It hath been computed that near One Hundred Thousand Negroes have of late Years been taken annually from that Coast, by Ships employed in the _English_ Trade. As I have travell'd on religious Visits in some Parts of _America_, I have seen many of these People under the Command of Overseers, in a painful Servitude. I have beheld them as _Gentiles_ under People professing _Christianity_, not only kept ignorant of the Holy Scriptures, but under great Provocations to Wrath; of whom it may truly be said, _They that rule over them make them to howl, and the Holy Name is abundantly blasphemed_, Isaiah lii. 5. Where Children are taught to read the Sacred Writings, while young, and exampled in Meekness and Humility, it is often helpful to them; nor is this any more than a Debt due from us to a succeeding Age. But where Youth are pinched for want of the Necessaries of Life, forced to labour hard under the harsh Rebukes of rigorous Overseers, and many Times endure unmerciful Whippings: In such an Education, how great are the Disadvantages they lie under! And how forcibly do these Things work against the Increase of the Government of the Prince of Peace! _Humphrey Smith_, in his Works, p. 125, speaking of the tender Feelings of the Love of God in his Heart when he was a Child, said, "By the violent wrathful Nature that ruled in others, was my Quietness disturbed, and Anger begotten in me toward them, yet that of God in me was not wholly overcome, but his Love was felt in my Heart, and great was my Grief when the Earthly-mindedness and wrathful Nature so provoked me, that I was estranged from it. "And this I write as a Warning to Parents and others, that in the Fear of the living God, you may train up the Youth, and may not be a Means of bringing them into such Alienation." Many are the Vanities and Luxuries of the present Age, and in labouring to support a Way of living conformable to the present World, the Departure from that Wisdom that is pure and peaceable hath been great. Under the Sense of a deep Revolt, and an overflowing Stream of Unrighteousness, my Life has been often a Life of Mourning, and tender Desires are raised in me, that the Nature of this Practice may be laid to Heart. I have read some Books wrote by People who were acquainted with the Manner of getting Slaves in _Africa_. I have had verbal Relations of this Nature from several Negroes brought from _Africa_, who have learn'd to talk _English_. I have sundry Times heard _Englishmen_ speak on this Subject, who have been at _Africa_ on this Business; and from all these Accounts it appears evident that great Violence is committed, and much Blood shed in _Africa_ in getting Slaves.