The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-01

II, xxi: Z; Lev. XIV: 44-46; Matt. v:
It; Tim, vi: La And wherever thus
lawful, who can say that it is not "an ordi-
nance of God and of divine appointment
Paul recognized the Roman civil government
even under the despotism of Nero, as OF oil
vine appointment, as ordained of God.
Any relation which is lawfal must be in some
sense ordained of God; for whatever is
lawful implies the sanction of the law-giver;
and the existence of wrong laws and usages
connected with it, no more disprOveS the
lawfulness of the relation itself than such
things disprove the lawfulness of marriage
or of civil government In this sense, then,
slavery was 80 spoken of in the South, as 1t
vas also substantially by DE-. Hodge aud
uultitudes at the North, and BY such as D..
R. ]. Breckenridge at the West. Was this,
then, provocation for DR.. Stanton aud his
Assembly to take such an accusation upon
their lips?
All, but he says we held that slavery was
appointed and ordained of God precisely
in the same sense and in the same category
with marriage and civil government, and
that "the leading men Ia the Southern
Church had filed the land with their teach
logs" to support this view.
Now we plant contradiction directly in
the teeth of this allegation, and challenge
Dr.. Stanton to stand forth before the Chris
tian world and make it good, or failing to do
80, admit bis error and his wrong. DIR.
Thornwell never held any such doctrine, nor
did DR.. Palmer. Dr.. Ross was accused O.
50 yiug something of the sort, but expressly
iisclaimed the sentiment. Il is of course i'm
possible to say that some body 10 the South
ern Church may not have thus heedlessly
expressed himself; though in life of more
chan sixty years we never heard it, or heard
of it, That it was general view, or held
generally by "leading men, and so jealous
ly taught as to "fA the land is simply the
product Of an imagination owned by man
under stress of weather, aud looking for port
d" through glass darkly."
But We are glad be has ventured within the
coa6nes of specific case. He says-"These
views were published even as late as the
year 1865, as stated In the above mention
ed pastoral letter" He here means the pas
toral letter be wrote for the Assembly of
| 1866. Turning to it We find the following /:
Even as late as the ear 1865, person
commissioned to tbls Assembly from the
Presbytery of Louisville, published a work
which has been extensively circulated and
commended, both North ard South, designed
to Justify aud shelter the system of Southern
slavery, slave codes and all, under the
scriptural sanction of the Mosaic system of
servitude.
This refers to small production of the
Rev. DR.. Stuart RobinsxxMs> few lectures
ne delivered to crowded assemblies during
tue winter of 1864, which he spent in
Canada-and when probably DR.. Stanton
aud others in Kentucky would have been
greatly gratifed to have him safely lodged
in Jail. He did indeed undertake to demon
ssrate from the Bible the lawfulness of the
relation between master aud servant, aud to
show that slavery in this country was incom
Dsrably better than under the Roman gov
eminent, where Paul found it; and In some
respects better than the Mosaic system
And the undertaking was fully accomplished.
But that he justified every thing connected
With Southern slavery, "Slave codes and
all, is simply another of Dr.. SsantOns re-
markable romances, which he will scarcely
nave the hardjhOod, even under the goading
point of our challenge, to face with any thing
like sober proof. Farther, it is introduced
in a connection which shows that he meant
it to bear upon the assertion just before, viz:
that slavery was commonly held over the
Southern Church to be in "precisely the
same sense aud in the sane category with
marriage and civil government" This as
sertion is simply piece of preposterous non
sense-for it deserves no more respectful
terms to characterize it. Civil government
under some form, as opposed to anarchy; and
marriage under the prescribed form, as OPP
posed to concubinage, polygamy and general
RIGHTEOUSNESS, are absolutely essential to the
social state, and are therefore obligatory upon
all conditions of society. Now, in the face
of all this obvious view, here comes this
dreamer of gay dreams, and graVely tells
che Christian public that it was the current
teaching among Southern Presbyterians- that
they not only held slavery to be under Ger
tain circumstances lawful, which is true, but
that they put it precisely on the same foot,
lag in all respects with marriage itself Now
we feel it is an occasion to say very plainly
that whoever becomes responsible before tie
public for such statement, discredlts him
self on the threshold of the subject as Ole
utterly unworthy or incompetent to discuss
it, and might be justly dismissed from farther
consideration. Ills, however, our purpose to
follow him through; what is unanswered viii
be proclaimed unanewerable. Bat we fud
that any thing like a complete refutation of
whatthe gentleman in question has advanced |
would occupy more space than can be allot
ted at this time; it will therefore be finished
next week.
Another EXAMPLE for Children-We have