John the Baptist was a Divinely commissioned teacher. “And the _soldiers_ likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall _we_ do?” Though not a member of the New England Nonresistance Society, we are a little bit of a Quaker, and hold that the principles of Christianity are at _war_ with war. Consequently, if _immediatism_ is to be forced upon society, according to _our_ notions, John should have replied: “The first thing, my friends, is to lay down your arms.” But, “he said unto them, Do violence to no man; neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your _wages_.” We believe it true to say, that no Divinely commissioned teacher ever attempted to introduce _immediatism_ as an element of the social fabric; or ever protested against the action of society for want of it, so long as we understand immediatism to be an attempt to sweep away, by one stroke, every fault, or defect, or imperfection of society. Such was not the example of _Christ_; and such was not the example of the Apostle Paul, in application to slavery itself, as will appear in his courteous treatment of Philemon, a slave-holder. So also in this Apostle’s doctrine, and in the doctrine of the Apostle Peter.[9] History proves, that the persons called “servants” in these passages, were slaves, or the property of their masters. Yet the Apostles never felt authorized, or saw fit, to disturb this state of society, bad as it was in this particular, and many others; but they availed themselves of the facilities afforded them by the existence of political society to apply _immediatism_ to the consciences of individuals, in regard to the state of their hearts, and to their personal conduct. [Footnote 9: I Cor. 7: 20, 21. I Tim. 6: 1, 2. Eph. 6: 5, 9. Titus 2: 9, 10. Coloss. 3: 22, and 4: 1. I Pet. 2: 18, 20.] If, indeed, the Abolitionists will produce a _Divine_ commission, sustained by miracles, entitling them to go _one step_ farther than any other Divinely commissioned teachers have ever gone, by investing them with authority to _remodel_ political society, we will respect their claim, and advise the public to do so. But till that time, we think it fair to say, that the _preaching_ of such doctrines as they choose to maintain, moral, social, religious, or political, _independent of any political organization_, such as they _now_ have, to sustain them, is all they are entitled to by the Constitution and laws of this land. By _preaching_, we mean, of course, to comprehend all the _prescribed_ Constitutional modes of political action, so long as they choose to meddle with politics. Preaching to _private_ conscience, is one thing; and that is the office of Christianity, within the range of its own precepts. But the political constitution and administration of society, is another thing; and this, in _our_ opinion, Christianity never presumes to meddle with. CHAPTER XIII. LIBERTY AND EQUALITY.