# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_M rz 1863_S79
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Old Lutheran Teachers on Slavery. 79

cepts — of property, force, change, capacity, and the like — that it would put a Hottentot to shame. In any case, one could gather from him just as much correct insight into what matter is and what force is as is offered to us here. This confusion of concepts is, where possible, further surpassed by the shameless assertion that the insight offered here is an indestructible foundation, and that the force of its proofs consists in facts against which one cannot in the long run contend, cannot "kick against the pricks."
(To be continued.)

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The Old Lutheran Teachers on Slavery.

In keeping with our promise, we now share some testimonies of our theologians on slavery. We fittingly begin here with Luther. He comes to speak of the condition of servitude quite often, particularly in his exegetical writings. In his exposition of the seventh chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul's words give him a compelling occasion to do so. We share the following from it:

"1 Cor. 7:20, 21: Let every man abide in the calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it; but if thou mayest be free, use it rather."

There [Paul] repeats the decision a second time, and gives yet another example, of a servant and a free man. For at that time there were many bondsmen — as there still are in some places — whom people call serfs; these St. Paul here calls servants. Now, just as a married spouse is to conduct himself toward his spouse who is likewise a serf, so a servant is to conduct himself toward his master, seeing that he is a serf. That is: his being a serf does not hinder him in his Christian faith, nor may he for that reason run away from his master, but he should remain with him, whether the master be believing or unbelieving, godly or wicked — unless indeed his master should wish to compel him away from the faith, or to force him to follow a wicked life; for then it is time to flee and leave him. And indeed, what was said above about a Christian spouse — how he is to conduct himself toward his non-Christian spouse — is also to be said here of a Christian servant toward his non-Christian master.. "Yet if thou canst be made free (says St. Paul), use it rather." Not, however, that you should steal yourself away from your master and run off without his knowledge and will; but that you should not understand St. Paul's word, where he says you should remain in the calling wherein you were called, as meaning that you must remain a serf, even though you might become free with the knowledge and will of your master. St. Paul only wants to instruct your conscience, that you may know how, either way, it is free before God, whether you are a serf or free. He does not thereby mean to prevent you from becoming free