The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-07-06
WHOLE NO., 547.


those days, throughout the Roman empire,
mulltudes Of siaves-not negro, but white
slayes-and among those slaves and mas.
ters there were many converts to the
faith Of Christ. To such converts the
apostle addresses the language Of ! Cor.
inthians, chapter 7:
"2o. Let every man abide 10 the same
calling wherein be was called.
"2l. Art thou called being Q servant?
care not for it: but il thou mayest be
made free, use il rather.
"22. For he that is called in the Lord.
being a servant, is the Lords free mani
likewise also he that Is called, being free.
is Christs servant.
"23. Ye are bought wtb price;be not
ye the servants Of men.
Thus Christ and the apostles taught
The right Of the slave TO freedom, and The
duty Of the master to recognize that right:
but He did not advise servants to assert
that right by force; neither do Christians,
in these days, teach that doctrine. The
yindictive resumption Of withheld rights
is not doctrine Of Christ, whether those
rights be Of property or Of personal free.
dom. But this, surely, gives no sanction
to the outrage Of Withholding acknowl-
edged rights. or Ct denying those rights
which are clear and incontestible, by way
Of shift or subterfuge 6r Withholding
them. On the contrary, 1t greatly
aggravates the wrong.
On this question. the writings Of The
Apostle Paul contain some passages which
the advocates OF slavery deem conclusive
in favor OF the domestic institution"
I. Let as many servants as are under
the yoke, count their own masters worthy
of all honor
But why this injunction! The reason
OF it is given
"that the name Of God and his doctrine
be not blasphemed."--1 Timothy, chap,
G.
Very we'll was not because the bondage
of the slave was right, but that the Chris
tian slave might be missionary to his
heatben master; and thus, in his bondage.
preach the Gospel. No Christian would
now give any other counsel to the Christian
slave, and for the same reason. That this
is the true rendering of the passage 10 most
obvious from the nature of the case and 10
rendered certain by the following verses
"2. And they that have believing mas
ters"-
Then those servants who had "believine
masters" we're not "under the yoke
"Let them not dcspise them, because they
are brethren but rather do them service,
because they are faithful and beloved, par.
takers of the benefit."-l Timothy, chap. 6,
Sir, there is no rigbt-minded friend os the
slave who would advise the Christian scr.
want of Christian master to leave that ser.
vice simply for the reason that the master,
having become Christian, could not longer
hold the servant as q slave or "under the
yoke" All Christians would unite with the
apostle in saying:
"3. If any man teach otherwise, aud con.
sent not to wholesome words, even the
worGs of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
doctrine which is according to godliness,
~. He 10 proud, knowing nothing; but
doting about questions and strifes of words.
whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings."- Timothy, chap. 6.
But, on the other hand, should such pre-.
tended Christian master refuse TO give such
servant the things "which are just and
equal" by holding him as q slave for life,
who would deny that such Christian would
cause the name OF God and His doctrine to
DO blasphemed, and consequently cease to
be Christian: There 10 nowhere 70 be found
any more thorough and satisfactory anti.
slavery doctrine in the English language.
Probably neither Mr.. Garrison nor Theodore
Parker would find fault with it.
But must not overlook the slaveholder's
pade mecum--PauI's EpistIe to Philemon.
Here, say they, We have q case in point.
But If wo examine this authority il will be
found to turn against those who vouch it as
pointedly as does the same apostles injunc-
ton to Timothy.
The case Of Philemon and his servant
Onesimus, was simply this /: Philemon, Q
man Of learning. wealth, and high reputa-
ton, held slave named Onesimus Both
servant and master had been converted to
Christianity under the preaching of Paul 8
and Onesimus, believing himself 70 be a
iree man, not by the laws of heather
Rome, but by the laws of a common
brotherhood in Jesus Christ, left tho
service OF Philemon, and fed to. and
followed Paul as servant. Philemon,
dissatisfied with this conduct Of his ser.
vant, probably applied Paul 10 sdmonish
him of the wrong of thus lesying his
former master. Paul disapproving Of this
course Of Qnesimus. persuaded him to re-
turn to his former master /: and sent by
him the "Epistle to Philemon" say,
"sent back Onesimus," I do not mean in
bonds, under Fugitive slave law" after
receiving ten dollars for SO doing, instead
OF FIVE for letting him go free, but per-
suaded him to return, but in what capac-
ity? Why,not all as slave: but, on the
contrary as "a BROTHER BELOVED" Did
Philemon obey. suppose you or did he.
as soon as he could manacle the hands and
gyve the heels Of the returned runaway,
sell him TO the rice, sugar, or cotton PLAN
tations Of Egypt?
The foregoing is The gis! and marrow Of
that most perverted book OF the New Tes.
lament and, sir, much az sm opposed
to slavery, see nothing in that conduct Of
the great apostle to the Gentiles not fully
up 10 the snti-slavery standard OF the most
radical OF US on this floor and throughout
the free States or the world.
In concluding these remarks. ] shall cite
but one moro passage from the Scriptures,
aud that from the concluding book OF tho
New Testament. From that closing up OF
the record of Gods supernatural dealings
with men, and covering q period of more
than four thousand wears. lt appears that