“A young woman rose from an adjacent seat, and, ascending the steps, sank down, embarrassed and apparently overcome by her feelings, in the nearest chair. She was of medium size and neatly dressed. The white blood of her father might be traced in her regular features and high, thoughtful brow, while her complexion and wavy hair betrayed her slave mother. ‘And this,’ said Mr. Beecher, ‘is a marketable commodity. Such as she are put into one balance and silver into the other. She is now legally free, but she is bound by a moral obligation which is stronger than any law. I reverence woman. For the sake of the love I bore my mother I hold her sacred, even in the lowest position, and will use every means in my power for her uplifting. What will you do now? May she read her liberty in your eyes? Shall she go out free? Christ stretched forth His hand and the sick were restored to health; will you stretch forth your hands and give her that without which life is of little worth? Let the plates be passed and we will see!’ There was hardly a dry eye in the church; and amidst tears and earnest lookings at the poor woman, who sat with downcast eyes, the plates went around. Every purse was in requisition, and as the bills were thrown down Mr. Beecher said: ‘I see the plates are heaping up. Remember every dollar you give is the step of a weary pilgrim toward liberty, and that Christ has said: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ye have done it unto Me!”’ At this Mr. Lewis Tappan rose and said, ‘There need be no anxiety about the matter; some gentlemen had just now pledged themselves to make up the deficiency, whatever it might be.’ “Then she was free! And when Mr. Beecher told her so and announced it to the great congregation, there was an involuntary burst of applause. It was in the church, upon the Sabbath day, but it was no desecration—rather it was echoed by richer acclamation in heaven! As it subsided Mr. Beecher said: ‘When the old Jews went up to their solemn feasts they made the mountains round about Jerusalem ring with their shouts. I do not approve of an unholy clapping in the house of God, but when a good deed is well done it is not wrong to give an outward expression of our joy....’ “He then read the closing hymn, saying, as he handed her the book, ‘We shall sing this hymn as we never have sung a hymn before, and she will sing it too.’ This was the hymn: “‘Do not I love Thee, O my Lord? Behold my heart and see; And turn the dearest idol out That dares to rival Thee.’ . . . . . . “‘Hast Thou a lamb in all Thy flock I would disdain to feed? Hast Thou a foe before whose face I fear Thy cause to plead?’ . . . . . .