The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-04-15

" would not Keep company with the apos-
ties, if they did not believe slavery was a
SIM" Alas deluded man you will prob
ably never have the opportunity of refus-
ing.
How unlike the Master whom you pro-
fess to serve are you in all your ministra-
tions. Our Lord often refers to the insti-
tuition of slavery, to illustrate some great
principle of duty. See Matthew XIV IA,
and Luke xix IL and 13. He always re-
fers to it withouta word of censure, using
it to illustrate even the doctrine of "the
kingdom of heaven" Many of our
Lords most beautiful parallels are pic
lures of slave establishments. "The
kingdom of heaven is like unto travelling
into far country, who calleth his own
slaves" &c. In almost every one of his
public discourses is some allusion to this
institution-som reference to the pictur-
esque relations of patriarchal and a
slaveholing people. Yet in all the four
gospels there is not word, even by i'm
plication, uttered against slavery.
A very large number of the earlier con-
verts to the gospel were slaves. In the
Corinthian Church there were great
many; and the apostle instructs them
thus: "Let every man abide in the same
calling wherein he is called. Art thou
being called servant! (slave) care not
for it-but if thou mayest be made free,
use it rather" That is-1 you are a
slave, be faithful STILL, Jut if yor mas
ter offers you liberty receive IL. But the
apostles never enjoined it upon masters
to emancipate their slaves, nor upon
slaves to run away from, much less to
murder their masters, Ia the Rev. Drs.
Beecher, Cheever and Tying. Gentle
men, what scattering would YOU have
made among the great crowd of christian
slaves at Corinth! Instead of saying, as
Paul did, to the slaves, be content aVith
your condition, you would have set on
foot an Ossawatomie Brown" raid, in-
structing The slaves in the art of sedition
and murder. In several places the apos-
ties recognize the law(ulness of slavery,
by regulating the true relations between
master and servants, and instructing the
Observation-Disclosures in their duty to
their slaves. 1t was, according to these
divine teachers, the duty of the slaves TO
be obedient and faithful, and of the mas
ters to be kind and generous. Thus,
Ephesians, vi @" Treat servants (slaves)
well, forbearing threatening" He does
not intimate that they ought to emanci-
pate their slaves. Again, Coll. iv /
"Masters, " give unto your servants
(slavos) that which is ast and equal,
knowing that also you have master in
heaven" Not q word about emancipa-
ton. Not word in condemnation oI
the institution of slavery. Hear further
what the apostle says to the slaves, Titus
ii O." Exhort servants to be obedent &c
their own masters, and to please then
well in all things; not answering again
not purloining, but showing all good tidel
ity, that they may adon the doctrine O
God our Savior" You, gentlemen, teach
the slaves that it is their duty 10 steal, tc
disobey, to runaway, and to murder theil
MASTER You are turbulent despisers o.
the "doctrne of God our Savior" "mis
chief makers" and violators alike of the
human and the divine law. Peter j
%, 10" Slaves, be subject to your mas
tiers, with all fear-not only to the good
and gentle, but also to the froward; foI
this is thankworthy, if a man, for con.
science toward God, endure grief, suffering
wrongfully." Gentlemen, | sympathiz(
with you. You must be horrifed at thC
indecent tyranny commended by the apos
tie Peter. You denounco him as "'
doughface," ga sympathizer with the
damning sin of slavery" ga pro-slavery
tyrant." Will he not one day denouncC
you, o ye "vain boosters, despisers o
the doctrine of God our Saviorp The
dreadful day will come. Paul, in his let
ter to Timothy, calls shareholders faith
ful and beloved, partakers of the benefit,
and exhorts slaves "under the yoke" tC
"count their own masters worthy Of al
honor" The apostle continues: "Thesc
things teach and exhort. If any maj
teach otherwise, and consent not to whole
some words, even the words of our Lore
Jesus Christ, he is proud, knowing moth
ing, but doating about questions and stress
of words, whereof comcth envy, strife
ratings, perverse disputings of men o
corrupt minds, and destitute of truth
from such withdraw thyself. Timothy
vi 1-5. This is the picture the apostl
Paul draws of the aboltionist of his day
The portrait needs no retouching, gentle