The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 2 of 4American Anti-Slavery Society
History
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 2 of 4
American Anti-Slavery Society
Antislavery movements -- United States -- Periodicals; Slavery -- United States -- Periodicals
Toward the close of the district meeting, we received a kind note from
the chairman, inviting us to attend the meeting, and receive in person,
a set of resolutions which had been drawn up at our request, and signed
by all the missionaries. At the hour appointed, we repaired to the
chapel. The missionaries all arose as we entered, and gave us a
brotherly salutation. We were invited to take our seats at the right
hand of the chairman. He then, in the presence of the meeting, read to
us the subjoined resolutions; we briefly expressed, in behalf of
ourselves and our cause, the high sense we had of the value of the
testimony, which the meeting had been pleased to give us. The venerable
father Horne then prayed with us, commending our cause to the blessing
of the Head of the church, and ourselves to the protection and guidance
of our heavenly Father. After which we shook hands with the brethren,
severally, receiving their warmest assurances of affectionate regard,
and withdrew.
_"Resolutions passed at the meeting of the Wesleyan Missionaries of the
Antigua District, assembled at St. John's, Antigua, February 7th, 1837._
1. That the emancipation of the slaves of the West Indies, while it
was an act of undoubted justice to that oppressed people, has
operated most favorably in furthering the triumphs of the gospel, by
removing one prolific source of unmerited suspicion of religious
teachers, and thus opening a door to their more extensive labors and
usefulness--by furnishing a greater portion of time for the service
of the negro, and thus preventing the continuance of unavoidable
Sabbath desecrations, in labor and neglect of the means of
grace--and in its operation as a stimulus to proprietors and other
influential gentlemen, to encourage religious education, and the
wide dissemination of the Scriptures, as an incentive to industry
and good order.
2. That while the above statements are true with reference to all
the islands, even where the system of apprenticeship prevails, they
are especially applicable to Antigua, where the results of the great
measure, of entire freedom, so humanely and judiciously granted by
the legislature, cannot be contemplated without the most devout
thanks givings to Almighty God.
3. That we regard with much gratification, the great diminution
among all classes in these islands, of the most unchristian
prejudice of color the total absence of it in the government and
ordinances of the churches of God, with which we are connected, and
the prospect of its complete removal, by the abolition of slavery,
by the increased diffusion of general knowledge, and of that
religion which teaches to "honor _all_ men," and to love our
neighbor as ourselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account