The Placer herald., 1862-08-02
A Letter on Slavery-.It is Vindicated by
the Bible-.A Remarkable Document.

the Bible-.A Remarkable Document.
The following letter published in the National
MteUigencer. from Amos Kendall, q man of
learning and ability, who has filled as large a
space in our political history as any living man;
will be read with interest,"
Origin of Bible Slavery--NOah, Abraha m --
The laws of Moses--Christianity and
Slavery--Christ, Paul, Peter, Philemon
and his Church.
To Abraham Lincoln President of the United
States:
RESPECTED SIR: In my preceding letters |
have endeavOred to show that, whether slavery
be right or wrong, nobody is responsible for it's
existence, or has rightto interfere with it under
our political institutions, except the people of the
State in which it exists. My object in this let
ter is not to show that slavery is useful or de-
srable institution for our age or country but
that, whatever may be the abuses to which it is
liable, there is nothing in the institution itself
which makes it the duty of a Christian to seek
its abolition otherwise than by admonishng the
slaves to be obedient to their masters, and the
masters to be kind and indul gent to their slaves
TO this end shall attempt to prove that slave
ry is not IN itself SINFUL by showing from the
Bible that it has been sanctioned by God himself,
not only by not rcbukng it, but by giving it his
direct authority.
The first we learn of slavery in the Bible is the
curse Of Ham or Canaan by Noah-Genesis 9th
chapter 25th verse: ''And he said cursed be Ca
naan, servant of servants shall he be unto his
brethern." Now. Noah was selected by God TO
perpetuate the human race, and he was not pun
ished or censurcd by his Maker for thus booming
portion OF his posterity to perpetual bondage.
In the 18th chapter Of Genesis. verses, IL, l3,
% and 27, the fact that Abraham bought men
with his money is four times recognized. Verse
IL is represented to be the language of God him
self speaking to Abraham, and is in the following
words, viz:
"And he that is eight days old shall be crcum-
cised among you, every man child in your gene
ration, he that is born in the house, or bought
with money of any stranger, which is not of thy
seed"
Here is direct recognition of the fact that
Abraham held slaves and God, instead of COM
manding him to set them free, directed him to
incorporate them into his own family by the
right of circumcision.
In the oath chapter verse 35, mcn-servants and
maid servants are named among the BLESSINGS"
which God had bestowed upon Abraham. The
speaker, who was himself servant, said,
"And the Lord hate blessed my master greatly,
and he is become great: and he has given him
focks, and herds, and silver and god and men
servants and maid dSerUantS, and asses and cam
els"
By the 4th chapter. 14th verse, it appears that
Abraham had three hundred and eighteen "train-
ed servants, born in the house," and how many
"bought with his money" is not stated.
Now, if buying men with money, and holding
them in slavery be SIM Abraham was in his age
one of the greatest sinners; yet God. instead of
rebuking him and requiring him to put away his
sin not only prospered him, but, on account of
his special faith, and holiness selected him to be
the father of His chosen people, and an example
for all generations Could this have happened if
slavery had been sin in the sight of God?
1t does not appear that the Hebrews held any
slaves when they fled out Of Egypt, or that they
acquired any while wandering in the wilderness.
Flying from slavery, themselves, they were a new
nation without con %titution or laws and all their
Institutions were prescribed by God himself,
through Moses Does any Christian believe that
God could or would prescribe to His chosen
people sinful institution? Yet God himself
established, or expressly recognized slavery as an
institution of the Hebrew nation. If any one
doubts it. let him read the 2lst chapter of Exo-
dus, the 25th chapter of Deuteronomy.
The first six verses Of the first, and the verses
from the twelfth to the eighteenth of the last re-
cognized the right of Hebrew to buy his own
and hold them in bondage six years,
and prescribe mode by which, with their own
consent, they may be made bondmen "forever."
But the establishment or recognition of perpetu
al slavery as an institution of the Hebrew Com
monwealth is found in the 25th chapter of Levitt
icus.
The leading objects of this chapter are to es-
tablished and regulate the Sabathical Year and
the Jubilee.
The first seven verses provide that every sew
enth year shall be q sabbath of rest unto the
land. Thou shalt not SOW thy field nor prune thy
vineyard"
The sixth verse declares that "the sabbath of
the land shall be meat for you; for thee and for
thy seroanf, and for thy hired servant, and for
the stranger that sojourneth with thee"
From the eighth verse. inclusive, to the end of
the chapter, the main subject is the jubilee, re-
curing once in fifty years, and its bearings the
various interests Of the Hebrew Commonwealth.
The tenth verse is in the following words viz:
"And ye shall hallow the fftieth year, and
proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto the
inhabitants thereof; it shall be jubilee unto
you; and ye shall return every man unto his
possession, and ye shall return every man unto
his family"
slavery ceased among the Hebrews every fifty
years, whereas, taking the whole chapter togeth-
er it proves eXal tly the reverse. In the first
place, the bond servant, not Hebrew, never had
a possession to which he could return In the
next place, the jubilee was an institution for the
benefit ofMe Hebre,c, only, from which the bond
servants of foreign blood are expressly excluded.
The 39:h and 43d verses, inclusive, read as fol-
lows,
Sand if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be
waXen poor, and sold unto thee, thou shalt not
compel him to serve as bond-scrvant. But as
hired servant,an as sojourner, he shall be with
thee, and shall serve thee until the year of jub
Ice.
"And then he shall depart from thee both he
and his children with him, and shall return unto
his own family, and unto the possession Of his
fathers shall he return.
"For they are my servants which | brought
forth out Of the land of Egypt; they shall not be
sold as bondmen.
Thou shalt not rule over him with vigor; but
shalt fear thy God.
Then come the 44th, 45th and 46th verses, in
the following words, viz:
"Both the bondmen and bondmaids which thou
shalt have shall be of the brethern that round
about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and
bondmaids.
Moreover of the children of the strangers
that do sojourn among you, of them ye buy, and
Of their families that are with you, which they