Fugitive Slave Law The Religious Duty of Obedience to Law : A Sermon by Ichabod S. Spencer Preached In The Second Presbyterian Church In Brooklyn, Nov. 24, 1850

"Fugitive Slave Law" by Ichabod S. Spencer is a sermon from the 1850s that explores obedience to law and religious responsibilities. Set against the backdrop of the slavery debate, the sermon tackles the Fugitive Slave Law and whether people must follow rules made by humans. Spencer says obeying the government is a must and that laws, even unfair ones, should be respected to keep order. He speaks out against those who violently fought laws like the Fugitive Slave Law, because that hurts the government power given by God. Although laws may be bad, people should seek legal solutions instead of fighting, and he tells his followers to focus on religious duties, value law, and push for change peacefully instead of violently.