CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
August 1, 2010
25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX. 77373
www.blakehart.com/cypresswoodbulletin.htm
PETITIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS:
God’s will for our congregation Various relatives, friends and co-workers
Our nation, leaders and military Peace
CONFRONTING EVIL - 3
“But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance” (Romans 6:17).
When one gets into a discussion about evil in the world, usually comparisons are made that while there is evil out there, we too have done evil things. There are usually three that come up that the United States has been criticized for as being evil. Again, context is so very important in understanding the issue.
The first is slavery and the racism that followed. There is no doubt that slavery is an evil that should not have been nor should be tolerated. There is however a context that needs to be understood. To simply call the U.S. evil because at one time slavery was a part of our culture without looking at the context misleads the conversation. As Europeans came to the Americas, and began spreading out, they began to buy slaves. The slave trade developed between England and others, Africa, and the Americas. Slaves were brought to work the farms, especially in the South though not exclusively, and to be household servants. Over the course of time, many were bought and sold, children separated from parents, and many were considered property.
When the Continental Congress met to form the United States, there was much debate on a number of issues including slavery. There were those who wanted to abolish slavery and there were those opposed to that idea. It appeared that all wanted to form a constitutional republic that would fairly represent all people. Those from the southern states had an issue with counting people. A compromise was reach where each black slave would be counted as three-fifths a person, keeping the white masters in control. To form the Republic, this was agreed to, but other provisions were made that this could be changed in later years. We call that the amendment process.
As the nation expanded westward, again slavery became an issue. Would a state be slave or free? With it came the rise of the abolitionist movement to abolish slavery through political means. Keep in mind that during the early 1800s in Britain, William Wilberforce was working in and through Parliament to abolish the English slave trade. John Newton’ famous song, Amazing Grace, comes from his own personal life as a slaver who left it after his conversion and spoke out against it. After forty years and a few days before his death, Wilberforce saw the final abolition of slavery in English society.
That certainly would have encourage abolitionist here. But we are not known for being a patient people. As the years went by, the abolitionists became more violent advocating military action against the South. The Supreme Court upheld slavery in the Dred-Scott decision of the 1850s. The Underground Railroad formed where escaping slaves could head north to freedom. The book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was so influential that it led President Lincoln to say to its author, that she was the one who started the war. Relations continued downhill and tensions rose leading finally to the South seceding from the Union. This brought about what we call the Civil War or the War Between the States.
Depending on which side one was on however, they would see the War differently. From the northern perspective, it was a rebellion that needed to be put down because of the unwillingness of the South to give up slavery. From the southern perspective, it was the War of Northern Aggression because they emphasis states rights and had economic concerns. However, the Constitution of the Southern States and several Southern states had slavery written into their documents (1). When it was over, over six hundred thousand Americans laid dead. In 1863, President Lincoln freed the slaves, so when the war was over, slavery was abolished.
What now for the former slaves? There were promises made but many went unfulfilled. The South was destroyed by the War and now northerners came in to control things but abuses occurred that caused issues. Some in the South could not accept what happened with the slaves in particular and began a “secret” organization called the Ku Klux Klan that attacked northerners, and eventually led to the racism that was prevalent in the South in the 20th Century.
Where were the churches in all of this? A number of southern ministers were slaveholders before the war but a number of them freed their slaves. Others opposed slavery but were a muted voice. Far too many preachers supported slavery and preached that the Bible “approved” of slavery. Even today, a few attempt to make that argument. This continued into the 20th Century where preachers tried to prove that the segregation of the races was Biblical including a number of famous preachers in churches of Christ (2). Taking the Bible as a whole, neither slavery nor racism is God approved (3). The Klan became a powerful force in the 20th Century until the advent of television and the repulsion of its activities. At times it was also opposed to Jews.
One more thing needs to be said about our history. At times we only see or hear of one perspective. Often we only get one side of the issue. Michael Medved, who I admire for his historical knowledge, does this when speaking about slavery -- that it was an issue of slavery alone that caused the War (4). As such we sometimes get a skewed view of history. That is why I have said that context is so important. I will illustrated it this way. I knew that there were blacks who served in the Confederate (Southern) Army. What I did not know until recently is that not only did they serve, but a number of generals including General Robert E. Lee pleaded for the Confederate government to raise Negro or Black units. There were blacks in the Confederate Army, many as gun carrying soldiers, from beginning to end (6). Suggestions were made that they be freed and be given land in exchange for their service.
After the war, and remembering their promise, a number of southerners pleaded with Congress and the states to give land to the blacks who had served, to no avail. Why would they do that? There are two reasons. One was that slavery was found in only about five percent of the South. Of course, some of the slaves followed their master into battle. The other reason is that they were fighting for their country, even though they themselves would be opposed to slavery. The free slaves and free blacks chose to serve in the Confederate Army. Only recently is more being understood about this.
One other illustration happened at the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. The organizers planned a reunion between North and South. They made arrangements for black Northern soldiers as well as Southern Confederate white soldiers. What they did not plan for, or even know, was that black Confederate soldiers would come. When they showed up, the organizers were stunned, but not the Southerners. They set up tents for them and shared with them in the reunion. They treated each other as brothers in arms. This was in 1913. A lot changed between then and the 1950s and 60s.
Slavery was an evil but the U.S. dealt with it through a war, amendments to the Constitution (three amendments), and racism through legislation (6). It was an evil but like a number of ideas, we corrected it over the two hundred years of our history. This must be kept in mind when discussing evil.
George B. Mearns
(1) See David Barton at Wallbuilders.com
(2) See Bobby Valentine, Social Concerns in Churches of Christ: Trends Since the King Years, 1950-2000,
copied from http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com
(3) Much more study would be involved in this. Jewish slavery had limitations and rules and regulations. Oppressing people was one of many sins that the prophets informed the people about which God was angry. Rome was a slave society but even in the Empire there were different levels of slavery, a slave could buy his freedom and even citizenship, and Paul clearly states in 1 Corinthians 7 that if they had the opportunity to be free, take it. Christian masters such as Philemon had responsibilities toward their slaves and slaves toward their masters (see also Ephesians and Colossians). The influence of Christianity did away with slavery in the later Roman Empire.
(4) Michael Medved, Ten Big Lies About America. It is a very good book from a conservative perspective.
(5) See Scott K. Williams, Black Confederates Fact Page, copied 4/14/2010 at www.southernheritage411.com
(6) For more on this see Thomas Sowell, Race And Culture. Also his Filtering History, copied 4/27/2010 from www.jewishworldreview.com