therefore he may by punished, but not with
death. But if the death did not take place for a day or two, then it is
to be _presumed_, that the master only aimed to use the rod, so far as
was necessary to produce subordination, and for this, the law which
allowed him to lay out his money in the slave, would protect him
against all punishment. This is the common-sense principle which has
been adopted substantially in civilized countries, where involuntary
slavery has been instituted, from that day until this. Now, here are
laws that authorize the holding of men and women in bondage, and
chastising them with the rod, with a severity that terminates in death.
And he who believes the Bible to be of divine authority, believes these
laws were given by the Holy Ghost to Moses. I understand modern
abolition sentiments to be sentiments of marked hatred against such
laws; to be sentiments which would hold God himself in abhorrence, if he
were to give such laws his sanction; but he has given them his sanction;
therefore, they must be in harmony with his moral character. Again, the
divine Law-giver, in guarding the property right in slaves among his
chosen people, sanctions principles which may work the separation of man
and wife, father and children. Surely, my reader will conclude, if I
make this good, I shall force a part of the saints of the present day to
blaspheme the God of Israel. All I can say is, truth is mighty, and I
hope it will bring us all to say, let God be true, in settling the true
principles of humanity, and every man a liar who says slavery was
inconsistent with it, in the days of the Mosaic law. Now for the proof:
"If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years shall he serve thee, and in the
seventh he shall go out free for nothing; if he came in by himself, he
shall go out by himself; if he were married, then his wife shall go out
with him; if his master have given him a wife (one of his bond-maids)
and she have borne him sons and daughters, the wife and her children
shall be her master's and he shall go out by himself."--Exod. xxi: 2, 3,
4. Now, the God of Israel gives this man the option of being separated
by the master, from his wife and children, or becoming himself a servant
forever, with a mark of the fact, like our cattle, in the ear, that can
be seen wherever he goes; for it is enacted, "If the servant shall
plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go
out free, then his master shall br