To say this, I think, is to be more righteous than God." "Then you maintain," said he, "that the Most High, in the Bible, countenances all the atrocities of American slavery." "What a strange way," said I, "of arguing, do we very generally find among anti-slavery men, when their feelings are enlisted, as they are so apt to be.

They take unwarrantable, extreme inferences from what we say, and oppose these as logical answers to a statement or argument.

'Auction block' and 'Bunker Hill,' are sufficient answers with them to most of our reasoning on this subject.

But let us look at this point in a dispassionate manner.
"But," said I, "before I begin I wish to be distinctly understood as holding this doctrine; namely, The Bible does not justify us in reducing men to bondage at our will.

God might appoint that certain tribes should be slaves to others; but before we proceed to reduce men to slavery, our warrant for it must be clear.
"If, however, slavery is found by a certain generation among them, and it is not right and just nor expedient to abolish it, may we not safely ask, How did the Most High legislate concerning slavery among the people to whom he gave a code of laws from his own lips?
"Learning this, we must then consider whether circumstances in our day warrant, or require, different rules and regulations.
"But our inquiry into the divine legislation respecting slavery, will disclose some things which draw largely upon one's implicit faith in the divine goodness; and if a man is disposed to be a sceptic and his anti-slavery feelings are strong, here is a stone on which, if that anti-slavery man falls, he shall be broken, but if it falls on him, it shall grind him to powder.
"You will acknowledge this, if you will allow me to speak further on this subject.
"Did you ever notice," said I, "with what words Christ concludes his enunciation of the golden rule?
They are a remarkable answer to our modern infidels, who impugn the Old Testament as far behind the New in its moral standard.