Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-11-26
Dr. Converse ON slavery.

The reader will find below remarks OF the Kew Dr.
Converse editor Of the Christian Obsrrea Presbyterian
paper published in the city of Philadelphia. These re-
marks are so pertinent to the times and the refuaton of
the Beecber antislavery church doctrines is brief
and vet so complete that we refrain from quoting
them We do with the greater pleasure because DIR.
c. was for many years resident of Richmond and had
ample opportunity while here of ascertainng precisely
what the institution Of domestic slavery at the South is
After seeing all that could be of the practical work
ings Of slavery DR. Converse standing almost alone in his
position regards the views of the community in which
he now lives, upholds the STAKEHOLDER, not upon the
ground Of "expediency," but upon the broad plain,
simple ground of Bible TRUTH and right" Such bold
ness be expected Of aman whose faith in Chris
tianity is firm to be warped by the violence of po
cal social agitation, and whose while resident
our midst without Flemish. AT a time when the
OF fanatcism threaten to overwhem the coun.
try and when the very section which needs sympathy
receives little else but and taunts glad to
find so out-spokeu a supporter Dr. Converse and to
tell him that from our Utmost hearts we honor him.
Commenting on some remarks of Henry Ward Beech
er DR.. Converse SAYS:
"with him. we believe that to excite discomfort
among bondmen is the way help them Our faith
goes farther to excite discomfort among them the
To injure depress and degrade them. Such course
not only unwise but species of cruelty the servant
who should find in his circumstances many things to cN
of his fathers; with what he may learn OF the
dton Of his uncivliEed race in Africa. We eau
only fully endorse all that he OF those who would
tanper with servants. As he remarks they to
be trusted They not honest men, unless they are
naticAl : add-are they honest if they are IA
NAUTICAL; for have yet to learn that fdnaiicsm
make men honest 1t generally makes them conscieH-
tiousls dishonest and wicked
We also agree with Mr. b. that mo relief will be car
ried to the slaves of the South BODY Tor ndiyi.
duA by any individual organized plans carry them
off, tn Iuat thpnl 10 IN We rot
dore the sentiments he has connected with this remark
he says
"The enlightened and liberty-loying among the
Southern slaves bear much of their masters blood
to avail themselves of any opening escape 1t is
their right it will be their practice. Free locomoton
incident to slave property which the master put
up with"
In this brief statement there is small mistake in res.
pect TO matter Of fact and very great one, think
In regard TO the matter of right The enlghten.
ed among slaves are generally those who cannot be
duced to abscond from the households which they be-
long. And the matter of RIGHT those who main
tain it, make their appeal to their instincts and feelings
and not to the Bible. Mr. b. adds in the same para
graph -
"ln all the earth wherever human being is held in
bondage, he has right to slough his burden and break
his yoke il he II he wishes liberty and is willing TO
dare and suffer for it. let him -
We notice this sentiment, not because it is Mr.. Bs
but because II Is the common of those who glory
In having dnii,siGrery church II is asked-'f an
enslaved man desires to away, who shall forbid him.
We answer-God has forbidden him. In abscondng
servants disobey their masters God says-"servants
be ObedieHt TO them that your according
the flesh, with fear and trembling doing service Eph
q s. God repeats this law of social Order-"servants
obey in all things your masters according the hesh.
not with service peasers; but in singleness
Of heart, fearing God :" (Coloss 3: 32) And again
SERVANTS be subject your with all fear not
only TO the good and gentle, but also the roward-
Peter p Is This command is repeated in several other
places in the New Testament In the Epstle to Tim
othy Co. Servants under the yoke" are direcistc
pecfaIfy their believing masters because such are
" faithful and beloved Such are the moral and
social lars which God has given the servant under
the yoke; and they just sacred and binding as
the law which requires the child obey his parents or
the law which prohibits adultery and murder.
We are not TO regard God : a being acting from mo-
hVes OF ezIedsney In the in which this term i
used his social laws for bond servants are given because
they are right and those who claim il as the yigbt
Of servants TO violate these laws and commit the highest
act OF disobedence in fact nuliifHng the Divine
law and asserting the supremacy of some imagined rule
Of action which they find in the depraved instincts aud
feelings Of their own hearts.
And II religious teachers aside the explcit doc
trnes and rules OF the Word of God on this subject
why should thsg not also ignore the teachings Of the b.
Die on the questions OF everlasting punishment the Trin
W. the Atonement other question on which they
are not able TO reconcile the facts and doctrines of Re
Veiaton with their own ideas feelings in respect to
Tghf and Illness Is strange that religious teachers
who thus ignore and nulfy the teachings of the Srip
lures Imagine at length that the sacred books ire no more
inspired than any other ancient writings and are not To
De received as authority any subject unless their
right 49, ''N'''''' VI