manner declared this second great commandment to be the compendium of "all the law." "All the law," says he, " is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

It is manifest, therefore, that a violation of the love that is due to our neighbor, is a violation also of the love of God; and, on the contrary, the latter is perfected by a strict obedience to the former. "If we love one another," says the beloved Apostle, "God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.' " So that the two great commandments appear to be reciprocally included and blended together in their consequences; by which we may more readily perceive the propriety of our Lord's declaration, that the second great commandment is like unto the first; and this reciprocal connection between them enables us also to comprehend the reason why the second is given alone (when both are undoubtedly necessary) as the grand test of Christian obedience, and as the sum and essence of the whole law of God. "For all the law is fulfilled," says the Apostle Paul, "in one word, (even) in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."s

When, therefore, we consider that "all law" is reduced to so small a compass that it may be accounted, comparatively, as one word, there is no room left for offenders to plead ignorance as an excuse for having violated the general laws of morality and the natural rights of mankind. Let me, therefore, exhort my opponents, as they regard their own eternal welfare, to take this subject into their most serious consideration, and no longer refuse to acknowledge this glorious word or maxim as the true measure (except a still greater measure of love is required) of all their actions, and more especially with respect to the present point before us, the legality or illegality of slavery among Christians! For this question, by infallible necessity, falls under the decision of this very law, because it sets before us our own personal feelings as the proper measure or standard of our behavior to other men; for tyrants, slaveholders, extortioners, and other oppressors, would most certainly dislike to be treated as they treat others; so that this compendious law necessarily excludes the least toleration of slavery, or of any other oppression, which an innocent man would be unwilling to experience in his own person from another.

1 Gal. v. 14.

2 1 John iv. 12.

3 Gal. v. 14.

The absolute necessity that we are laid under to show mercy, that we may obtain mercy, is apparently founded on the very same principle, which our Lord declared to be "the Law and the Prophets;" that is, the sum and essence of the whole Scriptures, as I have before remarked.

And, therefore, if what has already been said be duly considered, the propriety of citing this glorious and comprehensive law of liberty, in vindication of the natural liberty of mankind against the tyranny of slaveholders, cannot be doubted or called in question; for though this supreme law virtually prohibits every other kind of oppression, yet its very title leads us to a more particular and express application of it against the toleration of slavery among Christians, because it seems to be thus eminently distinguished by the appointment of God himself in his Holy Word, as the peculiar antidote against that baneful evil (slavery) which is most opposite and repugnant to its glorious title" the law of liberty." This "law of liberty," this supreme, this "royal law," must therefore be our guide in the interpretation and examination of all laws which relate to the rights of persons, because it excludes partiality, or respect of persons, and consequently removes all ground for the pretence of any absolute right of dominion inherent in the masters over their slaves.

So that slavery is absolutely inconsistent with Christianity, because we cannot say of any slaveholder that he doth not to another what he would not have done to himself! For he is continually exacting involuntary labor from others without wages, which he would think monstrously unjust, were he himself the sufferer! Nay, many of them are so besotted with avarice, that they are not content with reaping the whole fruit of other men's labor upon earth without wages, but would deprive their poor laborers even of their eternal comfort, if they could exact a little more work from them, by reducing them nearer to the state of brutes! What I advance cannot be denied, for it is notorious that many masters oppose the instruction of their slaves in Christian knowledge, and but very few promote it as they ought; so that the iniquity of the ignorant slave must rest with double weight

From the same tract.

2 "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbor's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work." Jer. xxii. 13.

on the guilty head of the owner, to fill up the measure of his sins!

Suppose a reverse of fortune-that an English or Scotch slaveholder or slavedealer is shipwrecked on the Barbary coast, and is retained as a slave by the Moors who seize him, or is sold as such to another person, according to the detestable custom of that savage people! Would he esteem himself the lawful pro- . perty of his tawny master, because the wretched police of those barbarians, in tolerating slavery, is similar to his own former practices as an American slaveholder or African trader? Would he not think it cruel treatment to be esteemed a mere chattel, and, as such, to be ranked with the horses and oxen of his African master? Like them, to be compelled by stripes to perform the most servile and abject labor? Like them, to receive no wages, or other reward for his service, except a little coarse provender, merely to keep him in working order for his master's benefit? Would he not think himself grievously injured by being forcibly detained and prevented from working for himself? And would he not think himself absolutely robbed of the fruits of his own labor? He would certainly have ample reason to lament the Mahometan's ignorance of the heavenly precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;" for he would then be taught, by his own sufferings, to comprehend the full force, extent, and meaning of that benevolent command, which, in his prosperity, he was never willing to understand, though the doctrine is so plain and obvious that there can be no excuse for misunderstanding it; for unless the slaveholder can make it appear that his slave is not his neighbor, he must necessarily acknowledge this "law of liberty" to be the true measure of his conduct and behavior towards his slave as well as towards all other men.

"He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shewed no mercy," by which the Apostle manifestly refers to the breach of that particular precept which ought to regulate the conduct of all mankind towards each other; and, therefore, we must acknowledge this same precept to be also the true measure or test on which our eternal doom will depend in that awful day when it "shall be measured unto us again," according to the measure of our actions, as declared by the Eternal Judge himself, whose words cannot fail! And if even a mere neglect or omission in our duty towards our neighbor is so offensive to our blessed Lord that he esteems it as a denial and affront to his own person, how much more offensive to him must be the actual commission of the

Matt. vii. 2; Mark iv. 24; Luke vi. 38.

grossest injuries, such as the exaction of an involuntary service from our poor brethren "without wages," and the various cruelties usually practised to enforce the same, which are the necessary and unavoidable attendants on slavery! What a dreadful measure of retribution, then, may obstinate and unrepenting slaveholders and slavedealers justly expect from the righteous Judge! Surely there is but too much cause to apprehend that Christ will one day profess unto them-"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me!”1 * * The African slave trade, which includes the most contemptuous violations of brotherly love and charity that men can be guilty of, is openly encouraged and promoted by the British Parliament! And the most detestable and oppressive slavery that ever disgraced even the unenlightened heathens is notoriously tolerated in the British Colonies by the public acts of their respective assemblies -by acts that have been ratified with the assent and concurrence of British kings!

The horrible guilt, therefore, which is incurred by slavedealing and slaveholding, is no longer confined to the few hardened individuals that are immediately concerned in those baneful practices, but, alas! the whole British empire is involved!

By the unhappy concurrence of national authority, the guilt is rendered national; and national guilt must inevitably draw down from God some tremendous national punishment (which, I trust, is fully demonstrated in my tract on The Law of Retribution), if we do not speedily "take away the accursed thing from among us"-if we do not carefully reform and redress at least every public and notorious violation of God's "royal law," "the perfect law of liberty!"

"Glory to God in the highest!

And on Earth-Peace,

Good will towards men!"

HERBERT KNOWLES, 1798-1817.

Or this most promising youth, who was born in Canterbury, in the year 1798, I can find no particular account, except the following concluding paragraph of an article in the twenty-first volume of the "London Quarterly Review," upon the "Cemeteries and Catacombs of Paris:"

1 Matt. xxv. 40.

"We cannot close this article more appropriately than by a churchyard poem, written by a youth who soon afterwards was laid in the grave himself. His life had been eventful and unfortunate, till his extraordinary merits were discovered by persons capable of appreciating, and willing and able to assist him. He was then placed under a kind and able instructor, and arrangements had been made for supporting him at the university; but he had not enjoyed that prospect many weeks, before it pleased God to remove him to better world. The reader will remember

that they are the verses of a schoolboy, who had not long been taken from one of the lowest stations of life, and he will then judge what might have been expected from one who was capable of writing with such strength and originality upon the tritest of all subjects."

LINES WRITTEN IN THE CHURCHYARD OF RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE.

"It is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles: one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."-Matthew xvii. 4.

Methinks it is good to be here;

If thou wilt, let us build-but for whom?
Nor Elias nor Moses appear;

But the shadows of eve, that encompass with gloom
The abode of the dead and the place of the tomb.

Shall we build to Ambition? Ah no!

Affrighted, he shrinketh away;

For see, they would pin him below

In a small narrow cave, and, begirt with cold clay,
To the meanest of reptiles a peer and a prey.

To Beauty? Ah no! she forgets

The charms which she wielded before;

Nor knows the foul worm that he frets,

The skin which but yesterday fools could adore,

For the smoothness it held or the tint which it wore.

Shall we build to the purple of Pride,

The trappings which dizen the proud?

Alas! they are all laid aside,

And here's neither dress nor adornments allowed,

But the long winding-sheet and the fringe of the shroud.

To Riches? Alas! 'tis in vain;

Who hid in their turns have been hid;

The treasures are squandered again;

And here in the grave are all metals forbid

But the tinsel that shines on the dark coffin lid.

To the pleasures which Mirth can afford,

The revel, the laugh, and the jeer?

Ah! here is a plentiful board!

But the guests are all mute as their pitiful cheer,
And none but the worm is a reveller here.