They who affirm that the New Testament writers sanctioned Roman slavery, seem not to be aware of the serious imputation they cast upon that book and its authors. Look at that awful despotism, that you may understand what a savage, scaly, bloody-mouthed beast was welcomed into the church and baptized with a Christian baptism, if we may believe the advocates of human bondage.
1. "The (Roman) slave had no protection against the avarice, rage, or lust of the master, whose authority was founded in absolute property; and the bondman was viewed less as a human being subject to arbitrary dominion, than as an inferior animal, dependent wholly on the will of his overseer.[14]
2. "He might kill, mutilate or torture his slaves for any or no offence; he might force them to become gladiators or prostitutes.
3. "The temporary unions of male with female slaves were formed and dissolved at his command; families and friends were separated when he pleased.
4. "Slaves could have no property but by the sufferance of their masters.
5. "While slaves turned the handmill they were generally chained, and had a broad wooden collar to prevent them from eating the grain.
6. "The runaway when taken was severely punished, * * * sometimes with crucifixion, amputation of a foot, or by being sent to fight as a gladiator with wild beasts; but most frequently by being branded on the brow with letters indicative of his crime.
7. "By a decree passed by the Senate, if a master was murdered when his slaves might possibly have aided him, all his household within reach were held as implicated and deserving of death."
Is it possible that the holy apostles gave their sanction to a system based on such laws?
But all the fundamental principles of revealed religion are against slavery.
1. THE CHARACTER OF GOD.--God is _just_ and cannot favor a system which disregards all the principles of justice. But slavery outrages every principle of justice: therefore God must be opposed to slavery. God is _impartial_,--no respecter of persons, and he cannot be favorable to a system which is based upon partiality. But slavery is a system of superlative partiality: hence God is opposed to slavery. God is _love_,--and love wills the highest happiness of the intelligent universe, and the removal of every obstruction to the progress of men to that happiness. But slavery obstructs that progress. It is a barbarizing system, necessarily involving millions of men in ignorance, crime and misery: therefore God must will its extirpation. All the divine attributes are hostile to slavery. "Thus saith the Lord, execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor." "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow."