cases.  A master beats his servant so that he dies of his wounds; another accidentally strikes out his servant’s tooth,—­the pecuniary loss of both masters is the same.  If the loss of the servant’s services is punishment sufficient for the crime of killing him, would God command the same punishment for the accidental knocking out of a tooth?  Indeed, unless the injury was done inadvertently, the loss of the servant’s services was only a part of the punishment—­mere reparation to the individual for injury done; the main punishment, that strictly judicial, was reparation to the community.  To set the servant free, and thus proclaim his injury, his right to redress, and the measure of it—­answered not the ends of public justice.  The law made an example of the offender, that “those that remain might hear and fear.”  “If a man cause a blemish in his neighbor, as he hath done, so shall it be done unto him.  Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.  Ye shall have one manner of law as well for the STRANGER as for one of your own country.”  Lev. xxiv. 19, 20, 22.  Finally, if a master smote out his servant’s tooth, the law smote out his tooth—­thus redressing the public wrong; and it cancelled the servant’s obligation to the master, thus giving some compensation for the injury done, and exempting him from perilous liabilities in future.

OBJECTION III. “Both thy bondmen and bondmaids which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you, of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.  Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land, and they shall be your possession.  And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen forever.” Lev. xxv. 44-46.

The points in these verses, urged as proof, that the Mosaic system sanctioned slavery, are 1.  The word “BONDMEN.” 2.  “BUY.” 3.  “INHERITANCE AND POSSESSION.” 4.  “FOREVER.”

We will now ascertain what sanction to slavery is derivable from these terms.

1.  “BONDMEN.”  The fact that servants from the heathen are called “bondmen,” while others are called “servants,” is quoted as proof that the former were slaves.  As the caprices of King James’ translators were not inspired, we need stand in no special awe of them.  The word here rendered bondmen is uniformly rendered servants elsewhere.  The Hebrew word “ebedh,” the plural of which is here translated “bondmen,” is often applied to Christ.  “Behold my servant (bondman, slave?) whom I uphold.”  Isa. xlii. 1.  “Behold my servant (Christ) shall deal prudently.”  Isa. lii. 13.  “And he said it is a light thing that thou (Christ) shouldst be my servant.”  Isa. xlix. 6.  “To a servant of rulers.”