CHAPTER IV.
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he piety and benevolence of Barton W. Stone, as illustrated in hisposition and practice in reference to the question of Slavery—He wasaman of great independence of mind—Of great firmness and decisionof character—Was unaspiring—Superior to envy and jealousy—Hisposition and character asa reformer—Poetry. | 14, Tue piety and benevolence of Barton W. Stone,as illustrated in his position and practice in reference tothe subject of Slavery. That he was decidedly oppo-sed to slavery, as it exists in this country, is confirmed byall he ever said, or wrote, or did in reference to it fornear fifty years. For although a Marylander by birth,and though raised and educated. in Virginia and North Carolina, and finally settled in Kentucky, where he lived near fifty years, nevertheless, he was always opposed to slavery. True, he was no abolitionist, in the modernsense of that term. He did not indiscriminately con-demn slave holders, for he lived some forty years inchurches in which slave-holders were members. He did not therefore make it a test of christian fellowship. Would to God that our brethren of the north, whom we want to love and fellowship, would imitate the example of the pious Stone in this particular! Believe me, dearbrethren, your ultimate object, in reference to the Afri-can race, will much more likely be accomplished bysuch a course, than by the one,you are pursuing, (J re- é . 988 | BIOGRAPHY OF fer, of course, to modern abolitionists.) Do once moreprayerfully examine the New Testament, and see if itdoes not require you to imitate his example in this re-spect. But to return. After this short digression weproceed to show briefly what Barton W. Stone thought,‘in reference to this exciting question, and what he did,and to answer both these questions we quote the raltow-ing from ‘‘The Christian Messenger,”’ vol. ii, pages198, 9, and 200. It is headed :‘‘An Humble Address to Christians on the Coloniza-tion of Free People of Color,” and was written in 1828.‘‘ While the greatest and most influential statesmenand politicians of our nation, have their approvingeyes and hearts turned to the Colonization Society,while they are laboring to advance its interests, whilethey are attempting to do justice to our long oppressedbrethren of color, by removing the free ones to the landof their forefathers, while they thus act, influenced onlyby the principles of sound policy and benevolence,shall christians be idle spectators, and not unite theirefforts in this holy cause? Heaven forbid! All whoknow me, well know that for more than thirty years Ihave advocated the cause of liberty, and opposed unmer-ited, hereditary slavery. My honesty has been tested.For all in my possession I emancipated; nor did I sendthem out empty. A few are yet with me, not under mycontrol, but entailed a curse upon my children by a de-ceased relative. ‘They who are unapprised of this cir-cumstance, have branded me asa slaveholder. I havenamed this circumstance to remove any impression whichmight prevent the good effect designed by this address.The question is no longer now as thirty years ago—Is. the slavery of Africans right or wrong? It is settled inthe nation that it is wrong, both politically and morally. |i eas — _ — > = ~ he AEDS ee es oa ——* — Cor = a . oe ~ _ = = es An N r >-a tee a i i i aa a lei ia ee SE a ERT RN Ne ER RN EN ETT EE aS RTE & BARTON W.. STONE. 289 The light of truth and intelligence has removed ourdoubts. No man of intelligence now presumes to justifyit, whether he be a politician, moralist, or christian. Hewould blush in the attempt. The nation has confessedher conviction of the wrong, by sending her armed ves-sels to suppress the slave trade. Continually are thosevessels cruismg along the coast of Africa, to protectthe liberty of that nation from the grasp of an unprin-cipled, avaricious banditti of worse than piratical mon-sters. The more free nations of Europe have engagedin the same laudable work. Shall we as a nation, shallwe as christians approve of this course of protectingand so expensively guarding the liberty of Africa, andnot regard her children among usat home? No. Such - .@ contrast has made America—has made her free-born sons blush for very shame. ‘The able statesman, theprofound politician, the philanthropist, the warm-heart-ed christian, all say, what shall we do? What can bedone to relieve them? ‘They have proposed and exam-ined many plans by the principles of policy, philosophy,and religion. But every plan has been found defectivebut that which we now advocate, the plan of settlingthe free people of color m Africa.. To free them and letthem live among us, is impolitic, as stubborn facts haveproved. Were those now in slavery among us to bethus emancipated, I would instantly remove to a distantland beyond their reach. Yet,had I athousand slaves,I would gladly give them up to the Colonization Socie-ty to transport them to Liberia. How many christians have I heard groaning—andwhat real christian does not?) How many have I heardlamenting their situation because they had slaves in theirpossession and knew not what todo with them. Toemancipate them, and turn them upon the public, they
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