The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-17

II ~. $3.50 From tho Democratic Review.
rs The Higher Law. f
Among the extraordinary manifestations OF the age is
10 be ranked the scbism which has been introduced by
the slavery question into all religious denominations in
regard to the teachings Of the bill upon that question.
Feeble minded persons talk OF dissolution OF the Union,
because political parties have been sundered through the
use Of The slavery question IN The hands Of demagoguss
mostly haliedpsated lawyers. having sntes only for
the knayey OF the profession, who attempt forced con-
structon Of the constitution Or failing 10 that reject its
authority and repudate s obligations SO. also. IN most
religious approximations, taught and ambitious preach
peryert the meaning OF the Scriptures. and attempt 10
make stepping stone 10 their own earhiy advance
men by adapting their expostions OF the h9y Word to
the political prejudices OF their hearers others OF this
class. unable wrest the meaning OF Gods teachings,
have openly denounced his Revelation, and publicly trod
den il under foot in contempt o. It's Precepts, which
do not accord with their superior wisdom. Out OF
these violent discussions, political and religious has
apparently grown this great good-yz; that the Con-
soon IN s oca ~0ra ana s pe N ne
ned and discussed and the truth OF both instruments
has been clearly developed and impressed upon the
ocs protesting the universal religion, refused 10 receive
the Bible as the perfect rule OF faith The abuses into
which that religion necessarily and consequently ran
produced the Reformation The Bible then became the
object OF prayerful study by all Professionals and its
vealed TRUTHS proclaimed with fear and trembling.
alone referred TO as rule OF action vi late, many
Divine Revelation, bat rather TO adapt il to circumstances
they hnd them, claiming for IL an expansion OF sense
true progress OF in the last
fifty years has been such to change the construction
which had been placed upon the geography astronomy
natural history OF The These new DIS
coveres however, have not nyadaied. but only served
to eucdate the Scriptures; and it is matter Of great
oicng that the progress OF science has been from time 10
lime alleged to be IN opposition to the teachings OF the
Scriptures, since such allegations have led TO deeper and
constantly renewed research into the meaning Of the
Divine Word, always resulting in its triumph. In the
same manner that religious hereses have only led 70 more
frequent reference to the foundation of the Christian
th. n "A
ment OF the public mind in relation TO the spuatons OF
glorious constitution. II has been matter OF extreme
any political agitation involving constitutional principles
to hnd how many intelligent persons are absolutely
Ignorant even OF such primary distinctions as that
of the federal government few months of occasional
agitation like that which have passed is absolutely
necessary to the political education OF the people, So,
also. in the religious world ndoent and me-serving
preachers 20 from week TO week, and from year to
year. DOING their divine mission, and wrestling its in
depreciation according to the preudices gnorany bih-
ing and retaining popularity, until great popular
excitement makes recurrence TO the true teachings OF
God upon the point agtated indispensable Then y is
that the serving supremacy OF blindgudes be-
comes manifest and the cause OF religion purges itself OF
false advocates stt
The churches of nearly all the Christian denominations
spread throughout the United States and all the mem
beers Of each denomination in communion with each
other, acknowledging the ecclesiastical discipline
applicable to the principles OF faith proessed Each OF
Bible, those which they believed were the true ex-
pressons OF its teachings They all based their hopes
the merits OF the Redeemer, and lived in harmony, at
least wihH the several sects occasionally some
want of charity for the belief OF others escaped the more
jealous. For more than 1900 years the followers OF
Christ slavehoders and they never in all that time
doubted the perfect consistency OF their conduct in that
respect with their religious professions the commands OF
Christ and the teachings OF his apostles in regard to that
relation with their fellow-men. The federal compact
expressly recognises the servilude OF blacks political
institution and until within few years past that insttu
ton OF the South existed in the undsputed recognition Of
the Bible, the constitution, and religious association In
the OF the excitements which attend our popular
elections, political partsans set sectional cry against
the existence OF an institution which belongs only TO
States. and in their IRRESPONSIBLE and unhoy zeal threat
ened to repudiaie the constitutional compact unless
sovereign States could be deprived Of portion of
their sovereignty which had been reserved TO them when
the constitution was formed The plea was raised that
constitution To strengthen, ptolcng, and give eject TO
these attempts upon the constitution similar heresy was
introduced into the several religious denominations,
through the influence Of parsans faiihless preach
For we consider a sentinel who admits an enemy
through nattenon or want Of perception as iahless as
he who does so for a bribe. This heresy that the
mere holding Of slaves is sin per se and that the dis
cpne of the church must be invoked upon all who do
not instantly manumit their slaves This conduct has
northern and southern churches What had been con-
sdered compatible with Christian conduct for than
eighteen centuries suddenly, under political prompt
ings, denounced utterly inconsistent with all faith
in Christ that denominations which had lived in harmony
and brohey love- agreeing fully upon all other doctna
points, suddenly disagreed this one head, and sepa.
rated with angry feelings The "higher law" which
political demagogue had declared superior 10 our con-
stution religious demagogues declared superior TO
Christs mandate--"to love thy neighbor myself"
Whole denominations divided with i'll nature, and went
to law about their common property, because one portion
were alleged by the other 10 have violated, through
slayeholding, the command Ito love one another"
The charge made by class OF religonsts Of all de-
nominations the North is, that the holding oil slaves,
pure and simple is" always SIM" heinous crime
in the sight OF God" "a sin OF appalling magnitude" IL
this be true that savehodg, under all circumstances
Is sin OF ITSELF matter what may be the conduct OF
and servant respectively TO each other what are
we to think OF that Bible which teaches that holy. i'm
mutabe, and omnipotent God not only expressly com
them how and with what TO buy slaves: forbddng in
the Decalogue one 10 covet another's slave, and
never ntimaiing even 10 his chosen Abraham, slave
holder, with whom he walked, and OF whom be SAID
shall hide from Abraham that thing which do y that
savehoding wrong but, also, that when the Mosaic
dspensaon passed away, at the advent OF Christ the
Redeemer himself and his apostles although denouncing
other practices OF the Jews, couneDanced by peceP and
example the holding OF slaves, In that dark age OF
slavery when under the Roman rule they plenty
as 10 have been OF little value and therefore subject 70
the unrestraned cruelty OF caprcious masts, who held
their lives in their hands, and who history informs u.s.
sometimes slaughtered them flavor fishes fed with their
hesh How must the devout reader OF the Bible, who
studies il in sngeness OF heart searching alter truth as
did the Protestanis. their knees, with Bunyan be
struck with horror when be from The holy page, 10
denouncing, as a heinous crime" that which /" God
sanctioned in the Old Testament and permitted In the
Newp
n has been ihe case however that on such an emer-