The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-02-25
Sunday Reaaiag.
The Bible and Slavery.


ject, recently published in FL
gland. The following are th
: closing paragraphs of tho Review
article; swU "r
"Thc servant is not greater thn
his lord, neither is he that ie sen
greater than ho that sent him. y
We find therefore, in the preccpi
Of the Apostles, the principles @
Christ carried out. They did no
bocomo agitators or dcmagogues
nor seek, prematurely, to ovcrturI
tho established government by
revolution. They found tho en-
pire n despo,ism, and Tibcrius, tn,
most sensual, heartlcss, and crue
fthc Empcrors on the THRONE
They found Judca n prey to ty
rants as sensual as cruel, who were
supported by the central dcspotisn
at Rome. They found chattc
slavery firmly established as al
"institution," though not pccu.
liar" one, as il was in kc cping
with tho violence, oppression, and
corruption around it. "Ncyertho.
loss" to usc the language Of our
author, "our Lord and his Apos-
tics said not n word against the
powers or institutions Of that evil
world. Their attitude towards
them all was that of deep spiritual
hostility and of entire poll teal
submission. The dominion of n
foreign conquercr, the presence of
his soldiory, the cXtortions of his
tax gathcrcrs, the injustice of his
Judges, the iniquitous privileges Of
The conqucring Roman, the III
iquitons degradation of tho CON
lucrcd Jow, all these things, us
well as slavery, arc accepted with
nnqucstionable resignation. The
things which are Cmsr's are rem
icred unto Caesar, though Caesar
is u Tiborius or u Nero. 70 en-
lure patiently the dominion Of
shcso nlonsters, it has been truly
said, was tho honor of Christianity
and the dishonor of mankind"
The procepts of tho Apostles,
10y which the submission to oxist.
ing institutions is enjoined, have
been cited recently in support oI
our Southern slavery, as they have
been heretofore in support of po-
litical tyranny. But they cannot
be used except in accordance with
thoir meaning and purpose. When
30 used, they are of universal ap.
plication. They inculcate sub.
mission even to be government,
when rosistenco would be prema-
turc and hopeless, for TIL. order OF
II bad government is bcttor than
the anarchy Of mono, They cx-
hort servants to obey their mas.
tcrs with fidelity, for obedience
and fidelity mitigate all serviudc,
and may be the means of spiritual
growth aud elevation Rebellion, to
DO justiliable, must promise, not
merely success, but somothiug :
better to be established 10y success,
than tho system robellcd against.
Neither of these co nditions existed
at tho time of the Apostles, in the
Roman Empire. ... 4 .i''.
Their language does not impl,
approval of the OWL institutions o
their ago, but, on the contrary,
deep spiritual hostility and spirit
ual warfare against them and al
forms of oppression, the only war
fare by which oppression, when
supported by worldly power, eau
be attacked and finally ovcrthrown,
The adviccs given to slaves, that
they should obey their masters, is
good advice TO all servants, every,
where and Mt all times. ltapplic'
equally to tho negro ON the south
orn plantation and the "help" il
Northern homes. 1t applies equal
ly to all laborers, or all whose lot
it is to serve and obey, and ii oh.
served, II would promote the hap,
plness oil southern plantations ano
Iof Northern farms, factories anl
iirosides. And whyl Because ohe
dicnco and fidelity are the duties o
all servants, high or low, Duties
not to tho master only, but to Goo
also, who has appointed them t,
the station.
"A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room as kT THIS laws,
Makes that and the aeIion 6no.'
In his spirit is tho eXhortatiol
of st. Paul: Servants, obey in a
things your masters according I,
the flesh; not with oye service, n
men pleasers, but in singleness O