ne.hsdi.s- aear.-Ns. n.

Ia IA, Editors Of the ETGmin6'
60, r,rsS-In the series Of letters addressed
g.. ,h. ministers and members Of the Mefh0diS
r.:,,s.sI Churek SsHth, have sought at'en-
',I. - those circumstances which belong to the
.v,,sm OF slavery7-snd in their operation
,bwsr, the designs Of the Christian Ministry.
II pursuance Of my. original design, wish TO
IN attention TO the Disadvantages under which
minister must always labor in a ssveholding
community:
N, cannot preach the IrhOle truth 10 a mired
,.ngy,gatioE. This position is stOutly denied
=, the whole crank and file" Of pro-slavery
men. and their apolOgists-whO are constantly
irving. "P,saek the GOspeI-thaf Is your bust
:, D, Girl matters alone" Let the gospel
\. prsached-but what is the gosPel-s single
4 .,,rosition. announcing the redemption Of the
'ro,ls' or does il comprehend the whole OF
i c,Fs truth revealed to man. The latter with
on, soubt. Then the whole Is to be preached
! Nlv-freey. Where, in the whole length and
h,ss5th of sIaueTydorl can a minister take for
4 nj. text, Therefore, all things, tnhafsoeSeT ys
,.o,H that men should DO 10 you, do ye eDeH so 10
,.,m for this is the Ia0 and the propLsts," and
Clearly develOpe and faithfully apply its Prinei-
Me Without exciting the JealOEsiss Of the mas
r,rs or the disoOHtsHt Of the sIauesf Must he
M, 10 as the Romans did. in the use Of similar
,uls exclude The slaUss-Or, like the bigoted Jssr
conhue its application to mis- brethren Does
cannon opinion in Christian Kentucky, in the
\ CB,,sfiaR South place the slave within the pro-
visions Of this sacred Canon? Why Because
10 confess its application TO them, in the sober
sst sense in which il can be understood, would
virtually abolish the whole system Of slavery
men intent upon its perPetuation see this-and
hence an approach TO its true meaning in the
discussions Of the pulpit, unless accompanied
by exceptions, not 10 be misunderstood, is de-
nounced as faRatieal AbOlitiOnism, and the
preacher as a true disciple Of the abolition
school. To avoid this reprosch the truth is
waived, sOftened down, or smothed over, to suit
the tastes of the hearers. But it is answered
further, that the Apostles preached the gospel
where slavery existed, and recognising the re-
lstion, pointed out the mutual duties Of masters
aud slaves, and therefore, the relation is prop
er one. Very recently heard minister Of high
standing in our church take this position, and
argue at length in its support. The Apostles
preached the gospel TO Gentiles who had not the
knowledge Of GOd-and abstAined from inter-
meddling with the civil institutions Of any Of
the countries where they Preached-they recOg.
hised the relation Of master and servant, but
does il follow that il is, therefore, right r-Ia-
ton Many who embraced Christianity were
the servants Of heather masters, who knew
nothing Of the authority Of the Church. II
vas meet for them TO be advised to quietly bear
the yoke, that the doctrine Of God might not be
basphemed-but others were in families that
had embraced Christianity. To them they said
But j thou mGysst be free choose IL rather. -
While to Christian masters they said, Masters
gire unto yOUT servants thai mich 70 Just and
sqEIl; knOloiRg that ys also hare master in
AsaUsH." From this plain exhibit Of the rela-
tive duties Of servants and masters, the conclu-
sion IS legitimate, that the Apostles established
principle which must enevitably abolish sla-
very in all Christian families. They do not
say to the slaves sit is better you 10 be slaUes,
but, "srt thou called being a servant care not
for it," endure il patiently and cheerfuly for
the Lords sake-"BUT II THOU NAYEsT BE FREE
CHOOSE IT RATHER" as being better for yourself
better for the Church-betler for all concerned.
To the masters they 90 not say, "it is right to
hold on to your slaves" but, "masfers render
unto your servants that UhieA is Just aud equal,
not on the principles of heather morality, but
what is so in the light Of Christianity. As
though they had said-we have told your ser
wants that liberty Is better than bOndGge-we
now tell you, il Is better, and enjoin that you
give to them, as cO-heirs with yourselves, that
which is 'JUst and tquar' between members Of
the same great family. Moreover we have said
to your servants-"Ys are bought Nth price !;
Be not ye, therefore, tie servants Of men. Yet
We have advised none TO THnGuay-asserting
violently his freedom, but have said to them
LEI sUsTy man uhsreiA he is called, therein
sbids uih Cod" Could any mistake this
teaching of the Apostles Did not every man
whom this letter was read see at once his du-
Vin regard to his servantsl The epistle to
Philemon is perfectly consistent with the pre-
esding views and the gentle insinuation Of the
-ls' verse, "HGUiHg confidence in Thy Obsdi-
sAee' t0rote unto thee, kROping that thou icilf
also DO more than say;" is, by the common
consent Of commentators, to the emancipation
q one'imus. And they generally hold that
Philemon did emancipate him, and that Onesi-
mus, the emancipated slave, became bishop in
The Church Of God.
Emancipation was universal in the primitive
church, and although the notices Of slavery in
early Church history are very few, they are suf.
helent to Justify this conclusion.
The fact that the Apostles recognised slave
fy' does not prove il right--nor does the addi-
uOnsl Tact that they prescribed the duties which
the relation creates, prove it any more than
John ths BGptist's advice to soldiers proves that
SaT ia Tigd
The acknowledgement Of existing relations
u'o not saRcufy them-and the want Of direct
'hlaheton-"Thou shalt not hold sIaue," Is
supplied by the whole scope and tenor Of the
Ohrlstan system-which is destined TO accom-
P''sh the great objects of its mission to man.
Aihd' not by the outward pressure Of positiys
law but the force of an inward principle.
CLERos.
Under the Bridge, Aug. ION, 1913.