Part 25
We are acquainted with many of the leading Abolitionists of the North connected with the Methodist Church; and although we suppose they are about as good as the Abolitionists of other denominations we have no confidence in them. The most of them would enter their fine churches on the Sabbath, preach for hours against the sin of slavery, shed their tears over the oppressions of the "servile progeny of Ham," in these Southern States; and on the next day, in a purely business transaction, behind a counter, or in the settlement of an account, cheat a Southern slave out of the _pewter_ that ornaments the head of his cane!
There is much in the political papers of the country calculated, if not intended, to fan a flame of intense warfare upon the subject of slavery, which can result in no possible good to any one. Those politicians who are exciting the whole country, and fanning society into a livid consuming flame, particularly at the North, have no sympathies for the black man, and care nothing for his comfort. They only seek their own glory. This political disquiet and commotion is giving birth to new and loftier schemes of agitation and disunion, among the vile Abolitionists of the country, and to bold and hazardous enterprises in the States and Territories. And many of our Southern altars smoke with the vile incense of Abolitionism. We have scores of Abolitionists in the South, in disguise--designing men--some filling our pulpits--some occupying high positions in our colleges--some editing political and religious papers--some selling goods--and some following one calling and some another, who, though among us, are not of us, Southern men may rest assured!
We endorse, without reserve, that much-abused sentiment of a distinguished South Carolina statesmen, now no more, that "slavery is the corner-stone of our republican edifice;" while we repudiate, as ridiculously absurd, that much-lauded, but nowhere-accredited dogma of MR. JEFFERSON, that "all men are born equal." God never intended to make the _butcher_ a judge, nor the _baker_ a president, but to protect them according to their claims as butcher and baker. Pope has beautifully expressed this sentiment, where he has said:
"Order is heaven's first law, and this confessed, _Some are_, and _must be_, greater than the rest."
We have gone among the free negroes at the North--we have visited their miserable dwellings in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other points; and, in every instance, we have found them more miserable and destitute, as a whole, than the slave population of the South. In our Southern States, where negroes have been set at liberty, in nine cases out of ten their conditions have been made worse; while the most wretched, indolent, immoral, and dishonest class of persons to be found in the Southern States, are _free persons of color_.
The freedom of negroes in even the Northern States, is, in all respects, only an empty name. The citizen negro does not vote, and takes good care not to do so. The law does not interdict him this privilege, but if he attempt to avail himself of the privilege, he is apprehensive of "apostolic blows and kicks," which the pious Abolitionists will administer to him. All the social advantages, all the respectable employments, all the honors, and even the pleasures of life, are denied the free negroes of the North, by citizens full of sympathy for the down-trodden African! The negro cannot get into an omnibus, cannot enter a bar-room frequented by whites, nor a church, nor a theatre; nor can he enter the cabin of a steamboat, in one of the Northern rivers or lakes, or enter a first class passenger car on one of their railroads. They are not suffered to enter a stage-coach with whites, but are forced upon the deck, whether it shall rain or shine--whether it be hot or cold. Industry is closed to them, and they are forced to live as _servants_ in hotels, or adopt the professions of barber, or boot-black, or open oysters in saloons, or sell villainous liquors to the lower classes of German and Irish emigrants, who throng our large cities and towns. The negroes even have their _own streets_, and their own low-down kennels; they have their hospitals, their churches, their cars, upon which are written in large letters, "FOR COLORED PEOPLE!" Finally, they are forced to have their own _grave-yards_--the _yellow_ remains of Northern Abolitionists, and pious white men, refusing to mingle with the bleeching bones of the dead negro! While, in the South, they crowd the galleries and back seats in our churches, travel in our passenger cars, and even _loan their money_ to our white men at interest! Such is an outline of the contrast between free negroes at the North, and slaves at the South.
Let us turn again to the Holy Scriptures, and see whether or not they sustain or condemn the institution of slavery. The opposers of slavery profess to be governed alone by the teachings of the Bible, in their war upon this institution. It is vain to look to Christ or any of his apostles to justify the blasphemous perversions of the word of God, continually paraded before the world by these graceless agitators. Although slavery in its most revolting forms was everywhere visible around them, no visionary notions of piety or schemes of philanthropy ever tempted either Christ or one of his apostles to gainsay the LAW, even to mitigate the cruel severity of the slavery system then existing. On the contrary, finding slavery _established by law_, as well as an _inevitable and necessary consequence_, growing out of the condition of human society, their efforts were to sustain the institution. Hence, St. Paul actually apprehended a "_fugitive slave_," and sent him back to his lawful owner and earthly master!
Having already appealed to the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures, we turn to that of the New, where we learn that slavery existed in the earliest days of the Christian Church, and that both _masters_ and _slaves_ were members of the same Christian congregations. Slavery was an institution of the State in the Roman Empire, as it is in the Southern States of this confederacy, and the apostles did not feel at liberty to denounce it, if, indeed, they felt the least opposition to it--a thing we deny.
But, before we appeal to the irresistible authority of the New Testament, we will submit a few only of a great many passages from the Old Testament--not having quoted as extensively as may have been deemed necessary:
"And he said, I _am_ Abraham's servant."--GEN. xxiv. 34.
"And there was of the house of Saul a _servant_, whose name was Ziba; and when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, _Thy servant is he_."--2 SAM. ix. 2.
"Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's _servant_, and said unto him, I have given unto thy _master's_ son all that pertained to Saul, and to all his house."--Verse 9th.
"Thou, therefore, and thy sons, and thy _servants_, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in _the fruits_, that thy _master's_ son may have food to eat, &c. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and TWENTY SERVANTS."--Verse 10th.
"I got me _servants_ and maidens, and had _servants born in my house_; also, I had great possessions of great and small cattle, above all that were in Jerusalem before me."--ECCLES. ii. 7.
"And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? And she said, I flee from the face of my _mistress_ Sarai."--GEN. xvi. 8.
"And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, _Return to thy mistress_, and submit thyself to her hands."--Verse 9th.
The only comments we have to offer upon these passages are, first, one individual acknowledges himself the owner of twenty slaves! Another was raising slaves, and having them born in his house!! And last, but not least, the angel of God ordered the fugitive slave to return to her lawful owner!! High authority, this, for apprehending runaway slaves!
In reference to bad servants, we read in Prov. xxix. 19:
"A servant will not be corrected by _words_; for though he understand, he will not answer."
The Scriptures look to the correction of servants, and really enjoin it, as they do in the case of children. We esteem it the duty of Christian masters to feed and clothe well, and in cases of disobedience to _whip well_.
In the book of Joel, iii. 8, the _slave trade_ is recognized as of Divine authority:
"And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the land of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off; FOR THE LORD HATH SPOKEN IT!"
"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called, being _a servant_? Care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being _a servant_, is the Lord's freeman; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant."--1 Cor. vii. 20-22.
"_Servants_, be obedient to them that are your _masters according to the flesh_, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good-will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, _ye masters_, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven: neither is there respect of persons with him."--Eph. vi. 5-9.
"_Servants_, obey in all things your _masters according to the flesh_: not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men: knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ."--Col. iii. 22-25.
"_Masters_, give unto _your servants_ that which is just and equal: knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven."--Col. iv. 1.
"Let as many _servants as are under the yoke_ count their _own masters_ worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have _believing masters_, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort."--1 Tim. vi. 1, 2.
"Exhort _servants_ to be obedient unto their _own masters_, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."--Titus ii. 9, 10.
"_Servants_, be subject to _your masters_ with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."--1 Peter ii. 18, 19.
We have but a single word of comment to offer upon these passages of Scripture. The original words used by the Greek writers, both sacred and profane, to express slave; the most abject condition of slavery; to express the absolute owner of a slave, and the absolute control of a slave, are the strongest that the language affords, and are used in the passages here quoted. If the apostles understood the common use of words, and desired to convey these ideas, and to recognize the relations of master and servant, they would, naturally enough, employ the very words used. To say that they did not know the primary meaning and _usus loquendi_ of the original words, is paying them a compliment we wish not to participate in! And to show that we are not singular in our views of the meaning expressed in the passages quoted, showing that they express in the one case slaves, and in the other masters or owners, actually holding them as property, under the sanction of the laws of the State, we quote from the following authorities:
That great commentator, Dr. ADAM CLARKE, on 1 Cor. vii. 21, says:
"Art thou converted to Christ while thou art a slave--the property of another person, and bought with his money? _Care not for it._"
The learned Dr. Neander, in his work entitled "Planting and Training of the Church," in referring to _Onesimus_, mentioned in the epistle to Philemon, says of him:
"It does not appear to be surprising that a _runaway slave_ should betake himself at once to Rome."
To the foregoing might be added other authorities of equal weight and importance.
It is a well-known historical fact, that slaveholders were admitted into the APOSTOLIC CHURCHES; nor would this assumed position of the advocates of slavery be at all denied by any intelligent and well-read men at the North, but for the fact that they think such an admission would decide the question against abolitionists. We have given much attention to this subject within ten years past, and we feel no sort of delicacy in expressing our views and convictions, as revolting as they may be to Northern men and Free-soilers, even among us. We believe that the primitive Christians held slaves in bondage, and that the apostles favored slavery, by admitting slaveholders into the Church, and by promoting them to official stations in the Church. And why do we believe all this? Because we are sustained in these positions by uninterrupted historical testimony!
Well, for the information of abolitionists and other anti-slavery men dispersed throughout the South, we assume that the fact of the apostles admitting into Church fellowship slaveholders, and promoting them to positions of honor and trust, shows that the simple relation of master and slave was no bar to Church-membership. Masters and slaves, in the days of the apostles, were admitted into the Church as brethren: they partook in common of the benefits of the Church: they held to the same religious principles: they squared their lives by the same rule of conduct: acknowledged the same obligations one to another; and worshipped at the same altar. This was true of the first and succeeding centuries, when the relations of master and slave, and the practice of the Church in reference thereto, were very much like they are in the Southern States of our Union at present. But to the proof that slaveholders were admitted into the apostolic Churches:
1. Historians all agree that slavery existed, and was general throughout the Roman empire, at the time the apostolic Churches were instituted. We have at our command the authorities to prove this, but to quote from them would swell this discourse beyond what we have intended. We will cite the authorities only; and anti-slavery men who deny our position can examine our authorities. See Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," vol. i. See "Inquiry into Roman Slavery, by Wm. Blair," Edinburgh edition of 1833. See vol. iv. of "Lardner's Works," page 213. See vol. i. of "Dr. Robertson's Works," London edition. Other authorities might be given, but these are sufficient, as they show that slavery was a civil institution of the State; that the Roman laws regarded slaves as _property_, at the disposal of their masters; that these slaves, whether white or colored, had no civil existence or rights, and contended for none; and that there were _three slaves to one citizen_--showing something of a similarity between the Roman empire and our Southern States! Gibbon says that slavery existed in "every province and every family," and that they were bought and sold according to their capacities for usefulness, and the demand for laborers--selling at hundreds of dollars, and from that down to the price of a beast of burden! Now, it is notorious that the gospel made considerable progress among the citizens of the Roman empire; and, as nearly every family owned slaves, it is certain that slaveholders were converted and admitted into the Church. It will not do to say that the poor, including the slaves, were alone converted to God, because the apostles make frequent allusions to the receiving into the Church of intelligent, learned, and opulent persons. The learned DR. MOSHEIM, in his Church History, vol. i., relating to the _first three centuries_, settles this question most effectually. He says:
"The apostles, in their writings, prescribe rules for the conduct of the rich as well as the poor, for _masters_ as well as _servants_--a convincing proof that among the members of the Church planted by them were to be found persons of opulence and masters of families. St. Paul and St. Peter admonished Christian women not to study the adorning of themselves with pearls, with gold and silver, or costly array. 1 Tim. ii. 9: 1 Peter iii. 3. It is, therefore, plain that there must have been women possessed of wealth adequate to the purchase of bodily ornaments of great price. From 1 Tim. vi. 20, and Col. ii. 8, it is manifest that among the first converts to Christianity there were men of learning and philosophers; for, if the wise and the learned had unanimously rejected the Christian religion, what occasion could there have been for this caution? 1 Cor. i. 26 unquestionably carries with it the plainest intimation that persons of rank or power were not wholly wanting in that assembly. Indeed, lists of the names of various illustrious persons who embraced Christianity, in its weak and infantile state, are given by Blondel, p. 235 de Episcopis et Presbyteris: also by Wetstein, in his Preface to Origen's Dia. Con. Mar., p. 13."
A few reflections, by way of concluding, and we are through with our discourse, already extended beyond the limits we had prescribed:
_First._--There is not a single passage in the New Testament, nor a single act in the records of the Church, during her early history, for even centuries, containing any direct, professed, or intended denunciation of slavery. But the apostles found the institution existing, under the authority and sanction of law; and, in their labors among the people, masters and slaves bowed at the same altar, communed at the some table, and were taken into the Church together; while they exhorted the one to treat the other as became the gospel, and the other to obedience and honesty, that their religious professions might not be evil spoken of!
_Secondly._--The early Church not only admitted the existence of slavery, but in various ways, by her teachings and discipline, expressed her approbation of it, enforcing the observance of certain Fugitive Slave Laws which had been enacted by the State. And, in the various acts of the Church, from the times of the apostles downward through several centuries, she enacted laws and adopted regulations touching the duties of masters and slaves, _as such_. This, in our humble judgment, amounts to a justification and defence of the institution of slavery.
_Thirdly._--Our investigations of this subject have led us regularly, gradually, certainly, to the conclusion that God intended the relation of master and slave to exist. Hence, when God opened the way for the organization of the Church, the apostles and first teachers of Christianity found slavery _incorporated with every department of society_; and, in the adoption of rules for the government of the members of the Church, they provided for the rights of owners, and the wants of slaves.
_Fourthly._--Slavery, in the age of the apostles, had so penetrated society, and was so intimately interwoven with it, that a religion preaching freedom to the slave would have arrayed against it the civil authorities, armed against itself the whole power of the State, and destroyed the usefulness of its preachers. St. Paul knew this, and did not assail the institution of slavery, but labored to get both masters and slaves to heaven, as all ministers should do in our day.
_Fifthly._--Slavery having existed ever since the first organization of the Church, the Scriptures clearly teach that it will exist even to the end of time. Rev. vi. 12-17 points to "The Day of Judgment," "The Last Day," "The Great Day," and the condition of the human race at that time, as well as the classes of persons to be judged, rewarded, and punished! A portion of this text reads, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every BONDMAN, and every FREEMAN," etc., will be there; evidently implying that slavery will exist, and that the relations of master and slave will be recognized, to the end of time!