Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1856-10-28

Extract from beech Of Mr., Stephen's Of
Gtofsia, deligered IN the House, .sS!h,
F. Pune, 1856.
Then as q the law Of God-that
law we re@ not only in his works
about us, Ground US, ard over us, but
in that ins pired book wherein he has
revealed is will to man. When We
differ a. y the voice of nature or tile
language ofGod, as spoken in natures
works 1--WE go to that great book, the
book q books, which is the fountain
OF ailtruth. To that book I now ap-
PeP9 God, IN the days old, made a
with the, human family. tor.
1e redemption of fallen man; tilat.
'covenant is the cornerstone of'thes
whole Christian system Abram. III
forwards called Abraham;. was The
man with whom that covenant was
made. He was the great first head of
ofan organized visible church here
below. j. believed God, and itwals;
accounted toshim for righteousness.
Hcwas indeed and iii truth the faith.
er OF the faithful. Abraham, sir, Mas,
a STAKEHOLDER. Nay, more, he wasre-
-quired to have the sign of that cove
nant administered to the Slaves Of his
household. s.1. Nj s..a III f.
Mr. G.,rppprY Pea /,
Bible. f.. e. M r
Mr.. STEPHENS. / have one here
which the gentleman can consultifhe
wishes. Here is the passage, Genes
is II ID. God said to Abraham: 4.
."l3. He that is born in tby house and
he that is bought with thy money must
needs be circumcised; and my covenant
shall be in your flesh for al everlasting
covenant" ti.I-1
Yes, sir, Abraham was not only a
STAKEHOLDER, but a slave dealer, it
seenis,.' IL, u he bought men with his
money; and yes i i vas vas with, him the
covenant was made BY wiiilcce the
world was to be. redeemed from the
dominion Of sin. And it was into his
bosom in Heaven that the poor man
who died at the rich mans gate was
borne by angels. according to the par
able of the Savior. In The aotnsehap-
ter of Exodus the great moral law is
found--that. law defines sin-the ten
commandments, written by the finger
of God himself upon tables of stones.
In two7 of these. commandments, the
4thand1 9th, and verses 10th and nth
slavery is expressly recognised, and
in none of them is there anything
against it; this is the moral law. In
Leviticus we have the civil law on
this subject, as given by God to Mo-
ses for the government Of his chosen
people in their municipal affairs. In
chapter IS, verses "A, and 46, ! read
as follows: y Xl@
"a. Both thy bondmen and bond
maids which thou shalt have shall be ofthe
heather that are round about you, ofthem
We shall buy bondmen and bondmaids.
"45.: Moreover, of the children of the
strangers. that do sojourn among you, of
them ya shall buy, and Of their families
that are with'you which they begat in
your land: and they shall be your pos,
session. v. = ~ I'M r. / E7tG
"46. And We shall take them as an
inheritance for your children after you,
to inherit them fora possession; they shall
be your bondmen forever; but over your
brethren the children Of Israel, We shall
not rule one over another with rigor.'
This was the law given to the Jews
soon after they left Egypt for their
government when they should reach
the land of promise. They could
have no slaves then. 1t authorised
the introduction of slavery amongst
them when they should become es-
tablished in Canaan. And it is to be
noted that their bondmen and bond
maids, to be bought and held for pos
session and inheritance for their
children after them, were to be Of the
heather round about them. Over
their brethren they are not to rule
with rigor. Our Southern system is
in strict conformity with this injunc-
ton. Men ofour own race, wherever
born or. from whatever cline they
come, are free and equal. We have
no castles or classes amongst white
men--no upper tendon" or slower
tendom.n All are equals. Our slaves
we're taken from the heather tribes
the barbarians of Africa. In our
households they are brought within
the pale of the covenant, under Chris
tain teaching and influence, and more
of them are partakers ofthe benefits
of the gospel than ever were rendered
SO by missionary enterprise. The
wisdom Of man is foolishness, the
ways Of Providence are mysterious
Nor does the negro feel any sense of
degradation in his condition. He is
not degraded. He occupies and fills
the same grade or ranks society and
the State that he does 10 the scale Of
being; it is his natural place; and all
things fitwhen natures great first law
of order is confirmed to. a3f H.
Again: Job was certainly one ofthe
hasa -, ON ~. mi, On, IRA raod IN fha RI