the narrative of the life-第21章

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gave　me　meat；　I　was　thirsty；　and　he　gave　me　drink；

I　was　a　stranger；　and　he　took　me　in〃）　lived　in　a

neater　house；　dined　at　a　better　table；　took；　paid

for；　and　read；　more　newspapers；　better　understood

the　moral；　religious；　and　political　character　of　the

nation；than　nine　tenths　of　the　slaveholders　in　Tal…

bot　county　Maryland。　　Yet　Mr。　Johnson　was　a　work…

ing　man。　　His　hands　were　hardened　by　toil；　and　not

his　alone；　but　those　also　of　Mrs。　Johnson。　　I　found　the

colored　people　much　more　spirited　than　I　had　sup…

posed　they　would　be。　　I　found　among　them　a　deter…

mination　to　protect　each　other　from　the　blood…thirsty

kidnapper；　at　all　hazards。　　Soon　after　my　arrival；　I

was　told　of　a　circumstance　which　illustrated　their

spirit。　　A　colored　man　and　a　fugitive　slave　were　on

unfriendly　terms。　　The　former　was　heard　to　threaten

the　latter　with　informing　his　master　of　his　where…

abouts。　　Straightway　a　meeting　was　called　among　the

colored　people；　under　the　stereotyped　notice；　〃Busi…

ness　of　importance！〃　　The　betrayer　was　invited　to　at…

tend。　　The　people　came　at　the　appointed　hour；　and

organized　the　meeting　by　appointing　a　very　religious

old　gentleman　as　president；　who；　I　believe；　made　a

prayer；　after　which　he　addressed　the　meeting　as　fol…

lows：　〃~Friends；　we　have　got　him　here；　and　I　would

recommend　that　you　young　men　just　take　him　out…

side　the　door；　and　kill　him！~〃　　With　this；　a　number

of　them　bolted　at　him；　but　they　were　intercepted

by　some　more　timid　than　themselves；　and　the　be…

trayer　escaped　their　vengeance；　and　has　not　been

seen　in　New　Bedford　since。　　I　believe　there　have

been　no　more　such　threats；　and　should　there　be　here…

after；　I　doubt　not　that　death　would　be　the　conse…

quence。

　

　　I　found　employment；　the　third　day　after　my　ar…

rival；　in　stowing　a　sloop　with　a　load　of　oil。　　It　was

new；　dirty；　and　hard　work　for　me；　but　I　went　at　it

with　a　glad　heart　and　a　willing　hand。　　I　was　now　my

own　master。　　It　was　a　happy　moment；　the　rapture　of

which　can　be　understood　only　by　those　who　have

been　slaves。　　It　was　the　first　work；　the　reward　of

which　was　to　be　entirely　my　own。　　There　was　no　Mas…

ter　Hugh　standing　ready；　the　moment　I　earned　the

money；　to　rob　me　of　it。　　I　worked　that　day　with　a

pleasure　I　had　never　before　experienced。　　I　was　at

work　for　myself　and　newly…married　wife。　　It　was　to　me

the　starting…point　of　a　new　existence。　　When　I　got

through　with　that　job；　I　went　in　pursuit　of　a　job　of

calking；　but　such　was　the　strength　of　prejudice

against　color；　among　the　white　calkers；　that　they　re…

fused　to　work　with　me；　and　of　course　I　could　get　no

employment。*　　Finding　my　trade　of　no　immediate

benefit；　I　threw　off　my　calking　habiliments；　and　pre…

pared　myself　to　do　any　kind　of　work　I　could　get　to

do。　　Mr。　Johnson　kindly　let　me　have　his　wood…horse

and　saw；　and　I　very　soon　found　myself　a　plenty　of

work。　　There　was　no　work　too　hardnone　too　dirty。

I　was　ready　to　saw　wood；　shovel　coal；　carry　wood；

sweep　the　chimney；　or　roll　oil　casks；all　of　which　I

　

　

　　*　I　am　told　that　colored　persons　can　now　get　employment

at　calking　in　New　Bedforda　result　of　anti…slavery　effort。

did　for　nearly　three　years　in　New　Bedford；　before　I

became　known　to　the　anti…slavery　world。

　

　　In　about　four　months　after　I　went　to　New　Bed…

ford；　there　came　a　young　man　to　me；　and　inquired

if　I　did　not　wish　to　take　the　〃Liberator。〃　　I　told　him

I　did；　but；　just　having　made　my　escape　from　slavery；

I　remarked　that　I　was　unable　to　pay　for　it　then。　　I；

however；　finally　became　a　subscriber　to　it。　　The　paper

came；　and　I　read　it　from　week　to　week　with　such

feelings　as　it　would　be　quite　idle　for　me　to　attempt

to　describe。　　The　paper　became　my　meat　and　my

drink。　　My　soul　was　set　all　on　fire。　　Its　sympathy　for

my　brethren　in　bondsits　scathing　denunciations　of

slaveholdersits　faithful　exposures　of　slaveryand　its

powerful　attacks　upon　the　upholders　of　the　institu…

tionsent　a　thrill　of　joy　through　my　soul；　such　as

I　had　never　felt　before！

　

　　I　had　not　long　been　a　reader　of　the　〃Liberator；〃

before　I　got　a　pretty　correct　idea　of　the　principles；

measures　and　spirit　of　the　anti…slavery　reform。　　I　took

right　hold　of　the　cause。　　I　could　do　but　little；　but

what　I　could；　I　did　with　a　joyful　heart；　and　never　felt

happier　than　when　in　an　anti…slavery　meeting。　　I　sel…

dom　had　much　to　say　at　the　meetings；　because　what

I　wanted　to　say　was　said　so　much　better　by　others。

But；　while　attending　an　anti…slavery　convention　at

Nantucket；　on　the　11th　of　August；　1841；　I　felt

strongly　moved　to　speak；　and　was　at　the　same　time

much　urged　to　do　so　by　Mr。　William　C。　Coffin；　a

gentleman　who　had　heard　me　speak　in　the　colored

people's　meeting　at　New　Bedford。　　It　was　a　severe

cross；　and　I　took　it　up　reluctantly。　　The　truth　was；

I　felt　myself　a　slave；　and　the　idea　of　speaking　to

white　people　weighed　me　down。　　I　spoke　but　a　few

moments；　when　I　felt　a　degree　of　freedom；　and　said

what　I　desired　with　considerable　ease。　　From　that

time　until　now；　I　have　been　engaged　in　pleading　the

cause　of　my　brethrenwith　what　success；　and　with

what　devotion；　I　leave　those　acquainted　with　my　la…

bors　to　decide。

　

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　APPENDIX

　

　

　　I　find；　since　reading　over　the　foregoing　Narrative；

that　I　have；　in　several　instances；　spoken　in　such　a

tone　and　manner；　respecting　religion；　as　may　possi…

bly　lead　those　unacquainted　with　my　religious　views

to　suppose　me　an　opponent　of　all　religion。　　To　re…

move　the　liability　of　such　misapprehension；　I　deem

it　proper　to　append　the　following　brief　explanation。

What　I　have　said　respecting　and　against　religion；　I

mean　strictly　to　apply　to　the　~slaveholding　religion~　of

this　land；　and　with　no　possible　reference　to　Christi…

anity　proper；　for；　between　the　Christianity　of　this

land；　and　the　Christianity　of　Christ；　I　recognize　the

widest　possible　differenceso　wide；　that　to　receive

the　one　as　good；　pure；　and　holy；　is　of　necessity　to　re…

ject　the　other　as　bad；　corrupt；　and　wicked。　　To　be　the

friend　of　the　one；　is　of　necessity　to　be　the　enemy

of　the　other。　　I　love　the　pure；　peaceable；　and　impar…

tial　Christianity　of　Christ：　I　therefore　hate　the　cor…

rupt；　slaveholding；　women…whipping；　cradle…plunder…

ing；　partial　and　hypocritical　Christianity　of　this　land。

Indeed；　I　can　see　no　reason；　but　the　most　deceitful

one；　for　calling　the　religion　of　this　land　Christianity。

I　look　upon　it　as　the　climax　of　all　misnomers；　the

boldest　of　all　frauds；　and　the　grossest　of　all　libels。

Never　was　there　a　clearer　case　of　〃stealing　the　livery

of　the　court　of　heaven　to　serve　the　devil　in。〃　　I　am

filled　with　unutterable　loathing　when　I　contem…

plate　the　religious　pomp　and　show；　together　with　the

horrible　inconsistencies；　which　every　where　surround

me。　　We　have　men…stealers　for　ministers；　women…

whippers　for　missionaries；　and　cradle…plunderers　for

church　members。　　The　man　who　wields　the　blood…

clotted　cowskin　during　the　week　fills　the　pulpit　on

Sunday；　and　claims　to　be　a　minister　of　the　meek　and

lowly　Jesus。　　The　man　who　robs　me　of　my　earnings

at　the　end　of　each　week　meets　me　as　a　class…leader

on　Sunday　morning；　to　show　me　the　way　of　life；

and　the　path　of　salvation。　　He　who　sells　my　sister；

for　purposes　of　prostitution；　stands　forth　as　the　pi…

ous　advocate　of　purity。　　He　who　proclaims　it　a　re…

ligious　duty　to　read　the　Bible　denies　me　the　right

of　learning　to　read　the　name　of　the　God　who　made

me。　　He　who　is　the　religious　advocate　of　marriage

robs　whole　millions　of　its　sacred　influence；　and　leaves

them　to　the　ravages　of　wholesale　pollution。　　The

warm　defender　of　the　sacredness　of　the　family　re…

lation　is　the　same　that　scatters　whole　families；sun…

dering　husbands　and　wives；　parents　and　children；

sisters　and　brothers；leaving　the　hut　vacant；　and　the

hearth　desolate。　　We　see　the　thief　preaching　against

theft；　and　the　adulterer　against　adultery。　　We　have

men　sold　to　build　churches；　women　sold　to　support

the　gospel；　and　babes　sold　to　purchase　Bibles　for

the　POOR　HEATHEN！　ALL　FOR　THE　GLORY　OF　GOD　AND　THE

GOOD　OF　SOULS！　　The　slave　auctioneer's　bell　and　the

church…going　bell　chime　in　with　each　other；　and　the

bitter　cries　of　the　heart…broken　slave　are　drowned

in　the　religious　shouts　of　his　pious　master。　　Revivals

of　religion　and　revivals　in　the　slave…trade　go　hand

in　hand　together。　　The　slave　prison　and　the　church

stand　near　each　other。　　The　clanking　of　fetters　and

the　rattling　of　chains　in　the　prison；　and　the　pious

psalm　and　solemn　prayer　in　the　church；　may　be

heard　at　the　same　time。　　The　dealers　in　the　bodies

and　souls　of　men　erect　their　stand　in　the　presence

of　the　pulpit；　and　they　mutually　help　each　other。

The　dealer　gives　his　blood…stained　gold　to　support

the　pulpit；　and　the　pulpit；　in　return；　covers　his　in…

fernal　business　with　the　garb　of　Christianity。　　Here

we　have　religion　and　robbery　the　allies　of　each　other

devils　dressed　in　angels'　robes；　and　hell　presenting

the　semblance　of　paradise。

　

〃Just　God！　and　these　are　they；

　　　Who　minister　at　thine　altar；　God　of　right！

Men　who　their　hands；　with　prayer　and　blessing；　lay

　　　On　Israel's　ark　of　light。

　

〃What！　preach；　and　kidnap　men？

　　　Give　thanks；　and　rob　thy　own　afflicted　poor？

Talk　of　thy　glorious　liberty；　and　then

　　　Bolt　hard　the　captive's　door？

　

〃What！　servants　of　thy　own

　　　Merciful　Son；　who　came　to　seek　and　save

The　homeless　and　the　outcast；　fettering　down

　　　The　tasked　and　plundered　slave！

　

〃Pilate　and　Herod　friends！

　　　Chief　priests　and　rulers；　as　of　old；　combine！

Just　God　and　holy！　is　that　church　which　lends

　　　Strength　to　the　spoiler　thine？〃

　

　

　　The　Christianity　of　America　is　a　Christianity；　of

whose　votaries　it　may　be　as　truly　said；　as　it　was　of

the　ancient　scribes　and　Pharisees；　〃They　bind　heavy

burdens；　and　grievous　to　be　borne；　and　lay　them　on

men's　shoulders；　but　they　themselves　will　not　move

them　with　one　of　their　fingers。　　All　their　works　they

do　for　to　be　seen　of　men。They　love　the　upper…

most　rooms　at　feasts；　and　the　chief　seats　in　the　syna…

gogues；　。　。　。　。　。　。　and　to　be　called　of　men；　Rabbi；

Rabbi。But　woe　unto　you；　scribes　and　Pharisees；

hypocrites！　for　ye　shut　up　the　kingdom　of　heaven

against　men；　for　ye　neither　go　in　yourselves；　neither

suffer　ye　them　that　are　entering　to　go　in。　　Ye　devour

widows'　houses；　and　for　a　pretence　make　long

prayers；　therefore　ye　shall　receive　the　greater　dam…

nation。　　Ye　compass　sea　and　land　to　make　one　prose…

lyte；　and　when　he　is　made；　ye　make　him　twofold

more　the　child　of　hell　than　yourselves。Woe　unto

you；　scribes　and　Pharisees；　hypocrites！　for　ye　pay

tithe　of　mint；　and　anise；　and　cumin；　and　have　omit…

ted　the　weightier　matters　of　the　law；　judgment；

mercy；　and　faith；　these　ought　ye　to　have　done；　and

not　to　leave　the　other　undone。　　Ye　blind　guides！

which　strain　at　a　gnat；　and　swallow　a