But foremost of all the duties which he enjoined upon the Ephesian ministry and laity were those of making “Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men.” For men in general, embracing the whole family of Adam, in all their varieties as nations, tribes, communities, peoples.
This is God-like, because the Eternal loves all, and manifests the infinity of his nature, by his universal care for all mankind. In this, He also demonstrates His universal Fatherhood, and thereby establishes the brotherhood of man.
But guided by the benevolence of unerring wisdom, the Apostle descends from a general to a particular statement of the case, and commands us to single out from among the nations of the earth their chieftains—Kings and authorities—for whom we are to make special “Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks.”
To the cheerful and fervent performance of this gracious work, he presses several motives upon us—“that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty”—because “it is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour”—because God “will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Let us briefly trace out this line of thought.
To supplicate, is to implore God submissively. To pray to God, is to adore Him for His glorious perfection, to confess our sins to Him, and to beseech Him for mercy and pardon. To intercede with God is to entreat Him by the fervent, effectual prayer of faith, to be reconciled to offending man. This we may do as well for our enemies as for our friends.
We are gathered to celebrate the emancipation, yea, rather, the Redemption of the enslaved people of the District of Columbia, the exact number of whom we have no means of ascertaining, because, since the benevolent intention of Congress became manifest, many have been removed by their owners beyond the reach of this beneficent act.
Our pleasing task then, is to welcome to the Churches, the homesteads, and circles of free colored Americans, those who remain to enjoy the boon of holy Freedom.
Brethren, sisters, friends, we say welcome to our Churches, welcome to our homesteads, welcome to our social circles.
Enter the great family of Holy Freedom; not to lounge in sinful indolence, not to degrade yourselves by vice, nor to corrupt society by licentiousness, neither to offend the laws by crime, but to the enjoyment of a well regulated liberty, the offspring of generous laws; of law as just as generous, as righteous as just—a liberty to be perpetuated by equitable law, and sanctioned by the divine; for law is never equitable, righteous, just, until it harmonizes with the will of Him, who is “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” and who commanded Israel to have but one law for the home-born and the stranger.
We repeat ourselves, welcome then ye ransomed ones; welcome not to indolence, to vice, licentiousness, and crime, but to a well-regulated liberty, sanctioned by the Divine, maintained by the Human law.