be perpetuated for the best interests of society. It is clear, that the most rigid application of the principles of the gospel will destroy nothing that is good, and that it will interfere with no desirable relation in society. It makes war only on evil; its tendency is to remove only that which is sinful. Regarding the gospel as a system of truth revealed from heaven, all that is necessary to prove that any thing is wrong, is to show that the fair application of the gospel would abolish it. It makes no difference as to this point, whether it be by a gradual process, or whether it would do it immediately; whether it would be by effecting a change in the laws, or by acting directly on the individual consciences of those who are guilty of the wrong; the fact that the gospel would abolish its existence, proves that it is wrong. The Christian religion disturbs nothing that is good; it destroys no relation which it is desirable should be perpetuated for the best interests of man. All the arguments, therefore, in the Princeton Repertory, and elsewhere, in favour of slavery, when the admission is made that the gospel would abolish it, are grossly inconsistent. At one moment it is maintained that it is not condemned in the Bible; that slavery has been countenanced in all ages; that it is not to be regarded as per se an evil; that it is wrong for ecclesiastical bodies to legislate on it; that slaves may be held with propriety by Christian ministers and by other Christians; that the war which Christianity makes on it is not on the system, but the abuses of the system'-the unjust and oppressive laws on the subject;* and at another, it is admitted, in the clearest manner, that the fair application of the Christian religion would bring the system' SPEEDILY' to an end,—as if the gospel would abolish any thing that is good and right. If Christianity would bring it to an end, there must be some reason why it would; and the only reason that can be assigned as drawn from the nature of Christianity is, that

* Princeton Repertory, April, 1836, pp. 302, 303.

it is contrary to the will of God, and a thing that is morally wrong.

It is a fair conclusion, therefore, that if Christianity would abolish slavery, it is sinful. It demonstrates the point before us, that it is contrary to the Bible, and cannot be defended from the word of God. To show that it is not contrary to the Bible, it should be maintained that, under the fair operation of Christianity, the system would be extended and perpetuated; and that the best way to keep it up on the earth would be to promulgate the principles of the Christian religion as plainly and as extensively as possible. There are few men, it is to be presumed, who would be disposed to take that ground.

The force of the argument here referred to may be seen by applying it to two classes of objects.

(a) There are things, indubitably, which the application of Christianity would bring to an end, and which, wherever it has prevailed, have been abolished. Such, for example, are polygamy, gladiatorial shows, intemperance, concubinage, profaneness, piracy, highway robbery, duelling, fraud, licentiousness of manners. Christianity has brought them to an end, because they are wrong; and the fact that it has done so, proves that they are wrong. If it would also abolish slavery, would it not prove that it is to be classed with the same evils as those just referred to? Is it the tendency of the system to abolish alike the evil and the good? Is it a fountain which at the same place sends forth sweet water and bitter?'— James iii. 11.

(b) There are things which it would not abolish; which it has no tendency to abolish, but which it only confirms in their influence. Such are the relations of the marriage covenant; of parent and child; of brothers and sisters; of neighbours and friends. The most rigid application of the principles of Christianity would do nothing to abolish the relations of husband and wife in a community, or those of parent and child. The Christian system would only perpetuate and do honour to those relations; nor is it possible to conceive that the time will

ever come, under the application of Christianity, when they will cease in the world. Does not this prove that they have the sanction of God, and are designed to be perpetuated for the good of man? And if the relation of master and slave had equally the sanction of God, would not the fair application of Christianity be to extend and perpetuate it also? Why should it perpetuate the one and abolish the other?

These considerations seem to me to be conclusive proof that Christianity was not designed to extend and perpetuate slavery, but that the spirit of the Christian religion is against it; and that the fair application of the Christian religion would remove it from the world, BECAUSE it is an evil, and is displeasing to God.

CONCLUSION.

I HAVE thus gone through with the subject which I proposed to examine-the scriptural argument on the subject of slavery. There is another line of argument on the subject which might be pursued, in order to confirm the views which have been taken, derived from the working of the system. This would consist of an examination of the bearing of the system on the various questions pertaining to agriculture, commerce, arts, manufactures, education, morals, and political prosperity. It would be easy, on these points, to show that there is not a valuable interest of society which does not suffer from the influence of slavery, and that our own country, in the comparative increase and prosperity of the free and slave states, furnishes abundant illustration of this truth. This course of argument would be proper, in accordance with the object which I proposed, only as it would be a confirmation of the views taken in interpreting the Bible. If the teachings of the Bible are against the system; if in the word of God it is not regarded as a good and desirable institution; if it appears from the Scriptures that it was not his intention that it should be perpetuated; and if the fair application of the Christian principles would be to abolish it, it may be presumed that these views would find confirmation in the events of his Providence; and that in respect to those things on which the best interests of society depend, and which will enter into its highest condition, those portions of the world where slavery prevails will be found to be falling behind those which are free from it. This argument might be pursued at length,

and with the clearest demonstration. With certain classes of minds it would have more force than any thing which I have advanced. But it does not fall directly within my design in ascertaining the true sense of the Bible on the subject,

I have not thought it necessary for me, in this argument, to go into any examination of the question in what way our country can be delivered from this great evil, or what is the duty of those who now hold slaves who would be desirous of dissolving all connection with the system, or what is their duty in seeking the modification of the laws on the subject. There is one great preliminary matter first to be settled, and that is, to secure the conviction everywhere, in the church and out of it, that slavery is evil, and only evil; that it is contrary to the spirit of the Bible; that the fair influence of the Christian religion would be to bring it to an end; and that it is a system which cannot be defended by any fair and honest interpretation of the word of God. The examination which I have pursued has conducted us, if I mistake not, to the conclusion that slavery cannot rest for its support on the teachings of the Bible. The fair influence of the Bible; the application of the principles of the Christian religion, would bring the system to a 'speedy' end. This is felt everywhere at the North; and is probably felt in the consciences of the great majority of persons at the South. Few men, even there, would have the boldness to undertake to maintain that the Bible sanctions the system of American slavery, as it is. The great mass of the friends of religion there would admit that the mild and gentle influence of Christianity would bring it to an end. Thousands of Christians there, I doubt not, are looking forward to the time when this shall be accomplished, and are praying most sincerely that the gospel may be so applied to all classes there-to the master and the servant; to the legislators and the people; to the churches and the community at large-that the evils of this system may be ultimately