διέποντες, ἐς ὃ ἐπήβησαν οἱ τῶν ἀπολομένων παῖδες, ἔπειτά σφεας οὗτοι ἀνακτώμενοι ὀπίσω ἐς ἑωυτοὺς τὸ ̓Αργος ἐξέβα λον· ἐξωθεύμενοι δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι μάχῃ ἔσχον Τίρυνθα. τέως μὲν δή σφι ἦν ἀρθμια ἐς ἀλλήλους, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐς τοὺς δούλους ἦλθε ἀνὴρ μάντις Κλέανδρος, γένος ἐὼν Φιγαλεὺς ἀπ' ̓Αρκαδίης· οὗτος τοὺς δούλους ἀνέγνωσε ἐπιθέσθαι τοῖσι δεσπότησι.

“ Argos, however, was deprived of so many of its citizens, that the slaves usurped the management of affairs, and executed the offices of government; but when the sons of those who had been slain grew up, they obtained possession of the city, and after some contest expelled the slaves, who retired to Tyrinthe, which they seized. They for a time forebore to molest each other, till Cleander, a soothsayer, and an Arcadian of the district of Phigalis, came among the slaves, when he persuaded the slaves to attack their masters."

Book ix. chap. 48. Ἐν Αθηναίοισί τε τὴν πρόπειραν ποιευμένους αὐτούς τε ἀντία δούλων τῶν ἡμετέρων τασσομένους.

"We see you delegating to the Athenians the more dangerous attempt of opposing us, and placing yourselves against our slaves." Beloe.

In the "Libellus de Vitâ Homeri," attributed to Herodotus, in the 23d section we find the word συνδούλῳ, used to mean a fellow

slave.

LESSON IX.

WE now propose to notice the scriptural use of the word dovλos, doulos, and its derivatives, not only that its use may be compared with the Greek writers, but that it may be seen, as we believe is true, that its use in these carries with it abundant proof, even in the absence of all other, that "it means a slave," and "that he to whom it was applied was a slave."

Whenever a thing is made any part of discourse, it is necessarily placed in a position of commendation, reprehension, or of perfect indifference. One of these conditions must unavoidably attend its mention. A little reflection will enable us to perceive these distinctive positions. For instance, in the sentence, "Lay up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust doth not corrupt, nor thieves break through nor steal," who does not feel the commendable position of the things, treasure and heaven, and the reverse of moth, rust, and thieves? Let us apply this view to the word servant, selecting only those instances in the Christian Scriptures, where the word is translated from the Greek word Sovλos, doulos, and means nothing except what we mean by the word slave.

St. Paul commences his epistle to the Romans, to the Philippians, and to Titus, with the appellation of servant. In the two first cases he calls himself the servant and apostle of Christ. In the last instance, he terms himself the servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ. Peter, in his second epistle, styles himself a servant and apostle: Jude, the servant of Christ. In all these instances the word means slave, and is used commendatively, but figuratively, to signify their entire devotedness to the cause in which they are engaged,-devoted to the cause wholly, as a good slave is to his master. And it may be here remarked, that the professing Christian is indebted to the institution for the lesson of humility and devotedness here plainly taught him, and without which, perhaps, he never could have been taught his duty in these particulars so pertinently and clearly. The humility and devotedness of the Christian are illustrated by this ordinance in John xv. 20: "Remember the words that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord."

In the parable of the vineyard, Luke 20 and Matt. 21, the servant (Sovios, doulos, slave) is presented in a position evincing the trustworthiness, devotion, and obedience implied in that character, clearly indicating the idea that these qualities inspire the mind of the proprietor with a confidence surpassed only by that in his son and heir. And it may be well remarked, that the position of the slave is one of great facility for the generating of such confidence in the mind of the master. Between the good slave

and the good master there can be no dissimilarity of interest; but not so with the hired man, see Matt. 20; for the very moment those hired in the morning for a penny a day perceived that those who had not laboured the whole day received the same amount of wages, they commenced a quarrel with the proprietor.

This distinctive use of language we think also perceptible in the parable of the prodigal son, Luke xv. 17: "How many hired ser. vants (лóσo uioli, posoi misthioi) of my father have bread enough and to spare," лEρiσσεvоvσw aptov, perisseuousin arton, περισσεύουσιν ἄρτων, an overflowing of bread.

He is not made to say that his father's slaves had bread enough, but that even his hired men had enough. "Make me as one of thy hired servants," puoliov, misthion. He does not ask to be received as a son, not even to be accounted as a slave, he feels unworthy of either. "But the father said to his servants," Sov2ov5, doulous, slaves, "Bring forth the best robe." Having slaves, it would have been quite out of place to have called one of his uiolovs, misthous, hired men. But the elder son "called one of the servants;" nor would it have been natural for him to have called a hired-man, nor yet one of the common slaves, but a confidential servant, whose position in the family would enable him to possess the information required; and so we find the fact by the expression τav лaidov avτоù, ton paidon autou, his young confidential, favourite slave.

But the elder brother said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee;" the verb used is dov2evo, douleuo, and expresses the faithful and devoted service of a good slave, not of a hired man, who would feel no real interest beyond his own personal benefit. And this word is put in the mouth of the angered son, whereby to show more forcibly his sense of his own merits.

While we cast reflection back upon the incidents of this parable, let us suppose the owner of slaves also to employ hired labourers: if from famine or other cause he finds himself unable to supply them

all with bread, which would he turn away, his slaves, or hired men? or, if they refused to go, which would he feel disposed to put on small allowance?

Jesus Christ seems to have understood that if there was to be any deficiency of bread, the hired-men might be expected first to feel it. Our Lord and Saviour, in pronouncing this parable, has given us the most explicit assurance that he intimately understood the domestic relations of the slave, and has taught us the lesson by placing him side by side with the hired servant.

From the fact that the good slave was wholly devoted and faithful to his master, the idea was not only applied to Paul, Peter, and Jude, but also to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and David, and others, to express these qualities in them towards Jehovah; and we find it so used in the Christian Scriptures: "He hath holpen his servant Israel,” Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ, Israel paidos autou, Luke i. 54. It is noticed that with the word "Israel" is associated the same term to mean slave which was applied to the slave called by the elder brother; and the reason seems to be because the name Israel is supposed to be in higher regard than the word Jacob,-the word in apposition should also be expressive of such elevated regard. Therefore, if the word Jacob had been used, the word dovλos would have followed it. This word лais, pais, when applied to a slave, was a word of endearment, and hence was used in the case of the centurion's servant. And we may here well remark that the case of the centurion is one in point, presenting an instance where slave-holding was brought to the immediate and particular notice of the Saviour, and the record shows his conduct and language upon the occasion.

"For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, (dov2, doulo, slave,) Do this, and

he doeth it.

"When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Matt. viii. 9, 10.

"And as he was now going down, his servants (Sov2o1, douloi, slaves) met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth." John iv. 51.

36

LESSON X.

THE Christian Scriptures use the institution of slavery figuratively, in illustration of the Christian character and duty, and also in happy illustration of the providences of God to man.

"Who is that faithful and wise servant, (Sovλos, doulos, slave,) whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant (dovλos, doulos, slave,) whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. But if that evil servant (Sov2os, doulos, slave) shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, (ovvdov2ov5, sundoulous, fellow-slaves,) and to eat and drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant (Sov2ov, doulou, slave) shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of." "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, (Sov2ovs, doulous, slaves,) and delivered unto them his goods." "His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, (Sovie, doule, slave,) thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." "His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, (dove, doule, slave,) thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed," &c. "And cast ye the unprofitable servant (Sov2ov, doulon, slave) into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xxiv. 45-50; xxv. 14, 30.

"And he called his servants (Sov2ov5, doulous, slaves), and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants (dov2ov5, doulous, slaves) to be called unto him, to whom he had given money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading." "And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant (dovλe, doule, slave), because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities." "And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant, (Sove, doule, slave.) Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up