306                        CHRISTIANITY AND SLAVERY.
numerous and withering texts against the vices which are
its cause and result. But you can affirm that it does not
contain a sentence nor a word in favor of slavery.
Nevertheless, this text is brought forward : —
" Ille autem servus qui cognovit voluntatem Domini sui
et non prseparavit, et non fecit secundum voluntatem ejus,
vapuldbit multis;
" Qui autem non cognovit et fecit digna plagis, vapulabit
paucis."
" And that servant, or slave, which knew his lord's will,
and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes ;
"But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy
of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes." (Luke xii.
47, 48.)
It is inferred from this text that our Lord himself author-
ized slavery and corporal punishment.
I might content myself with remarking, that the Divine
Master drew an example from the every-day life of the
Jews ; and that he acted thus in all his parables, without
transforming the alleged examples into laws.
But read the parable entire, then read it again in Mat-
thew (xxiv. 42-51). It admonishes us to hold ourselves
in readiness,, in view of the rewards and punishments of
eternal life. It tells of the " chastisement of a steward,
dispensator " (Luke 42), who " had authority over the other
servants" (Matt. 45), a "wicked steward who beat the
men-servants and maid-servants, and ate, and drank, and
was drunken " (Luke 45 ; Matt. 49), and " did things worthy
of stripes, digna plagis " (Luke 48). These stripes he was
to receive, or, according to Matthew :
" The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he
looketh not for him, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint
him his portion with fhe hypocrites; there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth."