“True, its very nature partakes of our fallen condition; it is not a paradisiacal institution; it is not good in itself; it is an accompaniment of the loss which we have incurred by sin.  In that light it is proper to speak of the Most High as adapting his legislation to the depraved condition of man; but that is no more true of slavery than of redemption; everything in the treatment of us by the Almighty is an exponent of our departure from our first estate.”

“Now,” said Mrs. North, “all this is a relief to me; for I have always been sorely tried by remarks seemingly impugning the divine wisdom and goodness, whenever slavery in the Bible has been under discussion.”

“Please give us an outline,” said Mr. North, “of the Hebrew legislation on this subject.”  He handed me a Bible.

“I will try and not be tedious,” said I, “and will repeat to you in few words the principal points of the Hebrew Code, with regard to involuntary servitude.

* * * * *

“Slavery is the first thing named in the law given at Sinai, after the moral law and a few simple directions as to altars.  This is noticeable.  In the twenty-first chapter of Exodus, and in the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, we find the Hebrew slave-code.  The following is a summary of it:—­

“1.  Hebrews themselves might be bought and sold by Hebrews; but for six years only, at farthest.  If the jubilee year occurred at any time during these six years, it cut short the term of service.

“2.  Hebrew paupers were an exception to this rule.  They could be retained till the year of jubilee next ensuing.

“3.  Hebrew servants, married in servitude, if they went out free in the seventh, or in the jubilee year, must go out alone, leaving their wives which their masters had given them, and their children by these wives, (if any,) behind them, as their masters’ possession.  If, however, they chose to remain with their wives and children, the ear of the servant was bored with an awl to the door-post, and his servitude became perpetual.

“4.  Hebrew servants might also, from love to their masters, in like manner and by the same ceremony, become servants forever.

“5.  Strangers and sojourners among the Hebrews, ‘waxing rich,’ were allowed to buy Hebrews who were ‘waxen poor,’ and who were at liberty to sell themselves to these sojourners or to the family of these strangers.  The jubilee year, however, terminated this servitude.  The price of sale was graduated according to the number of years previous to the jubilee year.  The kindred of the servant had the right of redeeming him, the price being regulated in the same way.

“6.  In all these cases in which Hebrews were bought and sold, there were special injunctions that they should not be treated ‘with rigor,’ the reason assigned by the Most High being substantially the same in all cases, namely, ’For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt:  I am the Lord your God.’