PHILADELPHIA, 8th
month, 30th, 1835.
Respected Friend:
It seems as if I was compelled at this time to address thee,
notwithstanding all my reasonings against intruding on thy valuable time, and
the uselessness of so insignificant a person as myself offering thee the
sentiments of sympathy at this alarming crisis.
I can hardly express to thee the deep and solemn interest
with which I have viewed the violent proceedings of the last few weeks.
Although I expected opposition, yet I was not prepared for it so soon – it took
me by surprise, and I greatly feared Abolitionists would be driven back in the
first onset, and thrown into confusion. So fearful was I, that though I clung
with unflinching firmness to our principles, yet I was afraid of even
opening one of thy papers, lest I should see some indications of compromise,
some surrender, some palliation. Under these feelings, I was urged to read thy
Appeal to the citizens of Boston. Judge, then, what were my feelings, on
finding that my fears were utterly groundless, and that thou stoodest firm in
the midst of the storm, determined to suffer and to die, rather than yield one
inch. My heart was filled with thanksgiving and praise to the Preserver of men;
I thanked God, and took courage, earnestly desiring that thousands may adopt
thy language, and be prepared to meet the Martyr's doom, rather than
give up the principles you (i. e. Abolitionists) have adopted. The ground upon
which you stand is holy ground: never – never surrender it. If you surrender
it, the hope of the slave is extinguished, and the chains of his servitude will
be strengthened a hundred fold. But let no man take your crown, and success is
as certain as the rising of to-morrow’s sun. But remember you must be willing to
suffer the loss of all things – willing to be the scorn and reproach of professor
and profane. You must obey our great Master’s injunction: “Fear not them
that kill the body, and after that, have nothing more that they can do.” You
must, like Apostles, “count not your lives dear unto yourselves, so that
you may finish your course with joy.”
Religious persecution always begins with mobs: it is
always unprecedented in the age or country in which it commences, and
therefore there are no laws, by which Reformers can be punished;
consequently, a lawless band of unprincipled men determine to take the matter
into their hands, and act out in mobs, what they know are the principles
of a large majority of those who are too high in Church and State to condescend
to mingle with them, though they secretly approve and rejoice over their
violent measures. The first martyr who ever died, was stoned by a lawless
mob; and if we look at the rise of various sects – Methodists, Friends,
&c. – we shall find that mobs began the persecution against them,
and that it was not until after the people had thus spoken out their
wishes, that laws were framed to fine, imprison, or destroy them. Let us, then,
be prepared for the enactment of laws even in our Free States, against
Abolitionists. And how ardently has the prayer been breathed, that God would
prepare us for all he is preparing for us; that he would strengthen us
in the hour of conflict, and cover our heads (if consistent with his holy will)
in the day of battle! But O! how earnestly have I desired, not that we
may escape suffering, but that we may be willing to endure unto the end. If we
call upon the slave-holder to suffer the loss of what he calls property, then
let us show him we make this demand from a deep sense of duty, by being
ourselves willing to suffer the loss of character, property – yea, and life
itself, in what we believe to be the cause of bleeding humanity.
My mind has been especially turned towards those, who are
standing in the fore front of the battle; and the prayer has gone up for their
preservation – not the preservation of their lives, but the preservation of
their minds in humility and patience, faith, hope, and charity – that
charity which is the bond of perfectness. If persecution is the means which God
has ordained for the accomplishment of this great end, EMANCIPATION; then, in
dependence upon Him for strength to bear it, I feel as if I could say,
LET IT COME; for it is my deep, solemn, deliberate conviction, that this is
a cause worth dying for. I say so, from what I have seen, and heard, and
known, in a land of slavery, where rests the darkness of Egypt, and where is
found the sin of Sodom. Yes! LET IT COME – let us suffer, rather than
insurrections should arise.
At one time, I thought this system would be overthrown in
blood, with the confused noise of the warrior; but a hope gleams across my
mind, that our blood will be spilt, instead of the slave-holders’; our
lives will be taken, and theirs spared – I say a hope, for all things I
desire to be spared the anguish of seeing our beloved country desolated with
the horrors of a servile war. If persecution can abolish slavery, it will also
purify the Church; and who that stands between the porch and altar, weeping
over the sins of the people, will not be willing to suffer, if such immense
good will be accomplished. Let us endeavor, then, to put on the whole
armor of God, and, having done all, to stand ready for whatever is before us.
I have just heard of Dresser’s being flogged: it is no
surprise it all; but the language of our Lord has been sweetly revived – “Blessed
are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great
is your reward in heaven.” O! for a willingness and strength to suffer! But we
shall have false brethren now, just as the Apostles had, and this will be one
of our greatest griefs.
A. E. GRIMKÉ.
– Published in The
Liberator, Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday, September 19, 1835
