"Slavery in itself is not a sin" (Der Lutheraner 1864): Pharisaic piety "rages, rants, raves and reviles" (Slavery 2)

       This continues from Part 1 (Table of contents in Part 1) in a series on slavery. — The subject of slavery is certainly a "hot topic" today. Our modern world plays upon our natural feelings, especially of Christians, to cause a mistrust and outright denial of Holy Scripture on a matter that is explicitly taught.  As I discovered the following writing in Der Lutheraner, I was somewhat surprised that, although it appears that the level of contention is higher today than it has ever been, the following shows that it was also very true over 150 years ago, at the time of the American Civil War.  Both Profs. C. F. W. Walther and Wilhelm Sihler had written extensively about it previously in the publications of the Old Missouri Synod.  But another professor, signed "B." and probably Prof. E. A. Brauer who served full-time from 1863-1872, came forward to defend against attacks on Missouri by the Lutheran Herald, a publication of the abolitionist Lutheran Franckean Synod of New York. Brauer's brief remarks make for one of the best short defenses against "Pharisaic piety" of abolitionism, and for the Biblical doctrine of… slavery.  From Der Lutheraner, volume 20, p. 158 (No. 20, June 15, 1864) [EN]:                                   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Prof. E. A. Brauer

The “Herald”. The rage of the post-Lutherans, these people, whose characteristic consists in the fact that they do not respect the Word of God, even reject it and whistle at it, where it does not please them, where it dares to contradict the "pious" delusion of their heart, the "holy" rage of these people against the Scriptural doctrine of slavery is really extraordinary. How tremendously their deep feeling, humane, righteous Pharisee heart burns against this “abomination”! Oh, how God must rejoice over these pious, virtuous, loving people! How will He reward them for their holy, fervent love of man! Who is the hard-hearted, “slave-driving” Apostle Paul against these burning heroes of love! Yes, these self-sanctified, miserable Pharisees and shameful rebels against God's Word! — 

God teaches in His Word that slavery in itself is not a sin, that a slave owner therefore does not need to release his slaves in order to be a Christian; just as, for example, a robber chief, if he wants to be a Christian, must release his band of robbers, because robbery is sin in itself. A slave owner should only treat his bonded servants and maids in a Christian manner, just as a father treats his wife and children and a factory owner his workers. Again, a slave, if he wants to be a Christian, should not run away from his master, but rather hold him in high esteem, and if his master is a Christian, he should not despise him under the pretense that he is a brother, but rather be of service to him. That is why Paul also sends the runaway slave Onesimus back to his master, Philemon, after he had become a Christian and now had a heart that listened to God's Word and wanted to follow God's holy will. St. Paul writes to Timothy, 1 Tim. 6:1-3: 

“Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness.” 

Further, Ephesians 6:5-9: 

“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. (Here the master is called a freeman, because the servants of whom Paul speaks here were slaves who had no freedom). And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” —  

This doctrine of God is also the doctrine of the Missouri Synod, which Prof. Walther and Dr. Sihler have pronounced in Der Lutheraner and Lehre und Wehre. About this now the Lutheran Herald rages, rants, raves and reviles in the vilest manner. For the sake of this Scriptural doctrine, Dr. Sihler is called a “disgraceful Lutheran theologian” and Prof. Walther a “fox”. This is how these post-Lutheran Pharisees do it, this is how furious they become when the Word of God goes against the Pharisaic piety of their natural godless heart of love.       B. [E. A. Brauer]

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      How refreshing for me were the sharp remarks of Prof. Brauer! [Note: the essay could have come from part-time professor Th. Brohm.] And the quotes from Holy Scripture were most helpful in reinforcing the Biblical teaching. While the media and erring churches, like the Franckean Synod and its offspring ELCA of today, focus on the slave owners who did not treat their slaves in a Christian manner, including the travesty of the lynching of black persons which Missouri reported and condemned, yet one historian notes that "It has been noted as an ironic fact of history that southern clergymen did more for the Christian instruction of slaves than ministers in the North did for free blacks." (p. 137 here; see also here for a contemporary accounting).  When southern people apologize for their ancestors who were sinning as slave owners as such, they are the ones who are actually sinning as slanderers. — Of course this is not a popular position in the world, and it was even a cause for friction with the conservative old Norwegian Synod. But Brauer's writing sets forth the truth of the matter: "Thy Word is Truth", John 17:17. — In Part 3, we publish an impassioned pastoral letter of Walther to the prominent leader of the Norwegian Lutheran synod.