ould flee: children would desert their
parents; husbands and wives would flee from each other, at any supposed
or real grievance. This is not the Christian rule. Patience and all
long-suffering, obedience, endurance, committing one's self to him that
judgeth righteously, is the temper and spirit of the Gospel. This is the
tone-note of the Sermon on the Mount. At the same time, who blames or
judges harshly a man in peril of his life if, in self-defence, he flees?
I say that Paul would probably judge every fugitive slave case by
itself. One thing is clear: It is not his rule to help a fugitive from
slavery in his flight, as a matter of course. His rule is evidently the
reverse of this. I cannot argue with regard to the exceptions. They
generally provide each for itself. The New Testament rule is for slaves
not to run away; and for us, and for all men, not to encourage them to
do so; but to encourage them to return, and to deal with the masters on
such principles, and in such a fraternal, affectionate way, that the
appeals to their Christian sensibilities may permanently affect their
consciences and hearts.

"'I stand by the record. Let me forsake it, and I am like Paul's ship
when it was driving up and down in Adria, and neither sun nor stars
appeared. My impulses were not given me as my guide. They are to be
compared with the divine will. Many questions may be asked which I
cannot answer, and many difficulties encompass this subject of
slave-holding which I cannot solve. I abide by the example and teachings
of inspired men, and am safe in following them, even if I cannot
explain everything connected with their principles and conduct to the
satisfaction of others. I only know that if our masters and servants
would take the Apostle Paul's Epistle to Philemon as the rule of their
spirit and life, there would be no such thing as oppression, nor
fugitive servants. Now, as to revolutionizing society to eradicate
slavery, I would no more attempt it than I would try to dig down Cadmus
to dislodge yonder snow and ice upon his top. The sun will in due time
melt them and pour them into the Lycus and the Moeander. So the Gospel,
when it has free course, will dissolve every chain, break every yoke,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.'

* * * * *

"Philemon was now the first to rise.

"'I am the master to whom Paul the Apostle sends back my fugitive
servant. This man, Onesimus, is my brother in C