institutions and ordinances of religion but be afforded them by the charity of Christians, and in a few years the last dark gloom shall roll away from the beautiful islands which compose the Columbian archipelago, and the knowledge of the Gospel diffuse itself through every plantation, and spread peace, security, harmony, and the blessings of God throughout the whole."*

progressive discontinuation of punishment so marked, that he has a confident hope that punishment will die away and be extinguished at no distant period; and that the beneficial effects are to be attributed almost exclusively to the labors of the Wesleyan missionaries." Mr. Rose maintained, that the power of Christianity alone, when it would become general, would end in emancipation; that slavery could not stand against real and universal Christianity; that obstacles to emancipation must vanish be fore it; that the improved religion of the slaves had already reflected a light upward, and acted on classes above them in society, producing new feelings and a new impulse; and that in an island where the greatest progress had been made in evangelizing the negroes, institutions were actually in progress, of which the West Indies would not have been regarded as susceptible a few years back. Mr. Rose supposed that about 80,000 adults and children were either Church members, or under instruction, among the Wesleyans alone; while he calculated that about 20,000 adults and children were under the care of all others, comprising Baptists, Moravians, the Scotch Church, and the Church of England.

In the course of the year 1822 a great excitement was produced by the agitation of measures in the British Parliament respecting the slave population of the West Indies. The insurrection in the colony of Demarara, through various unfounded reports, exposed the missionaries to temporary reflections and slanders. These have all been removed by the facts which the Missionary Committee were able to give to the world of the peaceable conduct both of the missionaries and members. The Committee met the indiscriminate charges made against the missionaries, as having excited the revolt by publishing the instructions under which the societies' missionaries are required to act. The slaves in the colony conducted themselves in a manner becoming their Christian profession. Not one out of 1,216 Church members, chiefly slaves, had been in the least concerned in the revolt. The slaves of Mr. Cheesewright not only refused to join the insurgents, but conducted their master to a vessel, by which he reached Georgetown in safety. Two of the religious slaves had, indeed, been suspected of taking part in the insurrection, but on strict examination they were found entirely innocent. Under the influence of mistaken views and misrepresentations, the Methodist chapel in Bridgetown, Barbadoes, was destroyed by a mob; but this was only the ebullition of a moment, as the great cause of enlightening and moralizing the slaves, by means of religious instruction, gained daily new friends 11. In 1824 the British Antislavery Society among those whose connection with the colo-published its first report. When the Society nies is most intimate and influential.

The number of Church members in the Methodist societies in the West Indies in 1822, according to the British Minutes, was 880 whites, and 23,819 black and colored: total, 24,699.

Indeed, the intrinsic value of the labors of the Wesleyans in the West Indies can not be fully estimated. The self-denying exertions and sacrifices which they have made, in the face of obloquy and persecution, and even of bonds and imprisonment, for the salvation and best interests of the slaves, are beyond all praise. These missionaries may be ranked among the martyrs and confessors of old; for like them they have been ready to risk even life for the benefit of the slave; and their success, which has been great, has been achieved in the face of obstacles of most formidable and disheartening description.

was founded Mr. Watson hesitated to connect himself with it, fearing it might assume ultra principles and measures. Mr. Bunting had connected himself with the Society at its first formation, and denounced West India slavery in the Wesleyan Magazine. When the first re10. From the speech of Sir George Rose, in port of the Society was published, Mr. Watson the house of commons, on the 15th of May, was satisfied with its character, and united with 1823, we have important information concerning it, and called it a "truly-patriotic and Christhe Wesleyan missions. Having inherited es-tian society." In some principles and measures tates in the West Indies, he turned his atten- the British Antislavery Society differed from tion to their religious instruction. He first applied to his own Church-the Established one for instructors; but in vain. He next solicited the aid of the Moravian Brethren, who were unable, though willing, to answer to his request. There then remained no other resource than the Wesleyan mission. This was the one he was most unwilling to address himself to, on account of the strong feelings against them in the minds of some. But the choice was between heathenism in its worst shape, and Christianity as preached by a Protestant sect. The Committee of the Antislavery Society, On one estate, where the negroes had been bap-in their report in 1824, state "that nothing can tized by his own Church, they were in every justify the making one man a slave, or even other respect heathens. In a neighboring es- the retention of one man in slavery longer than tate, under the Wesleyans, the black popula- the real benefit of the slave himself, incurred tion became generally real and practical Chris- in all his circumstances and relations, may retians. The attorney of this estate declared, quire." On this noble declaration Mr. Watson that "this improvement is so decisive, and the comments as follows: "This passage," says he,

*See Watson's Life, pp. 245, 246, N. Y.

+See Document, No. 3. Watson's Life, pp. 284, 235.

the American Antislavery Society. The two societies differed much more in the character of their leaders. We seek in vain among the first leaders of the American society such men as Clarkson, Wilberforce, Buxton, Brougham, and many others. There was a soberness of manner, too, as well as distance from extravagant opinions in the society which Watson called Christian and patriotic, which could not be found in the society of which Mr. Garrison formed the principal leader.

appears to contain the only just principle which can be urged for the continuance of slavery for any period; and the principle, too,

with the Christian religion, yet the peaceable, resigned habits of our negro congregations, for near forty years, are sufficiently in proof that this opinion has never interfered with the enforcenient of the Christian duty of submission by our society and its missionaries.

by which alone it can be limited. The case is much the same as that of a stolen child among ourselves. No right was ever acquired in the child; but, supposing the party who has committed the theft to be brought to a sense of the evil of his crime and of the duty of restitution, he is not to abandon the child to starve, in 3. That, as we never did hide this opinion order to put away his crime; for that would be on the general question of slavery, we could to aggravate the injury. He is to support it, not shrink from its avowal when circumstances and to educate it, if able, till the parents can obliged us either to make it or tacitly to profess be found; and if not, to do his utmost that the contrary opinion. We hope we have purthe child shall sustain no injury as to its future sued our course in perfect openness and sincer situation in life, which he can prevent. Slavery ity. We can not surrender principles even to is a national violence, a national theft. The obtain that favor in the West Indies by which nation could never acquire a moral right of we might increase our opportunities of doing property in slaves, and could, therefore, never good. Wherever policy may be proper, we give it by any legislative act to any individuals think it out of its place in the proceedings of a whatever. National repentance of this evil has religious society, and wish it most clearly to been announced, and what then follows, as be understood, that while we ask protection for 'fruits of repentance?' Not, we grant, eman- our missions, on the ground of inculcating cipation instanter, IF that, after calm investi- peace and good order in the colonies, and our gation, can be proved injurious to the slaves, missionaries being restrained from all interbut emancipation as soon as ever it can be ben- ference with the civil concerns of the populaeficial, and the honest and united efforts of tion, our society in this country is but of one Government to remove all present and real inju-sentiment on the subject of slavery as a ries, and to adopt instant means to prepare the slaves for as speedy a relief as possible, from the necessary evils of that bondage to which we have reduced them, in opposition to every law of God."*

system."*

The chapel in Barbadoes had been standing about four years, when it was destroyed, in 1823. Its destruction was wholly by whites, except one colored man, who had been educa12. The agitation of the subject of slavery in ted in England, and who thought he must England was very offensive to the advocates of imitate the whites; but after this act, not one slavery, especially in Jamaica. The situation of the colored people of the island would assoof the missionaries in that island was trying. ciate with him. The Missionary Committee, Some of them, driven by the force of circum-in 1825, took measures to rebuild the church stances, signed certain resolutions in favor of slavery, and censuring the British antislavery men. These resolutions pledged the Wesleyan body in England to the approval of slavery, and were reprinted in England. Hence, the managing Wesleyan Committee in England felt it their duty publicly to disavow the doctrine of the resolutions, and to declare that, in the estimation of the Wesleyan body, the holding of meu in interminable bondage is inconsistent with the principles of Christianity. The resolutions of the Committee gave great uneasiness to Lord Bathurst, principal Secretary for the colonies. To a communication from Lord Bathurst, through Mr. Horton, Mr. Watson replied under date of February 11, 1825. We give the entire answer, except the mere introductory and concluding expressions of civility.

"1. That the sentiment expressed in that extract is nothing more than we have uniformly stated to gentlemen connected with the West Indies, whenever the subject has been mentioned. Our opinions, as a body, respecting slavery, as a system, have long been known throughout the West Indies; but as it is equally known by all persons who will do us justice, that our missionaries are restrained from agitating all abstract questions of this kind, both in public and private, and that we hold it as a most sacred Christian duty, that obedience should be paid by slaves to their owners, and that seditions and insurrections are crimes of the highest nature, no exceptions have ever been taken to our missions on that

account.

"2. That though we, in common with the great body of people in this country, think that nothing can be more obvious than that slavery, in all its forms, is utterly inconsistent

*Watson's Life, pp. 294, 295.

and re-establish the mission. They did this in the spirit of perfect charity, not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but trusting in God, who could so dispose the hearts of men that the light and influence of the Gospel might finally prevail in the morally-necessitous island of Barbadoes. The inoffensiveness of Mr. Shrewsbury, the missionary, who was thrust out from his charge by violence, was attested by the Legislature of the island, although their hostility to the missions was very great. The persecuted society in Barbadoes, while deprived of the ordinances of religion by the banishment of their missionary and the destruction of their chapel, contributed regularly, as before, to the Missionary Society.

13. Mr. Buxton, without solicitation from the Wesleyans, brought a bill before Parliament condemning the transactions in Barbadoes and testifying to the good conduct of the missionary. By this act religious tolerance was established or reasserted in the colony. The Wesleyan conference, in 1825, unanimously adopted resolutions of thanks to Mr. Buxton, for introducing the bill, and to Messrs. Butterworth, Smith, Brougham, and Lushington for supporting it.

The conference also, this year, at Mr. Watson's suggestion, declared that nothing is more contrary to the writings of our venerable founder, and to the views which our societies in general maintain to this day, than the notion that it is in any sense consistent with the spirit or the laws of Christianity to enslave our fellow-men, or to retain them in interminable bondage. The slavery of the negroes this conference considers to be one of the most heinous of our public offenses, the principle of which it becomes us as a nation instantly and heartily

*Life of Watson, pp. 296, 297.

to renounce, and the practice of which we are equally bound to discontinue, as speedily as a prudent and benevolent regard to the interests of those who are the subjects of the oppression will permit."*

14. In 1826 the pro-slavery spirit broke out against the missionaries. On Christmas day the militia regiment was called out in the parish of St. Ann, Jamaica, to watch over the slaves. The regiment attended the Established Church, where they heard a sermon from the Rev. Mr. Bridges, replete with inflammatory language against the missionaries in the island, and exciting to acts of outrage and blood. The attack was made by a party of whites of the light company of the militia, by firing frequently into the house of the Rev. Mr. Ratcliffe, Wesleyan missionary.

15. In the year 1827 the number of members in the West Indies was 27,606 negroes and people of color. Persecution in various forms manifested itself. Mr. Grimsdall, for preaching in an unlicensed house, was twice cast into prison. His second imprisonment broke down his strong constitution, so that he died in consequence, December 15, 1827.

Dr. Lushington gives the following testimonial, March 13, 1827, in the British Parliament, in favor of the Methodists: "To the Wesleyan missionaries this country was indebted for the small portion of instruction and religious knowledge at present to be found among the lower classes and slave population of the West Indies. But for them, the whole black population of the West Indies would have contínued in a state of idolatry and paganism."+

maica itself, according to the statement of its bishop, there was room in the churches of the Establishment only for 11,500 hearers, for a population of 400,000 souls, declares as follows: "And even if the poor slaves were to go to these churches, they are in far too low a state to receive instruction from men educated at Oxford and Cambridge. Ah, sir, the teaching they require is of a different kind; and there have been persons, blessed be God, who, to their honor, have gone forth to teach themmissionaries who have gone forth with the warmth of the true religion glowing in their hearts, and by whom benefits have been conferred which have been amply acknowledged by the planters themselves, in Antigua especially, and various other islands; and independently of all the spiritual benefits they have conferred, it has been further acknowledged that they have been of the greatest service in promoting the peace and order of the colonies. And so it ever will be; for that religion which comes from God, if cordially embraced, will not only carry people to a better world, but it will scatter blessings in profusion on the right hand and on the left, in all the lines of its progress."*

On the same occasion on which Mr. Wilberforce spoke, the Rev. Baptist Noel declared as follows: "When I refer to the melancholy picture of the West Indies on the Sabbath day, I feel that, as a Christian minister, I shall be excused if I offer one or two obscrvations. It was stated in the pamphlet to which Mr. Denman referred, that in Antigua Mr. Divarris, the author, was delighted at the spectacle of Sabbath happiness and Sabbath comfort which, in one instance, he there witnessed. I thank him for that illustration; for it tells powerfully upon the substantial truth and justice of our cause. Sir, Antigua has long enjoyed the privilege of Sunday schools and religious instruction under Christian missionaries; and it arose not from the benevolence of the West India planters that such a spectacle was exhibited to that gentleman; it arose from the active efforts of those men of God, who, though often proscribed and insulted, have nevertheless been the benefactors of their species, and who, on the showing of our opponents themselves, are admitted to have produced a mitigation of slavery by those efforts which they have made, in spite of the wills and wishes of the planters."+

16. In 1828 the number of colored persons in the Wesleyan societies in the West Indies was 29,060, of whom 22,590 were slaves, and 6,470 were free blacks, showing a handsome increase during the year. After the demolition of the Methodist chapel at St. Ann's Bay, in Jamaica, after a violent attack on the Methodists from the pulpit by the Rev. George Bridges, and the impunity which followed that crime, various other outrages succeeded that. The Rev. Mr. Grimsdall first fell a victim to the persecuting magistracy of St. Ann's. On Sunday, August 10th, 1828, as the Rev. Mr. Whitehouse was on his way to preach at St. Ann's Bay, he was arrested, accused of having preached without a license; that is, of having a license in one parish, and having preached in another. He was flung into the dungeon, where Mr. Grimsdall 17. In 1829 the mission in Jamaica was ophad perished. The Rev. Mr. Orten received the posed with great violence. The House of As intelligence of his persecuted brother's afflic-sembly appointed a committee to inquire into tion, with a request that he would supply his the operation and effects of missions conducted place to his congregation. He did so, and was by sectarians." The committee drew up a forthwith committed to the same jail. When report very injurious to the missionaries, but it was found, after seventeen days' incarcera wholly unsupported by evidence. The mistion, that the unhealthy air of the dungeon sionaries were imprisoned, and one-Mr. Grimswould prove fatal, the missionaries were set at dall-died. Another-Mr. Orten-on his return liberty by the chief justice, who declared their to England, with impaired health, drew an confinement to have been without the shadow affecting narrative of these iniquitous proceedof a pretense. But the intolerant spirit of sla-ings. In the mean time, the report of the Javery led to their imprisonment, regardless of law, justice, or mercy. Indeed, from the events of this year-1828we collect the most convincing testimonies to the fidelity of the missionaries and the great need of their services. Mr. Wilberforce, in his speech of May 3, 1828, before the Antislavery Society, after stating that in the island of Ja

maica Sectarian Committee was reprinted in England, and every attempt was made, both in England and in Jamaica, to cover the mission with odium, and, if possible, to break it up. Under these circumstances, Mr. Watson pub. lished an appendix to the Missionary Report, consisting of Mr. Orten's Narrative and his own observations on it. This was undertaken

Antislavery Reporter, May, 1828, Vol. II, p. 216. †Id., p. 232.

the artifice of man could have extinguished, and the chains that bind the slave would have fallen off forever. But, maligned as the missionaries have been, and misrepresented as their proceedings are, such is not their office, as the peaceful, and civilizing, and practical effects already produced through their instrumentality on the lives of so many thousands abundantly testify. If there were not a British bayonet within the whole confines of slavery, strange as the assertion may seem to be, the Christian missionaries alone, with free ac

stem the torrent of discord at the fountain, and prove to their country a protection against every internal commotion."*

merely in self-defense, and was a complete justification of the missionaries, as well as a just exposure of the evil acts of their persecutors."* 18. The year 1830 was a critical period in the history of the West India missions. The impotency of a merely worldly Christianity, in affecting slavery, was manifest. But when the pure morals of the Gospel came to be applied, the sinfulness of slavery could not be covered. From 1655 till about 1810, when the labors of missionaries began to be felt, a space of about one hundred and forty-five years, the West Indies were wholly given up to immoral-cess to the objects of their benevolence, would ity. The promiscuous intercourse of the sexes was general; the Sabbath was nearly unknown as a day of rest and worship to the slave; no place was allotted in the churches to the slaves; At the anniversary of the Wesleyan Missioncatechetical instruction was wholly unknown. ary Society, held May 3, 1830, Mr. Watson secThe principle of the Wesleyans was to exclude onded the following resolution, which was from Church membership every individual moved by Dr. Steinkopff: "That the continued whose manner of life was not strictly conform- success of the missions to the negroes of the able to the Christian rule, not only in regard to West India colonies, and the prudence, fidelmarriage, but also in every other moral require-ity, and fortitude of those of the missionaries ment. Such was the effect of this wholesome who have been exposed to unmerited reproach discipline, that the tone of morality was so and persecution, afford additional reasons for raised among the slave population that no one the support and extension of a system of religthought of claiming discipleship till the pre- ious care and instruction, which at once conrequisites of a Christian life were faithfully veys the direct blessings of Christianity to the adhered to. Nevertheless, the execution of the slave population, and tends more fully to preslave laws constantly interfered with the full pare them for all those ameliorations which it exercise of discipline. may be the purpose of a wise and benevolent Legislature to introduce and extend."

Indeed, the effect of Christian teaching on the slaves was of the most salutary kind. We Mr. Watson supported this resolution by an can not present this better than by quoting the able speech, in which he maintained that it Rev. Mr. Trew, in his "Nine Letters to the was the sacred duty of every missionary in the Duke of Wellington on Colonial Slavery." Mr. West Indies to apply himself to his spiritual Trew was a clergyman of the Established work, and to that alone; but as nothing could Church. "But in these days of light," says be done by the negro himself, it ought to be he, "it were impossible to preclude it from done by those of England; that true Christianbreaking in here and there upon the negro ity can not bear slavery; its fraternal principle mind, although the utmost precautions were forbids it; its mercy and its justice forbid it; adopted for keeping it from him. Knowledge and that it was the duty of Christians to petithe slave will have, whether his master will or tion Parliament to do away slavery. He also not; and, hence, it more deeply concerns the referred to the persecuted and imprisoned misplanter to see that he is instructed in right sionaries, who willingly resolved to suffer or principles. There is a powerful evidence that die, if need be, in their glorious work; and may be adduced in order to prove the superior- concluded his admirable address with a just ity of knowledge, when tempered by religious tribute of respect to the exertions and liberalinstruction, in preserving the peace and security of Dr. Coke, who was the father and founder ity of the colonies. It is a fact which can not of the West India missions."+

tion to negro instruction, especially in Jamaica, and by the cases of cruelty which had occurred and were just published with all their details. The slave Henry Williams was almost flogged to death for being a Methodist, and praying to God. The Antislavery Society, too, by its active operations for several years, had suc

be disputed, and that may be proved to the sat- The Methodist mind of Britain was deeply isfaction of your Grace, that in no single in-impressed by the fierce and determined opposistance, in the island of Jamaica, has a solitary case been known of treason or rebellion being charged against any of the negro slaves who have been in Church communion with the ministers of the Establishment, of the Moravian, of the Wesleyan, nor, as far as can be ascertained, of the Baptist persuasions; while it is notorious that, in those districts where rebell-ceeded in making a strong impression on the ion has raised its antichristian arm, there has been either a want of fidelity on the part of the resident clergy, or the unhappy slaves, who have been deluded into the conspiracies, have been cut off from the means of religious instruction, as well as from a participation in those Christian privileges placed within the reach of their more fortunate brethren." "If the design of the missionaries had been to unsettle the negro mind, and to arouse him to avenge his wrongs, the die would long ere this have been cast in the British colonies, and a flame would have been kindled which not all

See Appendix to Missionary Report for 1829. for Extracts. See Antislavery Reporter, Vol. III, pp. 354-356.

public mind respecting the evils of slavery and the duty of Parliament to terminate it as soon as possible. So powerful, however, was the West India body in the Legislature, that scarcely any member of the house of commons, except Mr. Brougham, was heard with ordinary patience and decency in favor of the slave, and against the incurable atrocities of the system. This period was, therefore, considered a crisis by the friends of emancipation, and an expression of the national will on that

Nine Letters to the Duke of Wellington on Colonial Slavery, pp. 48-51. See Antislavery Reporter, Vol. IV, pp. 105-118.

Watson's Life, pp. 369-371.

question was loudly called for at the approaching elections. Mr. Brougham was the candidate for the county of York. The entire influence of Mr. Watson and the Methodists was used in his favor. Mr. Wesley had declared his sentiments against slavery with great perspicuity and force. This had greatly afded Wilberforce and his friends in their long and severe struggle with the advocates of manstealing. Mr. Watson and the leading Methodists thought that the time had now come when the conference should more publicly and distinctly bear testimony against slavery as existing in the British colonies. Accordingly a preamble and six resolutions were adopted with perfect cordiality by the Wesleyan Methodist conference, assembled at Leeds, on the 30th of July, 1830, the Rev. George Morley in the chair.

The preamble invited a general application to Parliament, by petition, that measures might be adopted to terminate slavery. The six resolutions of conference comprised respectively the six following leading views: 1. That slavery was in direct opposition to all the principles of natural right and the spirit of Christianity. 2. That West India slavery was marked with peculiar characters of severity and injustice. 3. That slavery was incompatible with a general diffusion of good morals and religion, and is necessarily associated with general ignorance, vice, and wretchedness. The particulars are detailed under this head. 4. The brotherhood between the British Wesleyans and 24,000 slave Church members, with their families, is urged as a reason for British Methodists to use their influence with the nation in favor of freedom. 5. The Wesleyans concur with other Christians on the evils of slavery, and urge their Irish and British members to unite in petitions against it. 6. They recommend their members who have votes to use them in favor of liberty.*

obedience to masters, he disposes of as follows: That the principles of Christianity are opposed to slavery; that Christianity did abolish it; that the counsel to submission was one and the same with counseling submission to any other wrong; that slaves should endeavor to become free if they lawfully could; and the plea of slaveholders generally, that Christianity would gradually do away slavery, proves that slavery and Christianity are in antagonism; and that the various professions of pro-slavery men in opposing the missionaries, while in general they favored a Christianity which suited them, showed that they were hypocritical as well as unfair in their reasoning.*

19. From the Report of the Wesleyan Missionary Society for the year 1831, we collect the statistics and state of the Wesleyan Church in the West Indies. There were 24,499 slaves Church members, and 7,281 free negroes and persons of color; in all, 31,780 members. The number of children and adults in the mission schools was 25,420. Upward of three thousand of the children instructed in the schools were the children of slaves. Fifty-eight missionaries were employed. In Jamaica, where opposition to the missions was strongest and longer continued than elsewhere, much prosperity was enjoyed. There were upward of twelve thousand Church members in that island alone; and the call for spiritual instruction and pastoral labor from new places was greater than could be attended to. The habits of society were very much averse to pure Christianity, especially in regard to the Sabbath and the obliga tions of marriage. Still, through the influence of the missions, much progress was made in the observance of moral requirements.

These cheering statements were scarcely before the public, when the most appalling accounts were received from Jamaica. The home Government had sent out some new regulations Agreeably to the resolutions of conference, tending to meliorate the condition of the slaves. the Wesleyans were not idle. The subject was This was resisted by the local authorities. brought before their congregations in their cir- Many of the negroes, impatient of slavery, and cuits on week-day evenings, when the subject actuated by the persuasion that the king had of slavery was stated by one or more speakers, given them their freedom, and that it was withand a petition was prepared and signed. At held by their masters, raised an extensive inone of these meetings Mr. Watson delivered a surrection, in which many plantations were powerful address on the subject. We give a seriously injured. The blame was laid on the very brief outline of the leading features of missionaries. The governor declared that no his address. He stated, if the case involved charge whatever lay against them; yet an assomerely political considerations, this would not ciation was formed called the Colonial Church be the place to express their opinions; but the Union, the professed object of which was the conference viewed it morally and religiously, maintenance of the Church of England, but and so did religious people generally; that the the real design of which was to prevent all Wesleyans, both because they labored more future attempts to instruct and evangelize the than all others for the salvation of the slaves, slave population. The Union was composed and were more generally opposed, were pecu- of Episcopalians, Jews, Deists, Presbyterians, liarly called on to act; that Mr. Wesley, in his and libertines. In defiance of law they proable tract, had shown them the example; if it ceeded to destroy the mission chapels, and was wrong to steal men from Africa and make sought to murder the missionaries. A part of them slaves, it is wrong to retain them in slav- the press in England adopted and propagated ery; it would be as just for the black man to the calumnies against the missionaries from the enslave the white man as for the white man to Jamaica papers. These outrages were overenslave the black. He argued that it was a ruled by divine Providence, so as to hasten the mere sophism to assume that West India slav-measure of emancipation, though for a season ery stands on the same ground as the servitude it was doubtful whereunto those things would mentioned in the Old Testament; for these differ both in their circumstances and in their essence. And in regard to the New Testament argument insisted on by slaveholders, that the apostles did not condemn slavery, but enjoined

*See Document, No. 2, for the resolutions of the British conference, and Watson's Life, p. 375.

grow. Mr. Watson defended the persecuted missionaries in the Wesleyan Magazine, and commended them and their injured flocks to the merciful protection of almighty God.

The agents of the West India slaveholders in England were not idle in their endeavors to

*See Watson's speech, in his Life, pp. 379–385.