Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-03-07

The next evidence which proves that
the Mosaic law was not held to be incon
sistcnt with the Gospel, occurs in the
statement of the apostles to St. Paul,
made some twenty years at least, after the
the establishment Of the first Christian
Church in Jerusalem. Thou seest,
brother" said they, chow many thous-
ands of Jews there are who believe, and
they are all Jealous Of the idW." Acts xxi
20.) How could this have been possible,
if the law was supposed to have been abol-
ished by the new dispensation ?
But the precepts and conduct Of St
Paul himself, the great apostle of the
Gentiles, are all sufficient, because he
meets the very point, and settles the whole
question. Thus he saith to the Ephe-
SLAMS, "Servants, Tin the original Greek,
bond servants or slaves, )"be obedient to
them that are your masters, according to
the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sin
gleness of your hearts, as unto Christ
Not with eye-service, as men -pleasers,
but as the servants of Christ, doing the
will of God from thy heart, with good
well doing service, as to the Lord, and not
to men, knowing that whatsoever, good
thing any man doeth, the same shall he
receive of the Lord, whether be he bond
or free. And ye masters, do the same
thing unto them, forbearing threatening,
knowing that your master is also in heav-
en-, neither is there any respect fpersons
with him" (Eph. vi, 5-6.)
Again to the Colorsian, St. Paul repeat
! the same commandments "Serv ants, "
(that is bond SERVANTS or slaves, )"obey in
all things your masters according to the
| flesh, not with eye e-service as men-pleas
ers but in sngeness Of heart, fearing
God" (Col. iii, 22.) "Masters, give
unto your servants, that which is just and
equal, knowing that ye also have master
in heaven" (Col. iv, l.
Again, the inspired teacher lays down
the law in very strong terms, to Timothy,
the first Bishop Of Ephesus. "Let as
many servants as are under the yoke
ii. e. the yoke Of bondage,) "count their
own masters worthy Of all honor, that the
name of God and His doctrine be not
blasphemed. And they that have belev
ing masters, let them not despise them
because they are brethren, but rather do
them service because they are faithful and
beloved, partakers of the benefit. These
things teach and exhort. If any man
teach otherwise, and consent not to Who'll
some words, even the words of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which
is according to godliness, he is proud,
knowing nothing, but doting about ques-
tions and strifes OF words, whereof cometh
envy, strife, ralings, and surmisings,
perver@ disputings of men of corrupt
minds and destitute of the truth, suppos-
ing that gain is godliness. From such
withdraw thyself. But godliness with
contcntmcnt is great gain. For we
brought nothing into this world, and It is
certain we can carry nothing out. And
having food and rament, let us be there
with content" Tim. vi. 1-S.)
Lastly, St. Paul, in his Epistle to Phil
cmon, informs him that he had sent back
his fugitive slave, whom the ape ostle had
converted to the Christian faith during
his Imprisonment, asking the master to
forgive and receive his penitent disciple.
81 beseech thee for my son Onesmus,
saith he, "whom / have begottcn in my
bonds, which in time past was to thee
Improbable, but now profitable to thee
and to me, whom | have sent again; thou
therefore receive him that is mine own
bonds, whom would have retained with
me, that in thy stead he might have min
istered unto me in the bonds ofthe gospel
But without thy mind would do nothing,
that thy benefit should not be as it were
of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps
he therefore departed for a season, that
thou shouldst receive him forever, not
now as servant, but above a servant, a
brother beloved, specially to me, but how
much more to thee, both in the flesh and
in the Lord If thou countest me there.
fore partner, receive him as myself. II
he hath wronged thee or owed thee ought
put that on mine account. Paul have
written it with mine own hand. l will
repay it; albeit do not say to thee how
thou owest unto me thine own soul be-
sides" Ep. to Philemon, V. 1919.
The evidence of the New Testament is
thus complete, plainly proving that the
institution of slavery was not abolished
by the Gospel. Compare now the course
of the ultry abolitionists with that oi
Christ and Iris inspired apostle. The di-
vine Redeemer openly rebukes the sancti'
monious Phnrisccs. "who made void the
!, law of God by their traditions. lie
spares not the wealthy. infidel Saducees
lie denouncos the hypocrtical Scribcs'
who "loved the uppermost rooms at least'
and to he called of men, Rabbi; Rabbi"
He calls the royal llerod "that foX," en-
tirely regardless Of the kings displeasure
He ccnsurcs severely the Jewish practice
of divorcing their wives for the slightest
cause, and vindicates the original sanctity
of marriage. He tells the deluded crowd
of his enemies, that they are "the children
of the devil, and that the lusts of their
fathers they would do" lie makes &
scourge of small cords. and drives the
buyers and sellers out of the temple
And while he thus rebukos the sins Of all
around him, and speaks with divine au'
thority, he proclaims himself the friend
and patron of the poor-preachcs to them
his blessed doctrine on the mountains, 10y
the seaside, or in the public streets, under
the open canopy of heaven-heals theil
diseases, partakes of their humble fare
aud, passing by the rich and the great
chooses his apostles from the ranks o
the publicans and the fishermen of Cali