Sabbath and baptism practices for slaves

[Pergamum]

In the days when slavery was lawful, some Presbyterians owned slaves.

What was the general Sabbath practices in these homes? Did slaves get the day off? Did they attend different churches than their masters? Did they sit together, take communion together? How did slave owners look after the spiritual welfare of their subjects? Were the slaves catechized?

Were slaves or slave children baptized? In the OT the man-servants were circumcised weren’t they?

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

In Douglas Kelly's book Preachers with Power he addresses the situations you are inquiring about. I don't have the book any longer but if I remember correctly the owners of the slaves mostly considered their slaves as family and they attended Church with their owners. I don't recall if they were catechized or not but I am sure they most likely were.

I know that some had the attitude of Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson.

Christian History: Fighters of Faith - Holidays
Though baptized an Episcopalian, Jackson became a Presbyterian, and he was a noted tither to his home church. The Jackson family held prayers at seven A.M., and even servants were required to attend. Jackson never waited for anyone, not even his wife, to begin prayers. Following breakfast, Jackson would leave for his teaching duties at Virginia Military Institute (where his students called him "Tom Fool Jackson"). Jackson would return home for Bible study, which he did using a commentary.

Jackson believed that slavery was ordained of God. Strict but kind with his own slaves, he asked his wife to teach two slave boys to read. He even organized a Sabbath school for African-Americans in Lexington and taught a class for five or six years. "My Heavenly Father has condescended to use me as an instrument in getting up a large Sabbath school for the negroes here," he wrote. "He has greatly blessed it."

 

[Kevin]

Perg, I assume that your question was about presbyterians in the antibellum south?

In that case slaves did have a Sabath rest, (unlike the case of some "free labourers") they did attend the same church as their masters, they were catechised, and they were very often taught to read. If they had the intrest & ability and contrary to some state laws. In VA there are presbytery records that record disscussions about the morality of breaking this law.

Also some gifted men (slaves) were ordained to the office of deacon & elder, even to the office of teaching elder. In some cases these preachers were relieved of their ordinary duties by their masters, so that they could pursue their vocation. In some cases they were even manumitted.

 

[Scott1]

This does not directly address your post, but perhaps indirectly.

It has been amazing to me in studying through the Book of Judges, how many times Israel took slaves and became slaves of other nations as they sojourned around the Promised Land.

They were under specific revelation of the Ten Commandments, including of course the Fourth.

It was a time of cycles of great disobedience and repudiation of God, and all His ways.

 

[Montanablue]

It depends hugely on the slave owner. Certainly many owners who claimed Christ did not allow their slaves a Sabbath rest. However, given the culture of the period, I assume that many individuals claiming Christ were not actually believers.

If you wanted to know about a specific denomination's practice, the most useful thing to do is probably to look at their archive, as Kevin suggests. I think Presbyterians at least have pretty complete church records from that time. Also, looking at correspondence from the period is good.

I would avoid looking at public statements - especially statements made defending the practice of slavery - for "proof" of practice. Public statements, especially ones with an agenda, are often not an accurate portrayal of actual events or practices. Private correspondence, journal entries, notes etc are you best bet. People are more truthful when they're not consciously presenting themselves.

 

[Edward]

Some of the churches, such as the one which I attended in my youth, had balconies for the slaves.