ord of God.

Dr. Wayland forgets that he had himself admitted that the very passage
in question clothed the Hebrews with "the authority to take
slaves."[149] He now, in the face of his own admission, declares that
this language "is clearly prophetic," and tells what _would_ or what
_might_ be, and not what _should_ or what _must_ be." The poor Hebrews,
however, when they took slaves by the authority of a "_thou shalt_" from
the Lord, never imagined that they were merely fulfilling a prophecy,
and committing an abominable sin.

This is clear to Dr. Wayland, if we may trust the last expression of his
opinion. But it is to be regretted, that either the clearness of his
perceptions, or the confidence of his assertions, is so often
disproportioned to the evidence before him. Thus, he says with the most
admirable modesty, "It _seems to me_ that the soul is the most important
part of a human being;"[150] and yet he peremptorily and positively
declares that the very strongest language of authority ever found in
Scripture "is _clearly_ used as prophetic and not mandatory!" He may,
however, well reserve the tone of dogmatic authority for such
propositions, since, if they may not be carried by assertion, they must
be left wholly without the least shadow of support. But one would
suppose that strength of assertion in such cases required for its
unembarrassed utterance no little strength of countenance.

"If any one doubts," says Dr. Wayland, "respecting the bearing of the
Scripture precept upon this case, a few plain questions may throw
additional light upon the subject."[151] Now, if we mistake not, the few
plain questions which he deems so unanswerable may be answered with the
most perfect ease. "Would the master be willing," he asks, "that another
person should subject him to slavery, for the same reasons and on the
same grounds that he holds his slave in bondage?" We answer, No. If any
man should undertake to subject Southern masters to slavery, on the
ground that they are intellectually and morally sunk so low as to be
unfit for freedom or self-control, we should certainly not like the
compliment. It may argue a very great degree of self-complacency in us,
but yet the plain fact is, that we really do believe ourselves competent
to govern ourselves, and to manage our affairs, without the aid of
masters. And as we are not willing to be made slaves of, especially on
any such humiliating grounds, so we are not willing to see any