按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
The Rev。 W。 M。 Rogers; an orthodox minister of Boston; delivered a sermon in which he says; 〃When the slave asks me to stand be… tween him and his master; what does he ask? He asks me to murder a nation's life; and I will not do it; because I have a conscience; because there is a God。〃 He proceeds to affirm that if resistance to the carrying out of the 〃Fugi… tive Slave Law〃 should lead the magistracy to call the citizens to arms; their duty was to obey and 〃if ordered to take human life; in the name of God to take it;〃 and he concludes by admonishing the fugitives to 〃hearken to the Word of God; and to count their own masters worthy of all honour。〃
The Rev。 William Crowell; of Waterfield; State of Maine; printed a Thanksgiving Sermon of the same kind; in which he calls upon his hearers not to allow 〃excessive sympathies for a few hundred fugitives to blind them so that they may risk increased suffering to the millions already in chains。〃
The Rev。 Dr。 Taylor; an Episcopal Clergyman of New Haven; Connecticut; made a speech at a Union Meeting; in which he deprecates the agita… tion on the law; and urges obedience to it; asking;〃Is that article in the Constitution con… trary to the law of Nature; of nations; or to the will of God? Is it so? Is there a shadow of reason for saying it? I have not been able to dis… cover it。 Have I not shown you it is lawful to deliver up; in compliance with the laws; fugitive slaves; for the high; the great; the momentous interests of those 'Southern' States?〃
The Right Rev。 Bishop Hopkins; of Vermont; in a Lecture at Lockport; says; 〃It was warranted by the Old Testament;〃 and inquires; 〃What effect had the Gospel in doing away with slavery? None whatever。〃 Therefore he argues; as it is expressly permitted by the Bible; it does not in itself involve any sin; but that every Christian is authorised by the Divine Law to own slaves; provided they were not treated with unnecessary cruelty。
The Rev。 Orville Dewey; D。D。; of the Unitarian connexion; maintained in his lectures that the safety of the Union is not to be hazarded for the sake of the African race。 He declares that; for his part; he would send his own brother or child into slavery; if needed to preserve the Union between the free and the slaveholding States; and; counselling the slave to similar magnanimity; thus exhorts him:〃YOUR RIGHT TO BE FREE IS NOT ABSOLUTE; UNQUALIFIED; IRRESPECTIVE OF ALL CONSEQUENCES。 If my espousal of your claim is likely to involve your race and mine together in disasters infinitely greater than your personal servitude; then you ought not to be free。 In such a case personal rights ought to be sacrificed to the general good。 You yourself ought to see this; and be willing to suffer for a while one for many。〃
If the Doctor is prepared; he is quite at liberty to sacrifice his 〃personal rights to the general good。〃 But; as I have suffered a long time in slavery; it is hardly fair for the Doctor to advise me to go back。 According to his showing; he ought rather to take my place。 That would be practically carrying out his logic; as respects 〃suffering awhile one for many。〃
In fact; so eager were they to prostrate them… selves before the great idol of slavery; and; like Balaam; to curse instead of blessing the people whom God had brought out of bondage; that they in bring up obsolete passages from the Old Tes… tament to justify their downward course; overlooked; or would not see; the following verses; which show very clearly; according to the Doctor's own text… book; that the slaves have a right to run away; and that it is unscriptural for any one to send them back。
In the 23rd chapter of Deuteronomy; 15th and 16th verses; it is thus written:〃Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is es… caped from his master unto thee。 He shall dwell with thee; even among you; in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates; where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him。〃
〃Hide the outcast。 Bewray not him that wan… dereth。 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee。 Be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler。〃 (Isa。 xvi。 3; 4。)
The great majority of the American ministers are not content with uttering sentences similar to the above; or remaining wholly indifferent to the cries of the poor bondman; but they do all they can to blast the reputation; and to muzzle the mouths; of the few good men who dare to beseech the God of mercy 〃to loose the bonds of wickedness; to undo the heavy burdens; and let the oppressed go free。〃 These reverend gentlemen pour a terrible cannon… ade upon 〃Jonah;〃 for refusing to carry God's message against Nineveh; and tell us about the whale in which he was entombed; while they utterly overlook the existence of the whales which trouble their republican waters; and know not that they themselves are the 〃Jonahs〃 who threaten to sink their ship of state; by steering in an unrighteous direction。 We are told that the whale vomited up the runaway prophet。 This would not have seemed so strange; had it been one of the above lukewarm Doctors of Divinity whom he had swallowed; for even a whale might find such a morsel difficult of digestion。
〃I venerate the man whose heart is warm; Whose hands are pure; whose doctrines and whose life Coincident; exhibit lucid proof That he is honest in the sacred cause。〃
〃But grace abused brings forth the foulest deeds; As richest soil the most luxuriant weeds。〃
I must now leave the reverend gentlemen in the hands of Him who knows best how to deal with a recreant ministry。
I do not wish it to be understood that all the ministers of the States are of the Balaam stamp。 There are those who are as uncompromising with slaveholders as Moses was with Pharaoh; and; like Daniel; will never bow down before the great false God that has been set up。
On arriving at Portland; we found that the steamer we intended to take had run into a schooner the previous night; and was lying up for repairs; so we had to wait there; in fearful suspense; for two or three days。 During this time; we had the honour of being the guest of the late and much lamented Daniel Oliver; Esq。; one of the best and most hospi… table men in the State。 By simply fulfilling the Scripture injunction; to take in the stranger; &c。; he ran the risk of incurring a penalty of 2;000 dollars; and twelve months' imprisonment。
But neither the Fugitive Slave Law; nor any other Satanic enactment; can ever drive the spirit of liberty and humanity out of such noble and gene… rous…hearted men。
May God ever bless his dear widow; and eventu… ally unite them in His courts above!
We finally got off to St。 John's; New Brunswick; where we had to wait two days for the steamer that conveyed us to Windsor; Nova Scotia。
On going into a hotel at St。 John's; we met the butler in the hall; to whom I said; 〃We wish to stop here to…night。〃 He turned round; scratching his head; evidently much put about。 But think… ing that my wife was white; he replied; 〃We have plenty of room for the lady; but I don't know about yourself; we never take in coloured folks。〃 〃Oh; don't trouble about me;〃 I said; 〃if you have room for the lady; that will do; so please have the luggage taken to a bed…room。〃 Which was immediately done; and my wife went upstairs into the apartment。
After taking a little walk in the town; I returned; and asked to see the 〃lady。〃 On being conducted to the little sitting…room; where she then was; I entered without knocking; much to the surprise of the whole house。 The 〃lady〃 then rang the bell; and ordered dinner for two。 〃Dinner for two; mum!〃 exclaimed the waiter; as he backed out of the door。 〃Yes; for two;〃 said my wife。 In a little while the stout; red…nosed butler; whom we first met; knocked at the door。 I called out; 〃Come in。〃 On entering; he rolled his whisky eyes at me; and then at my wife; and said; in a very solemn tone; 〃Did you order dinner for two; mum?〃 〃Yes; for two;〃 my wife again replied。 This confused the chubby butler more than ever; and; as the landlord was not in the house; he seemed at a loss what to do。
When dinner was ready; the maid came in and said; 〃Please; mum; the Missis wishes to know whether you will have dinner up now; or wait till your friend arrives?〃 〃I will have it up at once; if you please。〃 〃Thank you; mum;〃 continued the maid; and out she glided。
After a good deal of giggling in the passage; some one said; 〃You are in for it; butler; after all; so you had better make the best of a bad job。〃 But before dinner was sent up; the landlord returned; and having heard from the steward of the steamer by which we came that we were bound for England; the proprietor's native country; he treated us in the most respectful manner。
At the above house; the boots (whose name I for… get) was a fugitive slave; a very intelligent and active man; about forty…five years of age。 Soon after his marriage; while in slavery; his bride was sold away from him; and he could never learn where the poor creature dwelt。 So after remaining single for many years; both before and after his escape; and never ex… pecting to see again; nor even to hear from; his long… lost partner; he finally married a woman at St。 John's。 B