ipts, a large number of them written with much ability.
They have decided to award the prize to the author of the Essay
entitled, "_The Error and the Duty in regard to Slavery_," whom they
find, on opening the accompanying envelope, to be the Rev. R. B.
THURSTON, of Chicopee Falls, Mass.

They would also commend to the attention of the public, two of the
remaining tracts, selected by the individual who offered the prize, and
for which he and others interested have given a prize of one hundred
dollars each. One of these is entitled, "_Friendly Letters to a
Christian Slave-holder_," by Rev. A. C. BALDWIN, of Durham, Conn.; the
other, "_Is American Slavery an Institution which Christianity sanctions
and will perpetuate?_" by Rev. TIMOTHY WILLISTON, of Strongsville, Ohio.

ASA D. SMITH,
MARK HOPKINS,
THEODORE FRELINGHUYSEN.

_May, 1857._

CONTENTS.

PAGE

I. THE ERROR AND THE DUTY IN REGARD TO SLAVERY, 1

II. FRIENDLY LETTERS TO A CHRISTIAN SLAVE-HOLDER, 39

III. IS AMERICAN SLAVERY AN INSTITUTION WHICH CHRISTIANITY
SANCTIONS AND WILL PERPETUATE, 99

FOOTNOTES

THE ERROR AND THE DUTY

IN

REGARD TO SLAVERY.

BY

REV. R. B. THURSTON.

The great and agitating question of our country is that concerning
slavery. Beneath the whole subject there lies of course some simple
truth, for all fundamental truth is simple, which will be readily
accepted by patriotic and Christian minds, when it is clearly perceived
and discreetly applied. It is the design of these pages to exhibit this
truth, and to show that it is a foundation for a union of sentiment and
action on the part of good men, by which, under the divine blessing, our
threatening controversies, North and South, may be happily terminated.

To avoid misapprehension, let it be noticed that we shall examine the
central claim of slavery, first, as a legal institution; afterwards,
the moral relations of individuals connected with it will be
considered. In that examination the term _property, as possessed in
men_, will be used in the specific sense which is given to it by the
slave laws and the practical operation of the system. No other sense is
relevant to the discussion. The property of the father in the services
of the son, of the master in the labor of the apprentice, of the State
in the forced toil of the convict, is not in ques