A Visit To The United States In 1841 | Page 6

Notwithstanding this prejudice he is now practising, I understand, with
success, and has fair prospects.
I had a pleasant interview with Isaac T. Hopper, whom also I had met
in 1837. He belongs to the American Anti-Slavery Society, or "old
organization," and has been a zealous and fearless abolitionist for half a
century. He has been recently disowned by the "Hicksite Friends" for
his connection with the newspaper called the "National Anti-Slavery
Standard."
Early on the morning of the 10th, we left for Burlington by railroad,
where we were most kindly received by our venerable friends Stephen
Grellett and his wife. On the following day, we took tea with John Cox,
residing about three miles from Burlington, at a place called Oxmead,

where formerly that eminent minister of the Society of Friends, George
Dillwin, resided. J.C. is now in his eighty-seventh year, enjoying a
green and cheerful old age, and feeling all the interest of his youth in
the anti-slavery cause. It was cheering and animating to witness the
serene spirit of this venerable man, and deeply were we interested in
the reminiscences of his youth. He well remembered John Woolman,
whose former residence, Mount Holly, is within a few miles of
Oxmead, and of whom he related various particulars characteristic of
the simplicity, humanity, and great circumspection of his life and
conversation. When John Woolman first brought the subject of slavery
before the yearly meeting of the Society of Friends at Philadelphia, at a
time when its members were deeply implicated both in slave-holding
and in slave-dealing, he stood almost alone in his anti-slavery
testimony, which he expressed in few and appropriate words. Some
severe remarks were made by others in reply, on this and on successive
similar occasions, when he introduced the subject, but such treatment
provoked no rejoinder from John Woolman, who would quietly resume
his seat and weep in silent submission.
He was not deterred by this discouraging reception from again and
again bringing the subject before the next Yearly Meeting, and finally
his unwearied efforts, always prosecuted in the "meekness of wisdom,"
resulted in the Society of Friends entirely wiping away the reproach of
this abomination.
The great qualification of John Woolman for pleading the cause of the
oppressed was the same which has been ascribed with equal truth and
beauty to his contemporary and co-worker, Anthony Benezet: "a
peculiar capacity for being profoundly sensible of their wrongs." The
biographer of the latter has described another occurrence in the
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at a subsequent stage of this momentous
controversy, which may prove an interesting counterpart to the
foregoing relation.
"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 arose as to the course which ought to be pursued. For a
moment it appeared 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 the
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 succeeded this emphatic quotation,
the proposed measure received the united sanction of the assembly."[A]
[Footnote A: Life of Anthony Benezet, by Roberts Vaux.]
Even the passing observer is aware how closely the Society of Friends
is identified with the anti-slavery cause, and if such an one were to
make this fact the subject of historical investigation, he would probably
find it one of considerable interest. -- He would learn that some years
before the call of Thomas Clarkson in his early manhood, by a series of
distinct and remarkable Providences, into this field of labor, this
Society in America had been pervaded by a noiseless agitation on the
subject of slavery, which resulted in the abandonment of the slave-trade,
in the liberation of their slaves, and in the adoption of a rule of
discipline excluding slaveholders from religious fellowship; so that for
many years past, the sins in question have been not so much as to be
named among them, or the possibility of their commission hinted at, by
any one bearing the name and professing the principles of a "Friend."
The change described, was effected, not by "pressure from without,"
but by the constraining influence of the love of Christ. The chief
instruments in the hands of Divine Providence in bringing about so
remarkable a reformation, were John Woolman and Anthony Benezet,
of whom the former was the earlier in the field and broke up the fallow
ground, under circumstances of the greatest discouragement,