Year: 1861

! TEXT:


Thus saith tbs Lord ye shall 20 up nor agans. you


house for this thing from me- They heakened Therefore 1.


the word Of the Lord and reuTel depart according q


The word Of the Lord-lst Kings I2tA eAa eA rerss
BRETHREN: This day is celebrated by the order Of


our worthy President and his Government, as a


thanksgiving day for the past; and also as a fast


day, humiliation and prayer for the future good of


the Confederate States to implore and 5eseech the


Almighty and All Merciful Heavenly Father for his


aid and protection, to help US, and to deliver US


from our enemies, even our own brethren. And AZ


it is indeed remarkable that these words were spo-


ken to the house Of Judah and Benjamin when the


ten tribes Of Israel separated themselves from the


two tribes, to be q kingdom for themselves after


having been one from the commencement of the


reign of the first king, Saul. for about eighty>ve


years, exactly as it is about eightyAfve years


from the declaration of Independence, till the seS


paration now. therefore chose these words for


my text and say to our brethren, the Northerners


40 not go up nor fight against your brethren, the


South, for this thing is from me, and wherefore


now do ye traHsgress the commandment of the
Lord? but it shall not prosper.


But, brethren, in order not to detain you too long


| will make out two points which think worthy of
notice and speak of, and explain them briefly.


/. The words, return every man to his house,


after commanding them that they should not 90 up,
nor fight against their brethren, the children of Is.
rse seem to be unnecessary: if they dare not fight
certainly every one will go to his house.


Z.
into two kingdoms as we learn from Kings chapter
II V. II, and v. 81 and 32 was as punishment for
the sin the King, Solomon, had committed and here
when the prophet comes to prohibit them from
fighting with their brethren, he says simply, with
out giving any reason why they should not ight !
but because " this thing comes from me, saith the
Lord.D


But before we explain the above, let us examine |
and consider if we are right in the cause which !
brought US to divide and to separate ourselves from
the North, which is the slavery question.


The first place that we find in the Bible that Abra
ham had slaves, is Genesis II, v. l6 that he had /
man and maid servants. Chapter IL, verses u and I
l3 declare plainly that the Almighty allowed slave
~, not only to Abraham, but to all generations
after him. He says, che that is born in thy house
and he that is bought with money of any stranger
which is not of thy seed;' and why should be buy
a stranger with his money if not to be his slave.


In Genesis q, v Sc, we find that Abraham gave
all he had, even his men and maid servants to his
sen Isaac. And in Genesis 26, verses II and 49, we
find that Isaac had slaves. And in Genesis go v 49,
and more places, we find that Jacob also brought
slaves with him from PAdanaram, and no where do
we find that God reproved them TOR this thing, or
prohibited them from doing so.


That It was customary among the ancients to buy /
and sell slaves we learn from the history of Joseph
with his brethren. II


Especially when we read the ten commandments
where he says, Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy,n there He prohibits even our man or
maid SERVANT suOulO rest anu not DO any
work like we ourselves, and certainly He means ,
there such man and maid servants as are bondman,
not hired ones since according to our law to hired
servants, we are only commanded not to make them
do our work, but if they go out in the time when
they have nothing to do for u.s. and work for them
selves, we have no control or power to hinder them
from working, if the work is not ours and not for
u.s. Indeed il seems TO be a strong and & true I
proof that slavery is allowed by the Almighty.


Besides in Leviticus, XIV We. 44S46, where the {
Al
Dondman or bondmaid which will be of the other !
nations from around you, them ye shall keep as an
Inheritance for your children after you to inherit
hem for possession, they shall be your bondmen I
forever" i


Many more proofs could be given from Holy :
Scripture. but it will take too much time to men
ion all. From all that is said we can easily and I
dearly see that we are right in course, and we
nay do so. q


Now let us see. the ten tribes, before they sepa-
ated themselves from the two, came to the king, I
eggiHg and asking him saying, thy father made our
oke grieYous now, therefore, make thou the griaY \
us service of thy father and his heavy yoke which
put upon US lighter and we will serve thee. But
s the king answered them that instead of making 4
heir yoke lighter he would make it yet heavier STILL Il
hey went cut of the union and so they became | n
ingdom for themselves. -
The king, in order to bring again the tribes to q
i'm, assembled all his forces to go and fight with "
hem then the profit came in the name of God TO =
be king and all Judah and Benjamin. saying, r
Ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren
he children of Israel" But there might have beeB
Ome amonst them who might think, if the Almighty o.
rohibited to bring them back to union by force
lay be we can use some other means to re unite 4;
hem, as making peace through the power of lans "
usge, as we know here in our case, that many 8 q,
me South Carolina wished to 60 out of the Unicn ~
ut through persuading and influence of the great "
len, such Henry Clay and others, she remained ca
the Union till now. Therefore, he says, return ls
very to his house, that is to say, means in
all either force peaceable things for this thing N
from me, and this is my will, and so it must be W
For, let US see accordingly understand from til
rupture, the cause why they should become to be W
70 kingdoms, was kAown to none, only to Solomon in
one, and to Jerobosm, the prophet Ahijah, the qU
lilonte found him in the way, and they two wCre If
one in the field and after he knew ALL that the sh
ngdom of Isreal would be divided, and he him w
If would become the king the ten tribes yet IN
came himself to Rehobosm asking him if he tn
ould make their yoke lighter, and then he would tn
rye them. But as the will of God was that they So
ust be divided into two He put It into the heart an