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Clarkson, Thomas, 1760-1846

"The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade, by the British Parliament (1839)"

If their
daily task of labour be but fulfilled, little else, perhaps, is
thought of: nay, even that which in others would be looked upon
with horror and detestation, is little regarded in them by their
masters; such as the frequent separation of husbands from wives,
and wives from husbands, whereby they are tempted to break their
marriage covenants, and live in adultery, in direct opposition
to the laws of God and men, although we believe that Christ died
for all men without respect of persons. How fearful then ought
we to be of engaging in what hath so natural a tendency to
lesson our humanity, and of suffering ourselves to be inured to
the exercise of hard and cruel measures, lest thereby, in any
degree, we lose our tender and feeling sense of the miseries of
our fellow-creatures, and become worse than those who have not
believed.
And, dear friends, you, who by inheritance have slaves born in
your families, we beseech you to consider them as souls
committed to your trust, whom the Lord will require at your
hand, and who, as well as you, are made partakers of the Spirit
of grace, and called to be heirs of salvation.


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