,transcriber's ,note    ,italic text    
displayed as3 italic    ,bold text      
displayed as3 bold            ,no4 #ch4 
,,prayer      ,,for ,,the ,,oppressed4  
,a ,,premium ,,tract4      ,,by         
,,rev4 ,,james ,a4 ,,thome1             
,,cleveland1 ,,ohio4        ,,american  
,,tract ,,society1    ,,boston4         
,,slavery ,,unchristian4      ,there is 
a deep and growing conviction in the    
minds of the mass of  mankind1 that     
slavery violates the great laws of our  
nature2 that  it is contrary to the     
dictates of humanity2 that it is        
essentially  unjust1 oppressive1 and    
cruel2 that it invades the rights of    
liberty  with which the ,author of our  
being has endowed all human beings2  and
 that in all the forms in which it has  
ever existed1 it has been  impossible to
 guard it from what its friends and     
advocates would call  abuses of the     
system4 ,it is a violation of the first 
sentiments  expressed in our            
,declaration of ,independence1 and on   

which our  fathers founded the          
vindication of their own conduct in an  
appeal to  arms4 ,it is at war with all 
that a man claims for himself1 and for  
his own children2 and it is opposed to  
all the struggles of mankind1  in all   
ages1 for freedom4 ,the claims of       
humanity plead against it4  ,the        
struggles for freedom every where in our
 world condemn it4 ,the  instinctive    
feeling in every man's own bosom1 in    
regard to himself1  is a condemnation of
 it4 ,the noblest deeds of valor and of 
patriotism  in our own land1 and in all 
lands where men have struggled for      
freedom1 are a condemnation of the      
system4 ,all that is noble in man  is   
opposed to it2 all that is base1        
oppressive1 and cruel1 pleads for  it4  
,the spirit of the ,new ,testament is   
against slavery1 and the  principles of 
the ,new ,testament1 if fairly applied1 
would abolish  it4 ,in the ,new         
,testament no man is commanded to       
purchase and own a  slave2 no man is    

commended as adding any thing to the    
evidences of  his ,christian character1 
or as performing the appropriate duty of
  a ,christian1 for owning one4 ,nowhere
 in the ,new ,testament is the          
institution referred to as a good one1  
or as a desirable one4 ,it is           
commonly--indeed1 it is almost          
universally--conceded that the proper   
application of the principles of the    
,new ,testament would abolish  slavery  
every where1 or that in the state of    
things which will exist  when the       
,gospel shall be fairly applied to all  
the relations of life1  slavery will not
 be found among those relations4    ,let
 slavery be removed from the church1 and
 let the voice of the  church1 with one 
accord1 be lifted up in favor of        
freedom2 let the  church be wholly      
detached from the institution1 and let  
there be  adopted by all its ministers  
and members an interpretation of the    
,bible--as ,i believe there may be1 and 
ought to be--that shall be in           

accordance with the deep-seated         
principles of our nature in favor  of   
freedom1 and with our own aspirations   
for liberty1 and with the  sentiments of
 the world in its onward progress in    
regard to human  rights1 and not only   
would a very material objection against 
the  ,bible be taken away1--and one     
which would be fatal if it were well    
founded1--but the establishment of a    
very strong argument in favor of  the   
,bible1 as a revelation from ,god1 would
 be the direct result of  such a        
position4444    ,there is not vital     
energy enough2 there is not power of    
numbers and  influence enough out of the
 church to sustain slavery4 ,let every  
religious denomination in the land      
detach itself from all connection  with 
slavery1 without saying a word against  
others2 let the time  come when1 in all 
the mighty denominations of ,christians1
 it can  be announced that the evil has 
ceased with them for ever2 and let  the 
voice from each denomination be lifted  

up in kind1 but firm  and solemn        
testimony against the system--with no   
mealy words2 with  no attempt at        
apology2 with no wish to blink it2 with 
no effort to  throw the sacred shield of
 religion over so great an evil--and the
  work is done4 ,there is no public     
sentiment in this land--there could  be 
none created--that would resist the     
power of such testimony4 ,there  is no  
power out of the church that could      
sustain slavery an hour1  if it were not
 sustained in it4 ,not a blow need be   
struck4 ,not  an unkind word need be    
uttered4 ,no man's motive need be       
impugned1  no man's proper rights       
invaded4 ,all that is needful is1 for   
each  ,christian man1 and for every     
,christian church1 to stand up in the   
sacred majesty of such a solemn         
testimony1 to free themselves from  all 
connection with the evil1 and utter a   
calm and deliberate voice  to the world1
 ,,and ,,the ,,work ,,will ,,be ,,done4 
,,rev4 ,,albert ,,barnes4               

,,prayer      ,,for ,,the ,,oppressed4  
,a ,,premium ,,tract4      ,,by         
,,rev4 ,,james ,a4 ,,thome1             
,,cleveland1 ,,ohio4        ,,american  
,,tract ,,society1    ,,boston4         
,,call ,,for ,a ,,prize ,,tract4        
,the subscriber is authorized to say1   
that a friend1 not wishing his    name  
should be publicly known1 offers #ajj to
 the person who will    write the best  
tract on the duty and importance of     
praying for the    abolition of slavery 
and oppression1 especially in our own   
country1    particularly adapted to     
interest new converts before their minds
    become embarrassed with political   
and party strife4      ,the tract is to 
be entitled1 8,prayer for the           
,oppressed40 ,the    offerer nominates  
and requests the gentlemen named below  
to act as    committee of award1 to wit3
 ,rev4 ,elnathan ,davis1 ,fitchburg1    
,mass42    ,rev4 ,george ,trask1        
,fitchburg1 ,mass42 ,john ,w4 ,sullivan1
 ,boston1    ,mass42 ,charles ,b4       

,wilder1 ,esq41 ,boston4 ,mass42 ,rev4  
,e4 ,h4 ,nevin1    ,chelsea1 ,mass4     
,the tract should not exceed #bd pages  
of common size when printed1    and     
should be sent to the committee of award
 in season to be    examined1 and the   
prize one transmitted to the publication
    committee of the ,a4 ,t4 ,s41       
,boston1 by the #ast of ,june next4     
,,noah ,,emerson1    ,for the offerer of
 the ,prize4      ,,hollis1 ,n4 ,h41    
,january #ba1 #ahei      ,last winter1 a
 ,christian gentleman1 by advertisement 
in the ,new    ,york ,independent1      
offered a premium of #ajj for the best  
tract    which might be submitted on    
8,prayer for the ,oppressed40 ,the      
undersigned were nominated and requested
 to act as a committee    of award in   
this case1 and have received and        
examined a large    number of           
manuscripts1 many of which were of      
marked ability and    power2 but finding
 no one of these so fully to answer the 
call    of the offerer of the prize as  

to allow them to award the whole of     
it to that1 they have awarded the same  
in equal divisions1 to    the authors of
 the two best manuscripts1 viz43 ,rev4  
,,george ,w4    ,,bassett1 ,washington1 
,d4 ,c41 and ,rev4 ,,james ,a4 ,,thome1 
of ,cleveland1    ,ohio4 ,and they have 
strong confidence that these tracts will
 soon    come before the public1 and    
that ,god will mightily bless them as   
an instrumentality in inciting the      
,church universal to benevolent         
action and believing prayer1 for the    
overthrow of slavery and    oppression4 
,,elnathan ,,davis1    ,,edwin ,h4      
,,nevin1    ,,george ,,trask1    ,,john 
,w4 ,,sullivan1    ,c4 ,b4 ,,wilder4    
,,boston1 ,august1 #ahei4               
,entered according to ,act of ,congress1
 in the year #ahei1 by    ,,the         
,,american ,,tract ,,society1    ,in the
 ,clerk's ,office of the ,district      
,court of the ,district of              
,massachusetts4      ,geo4 ,c4 ,rand    
,avery1 ,printers1 #c ,cornhill1        

,boston4          ,,prayer ,,for ,,the  
,,oppressed4      ,who are the          
oppressed8 ,those who suffer wrong from 
the more powerful4  ,they are to be     
found in all conditions of society1 in  
the bosom  even of the family and the   
church4 ,all relationships which involve
  authority are liable to be abused to  
the infliction of injustice and         
outrage4    ,who are ,,the ,,oppressed1 
distinctively8 ,the enslaved4 ,these    
differ  from all other victims of abused
 power in this essential point1  that1  
by the law1 they are regarded not as    
men1 but things1 the  property of men4  
,denied humanity1 they are denied all   
human rights1  and excluded from all    
human relations4 ,they have under the   
slave  code as administered1 no legal   
protection2 the show of it which the    
letter of the law1 in some instances1   
affords1 being designed rather  to guard
 their value as property than their     
interests as men4#a  ,outcasts in       
society1 they are outlaws in the ,state4

    ,overlooking this vital distinction1
 many persons hold that slavery is  one 
of the legitimate social relations1 and 
therefore not in itself  a proper       
subject of censure2 while its grievous  
evils1 the result  of the abuse of      
rightful power1 may justly be deplored4 
,but others1  with a closer             
discrimination1 discern that the        
8chattel principle0  which characterizes
 slavery is inherently wrong1 and that  
it is the  chief promoter of the spirit 
of oppression4 ,it is believed that  if 
slavery were abolished1 oppression would
 thereby be materially  diminished      
throughout society4 ,holding this view1 
the people of ,god  are earnestly       
combating the slave system4 ,the moral  
power of the  church1 wielding the      
pulpit and the press1 has been          
increasingly  arrayed against this      
stupendous wrong4 ,a more perfect       
combination  of the forces of           
,christendom for the overthrow of       
oppression is  devoutly to be wished4   

,but this will not avail without the    
power of  ,god4 ,that power must be     
invoked1--must be secured4 ,the servants
 of the  ,most ,high1 who would have him
 honored and his cause promoted by the  
extinction of slavery1 must cry unto him
 day and night1--must give him  no rest1
 till he come and deliver the oppressed4
 ,fully persuaded of  this1 we wish to  
urge--    ,the duty and importance of   
praying for the abolition of slavery and
  oppression4    #a4 ,the fitness and   
effectiveness of prayer as a weapon     
against  slavery claims attention4      
,it would be powerless in such an       
extreme case if it were in itself  a    
feeble instrumentality4 ,but all things 
are possible to prayer4  ,what is the   
scriptural idea of prayer8 ,this2 it is 
the offering to  ,god of desires which  
his own ,spirit has kindled in the      
heart1 with  importunities which the    
same ,spirit prompts and sustains2 it is
  also made with humble reliance on the 
merits of ,jesus ,christ1 and  the      

prevalence of his intercessions4        
,prayer1 then1 is not the work  of man  
alone2 he is but a co-worker with ,god  
in this1 as in every  other gracious    
endeavor1--with the ,holy ,spirit       
dwelling in his heart  and moving him to
 pray1 and with ,jesus the ,mediator who
 presents his  supplications at the     
,father's throne4 ,this is the view of  
prayer  which our ,lord discloses in    
,john #ae3g1 #af1 ,paul in ,rom4 #h3bf1 
#bg1 and  ,james1 also1 #e3af2 8,the    
effectual fervent prayer of the         
righteous  man availeth much40 ,it      
availeth much1 not because it is offered
 by a  righteous man1 but because it is 
effectually and fervently inwrought  by 
the ,holy ,ghost1 who dwelleth only with
 the righteous4 ,the power  of ,elijah's
 prayer is referred to in the           
connection1 to illustrate  and confirm  
the statement that all real prayer is   
mighty4 ,elijah had  no more power than 
other good men may have2 he had the     
infirmities  common to the servants of  

,god1 but the strength of ,jehovah was  
with  him2 that strength was in his     
prayer2 and so it may be1--must be1--in 
all prayer4    ,the power of prayer1    
then1 is ,god's own power1 exerted by   
the ,spirit  and the ,son through the   
supplications of the righteous1 and     
therefore  it availeth much4 ,nothing   
can withstand it1 because nothing can   
withstand ,god4 ,the elements of nature 
yield to its control2 the  institutions 
of men1 founded in sin1 fall before its 
cry4    ,if slavery were beyond the     
power of prayer1 it would be not because
  of its strength1 but because it is    
right in the sight of ,god4 ,and if  it 
be right1 the ,spirit will not move the 
righteous to pray for its  abolition4   
,if ,god be for it1 who can be against  
it8    ,let us then inquire whether this
 be a proper subject of                 
prayer8--whether a system of bondage    
which degrades man into a beast  of     
burden and of traffic is pleasing or    
hateful to ,god8 ,that it  exists1 and  

has endured for ages1 is no evidence    
that it enjoys his  favor4 ,sin exists1 
and has prevailed from the beginning4   
,romanism  flourishes1 and has had the  
ascendency in ,christendom for fifteen  
centuries4 ,idolatry reigns1 and the    
kingdom of ,satan looks down from  its  
ancient seats scornfully on the kingdom 
of ,christ4 ,among the most  dreadful   
exhibitions of ,god's wrath and         
vengeance have been those in  which he  
has1 with a high hand and an            
outstretched arm1 delivered the         
oppressed1 and destroyed their          
oppressors4    ,slavery is the foe of   
,christianity1 the enemy of souls1 and  
it  must be hateful to the ,god of love1
 who would have all men come to         
,christ4 ,it is opposed to the gospel   
and to every evangelical work1 to  the  
tract1 the ,bible1 the missionary       
enterprise4 ,it disregards the          
spiritual interests of enslaved saints1 
and of souls perishing in  their sins   
under its yoke4 ,it is a ruling power in

 this ,christian  country1 to the       
scandal of religion4 ,it rises above    
other forms of  sin1 as the chief       
perverter of the right ways of the      
,lord4 ,it hinders  the spread of vital 
godliness through this land1 walling    
about the  dominions of its chattels and
 excluding the preacher of the cross4   
,the ,christianity it tolerates within  
its borders is not that which  declares 
the whole counsel of ,god2 which cries  
aloud and spares not1  and shows the    
people their sins4 ,the religion of     
,america1 fraught  with salvation for   
the nations of the ,old ,world1 has been
 shorn of  much of its power by the     
encroachments of ,southern slavery4 ,can
 any  ,christian doubt that a system so 
hostile to the gospel is abhorred of    
,god8 ,and now1 at this moment1 the     
issue is forced upon us1 whether        
slavery shall exclude the gospel1 or be 
excluded by it4 ,in this  crisis our    
only help is in ,god4 ,we must be       
persuaded that he will  defend his      

gospel1 and humble the slave power4     
,note this1 that slavery is not one of  
those organic vices of society  which   
are to be left to the reformatory       
influence of ,christianity  operating   
silently upon them1 but is rather an    
opposing force to be  directly and      
resolutely met1 in the name of the      
,lord4 ,in the advance  of civilization1
 ignorance is gradually dissipated1 but 
savage  violence is to be encountered at
 once and subdued4 ,in the school1 the  
family1 the nation1 the church1 certain 
evils admit only of indirect  treatment1
 but others call for decisive1 positive 
measures4 ,slavery  in a ,christian     
republic preminently demands direct     
action1 aimed  at its speedy            
extermination4 ,it may long resist such 
action1 but no  other is pertinent to   
its nature4 ,when1 after the ,revival of
 #ahcj-cc1  the attention of the people 
of ,god1 especially of the young        
converts1  was turned to this subject1  
they proclaimed the truth--,chattel     

,slavery is a sin1 and immediate        
emancipation is the duty of the         
slaveholder4 ,with this battle cry the  
institution was attacked by  a host of  
witnessing warriors clad in the armor of
 ,god4 ,that onset  had undoubtedly a   
divine origin1 and the principle that   
animated it  was a true one1 that       
slavery was to be swept away in         
righteousness4  ,and had the entire     
weight of ,christian power sustained the
 assault1  and had the united energies  
of the saints in prayer been secured1   
the  quarter of a century that has      
passed would probably have witnessed    
the downfall of the 8peculiar           
institution40 ,but many leading minds in
  the churches thought it best to let   
slavery alone1 and to leave it  to the  
slow but sure influences of             
,christianity1 by which it would  be    
eventually extinguished4 ,twenty-five   
years have demonstrated that  this      
grievous system of oppression is not    
undermined by the gospel1  nor weakened 

by revivals4 ,it has made most rapid    
strides1 and is  now far more defiant of
 religious powers than ever before4     
,shall  not the teachings of the past   
suffice to prove that in dealing with   
slavery nothing is to be gained by      
indirection8 ,is it not time  now1 after
 the late gracious revival1 to renew and
 reassert the  declaration--,slavery is 
sinful1 and must be abolished8 ,let this
 voice  be raised2 let it be echoed by  
all the churches2 and let the saints    
carry to the throne of grace1 and urge  
with faith and boldness this            
plea1--8,great ,god6 abolish slavery40  
,this prayer will be acceptable1  and   
will prevail1 if ,god1 as we are sure he
 does1 hates this  stupendous sin4      
#b4 ,the duty and importance of praying 
for the abolition of slavery  appears   
from this--that if prayer does not      
prevail against slavery1  slavery will  
disarm prayer of its prevailing power1  
and reduce it to  an empty form4    ,it 
is an accredited maxim that 8praying    

will make us leave off  sinning1 and    
sinning will make us leave off praying40
 ,the reason  is obvious1 and the       
application is plain4 ,if indulging sin 
in the  heart is inconsistent with      
cherishing there the spirit of prayer1  
the allowing of any prevalent sin in    
society1 on the ground that it  is      
beyond the power of prayer1 is equally  
inconsistent4 ,for this is  to admit    
that its removal is impossible with     
,god4 ,the alternative is  forced upon  
us1--either slavery must be overcome by 
prayer1 or prayer  be foiled by slavery4
 ,these two powers now stand opposed to 
each  other4    ,this is providential1  
and fraught with vital consequences2 as 
when  ,goliah and ,david met4 ,slavery  
is to test the strength of prayer1  the 
faith of ,christians4 ,which shall      
prevail8 ,is the ,slave ,power  too     
strong for prayer1 or have the saints   
such faith and argument  touching this  
thing1 that they may ask what they will1
 and it shall  be done8 ,it is a first  

principle of evangelical faith1 that1   
8all  things are possible to them that  
believe40 ,if this principle is         
yielded1 the foundations of prayer are  
removed4 ,if any thing is  impossible1  
nothing is possible2 faith that fears is
 dead1 and prayer  that quails is       
powerless4 ,if the servants of the ,lord
 flee before  the formidable front of   
chattelism1 instead of compassing it    
with  mighty prayer1 and dragging it    
before the ,lord to be slain1 they will 
betray a fearfulness which must preclude
 all acceptable prayer4 ,the  great ,god
 loveth strong intercessors1 strong and 
bold1 who 8wrestle  not against flesh   
and blood10--weak foes2 but 8against    
principalities1  against powers1 against
 the rulers of the darkness of this     
world1  against spiritual wickedness in 
high places10--8praying always with  all
 prayer in the ,spirit40 ,the only      
aristocracy in ,christ's kingdom  is    
composed of the princes who have power  
with ,god and with man1 and  all who    

will believe may wear the title of this 
order1 8,israel40 ,but  they must       
believe only1 8lifting up holy hands    
without wrath or  doubting40 ,they must 
believe only1 not mixing fear with      
faith1 nor  trying with trusting2 that  
trying which first scans the magnitude  
of  a sin1 estimates its power1 and     
counts the cost of assailing it4 ,the   
faith that prevails in prayer has its   
sphere above the calculations  of       
difficulty and danger1 where sense      
fails1 and strength staggers4  ,it is   
just as easy for believing prayer to    
take hold of great things  as of small4 
,the little ,english girl1 languishing  
in her mortal  sickness1 when she was   
told that ,bonaparte was preparing to   
invade  her country1 could grasp that   
national peril in her hourly prayer2    
and who will say that the threatened    
invasion which might have  changed the  
fate of ,great ,britain was not averted 
in answer to that  dying child's        
intercessions8    ,side by side in the  

,lord's ,prayer stand the petitions1    
8,thy kingdom  come2 ,thy will be done  
on earth as it is done in heaven20 and1 
8,give  us this day our daily bread40   
,no topics could be more dissimilar in  
magnitude1 yet ,god hath joined them    
together1 and the believer passes       
easily from the greater to the less4    
,but let the petitioner put these       
asunder1 and pray for bread alone1 as   
deeming the other too great a  favor to 
ask for1 and his prayer will not        
prevail4 ,god is honored  by that       
fearless1 resolute faith which says1    
8,who art thou1 ,o great  mountain8     
,before the ,zerubbabel of prayer thou  
shalt become a plain60  ,this great     
mountain of slavery is the providential 
provocative in  our day of the prayer of
 faith which removes mountains4 ,the    
aspects  of it which most dishearten man
 do most arouse against it the spirit   
of prayer4 8,is any thing too hard for  
,god80 ,is slavery too great for  the   
,almighty8 ,we must either pray against 

this national sin1 or limit  the ,holy  
,one to minor evils4 ,we dare not do the
 latter1 we should  fear to pray at all4
 ,to every intercessor coming to the    
mercy seat1  the gracious ,king says1   
8,what is thy request80 ,and if1 despite
 the  pressure of the times1 no mention 
is made of the crying wrong of          
oppression1 he is grieved1 and turns    
away4 ,it is as if queen ,esther1  going
 into the presence of the king1 with the
 fate of her doomed  people claiming her
 entreaties1 had feared to ask so great 
a favor as  that their doom might be    
averted1 and had only craved for herself
 a  new chariot1 or a larger retinue of 
servants4    ,in this view of the       
subject1 it is painful to reflect that  
the  theme of supplication which for    
twice ten years ,god has been urging    
upon his people has been so strenuously 
excluded from the prayer  meeting1 the  
monthly concert1 and the sanctuary4 ,who
 can say how  provoking this has been to
 the ,hearer of prayer1 and how often it

  may have rendered the petitions of his
 saints an abomination unto  him8 ,had  
not the ,holy ,spirit1 with more than   
human forbearance1  borne with the      
manners of the people1 and laid the     
unwelcome burden  on their hearts1 and  
inwrought fervent desires1 impelling    
many to  pray earnestly for the         
oppressed1 there might by this time have
  been little more than the form of     
prayer in the ,american ,zion4 ,yes1    
prayer for the oppressed has done much  
to preserve the vitality of  prayer in  
the churches6 ,this has been its happy  
reflex influence1  although it has had  
to struggle against much gainsaying of  
misguided  brethren4 ,when it shall have
 prevailed against slavery1 and wrought 
out the deliverance of them that are in 
bonds1 then will be seen1  as now is    
not1 the irresistible power of prayer4  
,we rejoice in the  assurance that      
prayer will overcome slavery4 ,we have  
no fear of the  alternative4 ,we are    
glad to have this decisive test applied4

 ,let it  be seen in this crisis what   
the prayer of faith can endure1 and what
  it can do4 ,it has other trials to    
overcome1 other triumphs to win4    #c4 
,the importance of prayer for the       
abolition of slavery in this  country1  
is shown from the inefficacy of other   
means to effect it4    ,every other mode
 of opposition has been vigorously      
employed4 ,the  first minds of          
,christendom have written and spoken    
against this  monster iniquity4 ,its    
champions have been forced to           
acknowledge1  8,the literature of the   
world is against us40 ,but oppression   
laughs  at literature1--it defies the   
rostrum and the press4 ,the moral       
influence of the nation has borne       
against it with a pressure  seemingly   
irresistible2 ,state and national       
anti-slavery societies  with the motto1 
8agitate1 agitate1 agitate20 mass       
meetings hurling  the thunders of       
popular indignation2 ,christian         
conventions uttering  the reprobations  

of religion2 notes of warning from dying
 patriots2  appeals to justice and      
humanity from honored philanthropists2  
remonstrances from the purest divines2  
the entreating voice of  ,christian     
women2--all these moral forces have     
borne against slavery4  ,but it mocks at
 moral suasion4 ,political measures have
 been  tried1--tried in good faith and  
with the utmost energy4 ,but the ,slave 
,power1 versed in the intrigues of      
politics1 has gained victory  after     
victory1 and grown stronger by this     
species of opposition4  ,providential   
events have signally fought against     
slavery4 ,the  successive acts of       
,european powers have swept chattel     
slavery from  their colonies4 ,cuba and 
,brazil1 with our own country1 alone    
retain  it4 ,repeated emancipations by  
individual slaveholders at the ,south   
have kept alive the anti-slavery        
feeling4 ,the violent measures which    
the slave power has employed to fortify 
and extend its dominions have           

exasperated and alarmed the people of   
the ,north4 ,for a quarter of a  century
 this movement of the people1 of the    
churches1 of political  machinery1      
sustained by favoring providences1 has  
been in progress2  yet slavery in       
,america is mightier to-day than it was 
at the  beginning of the movement4      
,do not these facts show the duty and   
importance of prayer8 ,we are  prone to 
try everything else before we resort to 
wrestling prayer4  ,we have tried       
everything else4 ,we have prayed1       
indeed2 but chiefly  to crave ,god's    
blessing on our other measures4 ,this   
will not  suffice4 ,in such a desperate 
case1 prayer must take hold on the  arm 
of the ,lord1 and move it to strike the 
decisive blow4 ,we must  be convinced   
that only the ,lord can break every     
yoke1 and bid the  oppressed go free2   
and we must realize that he will be     
inquired  of to do this thing4 ,not     
discarding other means1 we must give the
  preminence to this4 ,we must pray and 

faint not4 ,each believer must  alone   
intercede for the oppressed4 ,bands of  
implorers must join in  heart as        
touching this thing1 and with full      
agreement and faith  beseech ,god to    
abolish slavery4 ,intent on putting to  
the proof  this last remedy1 let the    
,christians of ,america establish       
concerts  throughout the land1 for      
closet and for social prayer4 ,let      
prayer  be accompanied with occasional  
fasting1 in token of humiliation1 for   
the sin of oppression4 ,this demon can  
be cast out1 but not without  prayer and
 fasting4 ,christ is able to rebuke the 
evil spirit1 and  to bid it come out of 
the nation4 ,his disciples have been    
trying to  exorcise it1 and have failed4
 ,let them take the case to him1 and see
  if he will not work a deliverance4    
,when he takes it in hand1 and  speaks  
the word1 there may indeed be a deadly  
struggle1 and the fell  spirit1 ere he  
departs1 may rend the nation and fling  
it on the verge  of dissolution2 but he 

who is strong to deliver is also mighty 
to  save4 ,we need not fear the issue4  
,do not some really dread abolition     
more than slavery8 ,the remedy is worse 
than the disease1 they think4  ,but     
should ,christians distrust the cure    
which their ,redeemer would  effect8    
,here1 perhaps1 faith is most tried1--to
 commit this work of  abolishing slavery
 to the ,lord1 and to have him cut short
 the work in  righteousness4 ,it may be 
we have been secretly determined to keep
 off  the dreaded event which we are    
sure must come at last4 ,they who have  
been foremost as abolitionists and      
immediate emancipationists may  do well 
to examine themselves on this very      
point2 peradventure they  are not1 after
 all1 prepared to see slavery abolished 
at once6 ,where  stand the people of    
,god generally touching this issue8 ,are
 they ready  to trust the case in his   
hands8 ,are they prepared to have every 
yoke  broken1 and to see the oppressed  
set free8 ,can they be agreed to pray   

for this unconditionally1 dictating no  
terms8    #d4 ,that prayer for this     
object should be made without longer    
delay1  is proved by the extreme dangers
 of the continuance of slavery1 and  of 
the strife it occasions4    ,do we      
apprehend the evils of sudden abolition8
 ,we had better consider  the perils of 
prolonging chattel slavery in this land 
of liberty4  8,oppression maketh the    
wise man mad40 ,only the brutish man    
will  long endure brutal treatment      
himself1 or tolerate its infliction     
upon another4 ,if despotism breeds      
disaffections1 slavery begets           
insurrections1 as light enters the house
 of bondage4 ,and the light  is         
advancing--fearfully4 ,appalling dangers
 are just ahead4 ,the mixed  race is    
rapidly increasing4 ,the hottest blood  
of the ,south flows  in the veins of    
slaves1 who are often scarcely          
distinguishable in  complexion from     
their oppressors4 ,abolition deferred   
may come too  late4 ,provocations1      

slight compared with those of slavery1  
drove  our fathers to rebellion4 ,the   
worst passions are inflamed by the      
atrocities of the chattel system4 ,the  
revolting scenes of the  inter-,state   
slave trade1 the abominations of slave  
breeding1 the  barbarities of the cotton
 field and rice swamps1 the ferocities  
of  the slave hunt with blood-hounds in 
the ,south1 and with more savage  men in
 the free ,states1 the imprisonments and
 lynchings of ,northern  men found in   
the slave ,states and suspected of      
holding abolition  sentiments1 the many 
collisions between slavery and freedom1 
which  have in some instances proceeded 
to bloodshed and death1 have  caused    
much irritation and deep indignation    
throughout the country4  ,freemen are   
exasperated2 good people are aroused2   
the moral sense  of the nation is       
shocked and tried to the utmost4 ,the   
sentiments of  patriotism1 devotion to  
the ,union1 and respect for federal law1
 are  lowered in the public mind4 ,faith

 in free institutions1 and hope of      
their perpetuity are seriously shaken4  
,sectional animosities are  rife4 ,the  
republic is no longer a unit1 for the   
hearts of the people  are sundered4     
,issues the most radical divide us3     
freedom and slavery6  ,there is         
determination on either side1 and strong
 feeling4 ,there  can be no             
reconciliation and no respite in this   
fraternal strife4  ,nothing can end it  
but the removal of slavery4 ,only this  
can avert  the evils that now threaten  
the republic4 ,emancipation or ruin is  
the alternative which the tide of events
 is forcing on us4 ,it is now  a time of
 trial1 a crisis4 ,the elements are     
fraught with trouble4  ,peacemakers are 
abroad1 but agitators are stronger than 
they4 ,this  is no time to cry peace4   
,men behold the oppressions that are    
done  under the sun1 done under 8the    
stars and stripes10 and they are        
stirred4 ,there is no leisure for       
speculation and conjecture4 ,let no     

time be wasted in idle fears1 or in     
useless efforts at pacification4  ,the  
conflict must continue2 ,god wills it6  
,let his people commit the  cause to    
him4 ,let them betake themselves to     
prayer4    ,and what shall be the burden
 of their supplications8 ,shall they    
pray  for peace1 for a calming of the   
waters1 for a putting out of the  fires 
of freedom which burn against           
oppression8 ,no1 no6 ,let them pray  for
 the abolition of slavery4 ,let them not
 mock ,god by calling upon  him to stay 
the work which his providences have so  
manifestly been  pushing forward4 ,where
 are the intercessors who1 in ,god's    
light1 see  light on this subject1 who  
are prepared to enter into the divine   
plans1 and who will please the ,lord by 
asking him boldly1 in faith1  to put an 
end to slavery8 ,where are the wise and 
discerning men1 in  whom is the ,spirit 
of the ,lord1 who clearly see that this 
is the only  salvation to all the       
interests of ,american liberty8 ,let    

them speak  out1 and summon the saints  
to repair without delay to the throne of
  grace1 in this time of need4    ,by   
the several considerations foregoing we 
would urge the duty and  importance of  
praying for the abolition of slavery in 
,america4 ,we  would lay this solemn    
duty on the hearts of ,christians2 we   
would  earnestly entreat them to stir   
themselves to take hold on ,god for     
this great blessing to the nation and   
the world4 ,we would humbly             
say1--,brethren1 quench not the ,spirit1
 which may now be moving you  to pray1  
and may be waiting to work in your      
hearts the fervent and  effectual prayer
 which1 poured forth by the help of his 
intercessions  and unutterable          
groanings1 will avail much4 ,make full  
proof1 beloved1  of the power of prayer4
 ,a better test there could not be4 ,let
 it be  seen that prayer can overcome   
slavery4 ,make it manifest that what    
the literature1 the moral suasion1 and  
the political action of  one generation 

has not done1 the prayers of ,god's     
people can do4  ,important interests    
await this result--the nation rescued   
from ruin1  ,christianity saved from    
apostasy4 ,emancipation gained by prayer
 will  avert emancipation wrought by    
violence4    ,slavery done away in      
righteousness1 oppression in its other  
forms  will be meliorated and will      
gradually disappear4 ,the apprentice1   
the  clerk1 the sailor1 the soldier1 the
 pupil1 the child1 the laborer1  the    
hired girl1 the wife1 will be more      
secure from the abuses of  power1 when  
the spirit of oppression1 driven from   
its stronghold1 is  shorn of its        
strength4 ,the abolition of slavery in  
this country will  go far to drive the  
spirit of oppression out of             
,christendom1 and to  liberate the      
nations of ,europe4    ,such results1   
rationally to be anticipated1 should    
certainly impel  ,christians to pray4   
,the purity1 the peace1 and the         
prosperity of  ,zion are so implicated1 

that to pray for the abolition of       
slavery is  to pray for these4 ,the     
power of revivals1 the success of home  
and  foreign missions1 the operations of
 tract and ,bible societies would  be   
increased immeasurably by the overthrow 
of slavery1 and by the  augmented       
strength this victory would practically 
give to prayer4  ,the available energies
 of the ,american ,zion would be        
multiplied many  fold4 ,the ,bible would
 be vindicated1 ,christianity would have
 the  trophies of the triumph1 and ,god 
would gain great glory4    ,oh6 then1   
who among the saints will restrain      
prayer8--,who will come  not up to the  
help of the ,lord against the mighty8   
,who will incur  the bitter curse of    
,meroz8 ,rather1 who will not bear some 
part in  this faith-struggle at the     
throne of grace8 ,who will not share in 
the  rewards which ,god will bestow on  
his people1 when he comes to avenge     
them speedily by the overthrow of       
slavery8 ,what praying circle1 what     

pulpit1 what concert or closet1 will be 
found wanting in this crisis8    ,prayer
 for the abolition of slavery involves  
prayer for the  oppressed4 ,ungodly men 
may oppose slavery1 and yet have little 
sympathy for the enslaved2 but the      
,christian can not bear the sin  of     
slavery to the throne of ,god without   
bearing thither the wrongs  and woes of 
the oppressed4 ,moralists may condemn   
chattelism in the  abstract2 but they   
who are moved to pray by the ,holy      
,ghost will  8remember them that are in 
bonds as bound with them40    8,who are 
the oppressed80 we asked at the outset1 
and answered1 ,the  enslaved4 ,again we 
ask1 ,who are the oppressed8 ,who are   
these victims  of slavery8 ,who are they
 that we should pray for them8 ,we      
answer3    ,they are men4 ,they belong  
to the human family4 ,they are of one   
blood with ourselves4 ,they have the    
same rights with us1 the same           
interests1 the same desires1 the same   
wants1 the same love of  liberty1 the   

same sense of right and wrong1 the same 
deathless  spirits4 ,the negro in his   
chains appealingly interrogates         
us1--8,am  ,i not a man and a brother80 
,what can the ,christian do but own the 
relationship8 ,is he indeed a man--a    
brother8 ,then does not to him the      
golden rule apply--8,do unto others as  
ye would they should do unto  you80 ,can
 we exclude them from our prayers8      
,they are innocent men4 ,by no hideous  
crime against humanity have  they       
forfeited their place in the            
brotherhood4 ,for no violation  of law  
have they been consigned to bondage4    
,against them1 rather1  has all law been
 violated1 and every dictate of humanity
 outraged4  ,guilty only of a colored   
skin1 and of inevitable ignorance1 they 
have been doomed to abject servitude4   
,from birth they have been made         
property4 ,in their infancy they knew no
 mother1 but merely a nurse2  in their  
childhood they had no home2 in their    
maturity they have no  companions1 and  

no children1 but merely offspring1 like 
the brutes4  ,yet1 they are innocent    
men4 ,sinners indeed they are before a  
holy  ,god1 as are all mankind2 but they
 are innocent of crime4 ,they  are      
oppressed without cause4 ,what should   
hinder the prayers of the  righteous in 
their behalf8    ,many of them are the  
children of ,god1 by regeneration4      
,these are  our brethren in the ,lord1  
one with us in ,christian bonds1 8fellow
  citizens with the saints1 and of the  
household of ,god40 ,they cry  day and  
night unto ,god1 and their cry enters   
into his ear4 ,our  blessed ,saviour    
would have us pray for and sympathize   
with these his  little ones1 as we love 
him4 ,he is very pitiful towards them1  
and  very jealous toward those who      
slight them4 ,realize that they are     
their ,lord's1 that they are not their  
own1 that they can not be the  property 
of their owners1 that they are bought   
with a price4 ,regard  the enslaved     
saints as the ,lord's freemen2 that     

their ,master hath  need of them2 that  
they are forbidden to call any man      
master1 on  earth1 for one is their     
,master1 even ,christ4 ,can it be the   
will  of ,jesus that his own redeemed   
saints should be held and treated as    
beasts8 ,will he not be grieved if his  
followers who are free1 pray  not for   
the freedom of these their brethren in  
bonds8 ,when ,peter was  put in prison  
in ,jerusalem1 8prayer was made without 
ceasing of the  church unto ,god for    
him10 and it wrought his deliverance4   
,let prayer  be now made without ceasing
 by the church1 for the liberation of   
all  enslaved saints1 and enlargement   
shall surely come4 ,the living ,god     
waits to be importuned by the church for
 its own members4 ,he waits  to hear the
 cry of distress from ,zion1 suffering  
with her suffering  children4    ,the   
unconverted slaves are hopeful subjects 
of renewing grace  compared with the    
same number of any class of men4 ,no    
persons on  earth are more susceptible  

to gospel influences than the negroes4  
,what the missionary has labored almost 
in vain to effect among the  ,indians1  
among the ,jews1 among the ,catholic    
immigrants in this  country1 would1 we  
are confident1 be done with large       
success among  the slaves of the ,south1
 if they were emancipated4 ,strike off  
the  shackles1 and this ,ethiopia would 
stretch forth her hands unto ,god4      
,the oppressed are a great multitude4   
,three millions of souls are  crushed   
and brutalized by slavery4 ,three       
millions of souls are robbed  of every  
human right1 and subjected to every     
abuse and cruelty that  the caprice1    
lust1 or cupidity of the slaveholder may
 dictate4 ,the  master is wholly        
irresponsible4 ,the slave plantation is 
a petty1  absolute despotism4 ,from     
thousands of fields the blood of the    
oppressed crieth to ,god for vengeance4 
,millions of groaning1 sighing  wretches
 are appealing to ,heaven for mercy4    
,with these groans of the  enslaved will

 mingle the prayers of the righteous in 
their behalf2  and no doubt the ,lord   
will hear4    ,the oppressed are to be  
regarded as having wants while in their 
bondage which ,god only can supply2 but 
it must be borne in mind that  the their
 great want is freedom4 ,let this be    
sought instantly1  importunately4       
,beware of praying for them as slaves1  
as if their  condition were             
unchangeable2 this were a grievous      
insult to ,god and  to humanity4 ,pray  
for the oppressed--that they may go     
free4 ,pray  for the oppressors--that   
they may break every yoke4 ,pray for the
  missionary and the colporter--that    
they 8may open their mouths boldly1  to 
make known the mystery of the gospel2   
that therein they may speak  boldly1 as 
they ought to speak40 ,we may be sure   
that ,god will not  suffer the          
oppressors long to stand between his    
salvation and the  souls of the         
oppressed4 ,we may plant our feet on    
this firm assurance  when we            

pray1--8,the ,lord will open a highway  
for his word40 ,if he  sends his        
messengers to the south to preach       
salvation1 he will stand  by them and   
will give their word success1 though    
their blood flow to  seal their         
ministry4    ,let it not be1 ,o         
brethren1 that our prayer for the       
oppressed shall be  less fervent because
 they are not of our own color2 lest it 
should  appear that we have 8the faith  
of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,lord  
of  glory1 with respect of persons40    
,were this so1 how could the ,spirit  of
 prayer dwell at all in our hearts8 ,it 
were a crying wrong if  prejudice should
 restrain prayer for the enslaved4 ,he  
who has no  pity for the bleeding       
bondman because he is an ,african1 is   
not like  the good ,samaritan1 is not   
like ,christ1 who died for all men1 is  
not  like ,god1 with whom is no respect 
of persons4    ,and let not our prayers 
be hindered by fears of what may come   
after  emancipation4 ,the faith that is 

adequate to prayer is also able to      
commit the results of ,god's action to  
his management4 ,it is to be  feared    
that some have become discouraged by the
 growth and ascendency  of the slave    
power1 and have no faith that prayer for
 the oppressed  will avail4 ,their trust
 is in political action1 or in the      
judgments  of a just ,god1 and the      
vengeance of the oppressed4 ,be not1    
beloved1  drawn into this attitude of   
unbelief and 8fearful looking for of    
judgment and fiery indignation40 8,be   
not afraid2 ,,only ,,believe40    ,what 
shall be the bearing of the late revival
 upon slavery8 ,it is a  signal fact    
that each great awakening in this       
country1 including that  of #agig1 has  
been marked by the arousing of ,god's   
people to the sin  of oppression4    ,we
 have already spoken of the influence of
 the outpouring of ,god's  ,spirit in   
#ahcj-cc1 as giving rise to the great   
modern movement in  opposition to       
slavery4 ,simultaneously with this1 a   

strong dislike  of it on moral grounds  
was seizing many minds at the ,south4   
,various  demonstrations of this were   
made by religious bodies2 and in some   
of the slave ,states emancipation was   
seriously meditated and openly          
proposed4 ,the writer of this tract1 a  
native of the ,south and a  member of a 
slaveholding family1 religiously trained
 to regard  slavery as scriptural1 and  
expecting to be1 after the manner of his
  father1 a church member and a         
slaveholder for life1 was hopefully     
numbered among the subjects of the      
revival of #ahcj4 ,he consecrated       
himself to the work of the ministry4    
,the spirit of prayer was given  him1   
with yearnings to be holy and to be     
useful4 ,his eyes were then  opened to  
the moral condition of the slaves4 ,he  
saw those of his own  household1 though 
his father was a ruling elder in the    
,presbyterian  church1 living without   
,god1 without religious instruction1    
without  moral restraint2 he saw the    

young slaves1 the fruit of promiscuous  
concubinage1 the playmates of his       
childhood1 and scarcely of a darker     
hue1 7though happily claiming no blood  
relationship1 as those of  some         
,southern families do17 growing up in   
ignorance and vice4 ,deeply  moved1 he  
cried unto the ,lord that he would save 
their souls4 ,he  daily prayed for those
 miserable creatures2 he nightly bathed 
his  pillow with tears of pity and      
distress4 ,but he found no relief2 he   
saw no ray of hope4 ,he dreamed not then
 that slavery itself was  wrong1 and    
that its abolition was the only remedy  
for the ills of  the oppressed4 ,he knew
 not that many others were moved as he  
was1  and that it was the ,lord who was 
thus stirring the first impulses  of a  
mighty movement for the redemption of   
the enslaved4 ,just then1  a tract1 or  
pamphlet1 sent by some unknown hand from
 the ,east1  was taken from the         
post-office4 ,it was on the safety of   
immediate  emancipation4 ,the very      

subject riveted attention by its novelty
 and  boldness4 ,the tract was read in  
secret1 and read again1 and soberly     
pondered4 ,light broke in2 new thoughts1
 new feelings1 new hopes were  inspired4
 ,in less than one year1 7#ahcc17 the   
writer was a member of  ,lane           
,theological ,seminary1 and an avowed   
convert to the new doctrine4    ,these  
were some of the fruits of the revival a
 quarter of a century  ago4 ,they have  
lasted till now4 ,opposition to chattel 
oppression in  this country is in great 
measure due to that gracious work1 and  
to  the spirit of prayer which has      
sustained and sanctified it4 ,surely we 
can not doubt that ,god is in this      
movement4 ,another mighty revival  has  
been enjoyed by our ,american ,zion--the
 most powerful1 perhaps1  of the series4
 ,it has been specially characterized by
 the spirit of  prayer1 which has been  
poured out in large measure1 and has    
wrought  astonishing results4    ,it is 
now a momentous question3 ,to what ends 

shall this renovated  instrumentality of
 prayer1 in the hands of a revived      
church1 and of a  multitude of young    
converts1 who owe their hopes to it1 be 
applied8  ,against what forms of sin and
 evil shall this weapon be wielded8     
,what embodiment of wrong most invites  
this species of attack1 by  its         
opposition to everything vital in       
godliness8 ,is it not ,american         
slavery8 ,we assuredly gather that it is
 ,god's will there should be a  special 
and combined effort in prayer1 to pull  
down this stronghold  of iniquity4 ,we  
have confidence that the ,holy ,ghost1  
who has given  the saints a fresh       
baptism of prayer1 will incline them to 
unite  their supplications against this 
abomination4    ,christian reader6 ,will
 you not bear this burden to your       
closet8  ,will you not make the         
bondman's wrongs your own8 ,christian   
parents6  ,will you not mingle with your
 thanksgivings that your children were  
born free1 importunate supplications    

that the curse of slavery  may be       
removed from every family in the land8  
,young converts6 ,ye  who1 in answer to 
prayer1 have been liberated from the    
bonds of  sin1 will you not plead with  
,god to deliver the oppressed1 and to   
abolish slavery8 ,ministers of ,christ6 
,will you not call upon the  ,lord1     
8praying with all prayer and            
supplication in the spirit10  and       
leading the sacramental host to the     
throne of grace8 ,are there  ,christian 
households1 and ,christian sanctuaries  
in this land1 where  the oppressed have 
not been habitually remembered in       
prayer8 ,are  there disciples who have  
not sympathized with the sighing        
bondmen8  ,are there 8women professing  
godliness0 who have been deaf to the    
wail  of slave mothers sundered from    
their babes8 ,let these things be no    
longer1 lest the cry of the down-trodden
 millions call down swift  retributions4
 ,may the spirit of grace and of        
supplications be poured  out upon ,zion1

 until liberty shall be proclaimed      
throughout all this  land1 unto all the 
inhabitants thereof4 ,so ,god grant for 
his ,son's  sake6    ,,footnotes3    #a 
,the following is a decision of the     
,supreme ,court of ,kentucky4  ,kentucky
 ,reports1 p4 #fdd4 ,,judge             
,,shannon--8,slaves1 although they are  
human beings1 are1 by our laws1 placed  
on the same footing with  living        
property of the brute creation4 ,however
 deeply it may be  regretted1 or whether
 it be politic or impolitic1 a slave by 
our code  is not treated as a person1   
but 7negotium17 a thing1 as he stood in 
the civil code of the ,roman ,empire40  
,,from ,a ,,sermon ,,by ,,rev4 ,e4 ,n4  
,,kirk1 ,d4 ,d4    ,in addition to the  
reasons urging to prayer for the        
extinction of  slavery growing out of   
the character of the system1 and the    
condition  of the oppressed1 there are  
other reasons derived from its influence
  upon the slave owners4    ,of these   
there are three classes3 the unwilling  

master--the willing1  but kind          
master--and the oppressor4    #a4 ,i    
know of no condition so full of trials  
as that of the  slave-owner who abhors  
the relation1 but does not see that he  
can  properly terminate it4 ,that there 
are many such can not be doubted4  ,but 
what a life must a godly man lead who   
has come to comprehend its  enormous    
wickedness6 ,what must be his           
apprehensions of the wrath of  ,god upon
 his people1 his country6 ,if a man of  
skeptical views1 like  ,jefferson1 could
 tremble for his country in remembering 
that heaven  is just1 what must he feel 
who fully believes that ,god is ruler   
among  the nations1 and that he hates   
oppression6 ,how painful must be his    
unavailing sympathy for the poor        
oppressed beings whom he sees around    
him6 ,how must his heart be burdened as 
he observes the demoralizing  influences
 of slavery on both races2 how often    
must his love of  country be pained with
 that just contempt which slaveholding  

in  ,america excites in every civilized 
nation under heaven2 how painful  must  
it be to see no relief in any quarter1  
but1 on the contrary1  everything       
indicating that the system is to be     
incorporated into the  whole civil and  
social system of the nation6 ,and to    
crown all1 while  many intelligent      
persons at the ,south would gladly      
abandon slavery1  no man has the courage
 to utter his sentiments4    ,this class
 of slave-owners demands our deepest and
 most compassionate  sympathy4    #b4   
,there is another class who have been   
taught from infancy by their  parents1  
teachers1 and pastors1 that slavery is a
 divine institution2  they see no wrong 
in it1 and consider all the evils as    
incidental1  and not as legitimate      
consequences of the system4 ,they are   
the most  powerful upholders of it1     
because they believe it to be right1 and
  are conscious of no other than kind   
sentiments towards their slaves4  ,to   
such men and their sentiments the       

oppressor triumphantly appeals  as an   
evidence that slaveholding is not       
injurious to character1 nor  repulsive  
to the feelings of good men4    #c4     
,then there is the oppressor--the man in
 whom slaveholding is a sin  per se4 ,he
 holds his brother as property4 ,he     
denies to man1 for  selfish ends1 the   
rights and prerogatives of manhood4 ,he 
denies that  the possession of life1    
liberty and happiness1 or the           
unobstructed  pursuit of them1 is the   
right of every man unconvicted of       
crime4--,but  not to rest in general    
statements1 let us place side by side   
some  facts1 and some passages of the   
word of ,god4    ,the facts are that    
slavery robs a man of his humanity4 ,he 
is made  a thing1 a chattel1            
merchandise4 ,the ,african has no right 
on earth  but to do the will1 and       
promote the comfort of the ,caucasian4  
,he  can not choose his residence1 his  
employer1 his work4 ,he can not  receive
 wages or the fruits of his industry4   

,he can not defend his  wife against    
insult4 ,he can not protect his children
 from violence4  ,he can not live with  
his family if it does not suit the      
interests of  another man4 ,he can not  
educate his children4 ,he can not choose
 an  employment for them4 ,he can not   
hope for anything but slavery4 ,he can  
not worship ,god when he pleases4 ,he   
can not testify in a court of           
justice4--,now what does ,god think of  
all this8 8,i hate oppression10 is  his 
reply4 8,remove not the landmarks of the
 widow10 he says1 8their  cry will come 
before him2 their ,redeemer is mighty40 
8,go to1 now1 ye  rich men1 weep and    
howl2 the hire of the laborers who have 
reaped  down your fields which is of you
 kept back by fraud1 crieth2 and the    
cries of them which have reaped are     
entered into the ears of the ,lord  of  
,sabaoth40 ,not a day1 not an hour      
probably passes in which some  oppressed
 petitioner is not filing his petition  
in the chancery of  heaven against the  

slave-owners of our land4    ,we have   
probably had more indignation than      
sympathy for these men4  ,and yet they  
are to be pitied4 ,probably none of us  
have been as  deeply indignant at the   
sins of oppressors as ,moses was at the 
idolatry of his people at the very base 
of ,sinai4 ,and yet when the  ,lord     
threatened to cut off ,israel and raise 
up the promised nation  from him1 he    
prayed thus for them3 8,forgive their   
sin2--and if not1  blot me1 ,i pray     
thee1 out of thy book which thou hast   
written60    ,we can not then have      
exhausted the duty of prayer for the    
overthrow  of oppression till our       
sympathies and intercessions have       
embraced the  slave-owners as well as   
the slaves4    ,and there are peculiar  
encouragements for seeking the abolition
 of  slavery by prayer4    #a4 ,god's   
special readiness to hear prayer when   
his people are in  straits4 ,notice the 
sketches of personal and national       
history in the  ,bible4 ,how many of    

them are recorded in order to show how  
ready ,god  is to deliver his people    
when in their perplexities they cry unto
  him4 ,jacob1 ,moses1 ,david1          
,hezekiah1 ,mordecai1 ,nehemiah1 the    
church in  ,jerusalem when ,peter was in
 prison4 8,now these things were for our
  ensamples40    #b4 ,the time of       
terminating an infliction has come when 
it has  produced an humble and hearty   
return to ,god4    #c4 ,the mode of     
deliverance thus secured will be the    
best4 ,an end  might be put to slavery  
by a civil war2 but the remedy would be 
unspeakably worse than the disease4 ,but
 suppose the church of ,god  to take up 
this matter with an humble1 united      
heart2 and before the  world and ,god   
become1 like ,moses1 an intercessor1 and
 ready to employ  other means           
subsequently and subordinately1 we can  
not doubt that  slavery would come to an
 end2 and then observe with what blessed
  results3    ,what glory to ,god6 ,he  
will be acknowledged as holy1 as        

gracious1 as  powerful1 as a hearer of  
prayer4    ,what benefits to the slave6 
,liberty1 elevation1 knowledge1 all     
social  and civil blessings4    ,what   
relief to the master6--from crime1 from 
the consciousness of  wrong-doing1 from 
fear1 from a bondage of dependence1     
unthriftiness1  and numberless          
vexations4    ,what blessings to the    
country6 ,asperities all softened4      
,north1 ,south1  ,east and ,west united 
in one brotherhood2 the nation honored  
in the  approbation of the world2       
,freedom a grand reality for all4       
,what advantage to the cause of ,christ6
 ,christians henceforth one2  wounds    
healed2 the way of usefulness           
unobstructed2 the church  hastening with
 united strength1 and with the blessing 
of ,god1 to the  spiritual conquest of  
the world6          ,,is ,,he ,,not     
,,man8          ,is he not ,man1 though 
knowledge never shed      ,her          
quickening beams on his neglected head8 
,is he not ,man1 though sweet religion's

 voice      ,ne'er made the mourner in  
his ,god rejoice8      ,is he not ,man1 
by sin and suffering tried8      ,is he 
not ,man for whom the ,saviour died8    
,belie the ,negro's powers6 in headlong 
will1      ,christian1 thy brother thou 
shalt prove him still4      ,belie his  
virtues6 since his wrongs began1        
,his follies and his crimes have stampt 
him ,man4                               
,montgomery's ,west ,indies4            
,,wrong ,,of ,,slavery4                 
,my ear is pained1      ,my soul is     
sick1 with every day's report      ,of  
wrong and outrage1 with which earth is  
filled4      ,there is no flesh in man's
 obdurate heart2      ,it does not feel 
for man2 the natural bond      ,of      
brotherhood is severed as the flax      
,that falls asunder at the touch of     
fire4      ,he finds his fellow guilty  
of a skin      ,not colored like his    
own2 and having power      ,to enforce  
the wrong1 for such a worthy cause1     
,dooms and devotes him as a lawful prey4

      ,i would not have a slave to till 
my ground1      ,to carry me1 to fan me 
while ,i sleep1      ,and tremble when  
,i wake1 for all the wealth      ,that  
sinews bought and sold1 have ever       
earned4      ,no2 dear as freedom is1   
and in my heart's      ,just estimation 
prized above all price1      ,i had much
 rather be myself the slave1      ,and  
wear the bonds1 than fasten them on him4
                                        
,cowper's ,task4    ,no4 #db4