The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-06-12

. wrong on
. 'Any successive title, long and dark,
Drawn from the musty rolls of Noah's Ark
The small bigotry, which could find comfor
in these texts, has been lately exalted by tn,
suggestions of science, that tho different races
J of men arc not derived from single pair, bu
from several distinct stocks, according to theil
several distinct characteristics: and il has beer
audaciously argued that the african is so info
rior as to lose all title to that liberty which i.
the birth-right of the lordy whito. Now,
have neither time nor disposition, on this oc
cason to discuss the question OF the unity oil
races; nor is II necessary to my present pur-
pose. 1t may be that tho different races OF
mon proceeded from different stocks; but there
is only one great Human Family in which eau
casian and African, Chinese and lndan are all
brothers, children of one Father, and heirs TO
one happiness-aliko on earth and in Heaven.
"Star-eyed science" cannot shake this evcrast-
ing truth. Il may vainly exl ibit peculiarities
in the African, by which ho is dis,inguishable
from tho Caucasian. II may. in his physical
form and intel 'ectual character, presume to find
tho stamp of permanent inferiority. But by
no reach of learning, by no torture of facts, by
no efforntery of dogma, can it show that he is
not a man And as a man he stands before
an unquestionable member the Human Fami-
ly, and entitled to all The rights Of man. You
can claim nothing for yourself, as man, which
you must not accord to him. Life, liberty and
the pursuit Of happiness-which you proudly
declare to be your own inalionabe, God-given
rights. and to The support of which your fathers
| pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor
ARE his by tho same immortal title that they
are yours.
2, From tho objection founded on the alleged
distiction of race, pass to that other founded
on the alleged sanction Of Siavery by Christi
dnity And striving 10 be brief, shall not un-
dertake to reconcile texts often quoted from
tho Old Testament, which, whatever may be
their import are all absorbed in the later New;
nor shall | stop to consider tho precise
Interpretation Of the oft quoted phrase
SERVANTS obey your mascers; nor seek to weigh
any such imperfect injunction in the scales a.
gainst those grand commandments On which
hang all the law and tho prophets. Surely, in
tho examples and teachings of the Savior, who
lifted up the down-trodden, who enjoined pur-
ity of life, and ovcrfowed with Tenderness
even TO little children, human ingenuity can
find no apology for an institution which tram
ples on man, defles woman, and sweeps little
children beneath the hammer of the auctloneer.
If to any ono these things seem to have the
licence cf christianity, it is only because thoy
have first secured cence in his own SOUL
Men are prone TO find in uncertain, disconnec
ted texts, confirmation Of their own personal
prejudices or prcposessions. And /, who am
no divine, but only simple layman, make
bold to say that whoever finds in the Gospel
any sanction of Slavery, finds there merely a
reflection of himself. On o matter ~ i''oss-
tbly clear authority is superifuou'; but an
eminent character who rs poet makes us forget
his high place ns philosopher, and as phoso:
pher, makes us forget his high place as theolo-
gian, has has exposed tho essential ants gonism
between Christianity and Slavery in few
pregnant words which you will be glad to hear
-partcularls as believe they have not been
before into this discussion:
"By principle essential to Christianity"
says Coleridge, "a person is eternally dffe |
rencod from thing go that the idea ofI
a Human Being necessarily excludes tho idea OIL
property in hat Being"
With regret though rot with astonishment, |
l learn that Boston divine has sought to throw
the seamless garment of Christ over this shook
ing wrong. But am patient, and SEQ clearly |
how vain will be his effort, when call to mind
that within this very century other divines
sought tn throw the Same seamless garment
over tho moro shocking slave.trade: and that
among other publications little book was then
put forth with the name of aroverendclergyman
on the title-page, to provo that "the African
trade for negro slaves is consistent with the
principles of humanity and revealed religion;"
and thinking of these things am ready to say
with Shakspere;
"--In religion
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it md approve it with text"
In the support Of Slavery it is tho habit to
pervert toxts, and TO invent authority. Even
st. Paul is vouched for wrong which his
Christian life rebukes. Great stress is now
laid on his example as it appears in the epistle
TO Philemon, written at Rome, and sent by
Onesimus, a servant. From the single chapter
the entro epistle, take the folio
wing passage in ten verses, which is strangely
invoked for Slavery:
"Tbcseeeh thee for NY Oaesimus, whom have be-
gotten in my bonds which in time past was to thee
but now profitable to thee and TO me-
whom have again. thou, therefore, receive him
that is mine own bowels whom would have etain-
ed with me that in thy stead he might have minis
tered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel; but with
put thy mind " ould do nothing, that thy benefit
should not be as it Of necessity, but willingly.
For perhaps he therefore departed for that
thou shouidst receive him forever. not seruant
bat above servant brother belored, specially to me,
but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and
in the Lordf Ifthou count Mer,fore, partner,
,etre him as myself Ifhe hath wronged thee oweth
hee aught, put that on nine account l, Paul, have
written it with mine own hand will repay it; albeit
do not say to thee how thou owost unto me, even
.hlnc own sell besides
(Eplstle TO Philemon, verses 1919.
Out of this affectonato epstlo, in which ST.
Paul calls tho converted servant, Onesimus,
his son. precisely as in another opistle he calls
Timothy his son. Slavery has been olaborately
indicated, and tho great Apostle to tho Gen.
lies has been made the very tutelary saint of
ho slave-hunter. Now, without relying on
minute criticism, TO infer his real Judgment Of {
Slavery from his condemnationo another oc- {
,asion, of "men- -steaers," or, according to tho I
original text slave traders. in company with '
'murderors of fathers and murdorers Of moth ]
,rs," and without undertaking to show that the
,resont cpistle, when truly interpreted, is a
protest against Slavery and voice for Froc-
lom--all of which might bo done--I content &
myself by calling attention to two things ap- |
parent on its laoo and in themselves an all 4
uficient response. First, who it appears {
hat Ohosimus has been in some way tho SER {
ant of Philemon, II does not appear that ho
lad ever been held as a slave, much I
ess as chattel; and how gross and 4,
nd monstrous is tho effort to derive wong
~ which man is changed to chattel, out of {