156 The American Female Slave. For the children of her love, For the brothers of her race, For the parent forms that hung By her sad forsaken hearth, 'Tis for these she wildly grieves ! Now all scattered o'er the earth, Like the wind-strewn autumn leaves! His wife from her bower, Will look forth in her sorrow, But he ne'er shall return : To her hope of to-morrow: Alas for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,- Oh, loved of the Lotus, Thy waters adorning ! Pour, Joliba! pour Thy full streams to the mourning! The Halcyon may take Thy light wave for her pillow, But wo to the white man, That trusts to thy billow: Alas for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger, No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger. The American Female Slave. 157 Ev'n her babes so dear, so young, And so treasured in her heart, That the cords which round them clung, These, ev'n these where torn away! Then to still her frantic wo, The inhuman scourge was tried, Till the tears that ceased to flow, Were with redder drops supplied. And can you behold unmoved, Are not woman's pulses warm, Is it not a sister's form, On whose limbs those fetters rest? Oh then save her from a doom, Let her pass not to the tomb, Abolition of the Foreign Slave Trade. LXXXVIII.* To Thee, Almighty, gracious power, The nations heard his loud commands! Then strike the lyre :—your voices raise ! Shun sinful pleasure's giddy throng; Then, we our freedom shall retain, And golden harvests from the soil. * Sung at the Boston celebration of the Abolition of the Foreign Slave Trade, July 14, 1808. Sermon by Jedediah Morse, D. D. Remainder of the services by Rev. Mr. Blood, Rev. Mr. Channing, and Rev. Mr. Codman. To the Advocates of Emancipation. Ye nations that to us restore The rights that God bestowed on all From one paternal stem ye spring, O then, your mutual wrongs forgive! To the Advocates of Emancipation. LXXXIX. KELLEY. MEN of God, go take your stations, Darkness reigns throughout the earth; Go, proclaim among the nations Joyful news of heavenly birth; 159 160 To the Advocates of Emancipation. Bear the tidings Of the Saviour's matchless worth. Of his Gospel not ashamed, As the power of God to save,' Blessed freedom! Such as Zion's children have. When exposed to fearful dangers, Jesus will his own defend; Borne afar 'midst foes and strangers, And his presence Shall be with you to the end. We shall not assume it as a fact in mental science, that the power of truth upon a sinner's conscience, depends on his not suspecting that we desire his self-application of it. We shall not deem it an unpardonable personality to say to the titled transgressor- Thou art the man'—nor evidence of an unchristian spirit, to use the language of Christ-nor' vituperation,' to speak the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth '—nor headstrong to persevere, ' whether men will hear or whether they will forbear '—nor unduly censorious' to censure whom truth and scripture censure—nor too denunciatory to announce God's revealed judgments-nor too harsh to say, 'Wo to the wicked,' when He commands us to say 'Wo to the wicked’— nor rash to stand where Omnipotent Justice and Mercy stand-nor imprudent to abide under the shadow of the Almighty.—William Goodell. |