Before this one saying, the cruelties and infamous customs of ancient society, not mentioned by the Apostles, have successively succumbed; before this one saying, the modern family has been formed; before this one saying, American slavery will disappear as European slavery has disappeared already.  With this saying, we are all advancing, we are learning, and we shall continue to learn.  Yes, the time will come, I am convinced, when we shall see new duties rise up before us, when we cannot with a clear conscience maintain customs, what, I know not, which we maintain conscientiously to-day.

This carries us somewhat further, it must be granted, than a list of fixed duties ne varietur; it opposes slavery in a different manner than a sentence pronounced once for all.  The Gospel took the surest means of overthrowing it when, letting alone the reform of institutions, it contented itself with pursuing that of sentiments; when it thus prepared the time when the slaveholder himself would be forced to ask what is contained in the inexhaustible saying:  “What ye would that men should do unto you, do ye also unto them.”  Even in the heart of the Southern States, despite the triple covering of habits, prejudices, and interests, this saying is making its way, and is disturbing the consciences of the people much more than is generally believed.  And the work that it has begun it will finish; it will force the planters to translate the word SLAVERY, to consider one by one the abominable practices which constitute it.  Is it to do to others as we would that they should do to us, to sell a family at retail?  To maintain laws which give over every slave, whether wife or maiden, to her owner, whatever he may be, and which take away from this maiden, from this wife, the right of remembering her modesty and her duties—­what do Christians call this?  To produce marketable negroes, to dissolve marriages, to ordain adulteries, to inflict ignoble punishment, to interdict instruction—­is this doing to others what we would that they should do to us?

The Christian sense of right is relentless, thank God; it does not suffer itself to be deceived by appearances; where we dispute about words, it forces us to go to facts.  Now, look at the facts which are really in question in America, when the great subject of slavery is discussed there theoretically.  Against the great evangelical system of morality, the Judaical interpretations of such or such a text have little chance.  The epistle of Paul, sending back to Philemon his fugitive slave Onesimus, is quoted to us.  Assuredly, the Apostle pronounces in it no anathema against slavery, nor does he exact enfranchisement; these ideas were unknown to him; but he says:  “I beseech thee for my son whom I have begotten in my bonds, whom I have sent again:  thou therefore receive him, that is my own bowels.  Without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.  For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved.  Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do also more than I say.”