The republic., 1851-03-13
4 D1scouRsE

Er.ibiting The Duly @ 'Cidxens Of tks Northsvn
States II regard 10 az lnstittion Of Slavery. De
hpsred in Christ Chuck Hartford, Conn. De-
csmbr, ~, 1850. BY N. 8. WHEAros, d. D.
The essential facts brought to our notice In this
epists, 20 Tar ~ they concern our present
One Of the best and moot exemplary Of christian
men, and the bosom friend Of an apostle - slave
The slave escapes from his master aud finds hi.
way TO fardisiAnt city, where ne Y safe from all
p. He i there met by an apostle. and by him con-
verted TO christianity--shown the wrong hc has
done his master, and sent back TO him, with let
ter Of conmendation and friendly entreaty, which
has ever bean considered master piece OF it,
On the transactions thus briefly narrated we
may remark, that nowhere in the epistle is there
word Of censure, expressed or implied, OF fhiie'
mon. for being the owner Of slaves There - no
appeal TO his conscience . christian; /; none
whatever 70 any higher law than the law Of the
country which gave him a property in Oncsimus,
That right remained unimpaired, even after One
sinus became Christian; and the apostle, 90 Tar
from impugning it. recognises It in all its force,
Another reflection, 20 obvious indeed a. scarcely
10 demand particular notice. 10 this; that bad ST.
,ou could no and would
not, have dono what he did-remis 70 state OF do
mestic servitude who, already escaped from it,
had acquired title to freedom by his adoption
S~'s~~
unjust. s< A.s
Another circumstance to be remembered is, that
Onesimus himself was satisfied with the whole pro-
cedurs since be scquiesced in it. and ny the d,reS
what makes the case still stronger ones the slave
was Of the same complexion, and probably OF the
Same race, with his owner; and, what u sui more
all the parties were christians.
On candid review Of all these circumstances,
know not how an unprejudiced mind can evade
the conclusion, that the holding Of men TO nvolun-
- - I1-s-- 49, ts~v,
sistent with christianity or, In other words. that
slavery has not been prohibited by the word OF God
Let W now SEQ whether the Apostles teaching, in
references to the name subject, was in accordance
with his practics in the case Of Onesimus.
Allow me 10 make one preliminary remark,
which must be borne in mind in order to compre-
hsnd the force of the passages am about to ad-
duce from the Now Testament wherever the
word servant il ussd by the apostles in speaking OF
to particular class of persons, the person. in
dicated sIGoss, in tho common meaning OF the
term, and were a. much tho property OF sncir
masters a. arc the descendants Of the African in
any Of the southern States This will not be ques.
TONED BY any one conversant with ancient history;
nor that the power of the Roman slaveho!der over
his bondsman was far more absolute than any
thing known in this land. Keeping thi. fact in
view, then that the servGnts 20 often mentioned by
the apostles, were slaues, let SEQ what sort OF
preceps they delivered to this class Of persons in
their discourses ON tho relative duties of mankind
II there should be any thing here which CRATES on
the ear Of modern philanthropists, the blame must
be laid on those whom Christ sent forth into the
world to instruct men in the duties which pertain
sible for such precepts the following:
st. Paul to the Ephcsians- Servants, be obedient
to them that arc your masters according to the
heart. !. unto Christ. ss knowing that
Whatsoever good things any man doeth, the same
shall he receive OF the Lord, tOheer ne Dc bona OF
free"
st. Paul to the Colossians -s'Servants, obey in
all things your masters according TO the flesh; not
with eye-scrvice, a. men -Pleasers; but IN nngio-
ness of heart, fearing God"
St. Paul 70 Titus, christian pastor and bishop.
"Exhort servants % be obedient to their own mas
tcrs and TO please them we'll in all things."
ST. Peter, in his General Epistle- Servants, be
subject TO your masters with fear; not only to the
good and gentle, but also to the forward"
st. Paul, again, in the Epistlo to Timothy, an
other pastor and bishop-"Let as many servants a.
arc undsr fhs yoke count their own masters worthy
of all honor; that tho name OF God and his doctrine
masters, let them not despse them because they
are brethren; but rather do them service.
These things teach and exhort. " any man teach
he scords Of our Lord Jesus Orist and to TIE doctrine
sphick is according to godlinsss he proud kn0toing
nothing, but dosing about questions and ssrtss Of
soords sohrs6 coeth enuy, strife, raiings, ev sur
musings, payverse dispuings Of men Of corrupt ms'.ds
and dsstlt.ss e ths trutA. : : From such with
viii not affirm that 81. Paul had in his view =
middle Of tho nineteepth century, when no wrote
this: but may say that, had he lived to seo and
hear what We have been compelled 70 see and hear,
his delinsations q character could not have been
What now il the import Of all these emphatic
and reiterated injunctons, imposed on such 40 were
in bonds and under the Joke! How do they COM
port with the zesi Of our pseudo to
break, at every hazard, the bond which untes the
servant to his master? ID not the relation here
cognised in it, fullest extent and mado the ground
disncc in. the slave. according to the apostolic
standard, made duty az sacred as any other duty,
social or moralf And are not they who teach other
spiss--who would defraud the master by enticing
away the bondsman, or OBTAINING him character
lied by condsmnatory opithets which It would be
thought scarcely courteous to utter now; cpithets
piled one another with rhetorical profusion, -
ifthe cupabiity Of their conduct could not be made
TO stand out in too strong relief? Are they, indeed
TO be identified with the ste0iers, OF whom the
Apostle spoke elsewhere?
We have now, think, arrived at the true rea-
sons on which christian man, who honestly de-
sires to do his duty, 10 expected nattsr Of con
science to acquicsce in the law which demands that
the fugitive from service shall on legal requistion
need not say il the law Of the land. and has beon
ever since the adoption Of tho Constitution under
which we Hive. That It ID not contrary To tho Law
of God is too evident TO need further proof II,
then, these facts be ncontrovsrtble, the most scru
pulous conscience need not be disturbed BY tho De.
Inand Of cheerful Acquiescence in the law which
rsclaims the fugitive slave; = law which demands
no more than st. Paul thought i his duty to do in
parallel case. when call tho cases parallel, /
must, however, make exception in regard to
a single point, but that exception places our duty
If possible, in still clearer light. When he re-
stored the fugitive Onesimus he acted 20 far we
arc informed, under consraint of civil law; the
contrary il implied by the expression-"whom
would have retained with me-" he was not obliged
to do it, ~ il the with us, by any positive en-.
actment of the powers that were. He only obeycd
what he undsrstood to be the law of Christ and the
law of Justice towards christian brother. Let
those who, in their crratic cruise on the ocean OF
humanity, think they have made new and import
ant discoveries, impcach him If they please of de-
reelection Of high moral duties. The task shall not
bs mine. II 10 enough for me that. in obeying a
particular law under which live, / am not only
subjscting myself TO "power ordained of God"
but doing precisely what have an example Of in
the action Of the great apostle to the Gentilcs,
while under no such constraint ms that imposed on
me a. . citizen of these United States.