While researching today’s sermon, I found excerpts from a 1774 sermon by Elhanan Winchester, who was preaching Universalism in the 1770’s here in New England. This 1774 sermon was on the evils of the slave trade, and I would have expected that a Universalist preacher would emphasize the radical egalitarian aspects of Universalism, i.e., that God loves all persons equally, that all persons share in the same final destiny, and therefore allowing slavery goes against God’s intentions for humankind.

Perhaps Winchester makes that argument elsewhere in his sermon, but in the excerpt I read, he condemns slavery because it is founded on the “base and ignoble” principle of avarice. And, says Winchester, “avarice tends to harden the heart, to render the mind callous to the feelings of humanity, indisposes the soul to every virtue, and renders it prey to every vice.” Since Winchester did believe in some future punishment for sin, perhaps he is warning us that falling prey to avarice could result in punishment after death (up to fifty thousand year’s worth, in his theological system).

I’m an Ultra-Universalist myself (that is, I reject the idea of any punishment for sin after death), but I can draw a somewhat more subtle theological point from this. Any action that causes us to do evil, any action that “hardens the heart, renders the mind callous to the feelings of humanity,” makes us less human — it drives us further from God, if you prefer traditional theological language; or if you don’t like traditional theological language, it drives us away from love and loving relationships and so makes us less than human.

And if Winchester is correct, that avarice is one of the most base and ignoble of human sins — or to put it another way, that avarice quickly makes us less than human — this would imply that a free-market economic system based on self-centered interest could slip easily into avarice, which does not bode well for the morals or humanity of a people living under such an economic system.

(I’ve included more of Winchester’s words below….)

There is one abomination… that prevails in this country, that calls aloud not only for sighing and crying, but for a speedy reformation and turning therefrom, if we desire to prevent destruction from coming upon us; I mean, the SLAVE TRADE….

The very principle upon which it is founded, from which it springs, and by which it is carried on, is one of the most base and ignoble that ever disgraced the human species:

WHICH is, Avarice. This mean and unworthy passion certainly had has a principal hand in this disgraceful traffic; no one can pretend that benevolence ever had, or ever can have, a hand in such a most infamous commerce. Avarice tends to harden the heart, to render the mind callous to the feelings of humanity, indisposes the soul to every virtue, and renders it prey to every vice. Ought we not to be ashamed of such a commerce, that has it rise from no better principle than mere selfishness or covetousness?…

HAVING considered the principle from whence it originated, and to which its existence is owing, I pass to mention the horrible manner in which it is carried on. And here almost every vice that blackens and degrades human nature is employed; such as, deceiving, perfidy, decoying, stealing, lying, fomenting feuds and discords among the nations of Africa, robbery, plunder, burning, murder, cruelty of all kinds, and the most savage and unexampled barbarism.

BLUSH, O ye Christians, to think that ye are the supporters of a commerce that employs these, and many other vices to carry it on! Could you but think seriously of the disgraceful and cruel manner in which slaves are obtained, methinks you could not attempt to justify the horrid practice. Numbers are stolen while going out on their lawful business, are never suffered to return home to take leave of their friends; but are gagged and bound, then carried on board the vessels which wait for them, never more to see their native land again, but to drag out a miserable existence in chains, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, hard labour, and perpetual slavery.

THINK, O ye tender mothers, how you would feel, if, when ye should send your little boys or girls to fetch a pitcher, or calabash of water from the spring, you should never see them return again! if some barbarous kidnapper should watch the opportunity, and seize upon your darlings, as the eagle upon its prey! should gag your sweet prattling babes, and force them away! how would your souls refuse to be comforted! such is the pain that many mothers feel in Africa, and God can cause it to come home to yourselves, who contribute to such an abomination as this.

[From Universalism in America: A Documentary History of a Liberal Faith, edited by Ernest Cassara.]