er, from its inspired pages. With men from
the North, I have observed for many years a palpable ignorance of the
Divine will, in reference to the institution of slavery. I have seen but
a few who made the Bible their study, that had obtained a knowledge of
what it did revea on this subject. Of late their denunciation of
slavery as a sin, is loud and long.

I propose, therefore, to examine the sacred volume briefly, and if I am
not greatly mistaken, I shall be able to make it appear that the
institution of slavery has received, in the first place,

1st. The sanction of the Almighty in the Patriarchal age.

2d. That it was incorporated into the only National Constitution which
ever emanated from God.

3d. That its legality was recognized, and its relative duties regulated,
by Jesus Christ in his kingdom; and

4th. That it is full of mercy.

Before I proceed further, it is necessary that the terms used to
designate the thing, be defined. It is not a name, but a thing, that is
denounced as sinful; because it is supposed to be contrary to, and
prohibited by the Scriptures.

Our translators have used the term servant, to designate a state in
which persons were serving, leaving us to gather the _relation_ between
the party served, and the party rendering the service, from other terms.
The term slave, signifies with us, a definite state, condition, or
relation, which state, condition, or relation, is precisely that one
which is denounced as sinful. This state, condition, or relation, is
that in which one human being is held without his consent, by another,
as property;[229] to be bought, sold, and transferred, together with
increase, as property forever. Now, this precise thing, is denounced by
a portion of the people of these United States, as the greatest
individual and national sin that is among us, and is thought to be so
hateful in the sight of God, as to subject the nation to ruinous
judgments, if it be not removed. Now, I propose to show from the
Scriptures, that this state, condition, or relation, did exist in the
_patriarchal age_, and that the persons most extensively involved in the
sin, if it be a sin, are the very persons who have been singled out by
the Almighty, as the objects of his special regard--whose character and
conduct he has caused to be held up as _models_ for future generations.
Before we conclude slavery to be a thing hateful to God, and a great sin
in his sight, it is proper that we should se