Page:Memoirs of the Lives.djvu/72

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time directed to commerce, in the prosecution of which he visited many of the West India Islands, and several of the provinces on the American continent. The humane heart of Sandiford soon became impressed with feelings of compassion towards that race of his fellow creatures, whom he had an opportunity of beholding not only subjected to unnatural bondage, but the unoffending victims of the most wanton and cruel personal injury. In addition to its effect in exciting the benevolent feelings of his nature, the sight of so much human misery, led him seriously to inquire into the relative duties and obligations of man, as they are enjoined by religion and reason. The result of his inquiry was delivered in the following sound opinion: "The holding of negroes in slavery is inconsistent with the rights of man, and contrary to the precepts of the Author of Christianity." With this doctrine he began his career in the work of reformation, and in this conviction he closed his benevolent labours, and with them, his earthly pilgrimage.