The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-01-19

/ ting long letter 10 the Z Philadelphia Bull
letin, for the purpose Of proving that
ssslaveholders were admitted into the
Apostolic Church. |" He bases this opin-
ION upon four propositions
list. The prevalence of slavery thro'-
lout the Roman Empire. at the time of
/ the institution of the Apostolic church
es.
| Cd. The admission of the fact by. the
New Testament, and the historical re-
cords closely following the times of the
Apostles.
Sd. That the church found slavery in
corporated with society that the prin-
ciples of christianity will gradually abol-
ish slavery. but the preparation which
christianity brings, is necessary to the
freedom of the slave.
18th. The church .'held the conduct of
the master and slave, in view of the rela-
ton between the parties and their COM
mon relations to the church, to be a
proper subject of discipline
DR.. Durbin is one of the greatest
lights in the Methodist Church he has
travelled in the Holy Land, and written
books on his travels; he processes to be
opposed to American slavery, and says
he left his native State on account of sla-
very; and yet we here find him prosti-
tuting his talents to fasten upon the
christian church the crime of slavehold-
ling! Is it true, as Wesley, the great
founder of Methodism, once said, that
slavery is the sum of all villainies Z? If
so, the church (aceoding to these two
Methodist Divines, stands the endorser
of all villainies. Slavery whether it
includes every viIlainy or not, certainly
includes murder, theft, adultery, and
rape-four crimes black enough to dis
grace and condemn any religion which
tolerates or sanctions them. 1t would
! be easy TO prove that the life of the
slave is in the hands of the master he
can chastise him moderately mot over
40 lashes, orby some latitude 1907 until
he dies he can work him as many
hours per day as he pleases he can feed
him as he sees proper; he can regulate
both the quality and quantity of food
He is authorized to shoot him down, if
he dares to disobey any of his masters
commands, persistently, and if he
makes use of his limbs to gain his free
dom, This inalienable right, which DR..
D. acknowledges, he is chased down
with bloodhounds and lacerated with
their fangs, and if he holds out is shot
down like dog, and the LAW now COM
pels DR.. Durbin to join in and chase him
down if he should get SO far North as
FREE Pennsylvania
Heis frequently advertised as run
away, and runaway is an outlaw, and
may be killed by any one without incur
ring censure. THAT is the law of the
South. Nay, it was few years ago adj
mitted in trial of shareholders at Har-
risburgh for beating their slaves in a
Pennsylvania Jail, that the Shareholders
had right to beat their slaves till they
could not run away, and if there was
reasonable ground to suppose that the
slaves would be rescued. they might
even kill them without being responsible
TO our law.
t Thas slavery is the bofdest theft is
self-evident, because it is not merely
stealing what the head devises and. the
hands execute, but stealing head, hands
and the products of these Was there
ever larceny that bore any analogy to it
in fendish atrocity? We will not at
tempt TO prove that rape and adultry are
its legitimate fruit-the most unlearned
tyro knows it to be so. Does christiani-
ty tolerate men who commit these hor-
rible crimes We do not believe it, and
i We call upon christian professors to wipe
! this foul and bloody blot from the pillars
! of the christian church.
If it be proved that the early christians
tolerated such yillainies, and if it can be
shown that christianity connives at such
crimes, they and it will become a by
word and scorn among all enlightened,
moral people. May God defend the
right when our christian professors are
wrestling the sacred principles of chris
tianity TO excuse and defend American
slavery! DR.. Durbin and DR.. Bowman
both assume that slavery is not crime,
but something that merely stands in the
way of progress. Therefore slavehold-
ing is not to be denounced as anti-chris-
tan Penn. Olive Brunch.