Some Recollections of Our Antislavery ConflictMay, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph)
History
Some Recollections of Our Antislavery Conflict
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph)
Antislavery movements -- United States
the turning-point of our affairs in the old Commonwealth.
Soon afterwards Dr. Follen removed to New York and became pastor of the
first Unitarian church. It was a situation so eligible, and in every
respect so desirable to him, that many supposed he would suffer his
Abolitionism to become latent, or at least would refrain from giving
full and free expression to it in the pulpit. They knew not the man. He
did there as he had done elsewhere. Modestly, mildly, yet distinctly,
he avowed his antislavery sentiments, and endeavored to make his
hearers perceive how imperative was the obligation pressing upon them
as patriots, scarcely less than as Christians, to do all in their power
to exterminate slavery from our country. He was chosen a member of the
Executive Committee of the American Antislavery Society, and promptly
accepted the appointment. The members of that Board testified that “his
sound judgment, his discriminating intellect, his amenity of manners,
and his uncommonly single-hearted integrity greatly endeared him to his
associates.” Yet was the offence he gave by his antislavery preaching
such that, after about two years, his services were dispensed with by
the Unitarian church.
He returned to Massachusetts, and soon interested so highly the
liberal Christians at East Lexington that he was invited to become
their pastor. They set about in 1839 the building of a meeting-house,
in accordance with his taste, and after a plan which I believe he
furnished. The 15th day of January, 1840, was fixed upon as the day for
the dedication, and Dr. Channing was engaged to preach on the occasion.
In December Dr. Follen went to New York and delivered a course of
lectures. On the evening of the 13th of January he embarked on board
the ill-omened steamer Lexington to return. She took fire in the night,
and all the passengers and crew excepting three perished in the flames,
or in their attempts to escape from them. Dr. Follen, alas! was not one
of the three.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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