,,american ,,slavery1    ,,and ,,the    
,,means ,,of ,,its ,,abolition4         
,,by ,,rev4 ,,jonathan ,,ward4          
,,published ,,by ,,request4             
,,boston3    ,,printed ,,by ,,perkins   
,,marvin4    #ahdj4      ,the substance 
of the following ,essay was delivered1  
in the form of an  ,address1 at         
,plymouth1 ,n4 ,h41 ,may #eth1 #ahdj2   
and is now published by the  particular 
request of those who heard it4          
,,american ,,slavery1 c4                
,,introduction4      ,more than forty   
years ago the writer of the following   
pages read  ,wilberforce's publications 
on the slave trade1 in which were       
described  the various methods of       
procuring the slaves in ,africa1 the    
horrors of  the 8middle passage10 and   
their cruel treatment in the ,west      
,indies4  ,in perusing these statements 
of that great philanthropist and friend 
of the injured ,african race1 his       
feelings became1 in some measure1       
enlisted in favor of the colored people 

of our land1 and in opposition  to the  
slavery upheld by our nation4    ,he was
 never sensible of feeling the prejudice
 against color1 so often  manifested2   
but1 in his intercourse with colored    
persons1 treated them1  as he would     
others4 ,and having them for many years 
as neighbors1 and1  not unfrequently1 as
 hired help1 they were admitted to eat  
with the  family at the same table4     
,in #ahbd he was invited to attend a    
political celebration on the #dth of    
,july4 ,in declining the invitation1 he 
noticed the inconsistency of our        
conduct in celebrating our liberty1     
founded upon the principle that  all men
 are created free and equal1 and        
proclaiming this 8self-evident  truth10 
and yet holding hundreds of thousands of
 our fellow men in  degrading bondage4  
,the next year1 he was requested to     
preach on the #dth of ,july4 ,the       
sermon was1 by request1 printed4 ,the   
following extract will show the         
writer's views respecting ,american     

slavery4 8,our conduct in relation to   
the ,africans has been most             
inconsistent1 absurd1 and criminal4     
,while  earnestly contending for the    
principle1 that all men ought to be free
  and equal1 and risking every thing in 
opposing the claims of ,great  ,britain 
to tax us1 we were1 at the same time1   
holding in abject  slavery hundreds of  
thousands of our fellow beings1 who1    
upon our own  principles1 had an equal  
right with ourselves to enjoy the sweets
  of liberty4 ,how great guilt then has 
been contracted by enslaving1  and      
holding in bondage1 and maltreating the 
poor negroes4 ,and what  efforts ought  
to be made for their intellectual1 moral
 and religious  improvement1 and their  
emancipation1 and their enjoyment of the
 rights  of freemen40    ,such being the
 feelings of the writer1 he rejoiced to 
see attention  turned to the subject of 
slavery1 and combined efforts making for
 its  removal4 ,and1 though he deeply   
regretted the harshness and severity    

with which opposers of abolition        
movements1 and even those who did not   
engage in them1 were treated1 yet he was
 willing to countenance the  cause of   
abolition1 hoping that this1 in his     
view1 very exceptionable  manner1 would 
be gradually corrected4 ,but1 as it     
respects many of the  ,abolitionists1 he
 is sorry to say1 his hopes have been   
disappointed4    ,being1 therefore1     
fully persuaded that the course alluded 
to is  injuring the cause both of       
religion and abolition1 he ventures to  
point  out what he believes the word of 
,god teaches to be 8a more excellent    
way40 ,and he will endeavor to do it    
kindly1 and not needlessly to  wound the
 feelings of any1 hoping to be guided by
 that wisdom which  is from above1 and  
8is profitable to direct10 and which 8is
 pure1  and peaceable1 and gentle1 and  
is without partiality1 and without      
hypocrisy10 and to present the subject  
as it will appear in the light  of the  
great day4 ,and he requests the reader  

impartially to weigh what  is offered in
 8the balances of the sanctuary10 and to
 regard it so far  only as it           
corresponds with the teachings of the   
divine oracles4      ,,the ,,character  
,,of ,,american ,,slavery4    ,the      
subject of ,american slavery1 if rightly
 considered1 must be to  every          
,christian1 and every true patriot1 a   
deeply interesting and  painful subject4
 ,that our country--which solemnly      
declared before ,god  and the world1    
that it is 8self-evident0 that 8all men 
are created  equal1 and are endowed with
 certain inalienable rights1 as life1   
liberty and the pursuit of happiness10  
and which claims to be the  freest on   
earth1 and the asylum of the            
oppressed--should1 nevertheless1  hold  
in abject bondage millions of its own   
people1 is a deep stain on  our national
 character4 ,the holding of these       
unoffending fellow beings  under the rod
 of oppression is a great political and 
moral evil4 ,it is  a flagrant violation

 of our professed principles of equal   
rights1 and  manifestly inconsistent    
with the principles of our holy         
religion4 ,no  one would be willing to  
be a slave himself1 and1 therefore1 if  
he loved  others as himself1 or was     
willing to do to others as he would have
  others do to him1 he could not hold   
others in involuntary slavery4          
,slaves are held as property1 at the    
disposal of their master1 and  possess1 
strictly speaking1 no legal rights1     
civil or religious1 and1  if ever so    
much abused1 can seek no redress in any 
court of justice4  ,they are in a great 
measure kept without the means of       
intellectual1  moral and spiritual      
improvement4 ,and by sale and the       
removal of the  purchased slaves to a   
distant part of the country1 the most   
endearing  ties are liable continually  
to be severed1 and the nearest          
relatives1  husbands and wives1 parents 
and children1 and brothers and sisters1 
to  be torn from each other1 and forever

 separated4    ,but the greatest of the 
evils of ,american slavery is the       
depriving of  its victims of the ,bible 
and of the means of religion4 ,some     
slaves  do indeed attend public worship1
 and receive oral instruction4 ,some    
masters also impart to their slaves     
religious instruction4 ,and a few  are  
able to read4 ,but1 if ,i am rightly    
informed1 teaching them to  read is     
penal in all the slave ,states1 except  
,kentucky1 and those  who do it are     
liable to punishment by fine or         
imprisonment1 or both4  ,consequently1  
they are effectually prevented from     
reading 8the ,holy  ,scriptures1 which  
are able to make them wise unto         
salvation through  faith which is in    
,christ ,jesus40 ,and many1 according to
 the testimony  of the ,synod of ,south 
,carolina and ,georgia1 8are in the     
condition of  heathen40    ,and though  
not much1 comparatively1 seems to be now
 said on this  subject by many advocates
 for emancipation1 yet1 what is the     

political  bondage1 and all the other   
evils of slavery1 compared with this8   
,what is all the temporal happiness1    
which can be enjoyed1 compared  with the
 salvation of the soul1 or eternal      
blessedness8 ,and are all  the          
deprivations and misery1 which can be   
endured in this short life1  comparable 
with eternal misery8 8,the sufferings of
 this present time10  however great1    
8are not worthy to be compared with the 
glory which  shall be revealed0 in      
saints1 or with that 8everlasting       
punishment0  which will be the portion  
of those who are 8lost04    ,those      
means1 therefore1 which are necessary to
 secure the salvation  of the soul1     
ought to be esteemed more highly1 and   
sought with far  more earnestness for   
ourselves and others1 than any mere     
temporal  privileges1 advantages and    
blessings2 and to deprive the slaves of 
these means of salvation is the worst   
feature in the slave system1 and  incurs
 the deepest guilt4 ,and when such is   

the system1 it requires no  arguments to
 prove1 that it ought to be immediately 
abolished4    ,indeed many at the ,south
 have most explicitly condemned slavery1
 and  urged the necessity of its        
abolition4 ,mr4 ,jefferson1 speaking of 
slavery1 said1 8,it destroys the morals 
of one part of the nation1 and  the amor
 patria 7love of country7 of the other4 
,with the morals of  the people1 their  
industry is also destroyed4 ,and can the
 liberties of  a nation be secure1 when 
we have removed their only basis--a     
conviction  in the minds of the people1 
that these liberties are the gift of    
,god8  that they are not to be violated 
but with his wrath8 ,indeed ,i tremble  
for my country1 when ,i reflect that    
,god is just2 that his justice  cannot  
sleep for ever4 ,the ,almighty has no   
attribute which can take  sides with us 
in such a contest20 i4 e4 with the      
slaves4 ,patrick ,henry  said1 8,it is  
as repugnant to humanity1 as it is      
inconsistent with the  ,bible1 and      

destructive to liberty40 ,william       
,pinckney of ,maryland said1  8,its     
continuance is as shameful as its       
origin40    ,in #ahah1 the ,general     
,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church  
unanimously  adopted a report on        
slavery1 in which they say1 8,we        
consider the  voluntary enslaving of one
 part of the human race by another1 as a
  gross violation of the most precious  
and sacred rights of human nature2  as  
utterly inconsistent with the law of    
,god1 which requires us to  love our    
neighbor as ourselves2 and as totally   
irreconcilable with the  spirit and     
principles of the gospel1 which enjoins1
 that all things  whatsoever we would   
that men should do to us1 we should do  
even so  to them4 ,slavery creates a    
paradox in the moral system2 it exhibits
  rational1 accountable and immortal    
beings in such circumstances1 as        
scarcely to leave them the power of     
moral action4 ,it exhibits them as      
dependent on the will of others1 whether

 they shall receive religious           
instruction2 whether they shall enjoy   
the ordinances of the gospel2  whether  
they shall perform the duties and       
cherish the endearments  of husbands and
 wives1 parents and children1 neighbors 
and friends2  whether they shall        
preserve their chastity and purity1 or  
regard the  dictates of justice and     
humanity4    8,such are some of the     
consequences of slavery--consequences   
not  imaginary1 but which connect       
themselves with its very existence40    
,and they say further1 8,it is          
manifestly the duty of all ,christians1 
who  enjoy the light of the present     
day--when the inconsistency of slavery1 
both with the dictates of humanity and  
religion1 has been demonstrated1  and is
 generally seen and acknowledged--to use
 their honest1 earnest  and unwearied   
endeavors1 as speedily as possible1 to  
efface this blot  on our holy religion1 
and to obtain the complete abolition of 
slavery  throughout ,christendom1 and1  

if possible1 throughout the world40     
,freedom is the right of the slave4 ,and
 it is the duty of the master to  grant 
it1 and to grant it immediately4        
,and1 that emancipation is safe1 and    
would be for the interest of            
slaveholders1 might be easily shown1 and
 is clearly proved by the  result of the
 experiment in the ,west ,indies4 ,free 
labor is manifestly  more profitable    
than slave labor4 ,the ,african race    
possess kind1 and  generous and grateful
 feelings2 and if treated with humanity 
and  kindness1 would labor much more    
faithfully as freemen for wages1 than   
as slaves under the cruel stimulus of   
the whip4 ,and if emancipated1  there   
would be no fear of insurrection1 or of 
the slaughter of the  whites4 ,and the  
,states1 now feeling the withering      
influence of slavery1  would be much    
better cultivated and far more          
prosperous4    ,though the result of the
 emancipation in the ,british ,west     
,india ,islands  has been1 by some      

writers and papers1 represented as      
unfavorable1 yet1  according to the most
 authentic accounts1 it has been        
successful4 ,and  when difficulties have
 occurred1 as has sometimes been the    
case1 they  have been owing to the      
stupidity1 or ill conduct of the        
planters4    ,the ,rev4 ,john ,scoble of
 ,london--who had spent the greater part
 of the  last three years in the        
,british ,west ,indies1 as an agent of  
the ,british  ,anti-,slavery            
,society--at a meeting held in ,boston1 
,august #bb1 #ahci1  gave a most        
interesting exposition of the results of
 the emancipation  of the slaves in     
these colonies1 in answer to questions  
proposed to  him4 ,a few extracts from  
his statements will be given1 taken from
 the  ,essex ,register4    8,from all   
which he had heard and seen1 he was     
satisfied the experiment  of complete   
emancipation had worked well for the    
owners of the  estates2 and the         
prosperity of the colonies would be     

greatly increased  by it4 ,landed       
property1 he said1 had increased in     
value in ,barbadoes  from #be to #dj per
 cent4 in some districts--and generally 
in the  colonies1 from #e to #be per    
cent40    8,there had10 he said1 8been a
 great improvement in the domestic      
condition of the laborers--they enjoyed 
more comforts--their huts1 or  rather   
hovels1 which they formerly occupied1   
were giving place to  more comfortable  
habitations--they were not willing to   
wear the poor  and cheap clothes which  
their masters formerly furnished for    
them--many  of the women1 instead of    
toiling in the fields1 were now devoted 
to  household duties2 and many children1
 who formerly had been compelled to     
work in the fields1 were now sent to    
school4    8,enquiries were made of ,mr4
 ,scoble1 as to the willingness of the  
blacks  to labor for fair wages--as to  
the state of morals and religion among  
them--how the aged and infirm poor were 
supported among them1 c42  to all which 

,mr4 ,s4 gave the most satisfactory     
answers4 ,in regard  to the state of    
morals1 he said1 crime had decreased    
since the  emancipation--and he stated  
many interesting facts in regard to the 
number of persons confined in prisons in
 several colonies at his visits  in     
#ahcf1 compared with the number in      
#ahch4 ,the number is now only  about   
half as large as in former years1 and   
most of the offences of  the negroes    
were misdemeanors1 petty thefts10 c4    
,similar testimony is furnished in a    
letter1 published in the ,new ,york     
,journal of ,commerce1 from ,mr4        
,gurney1 an ,english ,quaker gentleman1 
who  has lately visited some of the     
,windward ,islands4    ,he says1        
8,landed property has risen1 and is     
still rising in  value--being decidedly 
of greater value now than it was six    
years ago4  ,in ,antigua it seems to be 
a clear point1 that the property without
  the slaves1 is now of equal value with
 the property and the slaves1  six years

 ago1 or before emancipation4    8,a    
similar remark applies with still       
greater force to ,st4 ,kitts4 ,r4       
,claxton1 the ,solicitor ,general there1
 told me that he would not take  #f1jjj 
now for a property which cost him only  
#b1jjj six years ago4  ,indeed1 many    
planters spoke of what they receive in  
the shape of  compensation1 as quite a  
gratuity4    8,the unfavorable reports  
which have been spread of the working of
  freedom1 have generally arisen from   
persons who are anxious to lay hold  of 
landed property at a cheap rate4 ,a     
clear proof that all is doing  well1 is 
unintentionally given by a gentleman in 
,antigua1 who cries  down the system1 as
 having ruined the ,west ,indies1 while 
he strives to  purchase all the landed  
property he can4    8,the comforts of   
the negroes are immensely increased4    
,they are  providing themselves with    
good food and clothing4 ,the evidence of
  this fact is abundant in every island 
which we visited4 ,no proof of  it can  

be stronger than the almost doubling of 
the imports within the  last two years4 
,on the whole there cannot be the shadow
 of doubt that  the substantial property
 of the colonies which we visited is on 
the  increase40      ,,means ,,for      
,,abolishing ,,slavery4    ,i shall now 
inquire how slavery may be abolished in 
our land4 ,this is  the most difficult  
part of the subject2 and on which ,i    
imagine there  is1 in reality1 a great  
diversity of opinion1 even among        
abolitionists4    ,there are three ways1
 and three only1 in which it is         
contemplated that  it can be removed2 by
 insurrection--the action of            
,congress--or the  action of the slave  
,states4 ,probably all would deprecate  
an attempt on  the part of the slaves to
 obtain their liberty by insurrection4  
,this1  if ultimately successful1 would 
be attended with much bloodshed and     
misery1 and a vast loss of life1 both of
 the colored people and of the  whites4 
,some suppose1 that ,congress have power

 to abolish slavery in the slave        
,states4 ,they have undoubtedly power to
 abolish it in the ,district of         
,columbia1 and in the ,territories4 ,and
 the constitution might be so  amended  
as to give ,congress power to abolish   
slavery within the ,states  where it    
exists4 ,but1 as it now stands1 it      
appears to me that it does  not give    
,congress any such power4 ,whatever may 
be said1 and though the  constitution   
does not name slaves or slavery1 it     
manifestly sanctions  it4    ,among     
other provisions1 that respecting       
representation in ,congress  is         
conclusive1 where 8three-fifths of all  
other persons10 besides  citizens--who  
are to be reckoned in apportioning the  
number of  representatives--can only    
mean slaves4 ,and when the constitution 
went  into operation1 while the framers 
were alive and among the leading        
politicians of the day1 the             
representatives were chosen in this     
proportion in the slave ,states2 and    

have always continued to be thus        
chosen4    ,and ,congress were forbidden
 by the constitution to prohibit the    
foreign  slave trade within twenty      
years4 ,and when these twenty years were
  expired1 ,congress immediately passed 
laws to put a stop to this trade4  ,but1
 how absurd to suppose that the         
constitution forbid ,congress to        
abolish the slave trade within twenty   
years1 and yet1 gave that body  power to
 abolish slavery itself immediately6    
,but it is pleaded1 that this power is  
given to ,congress in the fifth  article
 of the amendments1 where it is said1   
8,no person shall be  deprived of life1 
liberty or property without due process 
of law40 ,and  does this refer to       
slaves8 ,manifestly not4 ,can persons be
 deprived  of that which they do not    
possess8 ,to deprive a person of        
something1  implies that he possessed   
it4 ,and do slaves possess liberty1 or  
property8 ,and can they be deprived of  
property1 when they have none8  ,and    

would an article have been adopted by   
,congress and the ,states1 so           
manifestly contrary to other parts of   
the constitution8 ,but it is said1  that
 the most liberal construction ought to 
be given to the clause in  favor of     
liberty4 ,true1 when there can be any   
reasonable doubt as to  the real meaning
 of a constitution or law4 ,but where   
the meaning is  plain1 there is no room 
for construction4    ,and when we have  
substantial and efficient weapons       
enough1 it is not  good policy to seize 
those which are feeble1 and which may be
 wrested  from us1 and turned against   
us4    ,but1 if slavery must be         
abolished by the action of the slave    
,states1  then it is an important       
question--,how can they be brought to   
put forth  this action8 ,this they will 
not do till they are convinced that     
their  duty1 their interest1 or their   
safety1 or all these1 demand the        
emancipation of their slaves4 ,it is    
evident then1 that arguments must  bring

 them to the adoption of this measure4  
,these may be addressed to  their       
reason1 their conscience1 their interest
 and their fears2 and  more especially1 
to the two former4,a    ,but by whom1   
and in what manner1 must these arguments
 be addressed to  them8 ,are there those
 among themselves1 who will do this     
work1 and  labor effectually to convince
 the people of the slaveholding ,states1
  that they ought immediately to 8break 
every yoke80    ,as there is so much in 
those ,states from self-interest1       
education1 long  cherished habits1 and  
familiarity with slavery1 to lessen the 
evil in  the public estimation1 and     
counteract the efforts and influence of 
those who might desire its abolition1 an
 external force from the free  ,states  
is necessary to bear upon this fearful  
evil4 ,and that this force  may be      
powerful and effectual1 it must be      
combined and general4 ,it  must be a    
united testimony against slavery4       
,how then can this union in sentiment   

and action be secured8 ,those  who      
attempt to secure this object need to be
 8wise as serpents1 and  harmless as    
doves40 ,meekness1 prudence and decision
 are all highly  necessary4 ,the more   
difficult the object to be attained1 the
 more  needful are wisdom1 prudence and 
firmness4 ,a fiery zeal not tempered    
with meekness may do much injury1 by    
irritating those whom we would  wish to 
gain1 and exciting in them prejudice1   
and thus repelling them  instead of     
gaining them4 ,and there is great danger
 of this4    ,abolitionists have dwelt  
so much upon the horrors of slavery1 and
 seen  the sufferings of the slaves1 and
 the cruelties inflicted upon them so   
often depicted in lively colors1 that   
their feelings have been deeply         
enlisted in behalf of these degraded and
 suffering fellow beings4 ,and  if      
others do not appear to feel for them as
 they do1 they are in dancer  of        
indulging wrong feelings towards them1  
and condemning them with  great         

severity4 ,and when their sympathy is so
 strongly excited1 they  are liable to  
be swayed entirely by it1 and not duly  
to regard the  sober dictates of reason1
 or the precepts of the ,bible4    ,some
 seem to be so absorbed in this subject1
 as to regard every other  evil1 and    
every other enterprise1 of comparatively
 small concernment2  and appear to feel1
 that1 if this evil be removed from our 
land1 the  judgments of ,heaven must be 
averted1 and we shall enjoy prosperity2 
and  that all ought1 therefore1 to be   
mainly concerned for the removal of     
this one great evil4 ,hence some of this
 class1 who were professors of          
religion1 appear to have lost1 in a     
great measure1 their interest in  the   
cause of ,christ4 ,and ,i fear that many
 have1 in this way1 suffered  in their  
religious feelings4    ,some have said1 
that abolitionism is ,christianity1 and 
that  abolitionists are ,christians4    
,but this is setting up a standard of   
,christian character1 manifestly not    

warranted by the holy ,scriptures1  and 
is crying peace to many1 to whom ,god   
has said 8there is no peace40  ,wicked  
men do not become good men by becoming  
abolitionists4 ,and  it must be         
dangerous to their immortal interests1  
and provoking to  ,god1 to flatter them 
that1 because they are engaged in the   
abolition  enterprise1 they are         
,christians1 or are doing ,god an       
acceptable  service1 while they are in  
heart his enemies1 and are in rebellion 
against him4 ,and yet1 some professing  
,christians appear to have a more       
cordial union with such1 than with      
others who are not united with them  in 
this enterprise1 though engaged in other
 benevolent enterprises1 and  in the    
cause of ,christ1 and appear to be      
devoted ,christians4 ,but is  this      
right8 ,and will it meet the approbation
 of the ,god of heaven8 ,if  they       
themselves neglect other benevolent     
enterprises1 should they not  8cast the 
beam out of their own eye0 before they  

attempt to 8pull the  mote out of their 
brother's eye80    ,we should1 as far as
 possible1 estimate every cause1 and    
every  interest1 as ,god estimates them4
 ,and there are other very great  and   
crying sins in our land beside          
slaveholding4 ,sabbath breaking1        
neglect and contempt of divine          
institutions and of the authority of    
,god1 disregard of the divine oracles1  
infidelity1 licentiousness1             
intemperance1 selfishness1 supreme      
devotedness to the world1 and our       
treatment of the ,indian tribes1 are all
 crying sins of our land4 ,and  should  
slavery be abolished1 ,i should have no 
hope that the judgments  of ,heaven     
would be averted without a general      
reformation3 this all  ought to endeavor
 to promote1 and to set themselves      
against all these  evils1 and to help   
remove them1 so far as their influence  
can reach4    ,all ,christians should   
duly estimate1 and engage in the support
 of every  benevolent enterprise4 ,but  

some zealous abolitionists take little  
interest in these enterprises1 and      
especially in the missionary cause2  and
 not unfrequently have articles and     
observations been published1  which were
 calculated to discredit it in the minds
 of the community4    ,but is not the   
cause of missions far more important    
than the cause of  abolition in our     
land8 ,what is the emancipation of three
 millions1  compared with the           
civilization and christianizing of ,,six
 ,,hundred  ,,millions1 multitudes of   
whom are equally or more degraded than  
the  slaves of the ,south8    ,let      
,christian abolitionists1 therefore1    
especially1 feel the importance  of     
meeting all their responsibilities1 as  
they must answer it  to ,god in the     
great day1 and not withdraw their       
support from1 or  throw obstacles in the
 way of any good cause1 but afford it   
their  cordial countenance and          
coperation4 ,in this way they will      
recommend  their principles to others4  

,and let them cultivate deep piety and  
deep humility1 and 8in lowliness of mind
 esteem others better than  themselves40
 ,and then they will not be so ready to 
condemn others with  severity1 as has   
been a too common practice1 and by which
 the cause has  been1 ,i am fully       
persuaded1 greatly injured and retarded4
    ,denunciation1 or heaping upon      
others opprobrious epithets1 or bringing
  against them charges which they       
believe to be unjust1 is not the way  to
 convince or gain them4 ,no person of   
any consideration would treat  a friend 
thus1 whom he considered in fault1 and  
whom he wished to  convince and reclaim4
    ,and are the public attacks1 which  
are so often made upon ministers and    
churches1 calculated to subserve the    
cause of religion or of abolition8  ,and
 have those who make them1 seriously    
inquired1 and satisfied their  own      
minds1 that such charges will meet the  
approbation of ,god8 ,though  the       
churches are not so pure1 nor the       

ministers so devoted as they  ought to  
be2 yet it may be doubted whether there 
are purer churches1  or more devoted    
ministers in any other country4 ,in the 
time of ,isaiah1  ,god's ancient church 
was doubtless less pure than are our    
churches2 and  yet ,god said to her1    
8,he that toucheth you1 toucheth the    
apple of mine  eye0--and 8every tongue  
that shall rise against thee in judgment
 thou  shalt condemn40    ,some         
abolitionists have appeared disposed to 
condemn all ministers and  professing   
,christians1 who did not act with them1 
as 8pro-slavery10 and  unworthy of      
confidence4 ,though ,i have no doubt    
many abolitionists have  disapproved of 
such a course1 yet ,i have seen little  
disapproval of it  expressed4 ,perhaps  
they thought it would injure the cause  
to censure  those who were engaged in   
it1 and would not be expedient4 ,but    
that  8wisdom1 which is without         
partiality10 will lead us to condemn    
what  is wrong in friends1 as well as   

others4 ,such an impartial course is1   
,i believe1 the way to secure the divine
 approbation and blessing4 ,as ,i  am a 
professed abolitionist1,b and1 as       
remarks have been made1 and  resolutions
 passed at abolition meetings1 which    
will apply to ministers  much better    
than myself1 representing them as       
unworthy of support1 ,i  cannot feel it 
to be right to pass such things in      
silence4 ,whatever  be their design1    
they are calculated to destroy the      
influence of  ministers1 and to destroy 
souls4 ,for1 let the impenitent hearers 
of  such ministers believe these        
representations1 and their preaching    
will  do them no good4 ,probably when   
making these remarks1 and passing these 
resolutions1 the authors thought they   
were doing right2 but perhaps on  sober 
reflection1 and in their closets1 away  
from excitement1 those  who are         
,christians will feel differently1 and  
be convinced that a  more conciliatory  
course would be better4 ,hoping that    

this may be the  effect1 ,i here set    
down a few of the things to which ,i    
have alluded4    ,the editor of 8,the   
,liberator0 published the following     
declaration3      8,christianity        
indignantly rejects the sanctimonious   
pretensions of    the great mass of the 
clergy in this land4 ,it is becoming    
more and    more apparent1 that they are
 nothing better than hirelings1 in the  
bad sense of the term1 that they are    
blind leaders of the blind1    spiritual
 popes1 dumb dogs that cannot bark1 that
 they love the    fleece better than the
 flock4 ,their overthrow is registered  
in the    scroll of destiny40    ,at the
 meeting of the ,grafton ,county        
,anti-,slavery ,society1 holden at      
,littleton1 ,n4 ,h4 ,january #bith and  
#cjth1 #ahdj1 the following resolutions 
were passed1 though not without         
opposition3      8,resolved1 ,that the  
slave system of this country derives its
 chief    and essential support from the
 nominally free ,states2 and that the   

citizens of ,new ,hampshire are as      
deeply implicated in the guilt of       
slaveholding as those of any other      
,state in the ,union4      8,resolved1  
,that the only way in which the citizens
 of ,new ,hampshire    can exculpate    
themselves from the guilt of            
slaveholding1 is to    countenance and  
support the ,anti-slavery enterprise40  
,here it is asserted1 that the citizens 
of ,new ,hampshire are as deeply        
implicated in the guilt of slaveholding 
as those of any of the slave  ,states2  
and that the only way in which they can 
exculpate themselves  from this guilt1  
8is to countenance and support the      
,anti-slavery  enterprise40 ,as the     
guilt of all sin must be removed in the 
same  way--and this is said to be the   
only way to remove this guilt--it  would
 seem1 that all who 8countenance and    
support the ,anti-slavery  enterprise0  
are exculpated from the guilt of all    
their sins1 as they  cannot be          
exculpated from the guilt of one sin1   

and not of all sin4    ,i presume that  
those who adopted this resolution did   
not reflect1  that it would lead to such
 a conclusion4 ,they probably thought1  
that the citizens of ,new ,hampshire    
could not give evidence of  sincere     
repentance1 unless they should          
8countenance and support the            
,anti-slavery enterprise40 ,but if this 
is their only way to afford  such       
evidence1 and to be exculpated from this
 guilt1 do not all who  8countenance and
 support the ,anti-slavery enterprise0  
afford such  evidence1 and thus show    
that they are exculpated from the guilt 
of this  sin1 and consequently1 from the
 guilt of all sin8    ,at the annual    
meeting of the ,merrimack ,county       
,anti-,slavery ,society1  ,january      
#adth1 #ahdj1 the following resolutions 
were adopted3      8,resolved1 ,that the
 abolition enterprise is the cause of   
,god1    and that those professed       
ministers of the gospel who treat it    
with    opposition or indifference1 are 

recreant to their high trust as         
ambassadors of ,christ--hypocritical in 
their professions of love    to man1 and
 are unworthy the confidence and support
 of a ,christian    community4          
8,resolved1 ,that all those who support 
professed ministers of    the gospel who
 refuse to wield their pulpit influence 
against the    diabolical system of     
,american slavery1 are guilty of        
supporting that    system40    ,at a    
meeting of 8a number of the friends of  
the slave1 from different  parts of the 
,state10 at ,concord1 ,january          
#bb;d--the day after the meeting  of the
 ,convention of ,congregational and     
,presbyterian ,ministers and            
,churches--the following resolution1    
among others1 was adopted3              
8,resolved1 ,that at the present stage  
of the ,anti-slavery    enterprise1     
those ministers professing to be the    
ministers of    ,christ1 who do not     
fearlessly and boldly advocate the      
immediate    and unconditional          

emancipation of the slaves of this      
country1 are    unworthy the countenance
 or support of the ,christian           
community40    ,these and similar       
resolutions which have been passed in   
other  places1 doubtless refer to all   
ministers who do not openly join with   
abolitionists1 and thus 8countenance and
 support the ,anti-slavery  enterprise40
    ,are such attacks calculated to do  
ministers good1 or to promote the  cause
 of ,christ1 or the cause of abolition8 
,though we are commanded  to 8bless     
those that curse us10 yet even good men 
do not like to be  reproached1 and will 
not be pleased with those who assail    
them with  opprobrious language4        
,especially1 if instead of being treated
 according  to the direction of the     
,saviour in the #ahth of ,matthew they  
are  publicly assailed1 they will be    
very liable to be irritated4 ,and1 if   
by such attacks any cause them to sin1  
they will be guilty themselves4  ,and1  
if they duly considered what a dreadful 

thing even the least sin  is1 as        
committed against an infinite and holy  
,god1 they would dread to  commit it    
themselves1 or to lead others into it4  
,though ,david was a good man1 the      
irritating language and conduct of      
,nabal so provoked him1 that1 had it not
 been for the prudent and mild  conduct 
of ,abigail1 he would have destroyed the
 whole family4    ,rehoboam lost a great
 part of his kingdom by forsaking the   
counsel of  the old men who stood before
 ,solomon his father1 who advised him to
  8speak good words to the people10 and 
following the counsel of the  young men1
 and 8answering the people roughly40    
,such conduct in abolitionists is       
inconsistent with their own professed   
principles--with the spirit and precepts
 of the gospel--with the  counsel of    
wise and good men--and with the         
teachings of experience4    ,the great  
principles upon which they rest their   
plea for the slave1  are--that we ought 
to love others as ourselves1 and do to  

others as we  would have them do to us4 
,but would they be willing to have      
others  thus publicly assail their      
character4 ,when thus assailed1 they    
show  plainly that they would not4 ,if1 
therefore1 they loved others as         
themselves1 they could not do thus4     
,a man's character is dearer to him than
 property4 8,a good name is  rather to  
be chosen than great riches40           
----8,who steals my purse    ,steals    
trash----    ,but he who filches from me
 my good name1    ,robs me of that which
 not enriches him1    ,but makes me poor
 indeed40    ,should some persons injure
 the property1 or cast filth upon the   
clothes of one who was the object of    
their dislike1 every one would  condemn 
such conduct as becoming only a mob4    
,and yet it is a far  greater injury to 
have the character vilified and         
reproached4    ,some justify such       
language from the denunciations of the  
,saviour  against the ,scribes and      
,pharisees1 and his calling them        

hypocrites4 ,but  when any can1 like the
 ,saviour1 know the hearts of others1   
and know to  whom to apply such         
epithets1 then they may use them4 ,and  
they may take  the lash1 and compel     
others to do what they think they ought 
to do1 and  plead the example of        
,christ1 who1 with a scourge1 drove the 
buyers and  sellers out of the temple4  
,a good cause does not need such weapons
 to support it1 and will only  be       
injured by their use4 ,and when any     
resort to them1 they will be  suspected 
of being conscious of the weakness of   
their cause1 or of  being under the     
influence of a wrong spirit4 ,when a    
person is conscious  that he is strong  
in argument1 he will feel no need of    
such base  weapons1 and will not use    
them1 if he is in the exercise of a     
right  spirit4,c ,for it is contrary to 
the spirit of the gospel1 and to the    
instructions of the ,bible4 ,the spirit 
of the gospel is a meek1 kind1          
benevolent spirit1 and undissembled     

goodwill to all4 ,and1 if in full       
exercise1 men would love others as      
themselves2 8and love worketh no  ill to
 his neighbor40 ,but to pursue a course 
which directly tends to  injure the     
character1 and to destroy the peace and 
usefulness of a  good man1 is working   
the greatest evil to him1 and is        
contrary to the  instructions of the    
,bible1 and the way there pointed out to
 convince  and gain others3 8,a soft    
tongue breaketh the bone40 ,this we are 
here  taught will have the greatest     
effect4 8,a soft answer turneth away    
wrath1 but grievous words stir up       
anger40 8,the servant of the ,lord  must
 not strive2 but be gentle unto all men2
 in meekness instructing  those that    
oppose themselves2 if ,god peradventure 
will give them  repentance to the       
acknowledging of the truth40 ,this is   
most explicit1  and teaches1 that1 if we
 would gain others1 we must be gentle   
towards  all men without any exception1 
in meekness instructing them4 8,speak   

not evil one of another1 brethren4 ,he  
that speaketh evil of his  brother1 and 
judgeth his brother1 speaketh evil of   
the law1 and judgeth  the law10 by      
practically condemning the law for      
prohibiting such  evil-speaking4        
8,whosoever shall say to his brother1   
,raca1 shall be in danger of the        
council2 but whosoever shall say1 ,thou 
fool1 shall be in danger of  hell-fire40
 ,this is a most solemn declaration4    
8,judge not1 and ye  shall not be       
judged3 condemn not1 and ye shall not be
 condemned40 8,but  why dost thou judge 
thy brother8 or why dost thou set at    
nought thy  brother8 for we shall all   
stand before the judgment-seat of       
,christ40  8,let us not1 therefore1     
judge one another any more3 but judge   
this  rather1 that no man put a         
stumbling-block1 or an occasion to fall1
  in his brother's way20 which he would 
do by harshly judging and  condemning1  
and thus irritating him4 8,i beseech    
you1 that ye walk  worthy of the        

vocation wherewith ye are called1 with  
all lowliness  and meekness1 with       
long-suffering1 forbearing one another  
in love1  endeavoring to keep the unity 
of the ,spirit in the bond of peace40   
8,let  all bitterness1 and wrath1 and   
anger1 and clamor1 and evil-speaking1   
be put away from you1 with all malice3  
,and be ye kind one to another1         
tender-hearted1 forgiving one another1  
even as ,god for ,christ's sake  hath   
forgiven you10 8,put them in mind to    
speak evil of no man1 to be no          
brawlers1 but gentle1 showing all       
meekness unto all men40    ,what a      
picture ,st4 ,james gives of the        
terrible effects of an unbridled        
tongue4 ,and an unbridled pen is more   
dangerous4 8,the tongue is an  unruly   
evil1 full of deadly poison4 ,the tongue
 is a fire1 a world of  iniquity1 and   
setteth on fire the course of nature2   
and it is set on  fire of hell40        
8,wherefore1 laying aside all malice1   
and all guile1  and hypocrisies1 and    

envies1 and all evil speakings--be      
pitiful1 be  courteous2 not rendering   
evil for evil1 or railing for railing1  
but  contrariwise1 blessing40 ,jude     
says1 that even 8,michael the archangel1
  when contending with the devil1 durst 
not bring against him a railing         
accusation1 but said1 ,the ,lord rebuke 
thee40    ,it is therefore extremely    
manifest1 that evil-speaking1 or        
assailing  the character of brethren in 
the ministry1 or in the church1 or even 
others--except by kind and faithful     
reproof1 for evident faults--is         
contrary to the instructions of the word
 of ,god1 and is wrong4 ,the  ,bible    
allows us to reprove others plainly for 
their sins1 with  meekness1 and in love1
 but not with harshness1 or opprobrious 
language4    ,and this is agreeable to  
the counsel of the wisest and best of   
men4    ,mr4 ,adam1 an eminently pious  
minister in ,england1 who died in #aghd1
  in his 8,thoughts on ,religion10 says1
 8,we should study only the good  of    

others1 let them do what they will to   
us4 ,if ,i aim at the real  spiritual   
improvement of those ,i converse with1  
,i shall never say any  thing to        
irritate or vex them1 but keep a        
constant guard on myself4  ,speaking    
evil of others at all1 unless it be to  
prevent mischief to  religion1 or our   
neighbor1 proceeds from pride4 ,say all 
the good you  can of all2 but if you    
would have ill spoken of any1 turn that 
office  to the devil40    ,cudworth     
said1 8,truth and love are two of the   
most powerful things  in the world1 and 
when they both go together1 they cannot 
easily be  withstood4 ,the golden beams 
of truth1 and the silken cords of love  
twisted together1 will draw men on with 
a sweet violence1 whether they  will or 
no40    8,certainly10 says ,bishop      
,hall1 8,god abides none but charitable 
dissensions2 those that are well        
grounded and well governed2 grounded    
upon just causes1 and governed with     
,christian charity and wise  moderation2

 those whose beginning is equity1 and   
end is peace4 ,if  we must differ1 let  
these be the conditions2 let every one  
of ,god's  ministers be ambitious of    
that praise which ,gregory ,nazianzen   
gave to  ,athanasius2 to be an adamant  
to them that strike him1 and a loadstone
  to them that dissent from him2 the one
 not to be moved with wrong1  the other 
to draw those hearts which disagree4 ,so
 the fruit of  righteousness shall be   
sown in peace of them that make peace4  
,so the  ,god of peace shall have glory1
 the church of ,god rest1 and our souls1
  unspeakable joy and consolation in the
 day of the appearing of our ,lord      
,jesus40    8,it is10 says a respectable
 writer1 8impossible to entertain       
sentiments  of true friendship1 towards 
those whom we are in the practice of    
maligning every day40 ,milner1 in his   
,church ,history1 says1 8,satire and    
invective are plants of rapid growth in 
the malignant soil of human  nature40   
,rev4 ,mr4 ,jenkins1 in his remarks on  

the ,report submitted to the  ,senate of
 the ,united ,states1 on the petitions  
presented to ,congress1  praying that   
the mails might not be transmitted      
through the country  on the ,sabbath1   
says1 8,they who are honestly concerned 
to preserve  the sanctity of the        
,sabbath1 can cherish no other than     
sentiments  of heart-felt kindness      
towards the author of this report4      
,their  disagreement with him on a      
subject of such vital and enduring      
interest1  would prove it the offspring 
of some of the very lowest principles   
which govern human conduct1 were it to  
lead them to return railing for         
railing40    ,some attempt to justify   
harsh language from the example of      
,luther4 ,but  besides the change in the
 times and the style of controversy1 it 
ought  to be recollected that ,luther   
himself condemned what they adduce  as a
 justification for the use of such      
language4 8,in my books of a  polemical 
nature10 said he1 8,i avow1 that ,i have

 been more violent and  bitter than     
suits my religion and my robe40    ,the 
distinguished ,christian poet1 ,cowper1 
in a letter to ,rev4 ,john  ,newton1    
said1 8,no man was ever scolded out of  
his sins4 ,the heart1  corrupt as it    
is--and because it is so--grows angry if
 it be not  treated with some management
 and good manners1 and scolds again4 ,a 
surly mastiff will perhaps bear to be   
poked1 though he will growl  even under 
that operation1 but if you touch him    
roughly1 he will  bite4 ,there is no    
grace that the spirit of self can       
counterfeit with  more success than a   
religious zeal4 ,a man thinks he is     
fighting for  ,christ1 and he is        
fighting for his own notions4 ,he thinks
 that he is  skilfully searching the    
hearts of others1 when he is only       
gratifying  the malignity of his own2   
and charitably supposes his hearers     
destitute  of all grace1 that he may    
shine the more in his own eyes by the   
comparison4 ,when he has performed this 

notable task1 he wonders that  they are 
not convicted4 ,he has given it to them 
soundly1 and if they do  not tremble and
 confess that ,god is in them of a      
truth1 he gives them  up as reprobate1  
incorrigible1 and lost forever4 ,but the
 man that loves  me1 if he sees me in an
 error1 will pity me1 and endeavor      
calmly to  convince me of it1 and       
persuade me to forsake it4 ,if he has   
great and  good news to tell me1 he will
 not do it angrily and in much heat and 
discomposure of spirit4 ,it is not      
therefore easy to conceive on what      
ground a minister can justify a conduct 
which only proves that he does  not     
understand his errand4 ,the absurdity of
 it would certainly strike  him1 if he  
were not himself deluded40    ,ministers
 undoubtedly sometimes greatly injure   
their usefulness by  their harshness of 
expression1 and the want of a kind and  
conciliatory  address4 ,the abolition   
enterprise is often said to be 8the     
cause  of ,god10 and a 8holy cause40 ,if

 so1 it ought surely to be defended  and
 sustained by 8spiritual10 and not      
8carnal weapons40 ,and some  of the     
advocates of the cause deeply feel this4
 ,william ,ladd1 the  distinguished     
,advocate of ,peace1 in a letter        
addressed some months  since to an      
,anti-slavery ,meeting in ,portsmouth1  
which he was invited  to attend1 says1  
8,if ,i were present among you1 ,i      
should say--let  every thing be done in 
,,love1 not only to the poor            
down-trodden slave1  but to his         
oppressor1 and to the slaves of         
prejudice1 #8forbearing  threatening4'  
,the chains of the slave may be melted  
off by the fire of  love1 but they      
cannot be severed by the sledge hammer  
of violence40    ,many abolitionists1   
instead of manifesting the meek1 mild   
and  forbearing spirit of ,him who1     
8when he was reviled not again10 have   
too often displayed the spirit of party 
politicians4 ,but even some of  the     
politicians of the day seem to be       

convinced of the impropriety of         
treating opponents with rudeness4 ,after
 the close of a four weeks'  session of 
the ,legislature of ,rhode ,island1 in  
#ahch1 it was said1 8,not  an angry or  
offensive personality has been uttered  
by any member40    ,at an editorial     
convention held last season at          
,columbus1 ,ohio1 the  following        
resolutions were passed3      ,resolved1
 ,that in the opinion of this           
,convention1 there is one    plain      
standard of editorial propriety from    
which no man ought to    depart1 i4 e4  
nothing should be esteemed justifiable  
in editorial    intercourse1 which would
 be clearly condemned in the intercourse
 of    private gentlemen4 ,and1         
therefore      ,resolved1 ,that in the  
opinion of this ,convention1 in all     
editorial    discussions concerning     
politics and other subjects of public   
disputation1 all opprobrious epithets1  
offensive personal allusions1    and    
harsh attacks on private reputation1    

ought to be carefully    avoided4       
,these testimonies are surely amply     
sufficient to show the impropriety  of  
the course which ,i have disapproved1 in
 the estimation of  respectable1 and    
wise1 and good men4 ,but ,i will add one
 more4    ,said an eminent missionary   
among the heathen1 8,until a minister   
feels  as our ,saviour did on his last  
return to ,jerusalem1 when he wept as he
  said1 #8,o that thou hadst known1' c41
 he is not in a fit state of mind  to   
repeat a single denunciation from his   
master's lips40    ,is not this the     
spirit which we all need8 ,and were this
 spirit  generally possessed by         
professing ,christians1 and ,christian  
ministers1  how much of that 8wrath of  
man which worketh not the righteousness 
of ,god10 and contention and unchristian
 feeling1 and attacks on each  others'  
reputation would be prevented2 and how  
rapidly would the cause  of truth1 of   
righteousness1 and of benevolence       
advance4 ,the weapons  of truth and love

 would then be wielded with mighty      
power1 and with  astonishing success4   
,even slaveholders would hardly be able 
to resist such powerful weapons4  ,mr4  
,chester1 editor of the ,christian      
,journal at ,new ,york1 speaking  of    
,rev4 ,john ,rankin1 a distinguished    
abolitionist1 says1 8,he was  born1     
educated1 and brought into the ministry 
in ,tennessee1 and has  been an         
abolitionist1 ,i might perhaps say1 from
 his birth4 ,twenty1  or twenty-five    
years ago he was a member of an         
,abolition ,society in  that ,state4    
,his abolition principles and feelings  
never lead him to  indulge in bitterness
 towards slaveholders1 or opponents of  
any kind4  ,and such is his kindness1   
such the deep tone of his feeling1 that 
few  slaveholders--though often pressed 
with the most earnest appeals--have     
ever parted with him but with increased 
respect40    ,last year there was       
published an account of the visit of a  
minister  of the ,quaker denomination to

 a slave trader in ,virginia1 given by  
the visiter himself1 which strikingly   
illustrates the influence of  faithful1 
but kind remonstrance4 ,being           
accompanied to his house by  a friend1  
he says1 8,i found he was considered1   
independent of his  employment1 of a    
ferocious disposition4 ,his countenance 
looked fierce4  ,i offered him my hand1 
feeling nothing in my heart but love    
towards  him as a man4 ,i endeavored in 
a tender1 feeling1 but decided manner   
to open the subject that brought me to  
his house1 telling him ,i came  in      
behalf of the poor colored people4 ,i   
requested him to pause for  a moment1   
and endeavor as much as possible to     
place his own parents  and nearest      
relatives in the very situation of those
 poor slaves he  had at times purchased 
and sold again1 thereby separating the  
nearest  connections far from each      
other4 ,he appeared to hear me          
patiently1  and tried to justify his    
conduct1 but with coolness and          

deliberation4  ,but in time he cast away
 all his weapons of defence4 ,he gave it
 as  his opinion that before twenty     
years were passed away1 slavery would   
be brought to a final close1 if the work
 was rightly gone about4 ,he  assured us
 of his determination to quit his       
business1 and acknowledged  the         
gratitude he felt for the visit2 and    
took his leave of us in an  affectionate
 manner40 ,i have given only a very     
brief sketch of this  interesting visit1
 as published in the #8,herald of       
,freedom4'    ,if this were the spirit  
generally displayed1 and this the course
  pursued even by professors of religion
 among abolitionists1 how long  would it
 be before they would be joined by the  
great mass of the people  in the free   
,states1 and by many in the slave       
,states8 ,but so much of  a contrary    
spirit has been manifested1 and such a  
different course  pursued1 that it has  
produced irritation1 and excited        
prejudice in the  minds of very many who

 would otherwise have cordially united  
in efforts  for the removal of slavery4 
,it was stated in the #8,herald of      
,freedom1' that emancipation was        
universally popular in ,new ,york in    
#ahbg4 ,and the same feeling1 ,i        
presume1 then pervaded ,new ,england    
generally4    ,though ,wilberforce in   
his zealous1 and untiring1 and finally  
successful  efforts to abolish the slave
 trade1 manifested the spirit which ,i  
have  here recommended1 yet others who  
were engaged with him1 manifested  a    
different spirit1 and pursued a         
different course1 which tended to       
embarrass this great philanthropist1 and
 to retard the progress of the  cause in
 which he was engaged4    8,the         
contest10 says his biographer1 8in      
behalf of abolition1 was  throughout    
conducted by ,mr4 ,wilberforce in a     
spirit of conciliation  towards the     
supporters of the trade4 ,some amongst  
the ,west ,indian body  were his        
personal friends1 and of all #8we should

 not forget1' he writes  to ,dr4        
,currie1 #8that ,christian candor is due
 to those who carry it  on4 ,there may  
be1 ,i doubt not1 amongst them1 many men
 of enlarged and  humane minds4 ,i trust
 that you have done me the justice to   
acquit me of  having adopted any such   
indiscriminate and false judgment as    
that you  oppose4'0    ,his prospect of 
speedy success seemed to be encouraging4
 8,the sympathy  of the country was too 
much aroused to be patient of delay4    
,public  meetings1 and petitions        
numerously signed1 multiplied both in   
,england  and ,scotland40 ,but the      
levelling principles of the ,french     
revolution  began to spread and were    
favored by many abolitionists1 which    
excited  great prejudice against their  
cause4 8,you will see ,clarkson10 writes
  ,mr4 ,wilberforce to ,lord ,muncaster2
 8caution him against talking of the    
,french revolution1 it will be ruin to  
our cause40 8,clarkson10 writes  ,dr4   
,milner1 8will tell you that he had a   

long conversation with me4 ,i  wish him 
better health1 and better notions in    
politics2 no government  can stand on   
such principles as he appeals to1 and   
maintains4 ,i am very  sorry for it1    
because ,i see plainly1 advantage is    
taken of such cases  as his1 in order to
 represent the friends of abolition as  
levellers4  ,this is not the only       
instance where the converse of a        
proposition does  not hold2 levellers   
certainly are friends of abolition4     
,great mischief  had then already risen 
to the cause4 #8,what business had your 
friend  ,clarkson1' asked ,dundas #8to  
attend the ,crown and ,anchor last      
,thursday8  ,he could not have done a   
more mischievous thing to the cause you 
have  taken in hand4'    8,the seed     
which had been so freely scattered by   
the revolutionary  politics of some     
leading abolitionists had sprung up into
 a plentiful  harvest of suspicion4     
#8,people connect1' writes ,mr4 ,clark1 
#8democratical  principles with the     

abolition of the slave trade1 and will  
not hear it  mentioned4'0    ,on this   
reverse1 ,mr4 ,wilberforce made the     
following reflections1  displaying a    
humility worthy the imitation of every  
abolitionist1  and of every             
,christian3--8,oh1 may not this have    
been because one so  unworthy as ,i     
undertook this hallowed cause1 7,uzzah  
and the ark17 and  carried it on with so
 little true humility1 faith1           
self-abasement1 and  confidence in ,god 
through ,christ8 ,no principles but the 
principles  of the gospel should be     
connected with the abolition of slavery4
  ,and if we would expect the blessing  
of ,god upon this enterprise1 it  must  
be conducted in the spirit of his       
gospel1 and in conformity to  the       
precepts of his word4 ,and without his  
blessing we shall labor in  vain40,d    
,and is a dependence on ,god's aid and  
blessing duly felt8 ,if thus  felt1 it  
will lead to the cultivation and        
exemplification of a right  spirit--the 

spirit not merely of humanity1 or       
sympathy1 or party zeal1  but of real   
vital piety1 which will seek supremely  
the glory of ,god1  the honor and       
permanency of his institutions1 the     
advancement of his  cause in the world1 
and the disenthralment and salvation of 
those  around us1 who are slaves to sin1
 and in bondage to ,satan2 and the      
conversion of the benighted heathen1 as 
well as the emancipation and  elevation 
of the slaves of our own beloved        
country4 ,and then the car of  liberty1 
and the chariot of the gospel will move 
on with majestic and  mighty power4     
,,footnotes3      ,a ,these were        
manifestly the views of those who formed
 the ,american  ,anti-,slavery ,society 
in #ahcc4 ,for in the second article of 
the  constitution1 they say of the      
,society1 8,it shall aim to convince all
  our fellow citizens1 by arguments     
addressed to their understandings and   
consciences1 that slavery is a heinous  
sin in the sight of ,god10 c4    ,b ,i  

am a member of the ,new ,hampshire      
,state ,anti-,slavery ,society4    ,c   
,though we are commanded 8earnestly to  
contend for the faith once  delivered to
 the saints10 yet the unkind and        
censorious spirit1 and  harsh language  
often displayed in theological disputes1
 has excited  great prejudice1 and led  
many to condemn all religious           
controversy4    ,d ,life of             
,wilberforce1 pp4 #aab1 #aac1 #aaa1     
#aaj1 #abf1 #acj4                       
,,transcriber',s ,,notes3               
,italicized text is surrounded by       
underscores3 italics4      ,obvious     
typographical errors have been          
corrected4      ,inconsistencies in     
hyphenation have been standardized4     
,archaic or variant spelling has been   
retained4