The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus eBook

American Anti-Slavery Society
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 3,526 pages of information about The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus.

The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus eBook

American Anti-Slavery Society
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 3,526 pages of information about The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus.
the contents of every tent, little heeding such small matters as domestic privacy, or female seclusion, for lo! the zeal of his “IMAGES” had eaten him up!  No wonder that slavery, in its Bible-navigation, drifting dismantled before the free gusts, should scud under the lee of such a pious worthy to haul up and refit:  invoking his protection, and the benediction of his “GODS!” “Again, it may be objected that, servants were enumerated in inventories of property.  If that proves servants property, it proves wives property.  “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s WIFE, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.”  Ex. xx. 17.  In inventories of mere property if servants are included, it is in such a way, as to show that they are not regarded as property.  See Eccl. ii. 7, 8.  But when the design is to show not merely the wealth, but the greatness of any personage, servants are spoken of, as well as property.  In a word, if riches alone are spoken of, no mention is made of servants; if greatness, servants and property.  Gen. xiii. 2.  “And Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.”  So in the fifth verse, “And Lot also had flocks, and herds, and tents.”  In the seventh verse servants are mentioned, “And there was a strife between the HERDMEN of Abraham’s cattle and the HERDMEN of Lot’s cattle.”  See also Josh. xxii. 8; Gen. xxxiv. 23; Job xlii. 12; 2 Chron. xxi. 3; xxxii. 27-29; Job i. 3-5; Deut. viii. 12-17; Gen. xxiv. 35, xxvi. 13, xxx. 43.  Jacobs’s wives say to him, “All the riches which thou hast taken from our father that is ours and our children’s.”  Then follows an inventory of property.  “All his cattle,” “all his goods,” “the cattle of his getting.”  He had a large number of servants at the time but they are not included with his property.  Comp.  Gen. xxx. 43, with Gen. xxxi. 16-18.  When he sent messengers to Esau, wishing to impress him with an idea of his state and sway, he bade them tell him not only of his RICHES, but of his GREATNESS; that Jacob had “oxen, and asses, and flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants.”  Gen. xxxii. 4, 5.  Yet in the present which he sent, there were no servants; though he seems to have sought as much variety as possible.  Gen. xxxii. 14, 15; see also Gen. xxxvi. 6, 7; Gen. xxxiv. 23.  As flocks and herds were the staples of wealth, a large number of servants presupposed large possessions of cattle, which would require many herdsmen.  When servants are spoken of in connection with mere property, the terms used to express the latter do not include the former.  The Hebrew word Mikne, is an illustration.  It is derived from Kana, to procure, to buy, and its meaning is, a possession, wealth, riches.  It occurs more than forty times in the Old Testament, and is applied always to mere property, generally to domestic animals,
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The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Omnibus from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.