The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-02-13

1ioulots, iuCluulHS tuO iOoiHOu authoA hiA-
self, nor to, inquire whether the teaching
of abolitionism is not as likely to pro-
duce strife and bloodshed in these days as
in the first ages Of the church What
we now call attention to and protest
against is the imputation here cast upon
Christ and bis Apostles. Do you believe
the Savior sought TO insinuate his religion
into the earth by conceaing its real de-
sign, and preserving profound silence in
regard to one of the very worst sins it
came to destroy? Do you believe that
when he healed the Centurion's servant,
(whom every honest commentator admits
to have been a slave,) and pronounced
that precious eulogy upon the master, i
have not seen so great faith in Israel
do you believe that Jesus suffered that
man to live on in sin because he depre
Gated the consequences of preaching abo
litionism? When Paul stood upon Mars
Hill, surrounded by ten thousand times as
many Shareholders as there were idols in
the city, do you believe he kept back any
of therequirements of the Gospel because
he was afraid of 0tumult among the peo.
pie? We ask these abolition philoso
pliers whether as matter of fact, idola-
try and the vices connected with it were
not even more intimately interviewer with
the social and civil life of the. Roman
Empire than slavery was? Did the Apos-
ties abstain from preaching against idol.
atry? Nay, who does not know that
by denouncing this sin they brought down
upon themselves the whole power of the
Roman Empire? Nero covered the bodies
of the christian martyrs with pitch and
lighted up the city with their burning
bodies, just because they would not with
hold or compromise the truth in regard to
the worship of idols. In the light of
that fierce persecution, it is profaue
trifing for DR.. Wayland, or any other
man, to tell us that Jesus or Paul held
back their honest opinions of slavery for
fear of servile war in which the very
name of the Christian religion would have
been forgotten The name of the Chris
tian religion is not SO easily forgotten;
nor are Gods great purposes of redemp-
tion capable of being; defeated by an hon.,
est declaration of his truth everywhere
aud at all times. And yet this philoso-
ply, so dshonoring to Christ and his
apostles, is moulding the character of our
Young men and women. ? II comes into
our schools and mingles with the very life
blood of future generations the sentime mt
that Christ and his Apostles held back
the truth, and suffered sin to go unrebuk-
| ed for fear of the wrath Of man. And
all this to maintain at all hazards. and in
the face of the Savier's example to the
contrary, the >unscriptural dogma that
slaveholding is sin. 1q
But it must be observed in this con.
nection, that the Apostles went much
further than to abstain from preaching
against slaveholding. They admitted
shareholders to the communion of the
church.f7aIn our text. masters are &C.
knowledged as "hrethren, faithful and be
loved, partakers of the benefit If the
/ New Testament is ito be received as 8
/ faithful history, no man was ever rejected
by the apostolic church on the GROUND
4 that Ire owned slaves. If he abused hil
poweras master, if he. availe6 himsel
of the authority conferred by the Romat
law to commit adultery, or murder OF
cruelty, he was rejected for these crimes
just as he would be rejected now for sim
liar crimesfrom any good christian church
in our Southern States. If parent
abused or neglected their. children, they
were censured, not for having children
but for not treating them properly Aut
so with the STAKEHOLDER. 1t was not tn,
owning of slaves, but the manner in which
he fulfilled the. duties qof. his station tha
made him subject for church discipline
! The mere fact that he was slaveholde
no more subjected him to censure than tn
mere fact that he was a. fathersor hus
u band. e Itfis upon the recognized lawful
/ ness. of the relation that all the precept
regulating the reciprocal duties of tha
relation are basedyuofE x -
These precepts ars.scattered all throug1
the inspired epistles. There is not Or
: command or exhortation to emancipat
: the slave. The apostle well knew that fo
the present emancipation would be no re
al blessing to him. 10 But the master i
r +exhorteds be kind and considerate, an,
: the slave to be- -obedient, SO that the
7 might preserve the unity of that churc
| lin which there is no distinction ,betwee
}, Greek or jew male or female, bond o
free. Oh if ministers of the Gospel j
9 this land or ages had but followed Paula
L he followed Christ, and instead of hp.lin
i lAnathemas, and exciting wrath agains
) Shareholders, had sought only to brin
y both master aud slave to the fountain {
!. !. Emanueps blood; if the agencies of th
! blessed Gospel had only been suffered t
/ hwork their way quietly, as the light an
u dew of the, morning, into. the structure {
if lsociety, both North aud South, how di
: ferent would have been the position of ou
= country before Godl How adife-er
d would have been the privileges enjoyed b
n the moor black mans soul, which. in thj