Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-02-26
T II E B U G lie
Does the Bible SancilOn Slavery!
New GAnpES. Feb. 5, '53,

NEW GARDEN. teb. D, 53,
DEAR MARrUs N. N. Selby, in the Bugle
Of Jan. 29lh, speaking Of the recent Bible
Convention, snys: "Could he persuaded to
tho belief TINT The constructions Of modern
doctors of divinity, with reference to GER
tain portions of the Bible, are correct, and
that the general tenor thereof was in hnr-
mouy herewith, should he MS ready MS any
Of you to reject il, and spurn it ns n base
ffa,id,-but am not thus persuaded"
Allow me to ask friend Selby to explain
the following passages, ms they bear on buy
ing, and selling, and holding, aud using hIl-
man beings as property.
Both thy londmen and bondmnils which
thou shalt have, shal! be Of the heather that
are round about; of them sbat thou buy
bond-fnen and bond-mnids. Moreover, Of
the children of the strangers that do soiourn
among you, of them shall ye buy, aud of
their families Tint are with you which they
begat in your land, and they shall be your pos.
session /: aud ye shall take them rs an in
herianee for your children qt1er you, 10 inherit
them, for n possession; they shall he your
bondmen aud bondmaids forever; but over
your brethren" (ihe Jews) aye shall not rule
with rgor."-(Lev. 25: 44-46) This is in
troduced by these words, "And the Lord
spake unto Moses in Mount Sinia, saying
(See verse 1si)
According to the construction Of modern
Doctors of Divinity, and of ancient ones,
too, this passage does mean that God did
pnce authorize his chosen people 10 buy,nnd
hold, aud use human beings MS property,nnd
TO beguenth them us mn inheritance" as n
4" possession" us bondmen and bondmads,n ~
in word, as property 10 their Children
Will friend Selhy tell us if there ever was a
time when men could he the "chosen, holy
people OF Cod" and buy, hold and use hu.
man beings as property
Will friend Selby construe the following,
"If man snite his servant or his maid
with rod, and he die under his hand" Tim
mediately) "he shall be surely punished
Notwithstanding, if he continue day or
two, he shall not be pushed; FOR HE is HIS
MoNEr."-tEx. 81 20, 2l.)
This passage is introduced by these words,
"And God spake all these words, saying."-
lex. 20i isl.)
Modern and ancient Doctors of Divinity
say that God in this passage, did once hold
his "chosen, holy people" guiltless when
thav ecniirUad thpir aarynnto on,l ,,a;Is g.,
death and gave as the reason why they are
not to be punished, that the servants and
maids whom they had WHIPPED to death were
their money. Chrstendom says TO friend
Selby, worship Him as n God of justice
nnd mercy, who, rs the Bible says, spake
the above words to Moses. Will he do il d?
Will he condemn me and others who C caIled
the Bible Convention, if we deny that a God
of Love and Justice, ever spoke the words
have quoted in the above passages / can
not think he will. He muy say the Bible
represents God as opposed to all oppression.
Well aud il also declares that he spuke the
words hnVe quoted, and that man might
be "chosen, holy man Oi God" aud buy,
pnd hold, aud use his fellow beings, Ms pro-
perry, aud whip Them 10 death, aud lie guilt
Jess, because hey ieere his money.
viii friend Selby explain This, " Servants
obey your masters" Servants, here, il IL
edmired, means Roman Slaves. Does friend
Selby beljeye that God ever commanded
slaves To obey their masters, and to he "con-
tent with their eOndiionf" What will he
do if he finds that tho Bible really does say
that God did once sanGtlon holding aud use-
ing men ms property, and that he did com
f., mapd slaves TO obey their nlasteFss
HENRY c. WRIGHT,