Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-07-18

Abolitiopizins the Scriptures.
We suppose that when all sin is banishet
from the world, and the beast with the sever
heads and ten horns is cast into the bottom.
less pit, and the New jerusalem begins, the
consequences of sin will also be removed
Then all men win be born free and equal,
Just as they now are in the Chicago Platform.
Then Hams sin toward the be-fuddled Noah,
having been expatiated, the race will be
relieved from servitude and that uniformity
in our domestic institutions will be estab-
Iished, which, Mr.. Douglac says, will be fatal
to the nation and which, the Republicans
say, viii keep up an irrepressible conflict
until IL is established, or atleastuntil Repub-
lican President shall be elected. Then, doubt
less, the color of mankind will be uniform;
and, of course, white, for the superior race
viii force its complexion on the inferior.
II is doing that now; which shows that our
instructive prejudice against the black race is
mitigating their color and will finally ersd-
icatc IL.
But while we have this humble faith, we
have no disposition to hurry up this consum-
nation by breaking down the Scriptures in
order to abolish slavery. Society has existed
for long time with slavery, and it had bet
ter endure it than TO attempt TO get along
without the Bible. The French tried that
once and what came Of it? Do we not read
in all the good histories that they set up
fair and frail woman, and worshiped her as
the goddess of Reason2 Those who trust to
human reason can see what it comes to.
We find in the New York Independent II
notice of Rev. Mr.. Thayei's Tales from the
Bible. 1t seems that in the book Ar. Thayer
took the Scriptural and orthodox ground
that the Africans are enslaved in fulfllment
of Noah's malediction upon Ham; and the
editor says "he did this without one protest
against the wickedness of those who reduce
the African race to slavery" 1t would be
singular to call an act wicked which is indis.
pensable to carry out divine purposes.
The editor says:
"Dr. Keith treats African slavery as an
evidence of fulfilled prophesy, but he argues
that the prophetic curse affords no iustihca-
ton for the enslaver."
This the editor seems to think the true
ground. But the American Tract Society,
which has devoted much attention TO the
dissemination of correct views on slavery,
has stricken out so much of DR.. Keith's work
that it can not be regarded as authority any
more.
The Independent says:
eve have shown repeatedly that it is
81 x.-ho 20 mn a. M
prophesy in Noah's malediction upon Canaan;
that the curse was specifically limited TO Ca.
naan; that if it is regarded as prophetic, j.
was evidently fulfilled upon the Canaanites.
The comments of the editor brought out
Mr.. Thayer in the following, which the ed
itor calls "a manly correction" and ''highly
honorable to him as man and scholar;
'In your notice of my humble volume,
Tales from the Bible, you call attention to
the fact that | make the curse of Canaan
fall upon the whole race of Ham. Allow me
to say that used Canaan elliptically for his
father, as it is rendered in the Septuagint
translation, which many Biblical scholars
consider very high authority. | confess,
however, that l never gave the subject q
thorough examination until since | read your
criticism. / have now completed as critical
an examination of it as l am able, and am
satisfied that the more modern view is the
correct one, viz: that the curse was pro-
nounced upon Canaan because God designed
that it should fall upon his branch of the
family alone, who settled in Palestine; con-
sequently shall make the second edition ol
my book, which is just going to press, con-
form to this opinion
Upon this the editor plumes himself, and
says: "If the press is faithful, authors and
publishers will soon understand that pro.
slavery books can not find market ;"-as il
newspapers had only to stir themselves, and
they could make the Scriptures to suit any
body If the operation of Noahs maledic-
tion is reduced to one of Hams sons, perhaps
if the press is a little more faithful, it car
take it off altogether. Why should God de
sign that it should fall upon Canaan alone
1t was Ham that committed the irreverence
and Ham had three sons, of whom Canaan
was the youngest No rule was more stric
than that of primogeniture. If the ours
had been restricted to one of Hams sons,
was the birthright of the eldest.
1t will not do TO say that Noah was in sue
a condition that he did not know what
was about, and, as people will do in that con
dition, cursed Unfortunately. This, If
had any weight at ALL would invalidate tn
whole curse Both the Independent and NJ
Thayer admit that it lighted upon Canaan
yet they seem to think that, in order to viz
dictate Gods justice, they must hold that tw
of Hams sons escaped the curse, and
lighted on the youngest. If it would hay
been unjust in all, it was in onei and if "
can make over the Scripture in this way
suit our own notions, how long before v
will Danish it altogether, and then we sha
do as they did in France.