BONDAGE.

Oxford Observer, Issue V, 2 June 1894, Page 3

BONDAGE.

Freedom being the opposite of serfdom, how and whence has the Anglo-Saxon more freedom than most nations upon earth. At one time, before Christianity took hold of the Western Nations slavery of the person was an acknowledged law. If a man could not meet his debts, first his children were sold as slaves, then his wife, and if that did not cover the debt, then he went into bondage himself and could hope for no freedom again unless he was ransomed. The Russians were the last European Nation to give up slavery. This law of slavery was m force from the earliest civilization ; yet it has been done away with. But what arguments m favour pf its continuance were hurled against those who opposed it. There is a bondage to day which is a thraldom as hard to overcome as slavery of old. It is also a law of the old civilization handed down to us. It is a law of custom an unwritten law of usuage common to all people. By which . all are chained and are made bow under its yoke. Some use force to overcome this law. Some would make a compromise to gain their own selfish ends; and the confusion that this would make, would be doubly confounding. Then there is another class.who are right m one sense, but nevertheless hopelessly wrong m their method. These three classes feel the burden of the yoke: ; This bondage is the power that a yellow metal possesses over the affairs of men. J..W.