Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-01-03
THE GOSPEL AND SLAVERY.

THE GOSPEL AND SLAVERY.
How did they set to work to accom-
plish this ? | will answer this question
by two others: How did Bossuet set to
work TO proclaim, in the name of the
Bible, obligatory monarchy, divine right,
the absolute authority of kings, etc. :
How, in turn, did certain doctors among
the Roundheads set to work to proclaim
the divine right Of republics, and 10 or
dain the massacre of the New Amale-
kites!
The method is very simple; it consists
only in confronting the Law with the
Gospel.
This confusion once wrought, the po-
lilical and civil institutions of the Old
Testament lose their temporary and To-
cal character, and we go to the New
Testament in search of what is not there,
namely, political and civil institutions.
The Gospel, which addresses itself to all
nations and all ages, does not pretend to
force them into the straight vestments of
the ancient Jewish nation no more DO
it pretend 10 "Sew piece Of new cloth
upon an old garment, else the new cloth
taketh away from the old, and the rent
is made WORSE" | speak here of those
who, in the Law as in the Gospel, in the
New Testament as in the OId, venerate
the nfalliblc word of God. A revela-
lion, TO be divine, does not cease 10 be
progressive, and nothing exacls that all
truth should be promulgated in a single
day. II God deemed proper to give hi.
people, so long as they needed it, a legis
lation adapted TO their social condition,
this legislation, dlvinely given at the
time, may be also diviuely aOrogated
afterward. And this is what has taken
place. Those who quote 10 US texts from
the Old Testament concerning slavery,
appear to have forgotten the saying of
Jesus Christ in reference to another in
siituiion, divorce "lt was on account OF
the hardness of your hearts." Yes, on
account Of the hardness Of their hearts
God established among the ISraeites,
incapable at that time Of rising higher,
provisionary regulations, perfect as re-
cards his condesccnsiou, but most imper-
feet, as he declares himself, as regards the
absolute truth.
1t was Jesus Christ himself, therefore,
who drew the line of demarkation be-
tween the Law and the Gospel, who an
nouncel the end of local and temporary
institutions. Has he revealed other in
-titutions, this time dtinitive? To form
such an idea of the Gospel we must
never have opened it. The Gospel is
not a Koran. In the Koran we doubt
less find both civil and criminal laws and
tie principles of government the apos-
ties did not once tread on this ground.
Fancy what their work would have
been bad they substituted social for Il
spiritual revolution had they touched,
above all, the question of slavery, which
formed part Of The fundamental law Of
The ancient world. And here | wish my
thoughts to be clearly understood. do
not pretend that the apostles were con.
>cious o! the unlawfalness Of slavery,
and that they avoided pointing it out
through policy, for fear of compromising
heir work. No, indeed, this happened
1nconsciou,ly. According 10 all appear
lnces they hold the opinions of their
times, and God revealed nothing to them
on the subject, wishing that the abolition
Of slavery, like all the social results Of
he Gospel, should be produced by moral
agency, which works from within out
ward, which changes the heart before
changing the actions. With one
aging, "What ye would that men should
TO to you, do we also to them," the Cos
pei has opened before US infinite vistas of
moral development.
Before this one saying the cruelties
md infamous customs Of ancient society
nave successfully succumbed; before
his one saying the modern family has
been formed before this one saying
American slavery will disappear, as
European slavery has disappeared al
ready. 1t will force the planters to trans
late the word slavery, to consider one by
me the abominable practices which con-
,titute it.
Is it to do to others as we would they
should do TO us, 10 sell the family at re-
all To maintain laws which give over
very slave, whether wife or maiden, to
her owner, whatever he may be, and
which take away from this maiden, frop,