Slave Owners Could be Christians

Studying the Bible book Philemon we discovered that this Christian owned slaves since Paul wrote him about his runaway slave Onesimus. It is a miracle that anyone is saved. However, the chance of Onesimus meeting Paul and being saved in Rome is truly a huge miracle and not just a coincidence. Philemon had church in his home and might have been led to the Lord by Paul. Paul indicated in the book that "I might..command you." The Jewish people had slaves starting with the Father of Judaism, Abraham. His first child, a male, Ishmael, was by Hagar a slave. The Bible repeatedly refers to the treatment of slaves. The slave owners in our nation were not all evil. However, some were evil and even slayed their slaves when the overseers or owners were displeased. Many slave owners were kind and even helped their slaves. In New Bern, NC, Lydia Carruthers Stewart taught John Carruthers Stanly to read, write and have godly values. John became very successful with his owner's help. There was a saying, "Don't ever generalize," which is a generalization in itself. However, the politically correct crowd does generalize repeatedly including putting all slave owners into an evil slot. Not a single slave owner is given any credit for doing any good. Even Frederick Douglass was taught to read and write by his owner in Maryland. Our Founding Fathers were wonderful and intelligent and yet many like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves.

WriteHisAnswer Conference

Philly was cooler a couple of days. I went to a writers' conference. Met with my editor of Harpstring Magazine. My story,"Saved From An Angry Horse," was sold out because my editor laid them out and I promoted it of course. Praise God that I got 2 more editors interested in my stories. One is an African American professor who is interested in my "Slave to Slave Master" about the richest man in the South with over 160 slaves and 30 homes and 3 plantations. The other editor is interested in my horse story, "A Golden Gelding, Lightning." Did you know that 25% of Blacks in Charleston, SC were free and some owned slaves? In New Bern 10% of the "coloreds" were free and some owned slaves before Nat Turner rebelled. Just like John Wilkes Booth hurt the South, Nat Turner hurt slaves.

Black Slaveowners are good or not?

David L. Lightner and Alexander M. Ragan wrote a journal article entitled WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN SLAVEHOLDERS BENEVOLENT OR EXPLOITATIVE? in 2005 for the Journal of Southern History. We can’t really say, but there are some reasons for both sides. Some believe anyone who owned slaves could not be a true Christian and was evil. Since I believe slavery was wrong, I can see their point.
However, I have researched one freedman’s life and this he is a Christian, a benevolent Christian. He was blessed to have Christian owners who helped him by teaching him to read, write, do math & read the Bible. John Carruthers Stanly was freed at the age of 24 and became the richest man in Craven County in 1824. His wife Kitty and his former owner, Lydia Carruthers Stewart were two of 13 founders of the First Presbyterian Church of New Bern. His home is near the church on the corner of New and Hancock. He bought and freed many slaves. The town of New Bern had 10% of all the Blacks as Freedmen. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of the Blacks in Charleston, SC,in 1824 were free also.
I am writing a story entitled "Slave to Slaveowner" for my Nancy C. Sanders Novel in a month. Since it is historical fiction, there is an element of fiction that is a mystery and pure fiction. For more info please check back.