oppression and manslaugh

ter.

Much of the little volume is filled with letters, and extracts of letters, from Benezet to eminent men and from others to him, or in relation to his writings and objects. Three of which we shall transcribe, one from Ambrose Serle, Secretary to Lord Howe, another from the Abbe Raynal, the third from the celebrated Patrick Henry. The letter from Ambrose Serle was written in the time of the revolution, while the British troops were in Philadelphia.

were

Philadelphia, June 2d, 1778. "I ought not to omit, my valued friend, the returning you my kindest thanks for your obliging present of books, which I shall peruse with attention, and for your sake keep them by me. It would be happy for the world at large, and for individuals, if the principles they maintain rightly understood and cordially received; we should in this case have had no occasion to deplore the present miseries and troubles, which, as the certain effects of sin, naturally result from the ambition, dishonesty and other unmortified passions of mankind. The world on the contrary would be something like a paradise regained; and universal benevolence and philanthropy preside as they ought in the human heart. But though from long experience we may and must despair of the general diffusion of christian sentiments and practice, we have this comfortable trust, in our

own particular persons, that we have a peace which the world can neither give nor take away; and though the kingdoms of this world tumble into confusion, and are lost in the corrupted strivings of men, we have a kingdom prepared of God, incorruptible and that cannot fade away. There, though I see your face

no

more upon earth, I have the hope of meeting with you again; both of us divested of all that can clog or injure our spirits, and both participating that fulness of joy which flows from God's right hand forevermore. To his tender protection I commend you, and remain with sincere esteem your affectionate friend." P. 42.

The letter from the Abbe Raynal was also written in the time of the revolutionary war.

Bruxelles, Dec. 26, 1781. "ALL your letters have miscarried; happily I received that of the sixteenth of July, 1781, with the pamphlets, filled with light and sensibility,which accompany it. Never was a present more agreeable to me. My satisfaction was equal to the respect I have always had for the Society of Quakers. May it please Heaven to cause all nations to adopt their principles; men would then be happy, and the globe not stained with blood. Let us join in our supplications to the Supreme Being, that he would unite us in the bonds of a tender and unalterable charity.

I am, &c. RAYNAL." p. 38. The letter of Benezet, to which the above was a reply, was very affectionate and im

pressive. The following from Patrick Henry was not addressed to Benezet, but to one who had presented a book written by this philanthropist on the slave trade.

"Hanover, Jan. 18, 1773. "DEAR SIR,

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of Anthony Benezet's book against the slave trade: I thank you for it. It is not a little sur prising that the professors of Christianity, whose chief ex'cellence consists in softening the human heart, in cherishing and improving its finer feel ings, should encourage a practice so totally repugnant to the first impressions of right and wrong. What adds to the wonder is, that this abominable practice has been introduced in the most enlightened age. Times, that seem to have pretensions to boast of high improvements in the arts and sciences, and refined morality, have brought into general use, and guarded by laws, a species of violence and tyranny, which our more rude and barbarous, but more honest ancestors detested. Is it not amazing, that at a time, when the rights of humanity are defined and understood with precision, in a country above all others fond of liberty,-that in such an age and such a country, we find men, professing a réligion the most humane, mild, gentle and generous, adopting a principle as repugnant to humanity, as it is inconsistent with the Bible and destructive to liberty? Every thinking, honest man rejects it in specu

lation. How few in practice from conscientious motives!

"Would any one believe that I am master of slaves, of my own purchasing! I am drawn along by the general inconvenience of living here without them. I will not, I cannot justify it. However culpable my conduct, I will so far pay my devoir to virtue, as to own the excellence and rectitude of her precepts, and lament my want of conformity to them.

I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish the lamentable evil. Every thing we can do is to improve it, if it happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot, and an abhorrence of slavery. If we cannot reduce this wished for reformation to practice, let us treat the unhappy victims with lenity. It is the furthest advance we can make toward justice. It is a debt we owe to the purity of our relig ion, to show that it is at variance with the law which warrants slavery.

"I know not when to stop. I could say many things on the subject; a serious view of which, gives a gloomy perspective to future times." pages 55, 56.

In a little more than two years from the date of this eloquent letter on slavery, our country was in arms, contending for what they regarded as their natural rights. After eight campaigns of war and bloodshed, our independence

was acknowledged by Great Britain. Since which we formed a Constitution "to promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of LIBERTY to ourselves and our posterity;" but in which we also took care to hold in absolute slavery, perhaps, a sixth part of the population of the country, and also to add to the number of these victims of avarice by further importations of fellow beings, to be bought and sold as property! To what quarter of the world shall we look for another race of such genuine friends of liberty and the rights of man such virtuous, merciful and consistent Christians!

But Anthony Benezet was of a different character; he would suffer wrong rather than do wrong; he would not ever do evil that good might come. But although he would use no acts of violence in fa vour of his own rights; yet he would employ all the power he possessed in benevolent exertions for the freedom of others. His zeal and intrepidity were displayed, not in doing evil, nor in rendering evil for evil; but in doing good, both to friends and foes, and in attempts to "overcome evil with good." What a fanatic! how much like HIм who was "despised and rejected of men !"

This extraordinary man exerted his powers not only for the abolition of the slave trade, but for the emancipation of the blacks who were already in bondage, and for the instruction of those who obtained their freedom. He was an author,

a schoolmaster, a peacemaker, and any thing by which he could promote the happiness or alleviate the miseries of his fellow men.

It is perhaps not known to all our readers that there was a time when the Quakers of this country were concerned in the cruel business of enslaving the Africans; but such was the fact, and Benezet was one of the principal agents in putting an end to the custom in his own Society. His Biographer observes :

"His ardent and pathetic communications on this subject, in the select assemblies of his brethren, were powerful and irresistible. He awakened the unconcerned, confirmed the wavering, and infused energy into the most zealous. On one occasion, during the Annual Convention of the Society at Philadelphia, when that body was engaged on the subject of slavery as it related to its own members, some of whom had not wholly relinquished the practice of keeping negroes in bondage, a difference of sentiment was manifiested as to the course which ought to be pursued For a moment it was doubtful which opinion would preponderate. At this critical juncture, Benezet left his seat, which was in an obscure part of the house, and presented himself weeping at an elevated door in presence of the whole congregation, whom he thus addressed,

"Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God!"— He said no more: under the solemn impression which suc

ceeded this emphatic quotation, the proposed measure received the united sanction of of the assembly." pages 27,28. The following paragraph may show the intrepidity as well as the philanthropy of this

christian hero :

"During the American war, when the British army occupied Philadelphia, Benezet was assiduous in affording relief to many inhabitants, whom the state of things at that distressing period had reduced to great privation. Accidentally observing a female, whose countenance indicated calamity, he immediately inquired into her circumstances. She informed him that she was a washerwoman, and had a family of small children dependent on her exertions for subsistence; that she had formerly supported them by her industry, but then having six Hessians quartered in her house, it was impossible, from the disturbance they made, to attend to her business, and she and her children must speedily be reduced to extreme poverty. Having listened to her simple and affecting relation, Benezet determined to meliorate her situation. He accordingly repaired to the General's quarters; intent on his final object, he omitted to obtain a pass, essential to an uninterrupted access to the officer-and entering the house without ceremony he was stopt by the centinel; who, after some conversation, sent word to the general "that a queer looking fellow insisted upon seeing him." He was soon ordered

up.

Benezet on going into the room, inquired which was the chief, and taking a chair seated himself beside the General. Such a breach of etiquette surprised the company present, and induced a German officer to exclaim, in his vernacular tongue" What does the fellow mean ?" Benezet, however, proceeded, in. French to relate to the General the cause of his visit, and painted the situation of the poor woman in such vivid colours, as speedily to accom plish the purpose of his hu mane interference. After thanking the General for the ready acquiescence to his re quest, he was about taking his departure, when the General expressed a desire to cultivate a further acquaintance, at the same time giving orders, that Benezet in future should be admitted without ceremony." pages 129, 130.

What an influence it would have in favour of the peace and tranquillity of the world, if the rulers of nations and the ministers employed by them, were like Benezet, possessed of the spirit and eloquence of philanthropy ! How easy it would be to settle any occasional disputes which might occur between them! How certain that they would sooner sacrifice their own lives, than involve nations in the calamities of war!

Benevolence and humility equally pertain to the christian character, and many facts, and circumstances are related in the Memoirs, which show that these were united in the

ties which were displayed in his character, are of no ordinary nature. With feelings tending to enthusiastic eulogy, his Biographer pauses in the recollection of a fact communicated by one of the most intimate surviving friends of this amiable and excellent man. He disapproved of the often overrated testimonies which were recorded of the dead, and requested the venerable gentleman alluded to, to use his exertions if he should survive him, to prevent any posthumous memorial concerning him, should his friends manifest a disposition to offer such a tribute to his memory,-thus adding to the injunction, "but if they will not regard my desire, they may say, ANTHONY BEN

EZET WAS A POOR CREATURE, AND THROUGH DIVINE FAVOUR, WAS ENABLED TO KNOW IT."

We notice this discourse because it is one which deserves to be known beyond the circle for which it was originally designed. Sermons at ordinations are among the most interesting at the time and place of delivery; but their interest for the most part is local and temporary, and of those which issue from the press, few have sufficient worth to excite general attention, or to be preserved for the use of posterity. We have seen some however which would richly repay a frequent

perusal, which are capable of of doing good to multitudes, and which merit careful preservation. A volume of such might easily be collected, which would contain a mass of most valuable instruction and admonition on subjects relating to the ministerial character and office, and would be an excellent closet companion of young ministers. In such a collection we should be inclined to place the Sermon before us. It contains very judicious and sometimes striking remarks on