announced by its immortal Head. When Christ was doomed by a cruel Roman
law to its most ignominious condemnation, he did not so much as resist
it, because _it was law_, nor did he complain of it as oppressive.

"Then Pilate entered into the judgment-hall again, and called
Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?...
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom
were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should
not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from
hence.... To this end was I born, and for this cause came I
into the world, that I should bear witness unto the
truth."--John xviii. 33-37.

When Christ came into the world on the business of his mission, he found
the Jewish people subject to the dominion of the Roman kingdom; and in
no instance did he counsel the Jews to rebellion, or incite them to
throw off the Roman yoke, as do the vagabond philanthropists of the
North in reference to the existing laws of the United States upon the
subject of slavery. Christ was, by lineal descent, "THE KING OF THE
JEWS," but he did not assert his temporal power, but actually refused to
be crowned in that right.

Under the Roman law, human liberty was held by no more certain tenure
than the whim of the sovereign power, protected by no definite
constitution. Slavery constituted the most powerful and essential
element of the government, and that slavery was of the most cruel
character, and gave to the master absolute discretion over the lives of
the slaves. Notwithstanding all this, Christ did not make war upon the
existing government, nor denounce the rulers for conferring such powers,
although he looked upon cruel legislation in the light in which the
character of his mission required. And although the _Church itself_ was
not what it should have been, in no instance did Christ ever denounce
_that_. The only denunciations the Saviour ever uttered, were those
against the doctors and lawyers, ministers and expounders of the Jewish
code of ecclesiastical law.

But allow us to present the case of the Apostle Paul, as proof more
palpable and overwhelming, on this very point. He had been falsely
accused, cruelly imprisoned, and tyrannically arraigned; and that, too,
before a licentious governor, an unjust and dissipated ruler, and an
unprincipled infidel. The Roman law in force at the time arrested the
freedom of speech, denied the ri