Page:Central African Mission.djvu/18

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Central African Mission.

to Europeans, and that is the smaller difference morally and socially between the slave and his master.

Slavery may be attacked politically or religiously. Politically we may attack it by treaties with native powers, enforced by armed intervention. Religiously it can only be attacked by self-sacrifice, and by acting upon the minds of those who uphold it. The two methods require very different men to carry them forward, and cannot both be attempted by the same persons with any reasonable chance of success.

The way in which slavery was actually destroyed in Christendom was by elevating the slave, while still a slave. Christian slaves were such extraordinarily good slaves, that the masters and mistresses began to see a Divine power working in them. It is to such a result that St. Paul points continually, and such results did actually follow. Meanwhile Christian masters became ashamed to use the powers which they by law possessed. A suppression of slavery brought about in this way must be final.

Leaving, therefore, to our political leaders the task of external repression, it belongs to us Missionaries to aim at the internal work. As things actually are in Eastern Africa, our first thought will naturally be given to the released slaves set free by English cruisers. It seems that politicians consider that their work is done when the gift of