Extracts from Writings of Friends, on the Subject of Slavery (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Extracts From Writings of Friends, on the Subject of Slavery The following little work is made up of a few extracts from the writings of Friends on slavery, and from the historical account of the progress of our testimony on this subject. It is published with a hope that it may be instrumental in awakening some to increased diligence, by stirring up in their memories the deep suffering and travail of spirit which many of our early Friends passed through in the rise of this testimony. We find in the founder of our religious society a concern - perhaps the earliest manifestation of feeling on the subject - time after time those were raised up to advocate the cause of this deeply injured people. They boldly and zealously avowed their opposition to the practice of holding their fellow creatures in slavery, and their belief that it was utterly at variance with the true principles of Christianity. Surrounded as they were by slaveholders, those who had been brought up to regard the colored man as an inferior being - as property - it is no marvel that their benevolent efforts were violently opposed. But urged on by a sense of duty, and a love of truth, they steadfastly and unwaveringly maintained their ground amidst the fiery persecution to which they were subjected, and the long-cherished and deep-rooted prejudices which they had to encounter. One by one new converts to the truth of their principles were led to espouse the cause, and in the process of time the Society adopted a rule of discipline, prohibiting its members from holding slaves. Our religious society was the first denomination that washed its hands from the inhuman and unchristian practice; but when this was done, and as a society, they were clear of slaveholding, did the testimony fall? No, far from it. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.