The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-06-28

SO desirable 10 MIN. lie enlot0S IL upon OnesI-
mus to return to his master forever. This last
phrase has reference to the fact that Paul sup
posed that the sense of Christian obligation,
which was now entertained by Onesmus, would
prevent him from ever repeating his offence.
And all this too, whenPhilemon, being an active
and jealous Christian, would in moment have
submitted TO any command of Paul respecting
Onesimus. Why then, did Paul send him back?
There is only one answer to be given, viz: That
Paufs Christian conscience would not permit
him to injure The vested rights Of Philemon. He
could not think Of keeping the servant, even to
minister as friend to his own necessities while
in prison. Paul's conscience, then, ike his doc
trines, was very different from that of the Abo-
litionists. Paul's conscience sent back the fu-
gitiue slave; theirs encourages him to run away,
and then protects him in the misdeed yea. justl-
flies, applauds, glorfeS him, as noble, indepen-
dent fellow. The conscience of Paul senos back
the fugitive, without any obligation at all on the
ground of compact; theirs encourages and pro-
tects his escape in the face OF the most solemn
national compact. And all this for conscience
sake! That may be the case, perhaps; for con-
science, when mIsled by rashness and heated
party spirit and enthusiasm, can turn into any
shape whatever. Paul himself says, that he
acted conscientiously, when he prosecuted Chris
| tians unto DEATH and laid waste the church Of
God-Acts 23d. Ignalius Loyola had con-
science. Xavier had more conscience than
most men ever had. Yet the conscience of one
founded the tribunal OF the lnduisitlon in Europe,
and OF the other, the same in Asia. st. Dominic
had conscience. Mary, Queen of England,
had strong conscience. So had James the
| Second, and even Jeffries made noisy claims to
one.
( The I1ndoo mother, who throws her child in
| to the Ganges, has conscience. The hangers
| of witches among us surely had conscience.
/ The Quaker men and women, who went about
the streets and iuto public assemblies, in puris
naturdlibuS, had deal Of conscience. And so,
when judgement is kept down, and passion set
up, and men become in their own conceit wiser
than all others, they can manufacture a con-
science into any possible convenient shape.
Such would seem TO be the fashion Of many
consciences at present. Conscience bids them
violate the constitution of our country. There
is a higher law than this, say they. But | ask
Who has discovered and determined such law?
| The honest answer would be, their own passions
and preludices. 1t is conscience wholly sub
iective. Talk of conscience violating solemn
compact OF conscience which condemns
the conduct 0! Paul, when acting under divine
guidance? Must we trust in a conscience
which plainly accuses him Of either having nj
conscience, or else very bad one? Can we
respect conscience, which puts the broad sea
Of disgrace and infamy on those immortal mel
and patriots who formed our constitution, anc
who in all our States accepted and approved 0
it? Ard where now has conscience been these
sixty years past? What sort of men have
adorned our legislative halls, our pulpits, ou
churches? Men, it would seem, who did no
understand even the first rndiments of religion
or of civil freedom and the rights ofman. Ha
conscience slept profoundly solong in the fathers
hand now have their children become all at onc
wiser than Daniel" and discovered what poor
groyeling. halt,witted men their fathers were
All this is wonderful 10 me; am astonished a
the rapid railroad progress of new discovery
) If there was not syllable in all the Bible re
specting slavery and the manner of treating il
it could not be treated with more neglect thai
it now is, in regard TO this subject.