Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-01-17
S e r MO n
ABOLITIONISM HAS NO FOUNDATION
IN SCRIPTURE.
THE CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE OF
ABOLITIONISM.

IN SCRIPTURE.
THE CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE OF
ABOLITIONIsM.
Il Sermon, by Rcr Henry j. Fan Dyke, Preach
T.. ed in the First Presbyterian Church, Brook
lyn, New York.
His text was chosen from Paul's First Epstle
to Timothy sixth chapter, from the first to the
fifth verse, Inclusive -
1. Let as many servants as are under the
yoke count their own masters worthy Of all hon
or, that the name of God and his doctrine be
not blasphemed.
2. And they that have believing masters let
them not despse them, because they are breth-
ren; but rather do them service, because they
are faithful and beloved, partakers of the bene-
fit. These things teach and exhort.
8. If any man teach otherwise and consent
not to wholesome words, even the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is
according to godness,
A. He is proud, knowing nothing but doting
>about questions and strife of words whereof
cometh envy, strife, ratings, evil surmisings,
s. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt
minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that
gain is godliness; from such withdraw thysef.
propose, he said, to discuss the charac-
ter and influence ofabolitionism. With this
view have selected text from the Bible,
and purpose to adhere to the letter and spir-
it of its teaching. We acknowledge in this
place but -rtrfftiartt fr,-rrrl-,
authoritative and infallible rule of faith and
practice. For we are Christians here, not
heather philosophers, to grope our way by
the feeble glimmerings of the light of ma
ture; not modern inhdels, to appeal from
the written law of God to tie corrupt and
tickle tribunals of reason and humanity ::
but Christians on whose banner is inscribed
this sublime chalenge-"To the law and
to the testimony--if they speak not accord
ing to this word, it is because there is no
light in them"
Let me direct your special attention to the
language 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 distinguished abo-
litionist, and has done more, perhaps, than
any other man in this country to propagate
abolition doctrines, admits, that "the addi-
ton of the phrase under the yoke" shows
undoubtedly that it &. e. the original word
doulos) is to be understood here of slavery
Let me quote another testimony on this
point from an eminent Scotch divine, !
mean DR.. Mcknight. whose exposition OF
the Epistle is a standard work in Great
Britain and in this country, and whose as
sociations must exempt him from all slspi-
cion of pro-slavery preiudices He intro
.duces his exposition of this chapter with the
following explanation :-''Bccause The law
of Moses al owed no Israclite to }e D.ade ?
slave for life without his own consent, III
Judaizing teachers, to allure slaves to THEN
party, taught that under the Gospel like
wise involuntary slavery is unlawful.''
This doctrine the apostle condemned
here, as in his other epistles. by enjoinns
Christian slaves to honor and obey THEN
masters, whether they were believers Or un
believers, and by assuring Timothy that i
any person taught otherwise he opposed tht
wholesome precepts of Jesus Christ aud tht
doctrine of the gospel. which in all point
is conformable to godliness Or sound morali
ty, and was pulled up with pride, withou
possessing any true knowledge either of th'
Jewish Or Christian revelation" Our learn
ed Scotch friend then goes on to expoune
the passage in the following paraphrase
which we commend to the prayerful atten
tion of all whom it may concern.
Let whatever Christian slaves are under
the yoke Of unbelievers pay their own mas
tiers all respect and obedience, that the char
acter of God whom we worship may not bt
calumniated, and the doctrine of the gospe
may not be evil spoken of as tending to des
troy the political rights of mankind Ane
those Christian slaves who have believing
masters, let them not despise them, fancy
ing that they are their equals because they
are their brethren in Christ for, though al
Christians are equal as to religious privi
leges, slaves are inferior to their masters il
station Wherefore, let them serve thei
masters more diligently. because they wh,
enjoy the benefit of their service are believ
crs and beloved of God. these things
teach and exhort the brethren to practc,
them If any one teach differently, by
affirming that under the gospel shxeAx,
not bound to serve tbeiS geefs. but onS
TO be me- fee 6es not consent to th'
noaae commandments which are oul
Christ's, and to the doctrine o
lich in all points is conform,
Ifalty, he is puffed up with