The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1863-05-14
Communications.

The Bible and Slavery-"N otator"
IS. E. H."--Dr, Thomas's Review l
of DIR, Junkins' Defence of Ameri- r
can Slavery. ..t Is
The writer's who "scribble" for the '
Hillsboro Gazette over the signature .
of "Notator, assume that they have set '
tied the question that has so long been ]
the theme Of learned Commentators
divines-proving that tho Bible, does
sanction slavery, and that God recogni-
zed the right of property in slaves and
guarded that right as sacredly, as in
anything else" 1t appears, that how
ever well they may have succeeded in
convincing themselves, they have failed
to carry conviction to the minds Of all
their followers. A writer who appsarsin
the "News" in self-vindicatio says, he
does not believe that "the Bible sane
toned slavery, but tolerated it, as it did
polygumy." Now there is considera-
BILE difference between "sanctioning'
and celebrating" Whilst the members
ofthis Mutual Admiration Society a
gree in admiring and endorsing each
other, they do not speak the snme
things How can they walk together
except they be agreed? We must how
ever concede that, if "Notator" has
proved that Hebrew servitude was sla-
4 very, he is right and rs. E. H. is
r wrong, for Hebrew servitude was com.
! manded- directly sanctioned by the Di
vine Lawgiver-and not merely tolerated
o The true and only question is:-Was ii
ie a servitude which recognized the ri5h
IS Of property in mani Robert j. Breck
J. inridge says: "Out upon such folly the
n man who cannot see that Involuntary
,r domestic slavery, as it exists among Vi
S, is founded upon the principle of taking
by force that which is another's ha
a simply no moral sense" Patrick Hen
ry said. "It is a debt we owe to the pu
rity of our religion, to show that it is a
variance with the law that warrants sla
very" Since we wrote our former se
is sizes of articles, in reply to "NotatOr,
It we have read DR.. !Thomas's Review o
s. "Dr. Junkins' synodical speech in de
/ fense ofAmerican Slavery" DR.. T. i
one ftbe ablest ministers of the Pres
IF byterian Church in the West, possess
>. ing fne intellect. logically trained
,e and enlarged by accurate and various
D scholarship,
J. His examination and rcfutation of tn,
: posi- tien and argument of DroJ unkins'
'f seems to US as, triumphantly complete
'r We will Gull from his investigation
d few of the results to which he is con
n du.tcd, DR.. T. defines slaveto be hu
), man being, who is made an article o
'e property; therefore, like all other prop
y erty subject to be bought, sold. trans
10 ferred, imported, exported, levied upon
y given away, delivered over to executor
7s and administrators, or assigned to heirs
Of wholly at the will of his master, Th
cardinal principle of slavery, that tn
slave is not to be ranked among Sc tcn
D. beings, but among things, as an articl
70 Of property, chattle personal--obtain
n as an undoubted law in all the Slav
States. In S. Carolina, it is expresses
Ii in the following language: "Slaves shal
a be deemed, sold, taken, reputed and ad
. judged in law to be chattels persona
of in the hands Of their owners, and poss
ia essors, and their executors, administra
g. tors and assigns, to all intents, con
structions and purposes Whatsoever
/, Now the'question comes up in this th
!" kind Of slavery which existed in tn
" families of the Patriarchs, and whic'
4, was not cnly permitted or tolerated, bu
- sanctioned by the Divine Law, anon
the Jewish people-was il precisely, 0
even in its chief features, analogous t
: american SIdvcryF %'t'' anl
st DR.. T., after ably aualyziug Junkinr
"a arguments proceeds to establish the fol
20 lowing propositions; lst Thatthe ser
wants of the Patriarchs were not slave.
N End. That the servitudo permitted b
L. the Mosaic system, was not slavery. Sd
That tbe Apostles did not tolerate slave
holding in the Christian Church. 4th
u Thatthe Bible condemns aud positiyel
e fOrbids holding. DR.. Thoma
N lays down this further definition. Tha
le scrvitude is not slavery, in which tn
le choice Of the servant is the sole founda
le tion Of themaster's claim to control, an,
l. on the other hand that condition is sla
s. Uery, in which tho masters legal righ
n to hold and dispose fshis servant, rest
}. in no degree upon the servants will
:. The former is the dshnition Of JEWS
h s'rvitude, the latter Of American sla
very, Dr. T., proceeds 10 illustrat