Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-11-06

hand, he shall be surely punished. Not
W withstanding, If he continue day or two,
he shall not be.rpunished for he is his
money"
In the same chapter, verse 26 and ~,
it is provided that if q master smitc out
an eye or tooth of a servant, he shall
let him go free.
Under these laws prescribed by God
himself the Hebrew nation commenced
their career. In a war with the INDIAN
ties, mentioned in the 2lst chapter Of
Numbers, they put to death all their pris-
oners except $4,000 virgins who were re.
duced to slavery.
Henceforth, during the history Of the
Hebrew nation, the king, princes and rich
men acquired and held slaves under the
authority of Gods law given through
Moses. Even during their captivity in
Babylon many of the Jews held slaves !;
for according to Nehemiah, chapter, 7,
verse 67, there were ~ 1897 men. servants
and maid servant" in the company which
returned to Jerusalem under his charge.
The christian Era found the institution
Of slavery pervading not only Judea, but
all the civilized and barbarian world
Did Christ in single instance denounce
it as a sin. No, not once. On the con-
trary, he recognizes the relation and the
duty of the servant to promote the in
terests of their masters. In the parable
Of the Fl We talents in the 25th chapter of
Mathew, lie that had received one talent
is employing it for the benefit of his mas
ter.
But the Christian view Of slavery is
more clearly developed in the teachings
of the Apostles. Says Paul in First Cor
inthians, vii, 20. 81, %:
"Let every man abide in the same call
ing wherein he was called. Art thou call
ed, being a servant care not for it but
if thou mayst be made free use it rather !;
for he that is called in the Lord, being
servant, is the Lords freeman likewise
also he that is called, being free is
Christ's servant.
In the lst, ID, 3 and 4th verses of
9th chapter of Ephesians, Paul incul-
Gates the Christian duties Of children and
parents, and then proceeds in the 9th,
masters their Christian duties. Says he:
"Servants be cbedient to them that are
your masters, according to the flesh, with
fear and trembling, in singleness of your
heart as unto Christ.
"Not with eye service, as men pleasers,
but as the servants of Christ, doing the
will Of God from the heart
ssNNith unnl uill Jnipy aaryi,o No D.,
the Lord, and not to men.
"Knowing that whatsoever good thing
any man doesh: the same shall he receive
of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
"And ye masters do the same things
unto them, forbearing tlneatenings, know
ing that your master also is in Heaven,
neither is their respect to persons with
him"
The plain meaning Of this passage is,
that it is the Christian duty of the servant
to obey and serve his master with the
same fidelity and devotion as he would
serve God and Christ or rather that
cheerful obedience and faithful service to
his master i'll portion of his duty to his
God and Savior. And masters are in
structed to treat their servants kindly, re
ciprocating their good will, and are ad,
monished that in the sight Of God all
men are equal, whatever may be their
earthly relations.
Similar injunctions are imposed on
servants and masters in the third and
fourth chapters Of Paul's Epistle to the
Collossians.
In the sixth chapter of Paul's First
Episte to Timothy, verses one and two,
the Apostle says:
''Let as many servants as are under the
yoke count their own masters as worthy
of all honor, that the name of God and
his doctrine be not blasphemed.
"And they that have believing masters,
let them not despise them because they
are brethern, but rather do them service,
because they are faithful and beloved
partakers of the benefit. these things
teach and exhort."
In other words, call honor" to his
master by slave is in accordance with
the "doctrinc" Of God, and he is not to
bring that doctrine into disrepute by dis
obedience or misconduct. Nor is he to
think less of his master because he finds
himself on level with him in the church,
but is rather TO serve him with more zeal
than ever. In his Epistle to Titus, chap
ter ID, verses 8 and 10, Paul says:
"Exhort servants to DO obedient unto
their own masters, and to please them
well in all things, not answering again,
not purloining, but showing all good fl
delity. that they may adorn the doctrine
of God our Savior in all things"
In other words, the servant who oboys
his master is honest and faithful "adorns
Me doctrine of God or SooiOr.
The Apostle Peter, in his First Episte,
chapter 2. verses IS, 10, and 20, breaches
the same doctrine in still stronger IAN
guage. He says:
Servants, be subject to your masters
with all fear not only to the good and
gentle, but also to the froward, for this
is thankworthy. if man, for conscience
toward God, endure grief, suffering
wrongfully; for what glory is it, when
ye be butleted for your faults. ye shall
take it patiently? But if, when ye do
well and suffer for it. ye take it patiently,
this is acceptable to God"
In other words. Peter inculcates the
obedience and submission of a slave to
his master be he kind or cruel, as Chris
iidn 9uty etiOined bu "rOnscisure io,p1yH