others. His conversation and zeal are said to have done much in drawing attention to the subject, and in conciliating many who at first appeared opposed. He proposed a special season of prayer in reference to the object, and several pious persons met him for the purpose of spending an hour in such an exercise. When told that some were incredulous, and that some ridiculed the plan proposed, he replied, ‘I know this scheme is from God’”[1]
It was from God. Begun thus in a spirit of humble dependence on the Divine blessing, it was upheld by the Divine support, and succeeded. In furtherance of the great object, a society was formed at Washington, in December, 1816, under the name of the “American Colonization Society.” It was composed of some of the best and wisest men of the nation, north and south. Soon, also, the cause attracted attention in England; and some of the truest friends of Africa and of the slave interested themselves in it, foreseeing in these small beginnings a great future. The venerable Clarkson, speaking of it some years afterwards, thus wrote: “For myself, I am free to say, that of all things that have been going on in our favor since 1787, when the abolition of the slave-trade was first seriously proposed, that which is going on in the United States is the most important. It surpasses everything that has yet occurred No sooner had your colony been established on Cape Montserado than there appeared a
- ↑ Plea for Africa; or, Familiar Conversations on the Subject of Slavery and Colonization. by the Rev. J. Freeman, Philadelphia. We would warmly recommend this book to general perusal: it contains much interesting information on the subjects of slavery, the slave-trade, and the colonization of Africa; and it is written in the best spirit.
