Uploaded January 2022 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
Robert Lewis Dabney was considered by many in his day as the best theologian in America. He might be best known to many as the the Chief of Staff to Stonewall Jackson during 6 months of the Civil War. Immediately after the Civil War he wrote his famous book: "A Defence of Virginia". He said the big error of the southern politicians was not taking a much firmer stand just on the question of the righteousness of the master and slave relationship. Dabney located the nub of the argument (as did also Arch-Bishop John Henry Hopkins of the Episcopal church and Rev. Stuart Robinson of the Presbyterian church) in I Timothy 6: " Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Dabney wrote concerning this passage: "The more carefully these words of the Holy Ghost are considered, the more exceedingly remarkable will they appear."
Robert Lewis Dabney was considered by many in his day as the best theologian in America. He might be best known to many as the the Chief of Staff to Stonewall Jackson during 6 months of the Civil War. Immediately after the Civil War he wrote his famous book: "A Defence of Virginia". He said the big error of the southern politicians was not taking a much firmer stand just on the question of the righteousness of the master and slave relationship. Dabney located the nub of the argument (as did also Arch-Bishop John Henry Hopkins of the Episcopal church and Rev. Stuart Robinson of the Presbyterian church) in I Timothy 6: " Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Dabney wrote concerning this passage: "The more carefully these words of the Holy Ghost are considered, the more exceedingly remarkable will they appear."
