Again a splendid family, all the members of which are ‘very likely’; so says the auctioneer. ‘Superior to all sold heretofore.’ Moses, a strong, healthy and intelligent-looking man, is standing upon the platform, with the feelings of a father whose dear ones and himself are disposed of like dogs. See, he is strong; he is able to fight for his freedom, and no doubt could overpower half a dozen of those sickly-looking slave-drivers. Well, why don’t he fight to gain his liberty, and, consequently, be regarded as a man, and not as a mule? Because he is well aware that he has no power as a single man, and that he cannot combine with his other unfortunate brothers to break the yoke, as did his great namesake of old several thousand years ago. Is he afraid of death? O no, for he knows perfectly well that his body is not his own; that the bodies of his beloved ones do not belong to themselves. Who then would suffer, in case of his death, but his money-making master? But Moses has two reasons for not avenging himself. The first is, he is sure that the attempt to excite his brothers in bondage to revolt against their masters, would not only imperil their lives, but in all probability subject them to an awful death upon the burning wood-pile. Moses is not afraid of any wood-pile, whether burning or not; but he has a good-natured disposition, and therefore shrinks from involving his brethren in so awful a catastrophe. He will continue to suffer under the whip, rather than cause the death of his fellows upon the funeral pile. His second reason is, because he is a Christian. Every slaveholder knows perfectly well that a Christian slave is worth much more than one who has no faith at all. Many of them are sagacious enough to teach their slaves the gospel, and particularly those words of the apostle Paul: ‘Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling.’ Ephes. vi. 5. Here and there, a slaveholder will forbid his slaves to attend religious exercises; but he is a fool, and he will surely suffer for it. I happened once to get acquainted with a Frenchman, an owner of slaves, who said to me, ‘Doctor, I will be obliged to you if you will teach my slaves your religious opinions; for though they are to me ridiculous, I know very well that my slaves, once believing in your nonsense, will be worth more to me than they are now.’ Alas! poor Moses will remain a slave until death shall break his chains! But, no! His chains shall be broken before! God grant it!