To this he sacrificed the
superior emoluments of his former school, and his bodily ease also,
although the weakness of his constitution seemed to demand indulgence.
By his last will he directed, that, after the decease of his widow, his
whole little fortune (the savings of the industry of fifty years)
should, except a few very small legacies, be applied to the support of
it. During his attendance upon it he had the happiness to find, (and his
situation enabled him to make the comparison,) that Providence had been
equally liberal to the Africans in genius and talents as to other
people.
After a few days' illness, this excellent man died at Philadelphia, in
the spring of 1784. The interment of his remains was attended by several
thousands of all ranks, professions, and parties, who united in
deploring their loss. The mournful procession was closed by some
hundreds of those poor Africans who had been personally benefited by his
labours, and whose behaviour on the occasion showed the gratitude and
affection they considered to be due to him as their own private
benefactor, as well as the benefactor of their whole race.
Such, then, were the labours of the Quakers in America; of individuals,
from 1718 to 1784, and of the body at large, from 1696 to 1787, in this
great cause of humanity and religion.
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