By natural law, as used in our former communication,
it seems the Presbytery knew not what was intended, and therefore could express
no opinion whether slavery is contrary to it or not. There might have been, on
our part, some want of definitiveness in our use of the term. We had in view,
however, the same principles of human nature as the apostle had, when he said
of some who had never been favored with the light of divine revelation, “These
not having the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law
written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, their thoughts
meanwhile accusing, or else excusing, one another.” We suppose there were
principles implanted, naturally, in the souls of rational creatures, which,
under the mere light of nature, would, if left unbiassed, lead them to feel
that some things were morally right, and others morally wrong; and that the
business of enslaving human beings for life, without an crime of theirs,
forfeiting liberty, would naturally be referred by all unprejudiced minds to
the latter class of actions. The fact that multitudes hold slaves without
compunction of conscience, we consider no proof against the existence of such a
law; but only an evidence that conscience may be erroneously trained, or be so
borne down and stifled by self-love seeking its own interest and gratification,
that its voice is not, in regard to this matter, heard or regarded. Let the
question however be put once to such, whether it would be right for men of any
other nation, into whose hands they might fall by war or shipwreck, to despoil
them of their liberty, convert them into merchantable commodities, and treat
them not as men but things, just as they do their servants, and their decision,
we have no doubt, would be unanimously against it. So it would be with men of
every nation and of every complexion. Slaveholding, then, is contrary to,
is a flagrant violation of the law which the God of nature has universally
impressed on human hearts.
_______________
Continued from: Reverend
Silas McKeen to Thomas C. Stuart, August 20, 1839
SOURCE: Cyrus P. Grosvenor, Slavery vs. The Bible: A
Correspondence Between the General Conference of Maine, and the Presbytery of
Tombecbee, Mississippi, p. 29-31
