Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-03-02

the Almighty. The meaning that / have
adopted is the only one which agrees with
the established principle Of legal oonstruc-
ton, and it has invariably been sanctioned
by the doctors of the Jewish law, and ev-
cry respectable Christian commentator.
Such, then, is the institution of slavery,
laid down by the Lord God of Israel for
his chosen people, and continued for fifteen
centuries, until the new dispensation Of the
Gospel. What change did this produce
grant, of course, that we, as Christians,
are bound by the precepts and example of
the Savior and His apostles. Let us now
therefore, proceed to the all-important in
quiry whether we are authorized by these
to presume that the Mosaic system was
done away.
First, then, we ask what the divine Re-
deemer said in reference to slavery. And
the answer is perfectly undeniable: He
did not allude to it at all. Not one word
upon the subject is recorded BY any of the
four Evangelists who gave His life and
doctrines to the world. Yet slavery was
in full existence at the time throughout
Judea; and the Roman Empire, accord
ing to the historian, Gibbon, contained
sixty millions of slaves ,on the lowest prob.
able computation How prosperous and
united would our glorious Republic be at
this hour, if the eloquent and pertinacious
declaimcrs against slavery had been viii.
ling to follow their Savior's example?
But did not our Lord substantially re-
peal the old law, by the mere dispensation
Certainly not, unless they were incompa-
tible. And that He did consider them in
compatible is clearly proved by His own
express declaration. "Think not" saith
He, "that am come to destroy the law O
the prophets. | am not come to destroy
but to fulfil" (Mat. v. 17-) On tha
point, therefore, this single passage is con
elusive.
1t is said by some, however, that thu
great principle of the Gospel, love to Goo
and love to man, necessarily involved tn
condemnation of slavery. Yet how SHOULD
it have any such result, when we remem-
ber that this was no new principle, but, oil
the contrary, was laid down by the Deit.
| to His own chosen people, and was quote'
, from the Old Testament by the Saviou
4 himself? And why should slavery b
! thought inconsistent with it p? In the rela
e tion of master and slave, we are assure'
= by our Southern brethren that there is in
t comparably more mutual love than can ev
] er be found Letween the employer and th
: hireling. And 1 can readily believe it,fo
e the very reason that it is relation for lif
and the parties, when rightly disposed
n must therefore feel far stronger and deeI
l. er interest in each other.
n The next evidence which proves that IL
h with the Gospel occurs in the statement (
q the apostles to St. Paul, made some twel
n ty years, at least, after the establishment
~ Of the first Christian Church in Jerusalem
=, "Thou seest, brother" said they, "ho
r. many thousands of Jews there are who b
% lieve, anil they are alt Jealous q the tar
r (Acts, xvi, 2O) How could this have be-
r. possible, if the law was supposed to
| abolished by the new dispensation!
I But the precepts and the conduct Of
10 Paul himself the great apostle of the Gre
tiles, are all sufficient, because he met
be the very point, and settles the whole qu'
nd ton. Thus he saith to the Ephesiai
ce "Servants, lin the original Greek, bo
X servants or slavss) "be obedient to the
ue that are your masters, according to
ul- flesh, with fear and trembling, IN sing
q: ness of your hearts, as unto Christ. \
he with eye service, as men pleascrs but
ch the servants of Christ, doing the will
zen God from the heart, with good well do
all service, as to the Lord, and not unto m
,ed knowing that whatsoever good thing
- man doeth, the same shall he receive
tly the Lord, whether he be bond or free
rho And ye masters, do the same things u
,ter them, forbearing threatening knowing t
o,- YOUR Master is also in heaven, neither
IN there any respect of persons with Iii
ere (Eph vi, 5O)
her Again, to the Colossians, St, Paul
4 il peats the same commandments "S
the wants. (that is bond servants or sla
uen "obey in all things your masters acc'
an ing to the flesh, not with eye service,
,rit. men, ,pleasers, but in singleness of he
,ev- fearing God" (Col. iii, 49, "Mas
v to give unto your servants that which is
thew and equal, knowing that ye also haV
in Master in heaven" (Col, iv. l.)
each Again the inspired teacher lays d
We a the law in very strong terms, to limo
as the first Bishop of Ephesus. "Let as
rule ny servants as are under the yoke,'