American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-09-07


And If the argument Is worth any thing
it is an Argument for enslaying white men,
such for example as evade military service,
or such as neglect to be registered in the
census. Slaves in Rome were very nu-
merous. Gibbon estimates the slaves in
the time Of Claudius equal to the number
of freemen sixty millions Of each. In
Italy there were in the days of the apos-
ties, twice or three times as many slaves
as freemen. The masters were often gull
ty Of the most barbarous eruelties and
had the power Of putting their slaves to
death. Now to say that the apostles ap-
proved of all this cruelty is to say that
they had not the love Of God in their
hearts. Their silence does not sanction
the enormities Of Roman masters. But
they were notsilent While they instruct
ed the slaves to be obedient, they trans
formed the Roman slave or chattel, 50 far
as thdS teaching could do it, into a chris
tian man the equal of his master " Mas
ters, said they, give unto your servants
that which is just and equal Col. Al
"Treat them as equals in all the essen
tial rights cf mems husbands, as faith
ers, as laborers worthy of their hire, as
rational and immortal souls, give to them
equai.y. These words are the death blow"
says one, of Roman chattel slavery. DR.
Hodge, in commenting on this passage
says: "Slaves are to be treated by their
masters on the principles Of equality Not
that they are to be equal with their mas
ters in authority Or station, or circum-
stances but they are to be treated as
having, as men, as husbands, and as pa
rents, eggal riybis ntb Hei5 masters. IL
is Just as great a sin to deprive a slave IF
the just recompense for his labor, or to
keep him in ignorance, or to take him
from his wife and child, as it is to act
thus coward a free man This is the
equality which the law of God demands,
and on this principle the final judgment is
to bl administered"
Oar Savior is said to have been silent
on the subject of slavery. But look at
his teachings. If they were obcyed every
bond would this day be sundered. His
golden rule would break every fetter.-
Jesus claims Ley. 4:lS, that he came to
preach deliyor-nce to the captiyes and to
set at liberty them that are bruised -
And though this receives its highest
fulflment in spiritual freedom, it implies
that the principles Of his religion are such
as to break the fetters Of temporal bon
dage. Let it not be said that our Savior
was silent on the subject of slavery when
the whole spirit of his teachings was
against it,
There is one other argument to which
we must briefly attend.
5. Paul is said to have sent back a iu-
gitive slave, Onesimus, tohismaster Phil
emon, thus sancti3ning his bondage. See
the Epis,le to Philemon. Concerning
this case, two remarks may be made,
First Whatever may have been the
scryile condition Of Onesimus it appears
that he was related, in the flesh, to Phile-
mon. Paul calls him Philcmon's " broth
er beloyed,-both in tie flesh and in the
Lord He may have been Philemon's
younger brother, under servitule as u
ward, or bound to scrvitude for time.
Secoad, Paul sent back Onesimus be-
secchmg Philemon to receive him again
" not aop as q serrdHt, but dboce SER
want If the ilpistle to Philemon proves
that Paul sent back a fugitive slave, it
proves also that he sent him to his mas
ter with an cXhortation to set him free
There is evidence that Philemon acted
upon the advice, and that Onesimus be-
came a minister Of the gospel. See Col.
AS.
Again, we have said that many ertrcme
aati-slacay mcn jecome af5sh.. This
caused many to hesitate about intoxicating
anti-slavery views, But it is clear to my
mind that 1t was the pro-slayery interpre-
tatiou Of scripture, and not the contrary
that led them into infdelity. Believing
that theScripturcs taught that slavery
with all its denominations vas right, it was
natural for them to reject the word of
God. Had they looked upon the teach
ings Of the Bible in their true light, and
asked counsel from God they would have
escaped the fatal delusion into which they
fell.
Again, we have said that the discus
sion OF the subject Of slavery was calcu-
lated to iuFumc The Southern mmd, and
that therefore ministers refrained from
preaching on the subject, fearing that the
consequences would be bad.
Whether they were right or wrong in
their course, this reason no longer exists.
The Southern mind Is no longer lnfuenc-.
ed by any thing that can be said on the
subject IN the North. All that we can
now do is to adopt right views ourselves,
and repent of any countenance that we
may have given to that which iucurs the
displeasWe Of our God | feel, for one,
that cannot declare the whole counsel Of
God without speS,ing OF this SIN also
Goa says to me, Prov. 3I:9) "Open thy
mouth, judge rishteously, and ptead the
cause y dte Po0r and aeesty."
Iwould not inAame your minds against
the Southern peop c, or even against slave
holders. / have but little doubt if zee
had lived III the South, aud had our wealth
increased by slave labor, zee too should
have been III favor Of the system. But
we ought to be thankful that we are call
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