The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-11-14
For tie Missassgpian.
Slavery in Relation to the GOSPEL.

Mr. ED1ToR That the LordssJesus Christ
did Observation-Disclosures the relation Of slave
ry to be morally evil, is as Obvious to my judg-
nent as any proposition conveyed in human
language. Not only did be Substantially pro-
nounco the evil oft to be moral but he went far
Their, and made express provisionfor ii on that
basis He expressly provided for its ame-
lioration and thus to preserve it.
In order to perceive the force of these de-
clalations, we have obviously to inquire what
was the primary object of the incarnation--
the mediation--the suffering and death of the
Son Of food? Ihold that there is but one ra-
tional OF consistent answer to this question
It was to make provision for the enls of the
several relations of social life. !.
Now, sir, the next question is, did he make
any provision for the relation Of slavery? If
he did not, then the relation is not morally
evil, but sinful
If therefore, you say this relation in the
social state is not morally evil, yea say, in
equivalent terms, that the gospel is not pro-
vision of mercy. for it. Hence, it is de from
Christian rules of faith and practice Hence,
our slaves are not under the operation of this
covenanted mercy of God.
Ifany state in this life is devoid Of evil, no
remedy of any kind is needed for its amelora-
ton, and hence not the gospel RS
1 hold that Christ--the Jehovah of Prophe-
cy--did provide the gospel for the slavery re-
lation, as well as for the other relations of So
eiaI life, and for the same reason.
Is not, then, theprosision Of the gospel for
slavery, proof positive that our. Saviour looked
inpOn that social state as circumstanced like
the other social states of our fallen world?
Would there not have been absolute nonsense
in the application of the remedy of the gospel
to the slavery relation, upon any other ny
! pothesis than that this social institution is one
Of moral eyil--one indissolubly connected
with it, and which connection could not be dis
solved, and therefore could only be renledied.
It is no part Of the gospel to disSolre the
connection existing in this world between evils
and our social states. Not at ALL Far from It.
Why do shareholders permit this provision
of mercy to be applied by preachers TO this
relation? Do they do it With the hope or
expectation that the gospel is to ertirpate the
moral evils Of this relation?
They have great dealsbetter sense than
that. They entertain no suchinfidel expecta-
'tion.
Can any man at the South answer the ques-
ton, why we allow the ministers OF Christ to
apply the gospel oftheir Divine Master to the
state Of slavery, otherwise than because, in
our estimation there are moral evils in that
relation to be reached and iefectually sup
pressed by this divine remedy?
If any STAKEHOLDER imaginesthatt the instith-
ton of domestic bondage is not moral evil,
then there is no other conceivable Alternative
than that he must take it to be either per-
fectly 1oyeus state or an immoral one--than
that it is wreng and sinful, and therefore not
sanctioned by the divine being. The divine
being can only be supposed as seeking to RENEE
dy moral evils Amy other supposition makes
him sanction sin and immortality.
There is very wide distinction between
saying state in life has its moral evils, and
/ saying that it is sinful. When, therefore,
hold that the evils Of slavery are moral in their
character, the inference is irresistible that the
state is not sinful, but only like all the other
social relations, and that is of naired charac-
i ter, not wholly. good, not wholly bad-but
.good in part, and thereioreboth morally good
and morally evil; and hence the proper state
to be preserved and perpetuated according to
! the gospel---a remedy instituted to increase
the good and TO diminish the evil; and thus the
gospel preservesft, and hiussecks to contirueiL
j Ieannot but hold that preaching the gospel
to persons related as masters and slaves, fol
the purpose of improving this relation, is an
utter absurdity, upon any other ground than
o. ssvehciacfs that .::ssE !. got II thf
moral evil, is the greatest mystery tome, of
the times.
1t doubtless grew out Of the infdel tendency |
Of the teachings of Wilberforce and GARRISON
that evil vas wrong, and therefore to be eztir-
pated by.natural agencies-byc civil legislation.
Such doctrine has not enc foot Of ground to
stand on, from one end Of the BookOf God to
the other It is the seminal principle of inf
delity.2 tits the madness of fnatieism. Il is
Voltaire all over. 1t is the feeble remedium
of human despair.
IF rra turn our attant;on IN The acfion of
large and respectable bodies of.us well mean |
ing men, as were Wilberforce and Glarkson. in |
respect to the question under consideration |
the relation existing between moral evil and |
the Gospel of Christ, what DOVE with grief
behold? The same want of faith in the eff
eacy Of the gospel-the same resort to and the
same dependence on temporal agencies.
Take for example, the action of the Metfo-
dist Church, in regard to the moral evils of
slavery. n
What say the leaders in this Church, in its
Book of Discipline? They say that they are
as 4nuch "as ever Convinced of the evils of
slavery,n and now what? and we apply the
gospel to it as the remedy to those evils? Not
at all; but that we "exhort our preachers and
people to keep themselves pure from this great
evil, and to seek its extirpation. ~ How? by
applying the gospel-by waiting on the Cos
pei? Not ut all; but by Church exclusive
Church incivilities-by ecclesiastical
had they the power, they
would still farther follow the spirit of natu-
ralism, they would doubtless appeal to the
arm of civil coercion, even to the shedding of
blood. If a follower of Christ, and one.who
followed not Voltaire, were appealed to, what
would he be most inclined to do, were he fully Fl
momentous evils characterized any
relation in social life the world over? Would
he net be inclined to avoid natural means, and
to await the mere efficacy Of the gospel by
mediation? When men seek the ertiEPatiea
Of evil, they plainly are anti Christ since he
never sought it. q 8 ~ Ii
When they seek it by other agencies than I
those that are Supernatural, they are natural
sts, and at the head of that school stand Vol |
tarc and David Hume. / am fully convinced
d the efiiS -oi'slaNSTJ. nave peeu an atteu-
i've observer of them from my youth upward
now to gray hairs.l / have no idea that the I
ministers of the Church North can form any
hing like as vivid conception Of those evils as
can, and yet would see my heart cease to ;
palpitate, before would despair, as they do,
IF the gospel for all the ills of life. IT, oa Is
And it Is also to be observed, that if / have
. more vivid idea Of Che evils Of slavery, hav-
ng been stakeholder all my life, have also
/ more lively conception of the eficacious
,haracter Of the Christian system to improve {