XIII

SLAVERY1

"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ."-COLOSSIANS iii. 23, 24.

THE circumstances of this pulpit suggest to the preacher, and sometimes impose on him, a treatment of his subject different from that which would elsewhere be suitable. In congregations, scarcely any of whose members has been disquieted by difficulties as to the authority of Revelation, and who have had little occasion to consider objections, either for the purpose of satisfying their own doubts or those of others, the preacher finds sufficient employment in interpreting Scripture, in eliciting from it the doctrines which Christians ought to believe, and in enforcing on them the duties which they ought to practise. In this place, however, one cannot always shut one's ears to the noise of controversy. In addressing an

1 In deference to the opinion of a friend, this sermon is included in this collection, though preached so long ago as 1864.

audience, many of whom must expect hereafter to be called on to reply to objections which assailants of our faith have raised, the preacher's duty is not always completely discharged by the exposition of a text, and the drawing from it its practical lessons. Where the moral teaching of part of Scripture has been censured as erroneous or inadequate, it becomes necessary to notice such objections, and to examine their validity. The passage chosen for my text conveys teaching to which it might be imagined that no objection could be made. Few parts of the Bible are more thoroughly imbued with the practical spirit of Christianity-a religion which worships God less by pompous rite or solemn sacrifice than by the constant recognition of His presence. The religions of old might be dissevered from the business of daily life. By costly offerings and the payment of other honours to the gods, the reputation of great piety could be acquired, though the character was disfigured by dishonesty, deceit, impurity. Christianity has instituted a worship of God, performed not in occasional rite, but in the discharge of daily recurring duties; it has instituted a sacrifice nobler than that of costly hecatombs, the sacrifice of self. In the text, and other passages of Scripture, the Christian's daily work is consecrated. Every task which men impose is to be done heartily, not

in order to please men, but to gain the commendation of a greater Master, who promises a higher reward than any earthly prize. The work of one whose religion is of this practical character will not be eye service; it will not be performed showily and ostentatiously,-done well when praise can be earned by it, and slurred over when shortcomings are likely to be unnoticed; but all will be discharged conscientiously as in the sight of Him before whom all things are naked and open. And the reward of his work depends not on the construction which men put on it, is not liable to be lost by their neglect and injustice, not even by his own want of ability to bring to a successful issue labours to which he has earnestly devoted such powers as God has endowed him with, but will be given him by One who knows his strength and his weakness, and who will graciously accept imperfect services if heartily rendered in obedience to His command. The rule of conduct then given in the text, if considered as a general rule for Christians, must commend itself to the approval of all as one which, if followed, must increase both the usefulness and the happiness of those who act by it.

But it is objected that this rule, however excellent in general, was not the advice which the Apostle ought to have given to the particular class

whom he was addressing in the part of this Epistle from which the text is taken. The text is taken from one of those practical parts of St. Paul's Epistles in which he deduces from the general principles of the Christian religion rules of conduct for persons in every condition of life: rules of conduct for husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and slaves. What is complained1 of is that in dealing with this last class, the Apostle omits to teach that the whole relation connecting them and their masters is unchristian and immoral: he does not command the masters to manumit their slaves; he does not teach the slaves that their masters' claims on them are founded on robbery, and are only to be regarded when the superior strength by which they are enforced cannot be resisted. Paul and Peter, complains Mr. Francis Newman, deliver excellent charges to masters in regard to the treatment of their slaves, but without any hint to them that there is an injustice in claiming them as slaves at all. On the contrary, Paul directs the slaves to obey their masters cheerfully, and render them service conscientiously and ungrudgingly; to count their masters worthy of all honour; if they have believing masters, not

1 The complaints referred to were contained in a section of Mr. F. H. Newman's Phases of Faith, a book much read at the time this sermon was preached.

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to be tempted by their equality of Christian privileges to despise them: while again Peter directs them to be subject not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, and if they suffer wrongfully to think on the wrongful sufferings which Christ endured, and bear it patiently. St. Paul indeed on one occasion 1 uses language the ambiguity of which leaves it doubtful whether he would recommend slaves to accept their freedom even if it were offered them. In any case they were not to care for their servile condition. the most essential point they were on an equality with their masters. If the slave were a believer, he was a freeman in Christ; while his master could have no greater glory than if he could boast with truth that he was Christ's servant.

In

There can be no doubt as to the practical wisdom of the course adopted by the preachers of Christianity. Counting, as they probably did, the majority of their disciples among the poor, and no small number among this despised order of slaves, whatever teaching they gave this body must have speedily made itself felt in practical consequences through multitudes of households. Had the Apostles taught the slaves to think lightly of their masters' claims, they would have at once arrayed against their religion all the prejudices and all the

1 I Corinthians vii. 21.