the argument from scripture with the following just
and impressive testimony of the Princeton Review: "The mass of the pious
and thinking people in this country are neither abolitionists nor the
advocates of slavery. They stand where they ever have stood--on the
broad Scriptural foundation; maintaining the obligation of all men, in
their several places and relations, to act on the law of love, and to
promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of others by every means in
their power. They stand aloof from the abolitionists for various
reasons. In the first place, they disapprove of their principles. The
leading characteristic doctrine of this sect is that slaveholding is in
all cases a sin, and should, therefore, under all circumstances, be
immediately abandoned. _As nothing can be plainer than that slaveholders
were admitted to the Christian church by the inspired apostles, the
advocates of this doctrine are brought into direct collision with the
Scriptures. This leads to one of the most dangerous evils connected with
the whole system, viz., a disregard of the authority of the word of God,
a setting up a different and higher standard of truth and duty, and a
proud and confident wresting of Scripture to suit their own purposes._
THE HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION FURNISHES NO EXAMPLES OF MORE WILLFUL AND
VIOLENT PERVERSIONS OF THE SACRED TEXT THAN ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE
WRITINGS OF THE ABOLITIONISTS. THEY SEEM TO CONSIDER THEMSELVES ABOVE
THE SCRIPTURES; AND WHEN THEY PUT THEMSELVES ABOVE THE LAW OF GOD, IT IS
NOT WONDERFUL THAT THEY SHOULD DISREGARD THE LAWS OF MEN. Significant
manifestations of the result of this disposition to consider their own
light a surer guide than the word of God, are visible in the anarchical
opinions about human governments, civil and ecclesiastical, and on the
rights of women, which have found appropriate advocates in the abolition
publications. Let these principles be carried out, and there is an end
to all social subordination, to all security for life and property, to
all guarantee for public or domestic virtue. If our women are to be
emancipated from subjection to the law which God has imposed upon them,
if they are to quit the retirement of domestic life, where they preside
in stillness over the character and destiny of society; if they are to
come forth in the liberty of men, to be our agents, our public
lecturers, our committee-men, our rulers; if, in studied insult to the
authority of God, w