The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-13
THE CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE OF
AB0LITIONISM

A SERMON By REV. HENRY j. VAN DYKE PREACHE
! IN THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BROOKLYN
N. Y, ON SUNDAY EVENING LAST.
His text was chosen from PauPs First EpistIe t.
Timothy, sixth chapter, from the first to the fitl
verse; inclusiye:-
l. Let as many servants as under the yoke coun
their masters worthy of all honor. that the
| God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
. And they that have believing masters let them no
despise them, because they are brehen but rather
them service because they faithfal and beloved
patakes of the benefit These things teach and exhort
II any man teach otherwise and consent not to whole
some words the words Of Lord Jesus Christ
to the doctrine which is according TO godliness,
a. He IS udEnowing nothing but doting about ques
tons and strife OF words whereof comeh envy, strife
railings evil surmisings
5. Perverse dispulngs of men of corrupt minds ant
esutue OF the truth supposing that gain is godliness
from such wthdraw thyself.
propose, he said, to discuss the character and
influence of aboitionism. With this view | have
selected a text from the Bible and purpose to ad
here to the letter and spirit of its teaching We
acknowledge in this place but one standard of mo.
rails, but one authoritative and infallible rule o.
faith and practice. For we are Christians here
not Papists, to bow down to the dictation of any
man or church not heather philosophers, to gropG
our way by the feeble glimmerings of the light oil
nature; not modern intide!s, to appeal from the
written law of God to the corrupt and tickle trbu-
nal of reason and humanity; but Christians, on
whose banner is Inscribed this sublime challenge
"Io the law and to the testimony-if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them"
Let me direct your special attention to the lam
guage of our text. There is no dispute among
commentators, there is no room for dispute as to
the meaning of the expression ''servants under the
yoke" Even Mr.. Barnes who is himself distin-
gu'shed abolitionist, and has done more, perhaps,
than any other man in this country to propagate
abolition doctrines, admits that "the addition ot
the phrase under the yoke !" shows undoubtedly
that 1T a. e. the original word doulos) is to be un
derstood here of slavery. Let me quote an thel
IN piptf IN Sa0E Il
vine, mean DR.. Mcknight, whose exposition oi
the Epistle is standard work, in Great Britain
and in this country, and whose associations must
exempt him from all suspicion of proslavery pre-
judices. He introduces his exposition of this chap
ter with the following Observation-Disclosures the
law OF Moses allowed no lsraelite to be made slave
for life without his own consent, the Judaizing
teachers, to allure slaves to their party, taught
that under the gospel likewise involuntary slavery
is unlawful.
'This doctrine the apostle condemned here as in
his other epises, by enjoining Christian slaves to
honor and obey their m asters, whether they were
believers or unbelievers, and by assuring Timothy
that ii any person taught otherwise he opposed
the wholesome precepts of Jesus Christ and the
doctrine of the gospel, which in all points is con-
formable to gOdliness or sound morality, and was
pulled up with pride without possessing any true
knowledge either of the Jewish or Christian reve-
lation." Our learned Scotch friend then goes on
to expound the passage in the following para
phrase, which commend to the prayerful atten-
tiOn of all whom it may concern.
''Let whatever Christian slaves are under the yoke
of unbelieyers pay their own masters all respect
and obedience, that the character of God whom we
worship may not be illuminated, and the doctrine
OF the gospel may not be evil spoken of as tending
to destroy the political rights of mankind. And
those Christian slaves who have believing masters
let them not despise them, fancying that they are
their equals because they their brethren in
Christ; for, though all Christians are equal as to
religious privileges, slaves are inferior to their
masters in station. Wherefore, let them serve their
masters more diligently, because they who enjoy
the benefit Of their service are believers and be-
loved OF God. 'These things teach and exhort the
brethren to practice Them If any one teach diff
serenity, by affirming that under the gospel slaves
are not bound to serve their masters but ought to
be made free, and does not consent to the whole
some commandments which are our Lord
Jesus Christs, and to the doctrine of
the gospel which in all points is con-
tormable to true morality, he is puffed up with
pride and knoweth nothing either of the Jewish or
the Christian revelations, though he pretends to
have great knowledge of both. But is distemper-
ed in his mind about idle questions and debate of
words which afford no foundation for such a doc
trine, but are the source of envy, contention, evil
speaking, unjust suspicion that the truth is not
sincerely maintained, keen disputings carried on
contrary to conscience by men wholly corrupted in
their minds and destitute of the true doctrine of
the gospel, who reckon whatever produces most
money is the best religion; from all such impious
tC"SitS SELL anu w uOI ulsputC WIFI
them"
The text, as thus expounded BIZ an American alb
oltionst and Scotch Divine, (whose testimony
need not be confirmed by quotations from all the
other commentators is prophecy written for
these days. and wonderfully applicable to our pres
ent circumstances. 1t gives us life-ike picture
Of abOitiOnism in its principles, its spirit and its
practice, and furnishes plain instruction in re-
gard to our duty in the premises. Before entering
upon the discussion of the doctrine, let US define
tlr4 ,,1,,-n nl,.l,t Al
principles and measures of aboltionsts. And what
is an abolitionist? lie is one who believes that
slave-hodinE is sin, and ought therefore to be
abolished. This is the fundamental the charac-
teristic, the essential principle Of aboltionsm-
that slave-holding is sin-that holding men in in
voluntary servitude is an infringement upon the
rights of man, heinous crime in the sight of Cod
n man may believe on political or commercial
grounds that slavery Is an undesirable system and
that slave labor is not the most profitable; he NAV
have various views as to the rights of Shareholders
under the Constitution of the country; he NAV
think this or that law upon the statute books of
Southern States is wrong; but this does not const
tute him aboitiOnist, unless he believes that
slavehodng is morally wrong. The alleged sin
fulness of siavehoding, it is the characteristic
doctrine, so it is the strength Of abOtiOnism in all
its ramitied and various forms. 1t is BY this doc
trine that it Laws hold upon the hearts and con
sciences of men, that it n disturbing force
into ecclesiastical and civil institutions, and
by exciting religious animosity (Which all history
proves to be the strongest of human passions) i'm
parts peculiar intensity to every contest into
which it enters. And you will perceive it is Just
Were that aboitionism presents proper subject for
discussion in the pulpit-fOrit is one great purpose
of the Bible and therefore one great duty of Gods
ministers in its exposition, to show what is sin and
what is not. Those who hold the doctrine that
savehodng is sin, and ought therefore to be abol-
ished, differ very much in the extent to which thew
reduce their theory to practice. lnsome this faith
almost without works. They content themselves
with only voting in such way as in their judgment
will best promote the ultimate triumph Of their
views. Others stand off at what they suppose a
safe distance, Shimei did when he stood Oh an
opposite hill to cure King David, and rebuKe the
sin and denounce divine judgments upon the sim
ner. Others more practical, if not more prudent
go into the very midst of the alleged wickedness
and teach 'servants under the yoke" that they
ought not to count their own masters worthy of all
honor-that liberty is their inaienable right
which they should maintain, it necessary, even by
the shedding of blood. Now, it is not for me to
decide who of all these are the truest to their own
principles. 1t is not for me to decide whether the
man who breaches this doctrine in brave words
amid applauding mutitudes in the city of BROOKLYN,
or the one who in the stiffness of the night and in
the face of the laws terrors goes to practise
the preaching at Harper's Ferry, is the most
consistent abolitonist and the most heroic man.
1t is not for to decide which is the most impor-
tant part of tree; and if the tree be poisonous,
which is the most injurious the root the branch
es, or the fruit? But am here tonight in Gods
name, and by His help, to show that this tree of
abotionism is evil, and only evil, root and branch
flower, and leaf, and fruit; that it springs from and
is nourished by utter rejection of the Scriptures
that it produces real benefit to the ensaved and
is the fruitful of division and strife and inf
deity in both Church and State. l have four dis
tinct propositions on the subject to maintain-four
theses to nail up and defend:
|. AbOlitionism has no foundation in the Scrip
lures.
H. Its principles have been promulgated chiefly
by misrepresentation and abuse.
III. 1t leads, in mutitudes of cases, and by To-
gical process, to utter infdety.
". 1t is the chief cause of the strife that ari-
tates and the danger that threatens our country.
I-ABoLITIoNIsM HAS NO FOUNDATION IN SCRIPTURE.
Passing by the records OF the patriarchal age,
and waving the question to those servants in
Abraham's family, who, in the simple but express
sive language of Scripture, "were bought with his
money" let come at to the tribunal of that
law which God promulgated amid the solemnities
of Sinai. What said the law and the testimony to
that peculiar people over whom God ruled and for
whose institutions He has assumed the RESPONSE
bility? The answer is in the 25h chapter of Levi
ticus, in these words -
s'And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be
waxeD poor and be sold unto thee, thou shalt not
compel him to serve bond servant; but as a
hired servant and sojOurner he shall be with thee
and shall serve thee unto the year of Jubilee, and
then shall be depart from thee, both he and his
children with him."
So far, you will observe, the law refers to the
children of Israel, who, by of poverty, were
reduced to serviude. 1t their right to be free
at the year Of jubilee unless they chose to remain
in perpetual bondage, for which provision is
made in other and distinct enactments. But not so
with slaves of foreign birth. There was year of
jubilee provided for them. For what says the law?
Read the 44-46 verses of the same chapter.
''BOth thy bondmen and thy bondmaids which
thou shalt have shall be of the heather that are
round about you. OF them shall ye buy bondmen