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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..398e392 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #69233 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69233) diff --git a/old/69233-0.txt b/old/69233-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c9de3e3..0000000 --- a/old/69233-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1231 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Examination of the Rev. Mr. Harris's -scriptural researches on the licitness of the slave trade, by James -Ramsay - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Examination of the Rev. Mr. Harris's scriptural researches on the - licitness of the slave trade - -Author: James Ramsay - -Release Date: October 25, 2022 [eBook #69233] - -Language: English - -Produced by: John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXAMINATION OF THE REV. MR. -HARRIS'S SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES ON THE LICITNESS OF THE SLAVE TRADE *** - - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - The original text used the character ſ (long-form s); these have been - replaced by the normal s in this etext. - - A few obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been - corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within - the text and consultation of external sources. - - All misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, - have been retained. - - - - - EXAMINATION - - OF - - The Rev. Mr. HARRIS’s - - SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES - - ON - - The Licitness of the Slave-Trade. - - - By the Rev. JAMES RAMSAY. - - LONDON: - - Printed by JAMES PHILLIPS, George-Yard, - Lombard-Street. - - M.DCC.LXXXVIII. - - - - -ADVERTISEMENT. - - -The following Examination was drawn up in the country, from a casual -perusal of Mr. Harris’s Scriptural Researches, with a view of -putting them into the hands of any person, who might be employed in -answering that very extraordinary work. But on coming up to town, -and understanding that Mr. Harris’s reasoning had produced effects -on certain people, who had not studied the scriptures, or attended -to that spirit of freedom, which runs throughout the Old and New -Testament, and who hitherto had suffered themselves to be reluctantly -dragged along by the present prevailing enthusiasm in favour of -freedom, but now eagerly seized on a pretence for abandoning the -cause, it has been judged proper to give it at once to the publick. -Mr. Harris affects to proceed mathematically in the treatment of -his subject, and therefore establishes certain data. I had thought -it sufficient to contradict their particular application, in my -examination of the subject; but others thinking it necessary to take -more direct notice of them, I have subjoined the following short -observations. - -Dat. 1, 2. “The scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of equal -authority, and contain the unerring decisions of the word of God.” - -Observation. Certainly: but it will not be disputed, that there are -many things, not indeed deserving the name of decisions, but that -pass without censure, and are seemingly allowed there, which we know -to be forbidden to us, and which will not apply to the improved state -of mankind. Laws must be adapted, not only to the state of society, -but to the present state of the improvement of the human mind, which -we know has been gradually advancing from the earliest ages. - -Dat. 3, 4. “It is criminal to refuse assent to what the scriptures -decide to be intrinsically good or bad.” - -Obser. Suppose this. Yet may we not inquire if a thing or practice -be really so declared, and if it concerns our salvation, to form -a decided opinion on it? Are we not liable to mistake practices, -arising out of circumstances connected with the first formation of -society, and therefore not positively censured, for such decisions -of intrinsical goodness? Thus the eating of swines flesh was allowed -before the promulgation of the law of Moses; that law strictly forbad -it; the Christian law allows it again as at the beginning: or, the -Jews were alone restrained from the use of it; while they continued -under a particular œconomy, and their transgression of this law was -only a crime, because it was enjoined them; not because it was in -itself a thing unlawful, as murder, adultery, and the like. - -Dat. 5, 6. “Every scriptural decision, however incomprehensible, must -be assented to as a declaration of the word of God.” We must consider -the circumstances under which that decision is made; how far it is -agreeable to our benevolent religion, and how far it is applicable -to our conduct, before we imitate it. The drunken incest of Lot is -not censured. It was the means of producing two mighty nations; from -which, according to the author’s manner of reasoning, he ought to -conclude it was approved of; yet I suppose he will not recommend the -imitation to any person in these days. - -Dat. 7. “The slave-trade must be believed to be intrinsically just -and lawful, if the scriptures give a sanction to it.” Suppose the -slave-trade to have this sanction (which yet is not true) unless the -author can shew how it can be carried on without infringing on our -Saviour’s golden rule, of doing as we would be done by; unless he -can instruct us how we can go to the coast of Africa, and by every -fraudulent, violent, oppressive method, rob, murder, and enslave -innocent people without a crime; then are we to keep our practice, if -not our opinion, suspended. - -Dat. 8. “No abuse of a lawful pursuit, can make that pursuit -criminal.” It is lawful for a man to provide for his family; but not -to rob and murder on the highway under such a pretence. Whenever a -man’s industry is connected with such practices, the actual exertion -of it is a crime in him, though to provide for his family in an -honest way would be laudable. That there is an unlawful slavery -noticed in the scriptures, is clear, from the punishment that Pharaoh -brought on himself and Ægypt, for enslaving the Jews. The author -should distinguish, and mark the difference between the slavery that -(page 41) is almost commanded, and that which brings down divine -judgments on the oppressor, and shew that his patrons of Leverpool -practise only the first. - -Dat. 9. “No private or publick advantage will ever justify the -slave-trade, till it be proved essentially just and lawful in -its nature.” Here we are sincerely agreed; and according to the -distinction proposed for datum 8, he has only to set heartily to -work, and prove the Leverpool slave-trade to be that particular sort -of slave-trade, “which God hath commanded as being essentially just -and lawful in its nature.” - -Dat. 10. “No argument drawn from abuse, can prove the intrinsic -deformity of the slave-trade, unless it be proved essentially -unjust.” These are words without meaning. We are not combating an -ideal slavery; but slavery accompanied with robbery, oppression, -misery, murder. Wherever we find slavery so attended, it becomes a -horrid crime, be it intrinsically never so just. - -Dat. 11. “If abuses committed in the prosecution of a lawful pursuit -can be prevented, then the advantages arising from it, ought to -have a powerful influence against the abolition.” But if these -abuses cannot possibly be prevented (for are we to oppress and -murder according to law?) then the greatest advantages attending any -practice must be abandoned, till a method shall be discovered, of -separating them from iniquity and blood-shed. - -Dat. 12. “If the slave-trade is to be abolished, because of the -abuses committed in it, then every other branch of trade, in which -abuses are committed, ought to share the same fate.” Most certainly -in turn, in proportion to the atrociousness of each. Let us once -get this staring monster subdued, and we will be obliged to the -author for pointing out any other iniquitous traffick that deserves -to follow immediately in the train of the Leverpool slave-trade. -The fallaciousness of this author’s reasoning, is exceedingly well -exposed, in the Critical Review of April, 1788, to which I refer the -reader. - -From this view of the author’s data, it will appear, that he has -totally confounded times and circumstances. The law of Moses was -enacted in aid of natural religion, till the perfect religion of -Christ should be given to the world. The doctrines of this last, -enjoin us to consider and treat all men as our brethren; and its -effect was gradually to take away all burthensome ceremonies, all -oppressive distinctions. Why are we then sent back to less perfect -institutions for the rule of our practice? We are to go on to -perfection, refine sentiment, and extend benevolence. What has raised -Europe above the rest of the world, but the abolition of domestick -slavery? What degrees of opulence and prosperity might it acquire, -if the abominable, contracted, branch of trade in the bodies of -our fellow creatures of Africa, were changed to a fair, equitable -intercourse of productions and manufactures! - - J. R. - - - - -EXAMINATION, &c. - - -This gentleman professes to treat the subject seriously, and to -submit his opinion to the decisions of revealed religion. No man has -a right to dispute his sincerity, as far as his own way of thinking -is concerned; but few serious people will peruse his extraordinary -positions, without having their reverence for their Creator shocked, -and their benevolence to their brother affected. The Scriptures, -from which he draws his conclusions, we believe to teach, that all -men are equally dear to their Creator, and that we owe love and good -offices to each other. But if his deductions be fairly made, we must -no longer entertain this opinion; for one part of mankind is to -be kidnapped, evil intreated, oppressed, murdered, to indulge the -avarice of another; and, page 76, Corol. 3d. “He doth not believe the -Scriptures, who is not persuaded that this doctrine is taught there.” - -But the author stumbles at the very threshold. Our Saviour (John v. -39.) bids the Jews to search the scriptures; “for in them ye think -ye have eternal life; for they are they which testify of me,” the -Saviour come to free men from the bondage of sin, into the glorious -privilege of the sons of God. But it seems something else is meant. -We are to search the scriptures (see title page) for a commission -to Leverpool captains for fitting out ships, and loading them with -powder, shot, and cutlasses, to set the Africans on to assault, -kidnap, and enslave each other; to be transferred over to them; to -be murdered by bad air, thirst, and famine, in the passage to the -West-Indies; where the poor remains are to be set to hard labour, -without food, without cloathing, without rest, sufficient to support -nature. - -It is true (preface, page 5.) he, with all the other advocates for -slavery, declares himself “an enemy to injustice and oppression.” -But the design of his book is to shew, that the ill-treatment of -slaves is not an object of divine animadversion; for (p. 16.) Sarah -was permitted without censure, “to use cruel oppressive treatment -to Hagar;” and (p. 26.) Joseph is approved of by God for the -cruel manner in which he enslaved and exchanged the abodes of the -Egyptians. Which of these is to be believed; his general assertion, -or his particular application? Or may we conclude, that he reserves -to himself the feelings of humanity, and sells tyranny and oppression -to his friends of Leverpool. - -In the scriptures servants are frequently mentioned; but, in this -dissertation, they are transformed into “slave trade.” The places, -where traffick in slaves is related, are Joseph’s brethren (Gen. -xxxvii.) selling him to the Ishmaelites, who sell him to Potiphar; -the Tyrians (Ezek. xxvii. 13.) who had a market for the persons of -men; and Babylon, the mother of abominations, (Rev. xviii. 13.) -who exposed to sale, slaves and souls of men. I hope none of these -instances are proposed to the imitation of the “ancient and loyal -town of Leverpool;” for a black mark is set on them to prevent them -from being followed. - -Now there is some difference between dealing in slaves as a branch of -trade, and buying the service of a domestic; even as it is not every -man who eats meat, that is or could act the part of a butcher. In the -case of the Jews there was something particular. They were obliged to -admit their slaves to all the national privileges, to circumcision, -the passover, and other solemn feasts, and to instruct them in the -true religion (Gen. xvii. 13. Exod. xii. 44. Deut. xvi. 11. and xxxi. -12. Josh. viii. 35.) In buying them from the Heathen around them, -they recovered them from idolatry; they gave them a weekly sabbath. -In their treatment they were commanded to remember, that they -themselves had been slaves in Egypt. When they are threatened for -their sins, the ill treatment of their slaves makes a capital part -of the charge against them. But modern masters think that nothing of -this sort concerns them. - -The Jews were intended to communicate to the world the knowledge of -the true religion. He who brings good out of evil made use of the -slavery, in practice, to extend this knowledge to persons, whom it -could not at that time have otherwise reached. But nothing in the -bible countenances a trade in slaves. Even the transferring them in -ordinary cases is checked as in that of wives and concubines (Exod. -xxi. 11.) Their ill treatment was guarded against, by that law which -gave them freedom if their master had struck out a single tooth. - -Indeed, among the Jews, the number of slaves must have been small. -They were numerous in a narrow territory, and were in general -husband-men, and used ploughs and other instruments of agriculture, -and wrought in the field with their servants. Ziba, who appears to -have been steward to the house of Saul, had only twenty servants -to assist him and his sons in cultivating the lands belonging to -the family. The Jews on their return from captivity had only one -servant to six persons, or one in each family. The remnant of the -Gibeonites, who served the temple, was then 392. It is not therefore -fair to consider every accidental possession of a servant, either -as an instance, or as a vindication of the Leverpool “slave trade;” -of which no ancient nation could ever form an idea. We may rather -conclude, that though the Jews were permitted to buy slaves from the -Heathen, they did not traffick in them; and forcibly to enslave their -brethren was death. (See Exod. xxi. 16. Deut. xxiv. 7.) - -Of Mr. Harris’s data as general propositions, I shall say little -more; the application alone is what the present subject is concerned -in. I shall only suggest an additional datum, as necessary to -complete his principles of reasoning. - -Dat. 13. If the slave trade, though “intrinsically licit,” cannot -now be carried on, without breaking through every human and divine -law, without cheating, violence, oppression, murder, then must it be -laid aside, till we shall have discovered a way of carrying it on, -agreeably to the doctrines of the gospel, by which we are enjoined to -consider all men as our brethren, and to deal by them as we wish them -to deal by us. - -Page 16. Speaking of Abraham’s possessing of servants, he calls it, -“a positive approbation, a sanction of divine authority in favour -of the slave-trade.” What a change is put on the Reader! Abraham -possessed servants; therefore the Leverpool slave-trade has a -divine sanction. For if this be not meant, nothing is meant. His -book is published to vindicate this trade; it is dedicated to the -corporation, who must so understand it. Now let a man only read Mr. -Newton or Mr. Falconbridge’s, or any other eye-witness’s account of -this trade, and what horrid impiety must of necessity be understood! -Is there “a divine sanction” for all the iniquity accompanying this -very diabolical business, the kidnapping, chaining, murdering, -suffocating of millions of unhappy fellow creatures? Are such -things not barely permitted, but (p. 42.) approved, encouraged, and -seemingly enjoined? - -Abraham was a rich, powerful, prince. As he travelled through various -countries, numbers must have been desirous of attaching themselves -to his fortune, and have offered themselves for his attendants. His -humanity might have induced him to purchase children from unnatural -parents, or captives from robbers. But all in his family were in a -situation very different from that of West Indian slaves. We learn, -that on the supposition of his dying childless, he intended one of -them for his heir; that he intrusted a servant to chuse a wife for -his son Isaac; that he put arms in his servants hands, and led them -out to battle. There is nothing of West Indian slavery in all this. - -But a particular stress is laid on the story of Hagar, and Sarah’s -ill treatment of her. Page 19. “She obtained no favourable sentence -from the Divine Tribunal for leaving her mistress, nor was Sarah -censured for her severity.” Sarah was not present when the angel -appeared unto Hagar, therefore she is neither praised nor condemned. -But that Hagar believed she had a favourable sentence, and that -her conduct was not condemned, when assured that the Lord had seen -her affliction, which is the scripture phrase for deliverance (Gen. -xxix. 32. and xxxi. 42. Exod. iii. 7.), and that she should have -a son, and that her seed should be multiplied, appears from her -acknowledgment of the vision, and returning to her mistress. Nor can -we imagine in what more flattering manner her affliction could have -been recompensed, or how she could have been afflicted so as to have -deserved a recompence, and her mistress not to have been in fault. It -was necessary for her to return to her mistress, that her son might -partake of the sign of the covenant, and be instructed in the true -religion. - -Hagar’s case (p. 19.) is compared with an African female slave -in the West Indies. Nothing can be more opposite. Josephus says, -Pharaoh made Abraham a present of money; and the scriptures say, -that he intreated Abraham well for Sarah’s sake, adding immediately, -he had cattle, and men servants, and maid servants, as if Pharaoh -had presented them; among whom Hagar might have been one; or, as it -appears she was a worshipper of the true God, she might voluntarily -have entered into Sarah’s service. Certainly she had never been -cooped up in a Guinea trader, nor set to plant the sugar-cane; nor -was she ordered to return and submit herself for her mistress’s -profit, but for her own and her son’s sake; and when that purpose was -answered she was dismissed. - -There is therefore no foundation for the author’s deduction, p. 20. -that “a divine voice declares her to be her master’s indisputable -property, and the original bargain to be just and lawful in its -nature; and that the (Leverpool) slave-trade, even attended with -circumstances not conformable to the feelings of humanity, is -essentially confident with the rights of justice, and has the -positive sanction of God for its support, however displeasing these -circumstances may be to his fatherly providence.” Let any man make -sense of this who can. I understand only the extreme boldness of the -expression. Here is a right to enslave and an approbation, and also -a censure of the exercise of this right. Here our natural notions of -benevolence are set in opposition to revelation, p. 42. Revelation -commands us to enslave our brethren, even against the suggestions -of the feelings of humanity. Surely the writer should shew the high -purposes answered by slavery, to gain which it is an act of piety to -violate our benevolent feelings. - -We come now to the story of Joseph, which, p. 23, “ascertains -the inherent lawfulness of the” (Leverpool) “slave-trade.” The -first thing that strikes us in his account is, his illustrating -his doctrine by Joseph’s political arrangements of the kingdom of -Egypt, rather than by Joseph’s own story; which, except in the -horrid circumstances of the middle passage, agrees entirely with the -Leverpool slave-trade. Joseph is found at a distance from protection. -His enemies kidnap him and sell him to slave-brokers, who carry him -into Egypt, and dispose of him as an article of commerce to Potiphar. -His kidnappers saw, and like Guinea captains disregarded, the anguish -of his soul. It is true, afterwards, when they believed themselves -in danger of being enslaved in turn, they upbraid each other with -their unfeeling cruelty, and charge their distress to its account. -But this was only because Scriptural Researches had not then been -published: for they, p. 20, would have proved, that “though the -action was not altogether conformable to the feelings of humanity, -and was even displeasing to his Fatherly Providence; and though -doubtless God would see, and of consequence recompense, Joseph for -his affliction as he had Hagar; yet this stroke in the slave-trade is -essentially consistent with the unalienable rights of justice; has -the positive sanction of God in its support, nay, his approbation, p. -16, and p. 42, even his command.” - -But let us examine Joseph’s management of the Egyptians, not as this -author, but as the scriptures represent it. In the years of plenty -Joseph stored the extraordinary produce of each district in the -neighbouring cities. One tenth part belonged of right to the king; -the rest he purchased at a low price with the king’s treasures. In -the years of famine he sold the corn out to the inhabitants of the -districts nearest to his respective store-houses at an advanced -price, and accumulated the money, cattle, and moveables of the whole -kingdom, and at last made a bargain for their lands and persons. It -is not to be supposed that any property, except money, was taken -out of the original possessors hands; for this would have answered -no purpose, but to distress the people and embarrass government. -Indeed, where could the whole cattle and moveables of the kingdom -have been stored? When the seven years of famine were ended, Pharaoh -was the sole proprietor. Joseph then gives the inhabitants a charter, -restores them their lands and cattle, on condition of paying to -Pharaoh a second tenth of the produce of the land, which made their -contributions to the revenue a fifth part of their crops. It appears -no other badge or burden of slavery was imposed, except this rent, -which was a tenth part more than they had formerly paid. - -The common rent of the bare land in England is estimated at one-third -of the produce, and the farmer must supply himself with stock, except -perhaps buildings, and also contribute largely in a variety of ways -to the publick revenues: but by Joseph’s regulation the Egyptian -farmer paid only a fifth part for the use of his stock and land, and -for the support of government. After having transferred themselves -and property to Pharaoh, they could not have been freed on easier -terms: and as we often see, that he who hires a farm, grows rich on a -possession on which the owner had been ruined, probably the Egyptians -became as happy under their new tenure as they had been under their -old. In the most unfavourable light, it may be compared with the -change that took place at the conquest, when free tenures became -feudal, charged with certain services. - -Our translation, Gen. xlvii. 20, 21. says, “So the land became -Pharaoh’s; and as for the people, he removed them to cities from -one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof.” -In the Septuagint it is, “and the land became Pharaoh’s, and he -subjected the people to be servants to him from one end of Egypt to -the other.” It is to the same purport in the Samaritan copy. This -reads better, and is more probable, than that Joseph should have -made the whole nation, as Mr. Harris affirms, change settlements in -such a manner as if the people of Kent were sent to the Orkneys, and -those of the Orkneys were brought to Kent. This would be such a -trifling with peoples lives and feelings, such a waste of property, -such a perversion of all experience, and particular knowledge of the -agriculture proper in each district, as is only applicable to the -Leverpool slave-trade; but cannot, on such slight grounds as this -general expression is, be imagined in a man of Joseph’s character, -with a pretended view to prevent rebellion. Or the expression in -our translation may bear, that the people were distributed so as to -be near the respective store-houses, on which their maintenance was -assigned. - -Therefore “the change made, p. 25, 26, in the happy condition of -the Ægyptians, the transportation of 7 or 8 millions of every -age, sex, condition, rank; infants, children, decrepit, infirm, -delicate, through the scorching sands of a parched up country,” -is the mere fiction of imagination, to palliate the still more -shocking conduct of the writer’s patrons of Leverpool. The Ægyptians -offered themselves for servants, to save themselves from starving. -His patrons force the Africans to be slaves, not as he says, from -“a state of absolute indigence,” but reduced from plenty and ease -to famine, nakedness, and want, by stripes, fetters, cruelty and -oppression. - -Page 28. It is said, “Joseph, when able to relieve them, took -advantage of the extreme indigence of the Ægyptians, to reduce them -into the condition of slaves, and in this acted by the immediate -direction of God, who made this work to prosper.” Supposing all this -true, yet there is nothing common between this transaction and the -Leverpool African commerce; but the author’s having given them one -common name, “slave-trade.” The Ægyptians, after a fair transfer of -themselves and goods, are left in full possession of their lands and -property, on paying such a rent as would act as a spur to industry, -while it checked that luxury which the author describes, p. 25, as -prevailing in Ægypt. The Leverpool slaves are reduced from freedom to -a base, helpless, unprofitable, wretched state. - -When this writer, p. 27, considers the four-fifths of the produce -left with the Ægyptian farmer, as only equivalent to the keep of -a West-Indian slave, he must raise a blush on the sugar planter’s -cheek; who willingly would leave but one fifth, (the rum) both to -support his plantation stock, and maintain his slaves. - -But let Joseph’s conduct be what the writer pleases to describe it. -He was not the legislator of Ægypt, but the minister of Pharaoh, and -obliged to govern himself by the prevailing customs of the kingdom. -It appears, he extended only the king’s revenues, and gave him such -a command over the property of the people, as might enable him to -arrange the management of it to the best general advantage. This -might be peculiarly proper in Ægypt, though not necessary to be -imitated here. Its fertility depended on the equal distribution of -the waters of the Nile. It was necessary for the general benefit, -that there should be an indisputed power to direct the course of the -various canals, which communicated the water to each district. While -the king had an equal interest in all, no particular part would be -neglected. Joseph gives four-fifths of the produce, “for feed of the -field, and for your food, and for them of your housholds, and for -food for your little ones.” This confines the peoples share to their -own maintenance, and the supply of seed. We are left to conclude, -that every expense attending the distribution of the river, except -perhaps manual labour, was paid out of the king’s fifth part: and -as in all good governments, the interest of the king and the people -is one, Joseph, by his nominal purchase of the people and their -lands, might probably have in view such an accession of power, as -might enable him to direct the whole to general advantage. After the -charter was confirmed, no ill use could be made of the power, and -an English farmer would gladly pay one-fifth of his produce to him -who should stock his farm, and pay his rent, and all his publick and -parish taxes. - -Page 38. “The Jews are not restrained from purchasing their own -brethren.” The Jews were commanded to treat their brethren, when -reduced to a six years servitude, with lenity, as hired or free -servants, and to send them out in the sabbatical year free, and not -let them go away empty. The only cases in which we can suppose Jews -could be made to serve, are their being sold for debt, or their -preferring the service of a master to labour on their own account. -In these cases, the laws of Moses take care of them, that they be -not oppressed, and, besides the original purchase-money of their -services, to have a recompence when the period is finished. - -It is in this case of an Hebrew servant, that we are to look for the -genuine Mosaic principles of slavery. Even here the law expresses -a jealousy of the master’s conduct, and guards against the abuse -of his authority, restricting it to six years, and prescribing the -manner of exercising it. Therefore when the Jews are allowed to -make perpetual slaves of the Heathen, we are to consider it as a -particular dispensation respecting their situation among idolaters, -by which, in every slave, they made a proselyte to the true religion; -or like divorces, an indulgence to their hardness of heart, which -was not then capable of the purity and benevolence of the gospel, by -which, marriage was made perpetual, and all men were to be treated as -brethren. We can infer the doctrine of perpetual slavery as little -from its permission to the Jews, as we can the keeping of concubines -from the practice of Abraham, or David. Divorces are permitted to the -Jews in similar expressions with the permission to hold slaves; yet -our Saviour tells us, it was not so from the beginning. Moses (Deut. -xvii. 14.) gives directions for the choice and duty of a king, yet -Samuel tells the Jews, they had offended God in asking for a king. -And though God condescended to give them a king in a manner which -more unequivocally shewed his assent, than that approbation, sanction -and command, which the author incautiously affirms to be given to -the “slave-trade;” yet Samuel concludes them to be not the less -guilty, for persevering in the request. We should be more careful -than this author shews himself, how we apply our ignorant conjectures -to the divine conduct; as p. 16, “Without allowing the licitness -of the slave-trade, it is impossible to reconcile the justice of -God with his own scriptural decisions concerning its nature;” that -(p. 32) “God, without a glaring opposition to the rights of his -justice, could not have approved the conduct of Joseph in enslaving -the Ægyptians, and inflicted a lasting punishment on Reuben for his -incest, if his enslaving of the Ægyptians had been a crime.” These -expressions would be shocking from an infidel; in what an horrid -cause doth a clergyman use them? - -The minds of the Jews had been broken and debased by the Egyptian -bondage; the law was given them as a school-master to train them -up for the perfect religion of the gospel. Their conduct in the -wilderness, their frequent rebellions amidst miracles, and in the -immediate presence of their Divine Deliverer, can only be imagined -by those who have had opportunities of seeing how man is shorn of -his worth by slavery. Only two men of all who were grown up when -they came out of Egypt, were thought deserving to enter into Canaan. -That whole generation must be worn out in the wilderness; and their -children must be trained for 40 years before they are permitted to -take possession. Their laws therefore respected the hardness of -their hearts, though founded on principles which led insensibly -to perfection. Thus while the perpetuity of the servitude of the -Heathens condescended to the hardness of their hearts, the easy -temporary service of their brethren looked forward to the gospel -times, not differing, but in being for a fixed period, from modern -servitude for wages in free states. - -Therefore when this writer, p. 39. calls this latter service, “A -Slave Trade;” the meaning of the terms is perverted. Or let him -reduce his Leverpool slave trade to the circumstances of a Jew -serving his brother for six years, and we shall have few objections -to bring against it. What he calls there “selling him again,” was -transferring his service to another brother (not an Heathen) for the -remainder of the term, as an apprentice is turned over to a second -master. - -Page 40. “If a Hebrew servant had married a wife with consent of his -master, she and her child became her master’s property for ever.” -This seems not to be candidly expressed. This wife must have been an -Heathen slave, for Hebrew women had the privilege of the Sabbatical -year; but if he chose to continue with his wife, he had only to renew -his contract with his master. Indeed the regulation appears to have -been intended as a check to the connection with slaves in the poor -reduced Hebrews. - -Page 41, 42. When he speaks of the (Leverpool) “slave trade having -the sanction of being encouraged, almost commanded, and even -enjoined, to be prosecuted by the Supreme Legislator,” he puts -opposition to silence. But when, p. 43. he talks of “the Almighty’s -forgetting himself, when he encouraged the slave trade, if it be a -crime,” I am happy for his sake to recollect, that the author tells -us, till he was 27 years old, he knew not the value of an English -expression. - -Page 43. The slavery of the Gibeonites. - -The land of Canaan was allotted to the Jews for an inheritance. -The former inhabitants, for their sins, were to be extirpated, or -expelled. The Gibeonites preferred slavery to this. Their services -were allotted first to the tabernacle, then to the temple. It appears -from David’s application to them, on account of the famine brought on -the land for Saul’s massacre of them, that they were kept distinct as -a people. We may suppose that they continued to occupy part of their -ancient possessions (for we find in David’s time that even Araunah -a Jebusite was a proprietor of land) and that they were in their -turn draughted off for the service of religion; those who occupied -the lands maintaining those who served. There is not one common -circumstance between the manner of their becoming servants, and the -present Leverpool slave trade, and hardly any more in their treatment. - -Page 50. On the supposition of the iniquity of the (Leverpool) “slave -trade,” he speaks of the Almighty disturbing the course of nature, -when the sun stood still at Joshua’s command, to make it subservient -to injustice and oppression, in vindication of ill-gotten property. -Here he may be assured the horror of the expression will secure him -from contradiction. - -Page 54. “The slave trade,” (still Leverpool slave trade) “is in -perfect harmony with the principles of the word of God respecting -justice.” P. 58. “The inspired writers of the New Testament did not -consider it as an infraction of the principles of the gospel.” Nor -did these declare their own persecution for righteousness sake, to be -an infraction of the principles of the gospel. The keeping of slaves, -which the author constantly calls “the slave trade,” was a custom -then generally prevalent over the world. Neither were masters or -slaves prepared for a general manumission. The spirit of Christianity -was suffered gradually to undermine this mass of oppression, and -wherever the gospel has prevailed, it has in fact abolished it. - -We have a similar instance of this management, in the abolition -of the ceremonial law of Moses. The first disciples, and even the -apostles, conformed to it, though they had declared it to be an -unnecessary yoke, and they suffered it to wear out gradually. That -slavery was an evil, and therefore a sin in all those who inflicted -it on others, in such a degree as to become an evil, is plainly -declared in the gospel. Our Saviour tells the believing Jews, If ye -continue in my word, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall -make you free; or shall confer new privileges on you. If freedom -be a privilege or an advantage, slavery is a degradation and a -disadvantage. But if a man be degraded or injured for the caprice or -profit of another, that other, under whom he suffers such injury, is -guilty of a sin. - -Again, St. Paul, 1 Cor. viii. 21., says, “Art thou called being a -servant, care not for it; but if thou mayest be made free, use it -rather.” Here is plainly a direction to the disciples to submit to -their situation, but to prefer freedom when fairly offered; which -in this case was its being purchased for them by the Christian -congregation. This is explained, ver. 23. “Ye are bought with a -price, be not (Greek become not) ye the servants of men.” Avoid a -situation which must debase your mind. In the Revelations, xviii. -13. slaves and souls of men are said to be articles of traffick in -Babylon, the Mother of Abominations. This supposeth nothing very -excellent in slavery, to make it be approved of, and commanded to be -prosecuted by God. - -We may now account for the manner in which St. Paul applies to -Philemon in behalf of his servant Onesimus. He desires him to -receive him back into his family, not now as a servant, but above a -servant; a profitable inmate, a brother beloved. He would not take -advantage of the privilege of an apostle, to withhold Onesimus from -his service, or consider his conversion as a bar to it, and therefore -endeavours to effect a reconciliation between them. But from the -manner in which the apostle solicits this favour, it is clear the -situation of Onesimus in the family was desirable; for he requests -it as a favour to Onesimus, and considers not his interposition, -as the conferring of an obligation on Philemon. All this is very -opposite to that West-Indian slavery with which this of Onesimus, p. -65. is compared. For the master only is considered here; neither the -feelings nor profit of the slave is taken into account. - -Page 72, 73. I shall not dispute his exposition of doing as we wish -to be done by, as far as it goes, of “a slave’s serving his master, -as he if a master would wish to be served.” But I would carry it a -step farther. As I, a free man, settled with my family and friends -about me in my native country, would not wish to be kidnapped, or to -have my family enslaved, separated, and carried bound neck and heel, -and stifled in the foul air of a ship’s hold, all to be sold in a -distant country, to toil incessantly for a man we never knew, without -food or raiment, except such scraps as we may procure by breaking -the sabbath; under the lash of any unfeeling boy, who may be set -over us with a whip in his hand; so would not I be concerned in any -such cruel oppressive inhuman treatment of others. When this author -publishes his Second Part, it is to be hoped, this will be pressed -home on his Leverpool patrons. - -It is curious to remark, that in these researches, in which the -wisdom and goodness of God is so freely applied to the Leverpool -slave trade, there is not even a distant hint given of the purpose -which is to be served by slavery, to shew it to be worthy “of this -divine approbation, the almost divine commands.” When God commands -us to love our neighbour, our heart goes along with the precept. But -if, as this author incautiously affirms, we be commanded to exercise -the slave trade, bow down our brother’s body in bondage, and treat -him ill, as Sarah did Hagar with impunity, we have no clue to trace -out the agreement of the doctrine with divine goodness. If commanded -or enjoined to use the slave trade as it is now carried on, we are -commanded, (horrid even in the supposition) to commit murder, to -starve, oppress, suffocate, and lead into exile, our brother, who -never offended us. Suppose slavery approved of in revelation, yet -surely robbery, murder, and oppression, are not approved there: and -yet no man is originally reduced into a state of slavery but by such -methods:—at least, when the advocates for slavery plead for a divine -sanction to it, they should be able to lay down a method of making -slaves of others, which shall be innocent, and may deserve that -sanction. - -The Jews, for their sins, were given up to captivity. Their cities -were to be destroyed, their princes murdered, and their people -carried to Babylon. The prophets invited the surrounding nations to -come to the slaughter, and to the spoil. Here is a divine command in -stronger terms than can be shewn for the Leverpool slave trade, or -any other slave trade or holding of slaves. Yet what follows. These -very nations thus invited, and even commanded to execute the divine -judgments on the Jews, are destined to destruction, are made to cease -as nations, for having obeyed the call to vengeance. Edom was amongst -the first in this field of blood, and slavery, and plunder. Hear the -prophet Obadiah address him:—“Thou shouldest not have laid hands -on their substance in the day of their calamity: thou shouldest not -have stood in the cross-way to cut off those of his that did escape: -thou shouldest not have delivered up those of his that did remain -in the day of distress. For the day of the Lord is near on all the -heathen;—as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee.” - -The reason is plain, though instruments in God’s hands to punish -a wicked people; yet in the execution of his justice, they only -satiated their own hatred, cruelty, and avarice. Let therefore the -Leverpool slave trade be not only approved of, but even, as he says, -commanded by God; yet if the corporation, in prosecuting the infernal -business, be actuated by avarice, or any other unworthy motive, and -use cruelty, oppression, and inhumanity in the course of it, (and -let those who use the trade lay their hands on their hearts, and let -them, if they dare, deny the charge), then, sooner or later, divine -vengeance will find them out, and plunge them into ruin with all -those who encourage or abet them in it. - -Page 75. Corol. 1st. “The Scriptures declare the slave trade to be -intrinsically good and licit.” Not in any other manner than Jewish -arbitrary divorces, plurality of wives, or their original desire of a -king; all of which we know to have been wrong from the beginning. - -Corol. 2d. “He is highly criminal who refuses assent to the -intrinsick licitness of the slave trade, declared in the Scriptures.” -I hope not, if he cannot find it there, and resolves not to meddle -with it, till he has discovered it. - -Corol. 3d. “He who acquiesces not in the licitness of the slave -trade, disbelieves the Scriptures.” Answered in Corol. 2. - -Corol. 6th. “The abuses of the slave trade not an inducement to the -Legislature to abolish it.” If the slave trade be, as it certainly -is, inseparably connected with murder, oppression, and every iniquity -that has from time to time drawn down divine vengeance on guilty -nations; and if the Legislature be instructed in the nature of it, -and be called on to put a stop to this murder and oppression, and -cannot possibly do it but by the abolition of the slave trade, -(were the slave trade even commanded in the clearest terms, which -is not the case, but the contrary) then is the Legislature obliged, -and called on by every motive of religion and prudence, to put an -immediate stop to it, that it may not bring ruin on the state. - - - FINIS. - - - - -_Books by J. Ramsay._ - - -An ESSAY on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the -British Sugar Colonies. 4s. Boards. - -A REPLY to the Personal Invectives and Objections contained in two -Answers, published by certain anonymous Persons, to an Essay on the -Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves, in the British Colonies. -2s. - -An INQUIRY into the Effects of putting a Stop to the African Slave -Trade, and of granting Liberty to the Slaves in the British Sugar -Colonies. 6d. - -A LETTER to James Tobin, Esq. late Member of His Majesty’s Council in -the Island of Nevis. 6d. - -A MANUAL for African Slaves. 2d. - -OBJECTIONS to the Abolition of the Slave Trade, with Answers. Second -Edit. enlarged. 9d. - - -_Also lately published by the same Author_, - -A VOLUME of SEA SERMONS; sold by Rivingtons, St. Paul’s Church-yard. - -ESSAY on a SEA OFFICER’s DUTY; sold by Robinsons, Paternoster-Row. - - - - -TRACTS - -ON THE - -SLAVE TRADE, - -Published by J. PHILLIPS, George-Yard, Lombard-Street. - - -An ESSAY on the Impolicy of the African Slave Trade, by T. Clarkson. -In Two Parts. 2s. 6d. boards. - -An ESSAY on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, -particularly the African, translated from a Latin Dissertation, which -was honoured with the First Prize in the University of Cambridge, for -the Year 1785. Second Addition, with Additions, by T. Clarkson. 3s. -boards. - -A DESCRIPTION of Guinea, its Situation, Produce, and the general -Disposition of its Inhabitants; with an Inquiry into the Rise and -Progress of the Slave Trade, &c. By Anthony Benezet. A new Edition. -2s. boards. - -An ACCOUNT of the Slave Trade on the Coast of Africa, by Alexander -Falconbridge, late Surgeon in the African Trade. 9d. - -OBSERVATIONS on a Guinea Voyage; in a Series of Letters, addressed to -the Rev. J. Clarkson, by James Field Stanfield, late a Mariner in the -African Slave Trade. 4d. - -A LETTER to the Treasurer of the Society instituted for the Purpose -of effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. From the Rev. Robert -Boucher Nickolls, Dean of Middleham. A new Edition enlarged. 4d. - -REMARKS on the Slave Trade, and the Slavery of the Negroes, in a -Series of Letters, by Africanus. 2s. 6d. - -WEST INDIAN ECLOGUES, dedicated to the late Lord Bishop of Chester, -by a Person who resided several Years in the West-Indies. 2s. - -A SUMMARY VIEW of the Slave Trade, and of the probable Consequences -of its Abolition. 2d. - -A LETTER from Capt. J. S. Smith, to the Rev. Mr. Hill, on the State -of the Negroe Slaves. To which are added an Introduction, and Remarks -on Free Negroes. By the Editor. 6d. - -A CAUTION to Great Britain and her Colonies, in a short -Representation of the calamitous State of the enslaved Negroes in the -British Dominions. By Anthony Benezet. 6d. - -THOUGHTS on the Slavery of the Negroes. 4d. - -A SERIOUS ADDRESS to the Rulers of America, on the Inconsistency of -their Conduct respecting Slavery. 3d. - -The CASE of our Fellow-Creatures, the Oppressed Africans, -respectfully recommended to the serious Consideration of the -Legislature of Great-Britain, by the People called Quakers. 2d. - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXAMINATION OF THE REV. MR. -HARRIS'S SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES ON THE LICITNESS OF THE SLAVE TRADE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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Mr. Harris's scriptural researches on the licitness of the slave trade, by The Rev. James Ramsay.—A Project Gutenberg eBook - </title> - <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover" /> - <style> /* <![CDATA[ */ - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; - margin-top: 1.5em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - word-spacing: 0.2em; - letter-spacing: 0.1em; - line-height: 1em; - font-weight: normal; -} - -h1 {font-size: 140%; line-height: 2.7em;} -h2 {font-size: 160%; line-height: 1.7em; letter-spacing: .6em;} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; - text-indent: 1em; -} - -.books {} -.books p { margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} - -.p1 {margin-top: 1em;} -.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} -.p3 {margin-top: 3em;} -.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} - -div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} -h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} - -x-ebookmaker-drop, .x-ebookmaker-drop {} - -.pfs135 {font-size: 135%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; word-spacing: 0.3em;} -.pfs120 {font-size: 120%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; word-spacing: 0.3em;} -.pfs100 {font-size: 100%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; word-spacing: 0.3em;} -.pfs60 {font-size: 60%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; word-spacing: 0.3em;} - -.fs80 {font-size: 80%; font-style: normal;} -.fs90 {font-size: 90%; font-style: normal;} -.fs100 {font-size: 100%; font-style: normal;} -.fs120 {font-size: 120%; font-style: normal;} - - -/* for horizontal lines */ -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 1.5em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} - -.x-ebookmaker hr.chap {width: 0%; display: none;} - - -/* for non-image large letter dropcaps */ -p.drop-capy {text-indent: -.8em;} - -p.drop-capy:first-letter { - float: left; - margin: 0.11em 0.35em 0em .4em; - font-size: 320%; - line-height:0.7em; - clear: both; -} - -.x-ebookmaker p.drop-capy {text-indent: 0em;} - -.x-ebookmaker p.drop-capy:first-letter { - float: none; - margin: 0; - font-size: 100%;} - - -.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - color: #A9A9A9; - left: 92%; - font-size: 60%; - text-align: right; - font-style: normal; - font-weight: normal; - font-variant: normal; - text-indent: .5em; -} - - -/* general placement and presentation */ -.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} -.right {text-align: right; margin-right: 1em;} - -.lsp2 {letter-spacing: 0.2em;} -.lsp3 {letter-spacing: 0.5em;} -.lsp15 {letter-spacing: 1.5em;} - - -/* Images */ - -img { - border: none; - max-width: 100%; - height: auto; -} - -img.w100 {width: 100%;} - - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; - page-break-inside: avoid; - max-width: 100%;} - - -/* Transcriber's notes */ -.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; - color: black; - font-size:smaller; - padding:0.5em; - margin-bottom:5em; - font-family:sans-serif, serif; } - -.transnote p {text-indent: 0em;} - - -/* custom cover (cover.jpg) */ -.customcover {visibility: hidden; display: none;} -.x-ebookmaker .customcover {visibility: visible; display: block;} - -/* Illustration classes */ -.illowp60 {width: 60%;} - - /* ]]> */ </style> -</head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Examination of the Rev. Mr. Harris's scriptural researches on the licitness of the slave trade, by James Ramsay</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Examination of the Rev. Mr. Harris's scriptural researches on the licitness of the slave trade</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: James Ramsay</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October 25, 2022 [eBook #69233]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXAMINATION OF THE REV. MR. HARRIS'S SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES ON THE LICITNESS OF THE SLAVE TRADE ***</div> - - -<div class="transnote"> -<p><strong>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE</strong></p> - -<p>The original text used the character ſ (long-form s); these have been -replaced by the normal s in this etext.</p> - -<p class="customcover">The cover image was created by the transcriber -and is placed in the public domain.</p> - -<p>A few obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been -corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within -the text and consultation of external sources.</p> - -<p>All misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, -have been retained. -</p> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<h1> -<span class="fs120 lsp3">EXAMINATION</span><br /> - -<span class="fs80 lsp3">OF</span><br /> - -<span class="fs90">The Rev. Mr. <span class="lsp3">HARRIS’s</span></span><br /> - -<span class="fs100">SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES</span><br /> - -<span class="fs80 lsp3">ON</span><br /> - -<span class="fs100">The Licitness of the Slave-Trade.</span> -</h1> - -<p class="p3 pfs135">By the Rev. JAMES RAMSAY.</p> - -<div class="figcenter illowp60" style="max-width: 20em;"> - <img class="p3 w100" src="images/sep3.jpg" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="p4 pfs120 lsp3">LONDON:</p> - -<p class="p1 pfs100">Printed by <span class="smcap lsp2">James Phillips</span>, George-Yard,<br /> -Lombard-Street.</p> - -<p class="p2 pfs60">M.DCC.LXXXVIII.</p> - - -<div class="chapter"></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[Pg 3]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter illowp60" style="max-width: 20em;"> - <img class="p4 w100" src="images/sep3.jpg" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="ADVERTISEMENT">ADVERTISEMENT.</h2> - - -<p class="drop-capy">THE following Examination was drawn up in -the country, from a casual perusal of Mr. -Harris’s Scriptural Researches, with a view of putting -them into the hands of any person, who might -be employed in answering that very extraordinary -work. But on coming up to town, and understanding -that Mr. Harris’s reasoning had produced -effects on certain people, who had not studied -the scriptures, or attended to that spirit of freedom, -which runs throughout the Old and New -Testament, and who hitherto had suffered themselves -to be reluctantly dragged along by the present -prevailing enthusiasm in favour of freedom, -but now eagerly seized on a pretence for abandoning -the cause, it has been judged proper to give -it at once to the publick. Mr. Harris affects -to proceed mathematically in the treatment of his -subject, and therefore establishes certain data. I -had thought it sufficient to contradict their particular -application, in my examination of the subject; -but others thinking it necessary to take -more direct notice of them, I have subjoined the -following short observations.</p> - -<p>Dat. 1, 2. “The scriptures of the Old and -New Testament are of equal authority, and contain -the unerring decisions of the word of God.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[4]</span></p> - -<p>Observation. Certainly: but it will not be -disputed, that there are many things, not indeed -deserving the name of decisions, but that pass -without censure, and are seemingly allowed there, -which we know to be forbidden to us, and which -will not apply to the improved state of mankind. -Laws must be adapted, not only to the state of -society, but to the present state of the improvement -of the human mind, which we know has -been gradually advancing from the earliest ages.</p> - -<p>Dat. 3, 4. “It is criminal to refuse assent -to what the scriptures decide to be intrinsically -good or bad.”</p> - -<p>Obser. Suppose this. Yet may we not inquire -if a thing or practice be really so declared, and -if it concerns our salvation, to form a decided -opinion on it? Are we not liable to mistake practices, -arising out of circumstances connected with -the first formation of society, and therefore not -positively censured, for such decisions of intrinsical -goodness? Thus the eating of swines flesh was allowed -before the promulgation of the law of -Moses; that law strictly forbad it; the Christian -law allows it again as at the beginning: or, the -Jews were alone restrained from the use of it; -while they continued under a particular œconomy, -and their transgression of this law was only a crime, -because it was enjoined them; not because it was -in itself a thing unlawful, as murder, adultery, -and the like.</p> - -<p>Dat. 5, 6. “Every scriptural decision, however -incomprehensible, must be assented to as a -declaration of the word of God.” We must consider -the circumstances under which that decision -is made; how far it is agreeable to our benevolent -religion, and how far it is applicable to our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[5]</span> -conduct, before we imitate it. The drunken incest -of Lot is not censured. It was the means of -producing two mighty nations; from which, according -to the author’s manner of reasoning, he -ought to conclude it was approved of; yet I suppose -he will not recommend the imitation to any -person in these days.</p> - -<p>Dat. 7. “The slave-trade must be believed -to be intrinsically just and lawful, if the scriptures -give a sanction to it.” Suppose the slave-trade -to have this sanction (which yet is not true) unless -the author can shew how it can be carried on without -infringing on our Saviour’s golden rule, of doing -as we would be done by; unless he can instruct -us how we can go to the coast of Africa, and by -every fraudulent, violent, oppressive method, rob, -murder, and enslave innocent people without a -crime; then are we to keep our practice, if not -our opinion, suspended.</p> - -<p>Dat. 8. “No abuse of a lawful pursuit, can -make that pursuit criminal.” It is lawful for -a man to provide for his family; but not to rob -and murder on the highway under such a pretence. -Whenever a man’s industry is connected with -such practices, the actual exertion of it is a crime -in him, though to provide for his family in an -honest way would be laudable. That there is an -unlawful slavery noticed in the scriptures, is clear, -from the punishment that Pharaoh brought on -himself and Ægypt, for enslaving the Jews. The -author should distinguish, and mark the difference -between the slavery that (page 41) is almost commanded, -and that which brings down divine judgments -on the oppressor, and shew that his patrons -of Leverpool practise only the first.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[6]</span></p> - -<p>Dat. 9. “No private or publick advantage -will ever justify the slave-trade, till it be -proved essentially just and lawful in its nature.” -Here we are sincerely agreed; and according to -the distinction proposed for datum 8, he has only -to set heartily to work, and prove the Leverpool -slave-trade to be that particular sort of slave-trade, -“which God hath commanded as being -essentially just and lawful in its nature.”</p> - -<p>Dat. 10. “No argument drawn from abuse, -can prove the intrinsic deformity of the slave-trade, -unless it be proved essentially unjust.” -These are words without meaning. We are not -combating an ideal slavery; but slavery accompanied -with robbery, oppression, misery, murder. -Wherever we find slavery so attended, it becomes -a horrid crime, be it intrinsically never so just.</p> - -<p>Dat. 11. “If abuses committed in the prosecution -of a lawful pursuit can be prevented, then -the advantages arising from it, ought to have a -powerful influence against the abolition.” But if -these abuses cannot possibly be prevented (for are -we to oppress and murder according to law?) then -the greatest advantages attending any practice -must be abandoned, till a method shall be discovered, -of separating them from iniquity and blood-shed.</p> - -<p>Dat. 12. “If the slave-trade is to be abolished, -because of the abuses committed in it, then -every other branch of trade, in which abuses are -committed, ought to share the same fate.” Most -certainly in turn, in proportion to the atrociousness -of each. Let us once get this staring monster -subdued, and we will be obliged to the author -for pointing out any other iniquitous traffick -that deserves to follow immediately in the train<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span> -of the Leverpool slave-trade. The fallaciousness -of this author’s reasoning, is exceedingly well exposed, -in the Critical Review of April, 1788, to -which I refer the reader.</p> - -<p>From this view of the author’s data, it will appear, -that he has totally confounded times and -circumstances. The law of Moses was enacted in -aid of natural religion, till the perfect religion of -Christ should be given to the world. The doctrines -of this last, enjoin us to consider and treat -all men as our brethren; and its effect was gradually -to take away all burthensome ceremonies, -all oppressive distinctions. Why are we then -sent back to less perfect institutions for the rule -of our practice? We are to go on to perfection, -refine sentiment, and extend benevolence. What -has raised Europe above the rest of the world, but -the abolition of domestick slavery? What degrees -of opulence and prosperity might it acquire, if -the abominable, contracted, branch of trade in the -bodies of our fellow creatures of Africa, were -changed to a fair, equitable intercourse of productions -and manufactures!</p> - -<p class="right fs120 lsp2"> -J. R.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span><br /> - <span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="EXAMINATION_c">EXAMINATION, &c.</h2> - -<div class="figcenter illowp60" style="max-width: 20em;"> - <img class="w100" src="images/sep3.jpg" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="p2 drop-capy">THIS gentleman professes to treat the subject -seriously, and to submit his opinion to -the decisions of revealed religion. No man has -a right to dispute his sincerity, as far as his own -way of thinking is concerned; but few serious -people will peruse his extraordinary positions, -without having their reverence for their Creator -shocked, and their benevolence to their brother -affected. The Scriptures, from which he draws -his conclusions, we believe to teach, that all men -are equally dear to their Creator, and that we -owe love and good offices to each other. But if -his deductions be fairly made, we must no longer -entertain this opinion; for one part of mankind -is to be kidnapped, evil intreated, oppressed, -murdered, to indulge the avarice of another; -and, page 76, Corol. 3d. “He doth not believe -the Scriptures, who is not persuaded that this -doctrine is taught there.”</p> - -<p>But the author stumbles at the very threshold. -Our Saviour (John v. 39.) bids the Jews to search -the scriptures; “for in them ye think ye have -eternal life; for they are they which testify of -me,” the Saviour come to free men from the -bondage of sin, into the glorious privilege of the -sons of God. But it seems something else is -meant. We are to search the scriptures (see title -page) for a commission to Leverpool captains for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span> -fitting out ships, and loading them with powder, -shot, and cutlasses, to set the Africans on to -assault, kidnap, and enslave each other; to be -transferred over to them; to be murdered by bad -air, thirst, and famine, in the passage to the West-Indies; -where the poor remains are to be set to -hard labour, without food, without cloathing, -without rest, sufficient to support nature.</p> - -<p>It is true (preface, page 5.) he, with all the -other advocates for slavery, declares himself “an -enemy to injustice and oppression.” But the -design of his book is to shew, that the ill-treatment -of slaves is not an object of divine animadversion; -for (p. 16.) Sarah was permitted without -censure, “to use cruel oppressive treatment -to Hagar;” and (p. 26.) Joseph is approved of -by God for the cruel manner in which he enslaved -and exchanged the abodes of the Egyptians. -Which of these is to be believed; his general -assertion, or his particular application? Or may -we conclude, that he reserves to himself the feelings -of humanity, and sells tyranny and oppression -to his friends of Leverpool.</p> - -<p>In the scriptures servants are frequently mentioned; -but, in this dissertation, they are transformed -into “slave trade.” The places, where -traffick in slaves is related, are Joseph’s brethren -(Gen. xxxvii.) selling him to the Ishmaelites, -who sell him to Potiphar; the Tyrians (Ezek. -xxvii. 13.) who had a market for the persons of -men; and Babylon, the mother of abominations, -(Rev. xviii. 13.) who exposed to sale, slaves and -souls of men. I hope none of these instances are -proposed to the imitation of the “ancient and -loyal town of Leverpool;” for a black mark is -set on them to prevent them from being followed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span></p> - -<p>Now there is some difference between dealing in -slaves as a branch of trade, and buying the service -of a domestic; even as it is not every man who eats -meat, that is or could act the part of a butcher. In the -case of the Jews there was something particular. -They were obliged to admit their slaves to all -the national privileges, to circumcision, the passover, -and other solemn feasts, and to instruct -them in the true religion (Gen. xvii. 13. Exod. -xii. 44. Deut. xvi. 11. and xxxi. 12. Josh. viii. -35.) In buying them from the Heathen around -them, they recovered them from idolatry; they -gave them a weekly sabbath. In their treatment -they were commanded to remember, that they -themselves had been slaves in Egypt. When -they are threatened for their sins, the ill treatment -of their slaves makes a capital part of the -charge against them. But modern masters think -that nothing of this sort concerns them.</p> - -<p>The Jews were intended to communicate to -the world the knowledge of the true religion. -He who brings good out of evil made use of the -slavery, in practice, to extend this knowledge to -persons, whom it could not at that time have -otherwise reached. But nothing in the bible -countenances a trade in slaves. Even the transferring -them in ordinary cases is checked as in -that of wives and concubines (Exod. xxi. 11.) -Their ill treatment was guarded against, by that -law which gave them freedom if their master -had struck out a single tooth.</p> - -<p>Indeed, among the Jews, the number of slaves -must have been small. They were numerous in -a narrow territory, and were in general husband-men, -and used ploughs and other instruments of -agriculture, and wrought in the field with their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span> -servants. Ziba, who appears to have been steward -to the house of Saul, had only twenty servants -to assist him and his sons in cultivating the lands -belonging to the family. The Jews on their return -from captivity had only one servant to six -persons, or one in each family. The remnant of -the Gibeonites, who served the temple, was then -392. It is not therefore fair to consider every -accidental possession of a servant, either as an instance, -or as a vindication of the Leverpool -“slave trade;” of which no ancient nation could -ever form an idea. We may rather conclude, -that though the Jews were permitted to buy -slaves from the Heathen, they did not traffick in -them; and forcibly to enslave their brethren was -death. (See Exod. xxi. 16. Deut. xxiv. 7.)</p> - -<p>Of Mr. Harris’s data as general propositions, I -shall say little more; the application alone is what -the present subject is concerned in. I shall only -suggest an additional datum, as necessary to complete -his principles of reasoning.</p> - -<p>Dat. 13. If the slave trade, though “intrinsically -licit,” cannot now be carried on, without -breaking through every human and divine law, -without cheating, violence, oppression, murder, -then must it be laid aside, till we shall have discovered -a way of carrying it on, agreeably to the -doctrines of the gospel, by which we are enjoined -to consider all men as our brethren, and to deal by -them as we wish them to deal by us.</p> - -<p>Page 16. Speaking of Abraham’s possessing of -servants, he calls it, “a positive approbation, a -sanction of divine authority in favour of the slave-trade.” -What a change is put on the Reader! -Abraham possessed servants; therefore the Leverpool -slave-trade has a divine sanction. For if this<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span> -be not meant, nothing is meant. His book is -published to vindicate this trade; it is dedicated to -the corporation, who must so understand it. Now -let a man only read Mr. Newton or Mr. Falconbridge’s, -or any other eye-witness’s account of this -trade, and what horrid impiety must of necessity -be understood! Is there “a divine sanction” for -all the iniquity accompanying this very diabolical -business, the kidnapping, chaining, murdering, -suffocating of millions of unhappy fellow creatures? -Are such things not barely permitted, but -(p. 42.) approved, encouraged, and seemingly -enjoined?</p> - -<p>Abraham was a rich, powerful, prince. As he -travelled through various countries, numbers -must have been desirous of attaching themselves -to his fortune, and have offered themselves for his -attendants. His humanity might have induced -him to purchase children from unnatural parents, -or captives from robbers. But all in his family -were in a situation very different from that of -West Indian slaves. We learn, that on the supposition -of his dying childless, he intended one -of them for his heir; that he intrusted a servant -to chuse a wife for his son Isaac; that he put arms -in his servants hands, and led them out to battle. -There is nothing of West Indian slavery in all -this.</p> - -<p>But a particular stress is laid on the story of -Hagar, and Sarah’s ill treatment of her. Page 19. -“She obtained no favourable sentence from the -Divine Tribunal for leaving her mistress, nor was -Sarah censured for her severity.” Sarah was not -present when the angel appeared unto Hagar, -therefore she is neither praised nor condemned. -But that Hagar believed she had a favourable<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span> -sentence, and that her conduct was not condemned, -when assured that the Lord had seen her affliction, -which is the scripture phrase for deliverance -(Gen. xxix. 32. and xxxi. 42. Exod. iii. 7.), -and that she should have a son, and that her seed -should be multiplied, appears from her acknowledgment -of the vision, and returning to her mistress. -Nor can we imagine in what more flattering -manner her affliction could have been recompensed, -or how she could have been afflicted so -as to have deserved a recompence, and her mistress -not to have been in fault. It was necessary -for her to return to her mistress, that her son might -partake of the sign of the covenant, and be instructed -in the true religion.</p> - -<p>Hagar’s case (p. 19.) is compared with an -African female slave in the West Indies. Nothing -can be more opposite. Josephus says, -Pharaoh made Abraham a present of money; and -the scriptures say, that he intreated Abraham well -for Sarah’s sake, adding immediately, he had -cattle, and men servants, and maid servants, as -if Pharaoh had presented them; among whom -Hagar might have been one; or, as it appears -she was a worshipper of the true God, she might -voluntarily have entered into Sarah’s service. -Certainly she had never been cooped up in a -Guinea trader, nor set to plant the sugar-cane; -nor was she ordered to return and submit herself -for her mistress’s profit, but for her own and her -son’s sake; and when that purpose was answered -she was dismissed.</p> - -<p>There is therefore no foundation for the author’s -deduction, p. 20. that “a divine voice declares -her to be her master’s indisputable property, -and the original bargain to be just and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span> -lawful in its nature; and that the (Leverpool) -slave-trade, even attended with circumstances -not conformable to the feelings of humanity, is -essentially confident with the rights of justice, -and has the positive sanction of God for its support, -however displeasing these circumstances may -be to his fatherly providence.” Let any man make -sense of this who can. I understand only the extreme -boldness of the expression. Here is a right -to enslave and an approbation, and also a censure -of the exercise of this right. Here our natural -notions of benevolence are set in opposition to -revelation, p. 42. Revelation commands us to -enslave our brethren, even against the suggestions -of the feelings of humanity. Surely the writer -should shew the high purposes answered by slavery, -to gain which it is an act of piety to violate our -benevolent feelings.</p> - -<p>We come now to the story of Joseph, which, -p. 23, “ascertains the inherent lawfulness of the” -(Leverpool) “slave-trade.” The first thing that -strikes us in his account is, his illustrating his doctrine -by Joseph’s political arrangements of the -kingdom of Egypt, rather than by Joseph’s own -story; which, except in the horrid circumstances -of the middle passage, agrees entirely with the -Leverpool slave-trade. Joseph is found at a distance -from protection. His enemies kidnap him -and sell him to slave-brokers, who carry him into -Egypt, and dispose of him as an article of commerce -to Potiphar. His kidnappers saw, and -like Guinea captains disregarded, the anguish of -his soul. It is true, afterwards, when they believed -themselves in danger of being enslaved in -turn, they upbraid each other with their unfeeling -cruelty, and charge their distress to its account.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span> -But this was only because Scriptural Researches -had not then been published: for they, p. 20, -would have proved, that “though the action was -not altogether conformable to the feelings of -humanity, and was even displeasing to his Fatherly -Providence; and though doubtless God would -see, and of consequence recompense, Joseph for -his affliction as he had Hagar; yet this stroke in -the slave-trade is essentially consistent with the -unalienable rights of justice; has the positive -sanction of God in its support, nay, his approbation, -p. 16, and p. 42, even his command.”</p> - -<p>But let us examine Joseph’s management of -the Egyptians, not as this author, but as the -scriptures represent it. In the years of plenty -Joseph stored the extraordinary produce of each -district in the neighbouring cities. One tenth -part belonged of right to the king; the rest he purchased -at a low price with the king’s treasures. In -the years of famine he sold the corn out to the inhabitants -of the districts nearest to his respective store-houses -at an advanced price, and accumulated the -money, cattle, and moveables of the whole kingdom, -and at last made a bargain for their lands and -persons. It is not to be supposed that any property, -except money, was taken out of the original possessors -hands; for this would have answered no -purpose, but to distress the people and embarrass -government. Indeed, where could the whole cattle -and moveables of the kingdom have been stored? -When the seven years of famine were ended, Pharaoh -was the sole proprietor. Joseph then gives -the inhabitants a charter, restores them their -lands and cattle, on condition of paying to Pharaoh -a second tenth of the produce of the land, -which made their contributions to the revenue<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span> -a fifth part of their crops. It appears no other -badge or burden of slavery was imposed, except -this rent, which was a tenth part more than they -had formerly paid.</p> - -<p>The common rent of the bare land in England -is estimated at one-third of the produce, and the -farmer must supply himself with stock, except -perhaps buildings, and also contribute largely in -a variety of ways to the publick revenues: but by -Joseph’s regulation the Egyptian farmer paid only -a fifth part for the use of his stock and land, and -for the support of government. After having transferred -themselves and property to Pharaoh, they -could not have been freed on easier terms: and as -we often see, that he who hires a farm, grows rich -on a possession on which the owner had been ruined, -probably the Egyptians became as happy under -their new tenure as they had been under their -old. In the most unfavourable light, it may be -compared with the change that took place at the -conquest, when free tenures became feudal, charged -with certain services.</p> - -<p>Our translation, Gen. xlvii. 20, 21. says, “So -the land became Pharaoh’s; and as for the people, -he removed them to cities from one end of the -borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof.” -In the Septuagint it is, “and the land became -Pharaoh’s, and he subjected the people to be servants -to him from one end of Egypt to the -other.” It is to the same purport in the Samaritan -copy. This reads better, and is more probable, -than that Joseph should have made the -whole nation, as Mr. Harris affirms, change settlements -in such a manner as if the people of Kent -were sent to the Orkneys, and those of the Orkneys<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span> -were brought to Kent. This would be such -a trifling with peoples lives and feelings, such a -waste of property, such a perversion of all experience, -and particular knowledge of the agriculture -proper in each district, as is only applicable -to the Leverpool slave-trade; but cannot, -on such slight grounds as this general expression -is, be imagined in a man of Joseph’s character, -with a pretended view to prevent rebellion. Or -the expression in our translation may bear, that -the people were distributed so as to be near -the respective store-houses, on which their maintenance -was assigned.</p> - -<p>Therefore “the change made, p. 25, 26, in the -happy condition of the Ægyptians, the transportation -of 7 or 8 millions of every age, sex, condition, -rank; infants, children, decrepit, infirm, delicate, -through the scorching sands of a parched up -country,” is the mere fiction of imagination, to -palliate the still more shocking conduct of the -writer’s patrons of Leverpool. The Ægyptians -offered themselves for servants, to save themselves -from starving. His patrons force the Africans to -be slaves, not as he says, from “a state of absolute -indigence,” but reduced from plenty and -ease to famine, nakedness, and want, by stripes, -fetters, cruelty and oppression.</p> - -<p>Page 28. It is said, “Joseph, when able to -relieve them, took advantage of the extreme indigence -of the Ægyptians, to reduce them into -the condition of slaves, and in this acted by the -immediate direction of God, who made this work -to prosper.” Supposing all this true, yet there is -nothing common between this transaction and the -Leverpool African commerce; but the author’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span> -having given them one common name, “slave-trade.” -The Ægyptians, after a fair transfer of -themselves and goods, are left in full possession of -their lands and property, on paying such a rent as -would act as a spur to industry, while it checked -that luxury which the author describes, p. 25, as -prevailing in Ægypt. The Leverpool slaves are -reduced from freedom to a base, helpless, unprofitable, -wretched state.</p> - -<p>When this writer, p. 27, considers the four-fifths -of the produce left with the Ægyptian farmer, -as only equivalent to the keep of a West-Indian -slave, he must raise a blush on the sugar -planter’s cheek; who willingly would leave but one -fifth, (the rum) both to support his plantation -stock, and maintain his slaves.</p> - -<p>But let Joseph’s conduct be what the writer -pleases to describe it. He was not the legislator -of Ægypt, but the minister of Pharaoh, and obliged -to govern himself by the prevailing customs of -the kingdom. It appears, he extended only the -king’s revenues, and gave him such a command -over the property of the people, as might enable -him to arrange the management of it to the best -general advantage. This might be peculiarly -proper in Ægypt, though not necessary to be -imitated here. Its fertility depended on the -equal distribution of the waters of the Nile. It -was necessary for the general benefit, that there -should be an indisputed power to direct the course -of the various canals, which communicated the -water to each district. While the king had an -equal interest in all, no particular part would be -neglected. Joseph gives four-fifths of the produce, -“for feed of the field, and for your food, -and for them of your housholds, and for food for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span> -your little ones.” This confines the peoples share -to their own maintenance, and the supply of seed. -We are left to conclude, that every expense attending -the distribution of the river, except perhaps -manual labour, was paid out of the king’s fifth -part: and as in all good governments, the interest -of the king and the people is one, Joseph, by -his nominal purchase of the people and their -lands, might probably have in view such an accession -of power, as might enable him to direct -the whole to general advantage. After the charter -was confirmed, no ill use could be made of the -power, and an English farmer would gladly pay -one-fifth of his produce to him who should stock -his farm, and pay his rent, and all his publick and -parish taxes.</p> - -<p>Page 38. “The Jews are not restrained from -purchasing their own brethren.” The Jews were -commanded to treat their brethren, when reduced -to a six years servitude, with lenity, as hired or -free servants, and to send them out in the sabbatical -year free, and not let them go away empty. -The only cases in which we can suppose Jews -could be made to serve, are their being sold for -debt, or their preferring the service of a master to -labour on their own account. In these cases, the -laws of Moses take care of them, that they be not -oppressed, and, besides the original purchase-money -of their services, to have a recompence -when the period is finished.</p> - -<p>It is in this case of an Hebrew servant, that we -are to look for the genuine Mosaic principles of -slavery. Even here the law expresses a jealousy of -the master’s conduct, and guards against the abuse -of his authority, restricting it to six years, and prescribing -the manner of exercising it. Therefore<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span> -when the Jews are allowed to make perpetual -slaves of the Heathen, we are to consider it as a -particular dispensation respecting their situation -among idolaters, by which, in every slave, they -made a proselyte to the true religion; or like divorces, -an indulgence to their hardness of heart, -which was not then capable of the purity and benevolence -of the gospel, by which, marriage was -made perpetual, and all men were to be treated as -brethren. We can infer the doctrine of perpetual -slavery as little from its permission to the Jews, -as we can the keeping of concubines from the -practice of Abraham, or David. Divorces are -permitted to the Jews in similar expressions with -the permission to hold slaves; yet our Saviour -tells us, it was not so from the beginning. Moses -(Deut. xvii. 14.) gives directions for the choice -and duty of a king, yet Samuel tells the Jews, -they had offended God in asking for a king. And -though God condescended to give them a king in -a manner which more unequivocally shewed his -assent, than that approbation, sanction and command, -which the author incautiously affirms to be -given to the “slave-trade;” yet Samuel concludes -them to be not the less guilty, for persevering in -the request. We should be more careful than this -author shews himself, how we apply our ignorant -conjectures to the divine conduct; as p. 16, -“Without allowing the licitness of the slave-trade, -it is impossible to reconcile the justice of -God with his own scriptural decisions concerning -its nature;” that (p. 32) “God, without a glaring -opposition to the rights of his justice, could -not have approved the conduct of Joseph in enslaving -the Ægyptians, and inflicted a lasting punishment -on Reuben for his incest, if his enslaving of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span> -the Ægyptians had been a crime.” These expressions -would be shocking from an infidel; in -what an horrid cause doth a clergyman use them?</p> - -<p>The minds of the Jews had been broken and -debased by the Egyptian bondage; the law was -given them as a school-master to train them up for -the perfect religion of the gospel. Their conduct -in the wilderness, their frequent rebellions amidst -miracles, and in the immediate presence of their -Divine Deliverer, can only be imagined by those -who have had opportunities of seeing how man is -shorn of his worth by slavery. Only two men of -all who were grown up when they came out of -Egypt, were thought deserving to enter into Canaan. -That whole generation must be worn out -in the wilderness; and their children must be -trained for 40 years before they are permitted to -take possession. Their laws therefore respected the -hardness of their hearts, though founded on principles -which led insensibly to perfection. Thus -while the perpetuity of the servitude of the Heathens -condescended to the hardness of their hearts, -the easy temporary service of their brethren looked -forward to the gospel times, not differing, but in -being for a fixed period, from modern servitude for -wages in free states.</p> - -<p>Therefore when this writer, p. 39. calls this -latter service, “A Slave Trade;” the meaning of -the terms is perverted. Or let him reduce his Leverpool -slave trade to the circumstances of a Jew serving -his brother for six years, and we shall have few -objections to bring against it. What he calls there -“selling him again,” was transferring his service -to another brother (not an Heathen) for the remainder -of the term, as an apprentice is turned -over to a second master.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span></p> - -<p>Page 40. “If a Hebrew servant had married -a wife with consent of his master, she and her -child became her master’s property for ever.” -This seems not to be candidly expressed. This -wife must have been an Heathen slave, for Hebrew -women had the privilege of the Sabbatical -year; but if he chose to continue with his wife, -he had only to renew his contract with his master. -Indeed the regulation appears to have been intended -as a check to the connection with slaves in -the poor reduced Hebrews.</p> - -<p>Page 41, 42. When he speaks of the (Leverpool) -“slave trade having the sanction of being -encouraged, almost commanded, and even enjoined, -to be prosecuted by the Supreme Legislator,” -he puts opposition to silence. But when, -p. 43. he talks of “the Almighty’s forgetting -himself, when he encouraged the slave trade, if it -be a crime,” I am happy for his sake to recollect, -that the author tells us, till he was 27 years old, -he knew not the value of an English expression.</p> - -<p>Page 43. The slavery of the Gibeonites.</p> - -<p>The land of Canaan was allotted to the Jews -for an inheritance. The former inhabitants, for -their sins, were to be extirpated, or expelled. The -Gibeonites preferred slavery to this. Their services -were allotted first to the tabernacle, then to -the temple. It appears from David’s application -to them, on account of the famine brought on the -land for Saul’s massacre of them, that they were -kept distinct as a people. We may suppose that -they continued to occupy part of their ancient possessions -(for we find in David’s time that even -Araunah a Jebusite was a proprietor of land) -and that they were in their turn draughted off for -the service of religion; those who occupied the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span> -lands maintaining those who served. There is not -one common circumstance between the manner of -their becoming servants, and the present Leverpool -slave trade, and hardly any more in their treatment.</p> - -<p>Page 50. On the supposition of the iniquity -of the (Leverpool) “slave trade,” he speaks of the -Almighty disturbing the course of nature, when -the sun stood still at Joshua’s command, to make -it subservient to injustice and oppression, in vindication -of ill-gotten property. Here he may be -assured the horror of the expression will secure him -from contradiction.</p> - -<p>Page 54. “The slave trade,” (still Leverpool -slave trade) “is in perfect harmony with the principles -of the word of God respecting justice.” -P. 58. “The inspired writers of the New Testament -did not consider it as an infraction of the -principles of the gospel.” Nor did these declare -their own persecution for righteousness sake, to be -an infraction of the principles of the gospel. The -keeping of slaves, which the author constantly calls -“the slave trade,” was a custom then generally prevalent -over the world. Neither were masters or slaves -prepared for a general manumission. The spirit of -Christianity was suffered gradually to undermine -this mass of oppression, and wherever the gospel -has prevailed, it has in fact abolished it.</p> - -<p>We have a similar instance of this management, -in the abolition of the ceremonial law of Moses. -The first disciples, and even the apostles, conformed -to it, though they had declared it to be an unnecessary -yoke, and they suffered it to wear out gradually. -That slavery was an evil, and therefore a -sin in all those who inflicted it on others, in such -a degree as to become an evil, is plainly declared<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span> -in the gospel. Our Saviour tells the believing -Jews, If ye continue in my word, ye shall know -the truth, and the truth shall make you free; or -shall confer new privileges on you. If freedom be -a privilege or an advantage, slavery is a degradation -and a disadvantage. But if a man be degraded -or injured for the caprice or profit of another, -that other, under whom he suffers such -injury, is guilty of a sin.</p> - -<p>Again, St. Paul, 1 Cor. viii. 21., says, “Art -thou called being a servant, care not for it; but -if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.” Here -is plainly a direction to the disciples to submit to -their situation, but to prefer freedom when fairly -offered; which in this case was its being purchased -for them by the Christian congregation. This is -explained, ver. 23. “Ye are bought with a price, -be not (Greek become not) ye the servants of men.” -Avoid a situation which must debase your mind. -In the Revelations, xviii. 13. slaves and souls of -men are said to be articles of traffick in Babylon, -the Mother of Abominations. This supposeth nothing -very excellent in slavery, to make it be approved -of, and commanded to be prosecuted by -God.</p> - -<p>We may now account for the manner in which -St. Paul applies to Philemon in behalf of his servant -Onesimus. He desires him to receive him -back into his family, not now as a servant, but -above a servant; a profitable inmate, a brother -beloved. He would not take advantage of the -privilege of an apostle, to withhold Onesimus from -his service, or consider his conversion as a bar to -it, and therefore endeavours to effect a reconciliation -between them. But from the manner in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span> -which the apostle solicits this favour, it is clear -the situation of Onesimus in the family was desirable; -for he requests it as a favour to Onesimus, -and considers not his interposition, as the conferring -of an obligation on Philemon. All this is -very opposite to that West-Indian slavery with -which this of Onesimus, p. 65. is compared. For -the master only is considered here; neither the -feelings nor profit of the slave is taken into account.</p> - -<p>Page 72, 73. I shall not dispute his exposition -of doing as we wish to be done by, as far as it -goes, of “a slave’s serving his master, as he if a -master would wish to be served.” But I would -carry it a step farther. As I, a free man, settled -with my family and friends about me in my native -country, would not wish to be kidnapped, or to -have my family enslaved, separated, and carried -bound neck and heel, and stifled in the foul air -of a ship’s hold, all to be sold in a distant country, -to toil incessantly for a man we never knew, -without food or raiment, except such scraps as we -may procure by breaking the sabbath; under the -lash of any unfeeling boy, who may be set over us -with a whip in his hand; so would not I be concerned -in any such cruel oppressive inhuman treatment -of others. When this author publishes his -Second Part, it is to be hoped, this will be pressed -home on his Leverpool patrons.</p> - -<p>It is curious to remark, that in these researches, -in which the wisdom and goodness of God is so -freely applied to the Leverpool slave trade, there -is not even a distant hint given of the purpose -which is to be served by slavery, to shew it to be -worthy “of this divine approbation, the almost -divine commands.” When God commands us<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span> -to love our neighbour, our heart goes along with -the precept. But if, as this author incautiously -affirms, we be commanded to exercise the slave -trade, bow down our brother’s body in bondage, -and treat him ill, as Sarah did Hagar with impunity, -we have no clue to trace out the agreement -of the doctrine with divine goodness. If commanded -or enjoined to use the slave trade as it is -now carried on, we are commanded, (horrid even -in the supposition) to commit murder, to starve, -oppress, suffocate, and lead into exile, our brother, -who never offended us. Suppose slavery -approved of in revelation, yet surely robbery, -murder, and oppression, are not approved there: -and yet no man is originally reduced into a -state of slavery but by such methods:—at least, -when the advocates for slavery plead for a divine -sanction to it, they should be able to lay down a -method of making slaves of others, which shall -be innocent, and may deserve that sanction.</p> - -<p>The Jews, for their sins, were given up to -captivity. Their cities were to be destroyed, their -princes murdered, and their people carried to -Babylon. The prophets invited the surrounding -nations to come to the slaughter, and to the spoil. -Here is a divine command in stronger terms than -can be shewn for the Leverpool slave trade, or any -other slave trade or holding of slaves. Yet what -follows. These very nations thus invited, and -even commanded to execute the divine judgments -on the Jews, are destined to destruction, are made -to cease as nations, for having obeyed the call to -vengeance. Edom was amongst the first in this -field of blood, and slavery, and plunder. Hear -the prophet Obadiah address him:—“Thou<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span> -shouldest not have laid hands on their substance -in the day of their calamity: thou shouldest not -have stood in the cross-way to cut off those of his -that did escape: thou shouldest not have delivered -up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. -For the day of the Lord is near on all the -heathen;—as thou hast done, it shall be done -unto thee.”</p> - -<p>The reason is plain, though instruments in -God’s hands to punish a wicked people; yet in -the execution of his justice, they only satiated -their own hatred, cruelty, and avarice. Let therefore -the Leverpool slave trade be not only approved -of, but even, as he says, commanded by God; -yet if the corporation, in prosecuting the infernal -business, be actuated by avarice, or any other -unworthy motive, and use cruelty, oppression, and -inhumanity in the course of it, (and let those who -use the trade lay their hands on their hearts, and -let them, if they dare, deny the charge), then, -sooner or later, divine vengeance will find them -out, and plunge them into ruin with all those -who encourage or abet them in it.</p> - -<p>Page 75. Corol. 1st. “The Scriptures declare -the slave trade to be intrinsically good and licit.” -Not in any other manner than Jewish arbitrary -divorces, plurality of wives, or their original -desire of a king; all of which we know to have -been wrong from the beginning.</p> - -<p>Corol. 2d. “He is highly criminal who refuses -assent to the intrinsick licitness of the slave trade, -declared in the Scriptures.” I hope not, if he -cannot find it there, and resolves not to meddle -with it, till he has discovered it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span></p> - -<p>Corol. 3d. “He who acquiesces not in the -licitness of the slave trade, disbelieves the Scriptures.” -Answered in Corol. 2.</p> - -<p>Corol. 6th. “The abuses of the slave trade -not an inducement to the Legislature to abolish -it.” If the slave trade be, as it certainly is, inseparably -connected with murder, oppression, and -every iniquity that has from time to time drawn -down divine vengeance on guilty nations; and if -the Legislature be instructed in the nature of it, -and be called on to put a stop to this murder and -oppression, and cannot possibly do it but by the -abolition of the slave trade, (were the slave trade -even commanded in the clearest terms, which is -not the case, but the contrary) then is the Legislature -obliged, and called on by every motive of -religion and prudence, to put an immediate stop -to it, that it may not bring ruin on the state.</p> - - -<p class="p4 pfs120 lsp3">FINIS.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p class="p3 pfs120"><i>Books by J. Ramsay.</i></p> - - <div class="books"> -<p>An ESSAY on the Treatment and Conversion -of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies. -4s. Boards.</p> - -<p>A REPLY to the Personal Invectives and Objections -contained in two Answers, published by -certain anonymous Persons, to an Essay on the -Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves, in -the British Colonies. 2s.</p> - -<p>An INQUIRY into the Effects of putting a -Stop to the African Slave Trade, and of granting -Liberty to the Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies. -6d.</p> - -<p>A LETTER to James Tobin, Esq. late Member -of His Majesty’s Council in the Island of -Nevis. 6d.</p> - -<p>A MANUAL for African Slaves. 2d.</p> - -<p>OBJECTIONS to the Abolition of the Slave -Trade, with Answers. Second Edit. enlarged. 9d. -<br /><br /></p> - - -<p><i>Also lately published by the same Author</i>,</p> - -<p>A <span class="smcap">Volume</span> of SEA SERMONS; sold by -Rivingtons, St. Paul’s Church-yard.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Essay</span> on a SEA OFFICER’s DUTY; sold -by Robinsons, Paternoster-Row.</p> - </div> - - -<div class="chapter"></div> -<div class="figcenter illowp60" style="max-width: 20em;"> - <img class="p3 w100" src="images/sep3.jpg" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="TRACTS"> -<span class="lsp15">TRACTS</span><br /> - -<span class="fs80">ON THE</span><br /> - -<span class="fs100">SLAVE TRADE,</span></h2> - -<p class="p2">Published by <span class="smcap lsp2">J. Phillips</span>, George-Yard, -Lombard-Street.</p> - - - <div class="books"> -<p>An ESSAY on the Impolicy of the African -Slave Trade, by T. Clarkson. In Two Parts. 2s. -6d. boards.</p> - -<p>An ESSAY on the Slavery and Commerce -of the Human Species, particularly the African, -translated from a Latin Dissertation, which was -honoured with the First Prize in the University of -Cambridge, for the Year 1785. Second Addition, -with Additions, by T. Clarkson. 3s. boards.</p> - -<p>A DESCRIPTION of Guinea, its Situation, -Produce, and the general Disposition of its Inhabitants; -with an Inquiry into the Rise and Progress -of the Slave Trade, &c. By Anthony Benezet. -A new Edition. 2s. boards.</p> - -<p>An ACCOUNT of the Slave Trade on the -Coast of Africa, by Alexander Falconbridge, late -Surgeon in the African Trade. 9d.</p> - -<p>OBSERVATIONS on a Guinea Voyage; in -a Series of Letters, addressed to the Rev. J. -Clarkson, by James Field Stanfield, late a Mariner -in the African Slave Trade. 4d.</p> - -<p>A LETTER to the Treasurer of the Society -instituted for the Purpose of effecting the Abolition -of the Slave Trade. From the Rev. Robert -Boucher Nickolls, Dean of Middleham. A new -Edition enlarged. 4d.</p> - -<p>REMARKS on the Slave Trade, and the Slavery -of the Negroes, in a Series of Letters, by -Africanus. 2s. 6d.</p> - -<p>WEST INDIAN ECLOGUES, dedicated to -the late Lord Bishop of Chester, by a Person who -resided several Years in the West-Indies. 2s.</p> - -<p>A SUMMARY VIEW of the Slave Trade, -and of the probable Consequences of its Abolition. -2d.</p> - -<p>A LETTER from Capt. J. S. Smith, to the -Rev. Mr. Hill, on the State of the Negroe Slaves. -To which are added an Introduction, and Remarks -on Free Negroes. By the Editor. 6d.</p> - -<p>A CAUTION to Great Britain and her -Colonies, in a short Representation of the calamitous -State of the enslaved Negroes in the -British Dominions. By Anthony Benezet. 6d.</p> - -<p>THOUGHTS on the Slavery of the Negroes. -4d.</p> - -<p>A SERIOUS ADDRESS to the Rulers of -America, on the Inconsistency of their Conduct -respecting Slavery. 3d.</p> - -<p>The CASE of our Fellow-Creatures, the Oppressed -Africans, respectfully recommended to the -serious Consideration of the Legislature of Great-Britain, -by the People called Quakers. 2d.</p> - </div> - - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EXAMINATION OF THE REV. MR. HARRIS'S SCRIPTURAL RESEARCHES ON THE LICITNESS OF THE SLAVE TRADE ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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