the Israelites. Property lost, and cattle escaped, they were required to return, but not escaped servants.  These verses contain 1st, a command, “Thou shall not deliver,” &c., 2d, a declaration of the fugitive’s right of free choice, and of God’s will that he should exercise it at his own discretion; and 3d, a command guarding this right, namely, “Thou shalt not oppress him,” as though God had said, “If you restrain him from exercising his own choice, as to the place and condition of his residence, it is oppression.”

III.  We argue the voluntariness of servants from their peculiar opportunities and facilities for escape.  Three times every year, all the males over twelve years, were required to attend the national feasts.  They were thus absent from their homes not less than three weeks at each time, making nine weeks annually.  As these caravans moved over the country, were there military scouts lining the way, to intercept deserters?—­a corporal’s guard at each pass of the mountains, sentinels pacing the hill-tops, and light horse scouring the defiles?  The Israelites must have had some safe contrivance for taking their “slaves” three times in a year to Jerusalem and back.  When a body of slaves is moved any distance in our republic, they are hand-cuffed and chained together, to keep them from running away, or beating their drivers’ brains out.  Was this the Mosaic plan, or an improvement introduced by Samuel, or was it left for the wisdom of Solomon?  The usage, doubtless, claims a paternity not less venerable and biblical!  Perhaps they were lashed upon camels, and transported in bundles, or caged up, and trundled on wheels to and fro, and while at the Holy City, “lodged in jail for safe keeping,” the Sanhedrim appointing special religious services for their benefit, and their “drivers” officiating at “ORAL instruction.”  Mean while, what became of the sturdy handmaids left at home?  What hindered them from marching off in a body?  Perhaps the Israelitish matrons stood sentry in rotation round the kitchens, while the young ladies scoured the country, as mounted rangers, picking up stragglers by day, and patrolled the streets, keeping a sharp look-out at night.

IV.  Their continuance in Jewish families depended upon the performance of various rites necessarily VOLUNTARY.

Suppose the servants from the heathen had upon entering Jewish families, refused circumcision; if slaves, how simple the process of emancipation!  Their refusal did the job.  Or, suppose they had refused to attend the annual feasts, or had eaten unleavened bread during the Passover, or compounded the ingredients of the anointing oil, they would have been “cut off from the people;” excommunicated.