en to make aggressions on
their weaker neighbors, for the very purpose of enslaving them; and,
eventually, man-stealing and the slave-trade became familiar facts in
the world's history. Upon these has slavery, for centuries past,
depended mainly for its continuance. And, although these feeders of
slavery are now by Christian nations branded as piracy and strictly
vetoed, they are far from being exterminated. Indeed, it seems to be
well understood, that, if all commerce in slaves, foreign and domestic,
ceases, slavery itself must soon become extinct.

Now if man-stealing be an act which the Word of God and the moral
instincts of men do most pointedly condemn,--and I will attempt no
demonstration of this here,--what shall we say of that which is its
legitimate offspring and dependant? Far be it from me to affirm, that,
circumstanced as our southern brethren are, it is just as criminal for
them to hold slaves as it would be to go now to Africa and forcibly
seize them. But, in the spirit of love, I would ask my slave-holding
brother, Can that be a justifiable institution, and deserving to be
upheld, which has so bad a parentage? "Do men gather grapes of thorns?"
"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?"

Fourth. There are, in the Scriptures, many clear indications that
slavery has not the approbation of God, and hence has not the stamp of
perpetuity upon it. Under this head, let us notice several distinct
particulars.

1. Had God regarded servitude as a good thing, he would not, in
authoritatively predicting its existence, have said, "Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." What God visits
men with as a curse cannot be intrinsically good and beneficial.

2. The judgments with which God visited Egypt and her proud monarch, for
refusing to emancipate the Israelites, and for essaying to recapture
them, when let go, and the wages which he caused his people, when
released, to receive for their hitherto unrequited tolls, clearly evince
that he has no complacency in compulsory, unrewarded servitude.

3. The same thing is indicated by the fact that God has, by statute,
provided expressly for the protection and freedom of an escaped slave;
but not for the recovery of such a fugitive by his master. "Thou shalt
not deliver unto his master, the servant which is escaped from his
master unto thee: he shall dwell with thee, even among you in that place
which he shall choose.... Thou shalt not op