Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS. 229 saw it made to sanction and defend the enslavement and bondage of a brother, with its horrible consequences. It was then that he advanced beyond his country and its church, to where Christ to him was larger than creed, and his Christianity transcended his churchianity. And from this point Mr. Douglass never retrograded; but he never ceased to reverence the God of humanity as he saw God. In this terrific soul conflict Mr. Douglass told me that for a time he blundered into bewilderment, but God sent him deliverance. Last fall, at the office of his son Lewis, he explained this conflict to me in a conversation on religion. The crisis was reached when the Fugitive Slave Bill became a law. The National Domain became the enslavers' hunting ground, and any citizen liable to be made a slave catcher. He was then editor of the North Star at Rochester, N. Y Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, coming to the city, called upon Mr. Douglass and inquired, " Mr. Douglass, how are you ? " " I am all broken up. Done with your church, your Christianity, and your hypocrisy. You have given your country over to slavery and to slave catchers, and your church sanctions it as authorized by the Bible." Mr. Douglass said: " Mr. Beecher sat down upon the head of a keg,
Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection 23O LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS. taking for his text, ' Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth' (Rev. xix. 6). Upon this, Mr. Beecher for a half-hour went into history, into science, reason, and into Scripture truths, with other facts, as only Mr. Beecher could. When I arose, I arose a changed and delivered man. Now," said Mr. Douglass, " I am in the trade winds of the Almighty." Mr. Douglass has several times within a few months expressed to me the joy he experienced in God and in spiritual life. He was a constant worshiper here when weather and health permitted. He always called this his church, and took a deep interest in its welfare and in the affairs of the connection. He, several times, after listening to the sermon at the morning hour, has grasped the minister's hand, saying, " I have been greatly instructed, edified, and inspired this morning." Several times he told me how his soul had been thrilled by Dr. J. W Beckett, when singing: — Jesus, my Saviour, to Bethlehem came, Born in a manger to sorrow and shame. O, it was wonderful! How can it be ? Seeking for me, seeking for me. Death has ended the career of the long, useful life of this great, good, and unique man. We can't say of him as of Abner, that he has fallen, but that he has risen, in that to a greater extent,
Page 1 and 2:
Central Library of Rochester and Mo
Page 3 and 4:
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198: Central Library of Rochester and Mo
Page 247: Central Library of Rochester and Mo
Page 299 and 300:
Page 301 and 302:
Page 303 and 304:
Page 305 and 306:
Page 307 and 308:
Page 309 and 310:
Page 311 and 312:
Page 313 and 314:
Page 315 and 316:
Page 317 and 318:
Page 319 and 320:
Page 321 and 322:
Page 323 and 324:
Page 325 and 326:
Page 327 and 328:
Page 329 and 330:
Page 331 and 332:
Page 333 and 334:
Page 335 and 336:
Page 337 and 338:
show all

Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?