[Footnote C:  John vii. 17.]

And what shall we say of the Golden Rule, which, according to the Savior, comprehends all the precepts of the Bible?  “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

According to this maxim, in human consciousness, universally, may be found, 1.  The standard whereby, in all the relations and circumstances of life, we may determine what Heaven demands and expects of us. 2.  The just application of this standard, is practicable for, and obligatory upon, every child of Adam. 3.  The qualification requisite to a just application of this rule to all the cases in which we can be concerned, is simply this—­to regard all the members of the human family as our brethren, our equals.

In other words, the Savior here teaches us, that in the principles and laws of reason, we have an infallible guide in all the relations and circumstances of life; that nothing can hinder our following this guide, but the bias of selfishness; and that the moment, in deciding any moral question, we place ourselves in the room of our brother, before the bar of reason, we shall see what decision ought to be pronounced.  Does this, in the Savior, look like fleeing self-evident truths!—­like decrying the authority of general principles!—­like exalting himself at the expense of reason!—­like opening a refuge in the Gospel for those whose practice is at variance with the dictates of humanity!

What then is the just application of the Golden Rule—­that fundamental maxim of the Gospel, giving character to, and shedding light upon, all its precepts and arrangements—­to the subject of slavery?—­that we must “do to” slaves as we would be done by, AS SLAVES, the RELATION itself being justified and continued?  Surely not.  A little reflection will enable us to see, that the Golden Rule reaches farther in its demands, and strikes deeper in its influences and operations.  The natural equality of mankind lies at the very basis of this great precept.  It obviously requires every man to acknowledge another self in every other man.  With my powers and resources, and in my appropriate circumstances, I am to recognize in any child of Adam who may address me, another self in his appropriate circumstances and with his powers and resources.  This is the natural equality of mankind; and this the Golden Rule requires us to admit, defend, and maintain.

“WHY DO YE NOT UNDERSTAND MY SPEECH; EVEN BECAUSE YE CAN NOT HEAR MY WORD.”

They strangely misunderstand and grossly misrepresent this doctrine, who charge upon it the absurdities and mischiefs which any “levelling system" can not but produce.  In all its bearings, tendencies, and effects, it is directly contrary and powerfully hostile to any such system.  EQUALITY OF RIGHTS, the doctrine asserts; and this necessarily opens the way for variety of condition.  In other