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subscribed, and that they have been able to secure the services of an efficient labourer for this work.

There is one other important aspect in which this subject was considered; and that is, the duty and responsibility of masters and their families, in regard to the instruction of their servants at home. In reference to this point, it was observed, "that the arrangements of the Patriarchal period of the church were clothed with a Divine sanction; and when, as here, the state of society nearly approaches to that, the spirit of these arrangements ought to prevail; that as these households were trained in a knowledge of religion under the supervision of the master, and the master was held responsible, so should it be now. The Pastor is settled over congrega tions of families, and as he strives to secure the religious education of children with the aid of parents, so should he, when it can be done, by the aid of religious masters. He should stimulate them to the putting forth of direct effort, wherever possible; should reinforce their influence by and with his, and also, aim to supply their lack of service. It appears to be practicable for the church to train up its servants for God as it trains up its children for God; it ought to aim at this; if she set about it earnestly she might accomplish it; if it were done in the faithfulness of Abraham, domestic slavery would have fewer enemies, as it would be freed from almost all its ills, and attended with much of good to its subjects. It is the only way in which we can protect and rightly train our own children, when we also train for God that larger family, in the centre of which they and we are placed." Doubtless, much might be accomplished in this work if the Christian members of each family would but do their duty. Let the mistress, as is often done, collect the children on Sabbath and catechize them, where access cannot be had to public religious services; let the servants be assembled, a hymn sung, a portion of Scripture and a plain sermon be read, and God will bless the almoners of so precious a charity. Much, too, depends under God, on Pastors. If it would be injudicious too frequently to insist on these points from the pulpit, let them in their pastoral visits address inquiries to Christian masters in regard to the measures which

they have adopted for the religious training of their servants. It is a matter of devout thanksgiving to God, that long established prejudices on this subject are disappearing; and that believing masters are gradually coming up to their duty, in respect to the religious instruction of their servants at home.

III. The third and last branch of the subject, was the exercise of discipline in relation to the coloured people.

The opinion was expressed that the same general rules should be observed in this department of church control in reference to the coloured members as in reference to the white; but at the same time, great embarrassment was felt as to a question arising out of the contingency attending the continuance of the marriage relation.

The difficulty is simply this. The law of God acknowledges infidelity to the marriage covenant as the only justifiable cause of the dissolution of the contract. But slaves are sometimes separated by other causes which lie beyond their control. The question is, what order shall be taken by our sessions in regard to cases in which a new marriage is contracted after such compulsory separation? Abstractly, it is one which cannot easily be decided, and great embarrassment was very generally confessed by the members of Presbytery in reference to the subject. Several, however, expressed their judgment of the course which it is expedient to pursue. It was remarked by one, "that in view of the difficulties encompassing the subject, he had come to the conclusion that each minister must, necessarily, act according to his own sense of duty in each case, exercising all his wisdom and discretion with prayer to God for Divine direction." Another observed, "that in his church, parties who had been subjected by authority which they could not control, to a separation which appeared to be final, were regarded in the same light as if they had been separated by death, and were allowed to contract a fresh marriage. Such cases, however," he said, "seldom occurred in the community of which he was a member."

By another the subject was presented in a somewhat different aspect. "The Methodists and some of our

selves," said he, "have wisely decided that such a separation as the shipping a husband, or wife, or otherwise hopelessly parting them, is a divorce by the State, because done under State law and by powers it confers.

The church, therefore, should recognise the remaining party as in a state of widowhood, and permit another inarriage. On the other hand, partings for a short distance, and where they can meet at brief intervals and regularly, cannot affect matrimonial obligations. Between these two lie the difficult cases, and these must be judged on their merits. If they could meet once a fortnight, or even once a month, they should be held to their vows and taught to consider it a cross to be patiently borne, a test of social and Christian faithfulness. But if they could not meet oftener than once in six months or a year, with no rational prospect of improvement, he would think he served the cause of morality and family happiness by recognising them as divorced; but then, he would put the party who remained under his pastoral care, on a probation, to save the church from reproach for laxness and weak facility."

It appeared thus to be the judgment of some minds that a compulsory separation is tantamount to a separation by death, and of others, to a divorce by the State; in either hypothesis, leaving the parties free to contract a second marriage. Upon these suppositions, however, it may be asked in what the difficulty as to the exercise of discipline, lies? If either theory be correct, the only point which may present some embarrassment, is merely to determine the fact whether the nature of the separation in each particular case, would warrant its being assigned to one or the other of these categories. That being ascertained, no further perplexity exists. It only remains to regard a second marriage as valid.

It is questionable whether the real difficulty is met by this method of dealing with the subject. Are these theories themselves, in accordance with Scripture? Has even the State a right to dissolve the marriage relation on any other ground than the one specified by Christ? The hypothesis has been advanced that the necessity to which the slave is subjected, by virtue of the providential constitution under which he lives, may place him

under the general operation of the rule by which polygamy was sanctioned in the ancient saints. But the question still returns, is it right to grant a dispensation from the strict construction of the New Testament rule? May it not be that the church ignores the solemn sanctions of marriage imposed under the new Dispensation, and winks at the violation of the Saviour's solemn injunction, "what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder?" The Committee would take leave to suggest that there is one way in which the difficulties that environ this subject may to some extent, and gradually, be removed; and that is by enforcing on Masters themselves, the obligation to adhere more rigidly to the Saviour's command, and refrain from separating their married servants, except in cases of criminal offence which would justly subject the offending party to a legal sentence involving separation. In such cases, the servant would be precisely in the position of any criminal who, by disobedience to law, exposes himself to severance from his family. In such cases too, the innocent party must be content to bear the separation as a providential discipline. Whatever may be the difficulties in the case of the slave and they are great-the duty of Masters is clear. Let that duty by Pastors in their private intercourse with their people, and especially by our church courts, be insisted on temperately and affectionately, but at the same time, firmly and perseveringly, and we may hope for the gradual removal of the difficulties which now create so much perplexity in the exercise of discipline. True, all masters are not Christian masters, and the influence of the church can be directly exerted only on the latter. But could the conduct of professing Christians be made what it should be in the premises, an indirect impression would be exerted on the minds of others, and in the process of time the whole community might be leavened, and a powerful public sentiment established, which would render instances of the forcible separation of husband and wife comparatively rare.

VOL. VIII.-No. 1.

2

ARTICLE II.

THE UNJUST STEWARD.

Luke xvi: 1, 12 verses.

No one of the parables of our Lord has presented greater difficulties to the general reader of the Scriptures. Neither has any met with a greater variety of interpretations. It has particularly perplexed that class of interpreters who delight in particularizing, making every incident mentioned in the parable represent some distinct truth. "In this," says Calvin, we perceive that they philosophize foolishly, who in the parables scrupu lously follow out (excutiunt) all the parts." Such are compelled to say who is represented by the rich manwho by the steward-who by the debtors? Also, what the accusation teaches-what the reckoning what the altering of the accounts-what the commendation? Many of these interpretations are extremely fanciful, and often they indicate great ingenuity in their authors. Our object however, is not to give a history of opinions, but rather to present to the reader the true interpretation of this parable.

In attempting to do this we shall aim not at originality, but at a brief statement and vindication of what appears to be the design of our Saviour in the use of the passage before us.

We believe that the doctrine of the parable is, that we should so use the gifts which God has committed to us, as to secure our own everlasting welfare, or, if this appear too general, that we should use our temperal possessions, which we hold as stewards of God, so that when we die we may have friends in Heaven who shall welcome us to their habitations. "The sum of this parable is, that we should act humanely and kindly towards our fellows, so that when we come before the tribunal of God we may receive the fruit of our liberality."

It is to be observed, that this parable is spoken to His disciples. In the preceding chapter we have three, all

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