scourged, and driven to work with a club or cowhide? But this is the kind of treatment which many of his disciples receive, and this too from those who claim to be their Christian pastors, and their brethren in the Lord! And these are they

who tell us, 66

Christ never said anything against slavery ! 11. To preach deliverance to the captives.

Though these words primarily refer to the spiritual deliverance which the gospel effects for sinners, who have been slaves to sin, yet it is a fact that the Christian religion does tend to promote the civil liberties of all nations where it is permitted to operate without restraint. Hence, in about three centuries after the birth of Christ, slavery was abolished throughout the Roman empire. Christianity has since abolished slavery in France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Prussia, Austria, Germany, and throughout the dominions of Great Britain; and in a word, America is the only civilized Christian nation, where slavery is permitted to exist! And yet, we are the people to reproach other nations for their tyrannies, and to boast of our freedom and our republican laws and institutions ! 12. The acceptable year of the Lord.

That is, the year of jubilee; as the Jews believed, their year of jubilee was typical of the redemption which was to be accomplished by the Messiah; and to this usage among the Jews the last clause of this text undoubtedly refers.

13. Beware of covetousness.

Beware of an eager, inordinate desire of that which be longs to another. If that is not covetousness which leads one to take possession of the liberty of his innocent fellow creatures, and to use their services without paying them wages for their labor, what is it? And covetousness, the apostle informs us, is idolatry. Col. iii, 5.

14. As I have loved you.

And how can the system of slave-holding stand in the pre

sence of these words? This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. That is, you should love one another as really and as sincerely in your sphere as I have loved you in mine. It is not doubted but that some slave-holders may covet the liberty and labor of the slaves enough to risk their lives in the support of a system by which they can deprive them of these blessings, but does any enslaver love his slaves enough to lay down his life for him? Nay, does he love them enough to restore to them those blessings and rights of which he has so unjustly deprived them? Let the following fact speak on this subject it was narrated by the Rev. M. B. Cox, late Missionary to Liberia, in one of the public papers, soon after the event occurred.

After the insurrection in Southampton, Va., which took place a few years ago, a slave-holder went into the woods in quest of some of the insurgents, accompanied by a faithful slave, who had been the means of saving his life in the time of the massacre. After they had been some time in the woods, the slave handed his musket to his master, informing him at the same time that he could not live a slave any longer, and requesting him either to shoot him upon the spot, or set him free. The master took the gun from the hands of the slave, levelled it at his breast, and shot the faithful negro through the heart. Thus he was rewarded for his kindness to his master.

15. Healing all that were oppressed of the devil. So, it seems, the devil himself is an oppressor, sinners are his slaves; and, if we may credit the testimony of the Bible on this point, as well as the confessions of many of his faithful servants, he is a most rigorous and unfeeling soul-driver.

Speaking on the subject of slavery, the learned and pious Dr. A. Clarke has expressed himself thus: - "I here register my testimony against the unprincipled, inhuman, antiChristian, and diabolical slave-trade, with all its authors, pro

moters, abettors, and sacrilegious gains, as well as against the great devil, the father of it, and them."

Here the devil is put down as the great father of all slaveholders, slave-dealers, and of all who defend and support the slave-system in any way; and similar language might be quoted from almost every commentator, and Christian writer of any note who has ever lived.

CHAPTER XI.

ST. PAUL.

The Apostle Paul condemns slavery most explicitly, and shows that slave-holding is directly opposed to the spirit and temper of the Christian Religion.

1. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another. Rom. xii, 9.

2. 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 free man; likewise, also, he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant, 1 Cor. vii, 21.

3. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 1 Cor. vii, 23.

4. Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil. 1 Cor. xiii, 4.

5. Charity beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Cor. xiii, 7.

6. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Gal. v, 13.

7. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love. Eph. iv, 1.

8. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Eph. iv, 32.

9. 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. Knowing, that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Eph. vi, 5.

10. 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, 9.

11. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Phil. ii, 3.

12. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just; whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil. iv, 8.

13. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven. Col. iv, 1.

14. Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bond. iv, 3.

Col.

15. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. Acts xxvi, 29.

16. Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have