EXAMINATION
OF GEN. xii. 5.—“THE SOULS THAT THEY
HAD
GOTTEN,”
&c.
SOCIAL EQUALITY OF SERVANTS AND MASTERS,
CONDITION
OF THE GIBEONITES AS SUBJECTS OF THE HEBREW
COMMONWEALTH,
EGYPTIAN BONDAGE CONTRASTED WITH AMERICAN SLAVERY,
CONDITION OF AMERICAN SLAVES,
ILL FED,
ILL CLOTHED,
OVER-WORKED,
THEIR DWELLING UNFIT FOR HUMAN BEINGS,
MORAL CONDITION—“HEATHENS,”
OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED.
“CURSED BE CANAAN,” &c.—EXAMINATION OF GEN. ix. 25,
“FOR HE IS HIS MONEY,” &c.—EXAMINATION OF EX. xxi. 20, 21,
EXAMINATION OF LEV. xxv. 44-46,
“BOTH THY BONDMEN, &c., SHALL BE OF THE HEATHEN,”
“OF THEM SHALL YE BUY,”
“THEY SHALL BE YOUR BONDMEN FOREVER,”
“YE SHALL TAKE THEM AS AN INHERITANCE,” &c.
EXAMINATION OF LEV. xxv. 39,
40.—THE FREEHOLDER NOT TO “SERVE
AS A BOND SERVANT,”
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIRED AND BOUGHT SERVANTS,
BOUGHT SERVANTS THE MOST FAVORED AND HONORED CLASS,
ISRAELITES AND STRANGERS BELONGED TO BOTH CLASSES,
ISRAELITES SERVANTS TO THE STRANGERS,
REASONS
FOR THE RELEASE OF THE ISRAELITISH SERVANTS IN
THE
SEVENTH YEAR,
REASONS FOR ASSIGNING THE STRANGERS TO A LONGER SERVICE,
REASONS FOR CALLING THEM THE SERVANTS,
DIFFERENT
KINDS OF SERVICE ASSIGNED TO THE ISRAELITES
AND
STRANGERS,
REVIEW OF ALL THE CLASSES
OF SERVANTS WITH THE MODIFICATIONS OF
EACH,
POLITICAL DISABILITIES OF THE STRANGERS,
EXAMINATION OF EX. xxi. 2-6.—“IF THOU BUY AN HEBREW SERVANT,”
THE CANAANITES NOT SENTENCED TO UNCONDITIONAL EXTERMINATION,
THE BIBLE AGAINST SLAVERY.
The spirit of slavery never seeks refuge in the Bible of its own accord. The horns of the altar are its last resort—seized only in desperation, as it rushes from the terror of the avenger’s arm. Like other unclean spirits, it “hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest its deeds should be reproved.” Goaded to phrenzy in its conflicts with conscience and common sense, denied all quarter, and hunted from every covert, it vaults over the sacred inclosure and courses up and down the Bible, “seeking rest, and finding none.” THE LAW OF LOVE, glowing on every page, flashes around it an omnipresent anguish and despair. It shrinks from the hated light, and howls under the consuming touch, as demons quailed before the Son of God, and shrieked, “Torment us not.” At last, it slinks away under the types of the Mosaic system, and seeks to burrow out of sight among their shadows. Vain hope! Its asylum is its sepulchre; its city of refuge, the city of destruction. It flies from light into the sun; from heat, into devouring fire; and from the voice of God into the thickest of His thunders.