vD 
 
 
 lOv-. 
 
 
 
 
 
 w^k ,i. 
 
 ^V^ 
 
 ^^0^ 
 
 o 
 
 '^ 
 
 ,0 V- 
 
 ,-J^ 
 
 <i.' 
 
 ° IP ■-^■^■■■'■'' 
 
 i/^ w 
 
 bV 
 
 -Jv' 
 
 S^/ .^^""^ \^.-^M-^: b^-^^ 
 
 
o» ^V *^^ ""' 
 
 
 ,. • ,>«%^^, ^.^^ / ,;^-, ''.,^^,.^ ,^^^y_ \ 
 
 O I 
 
 
 
 "^vs O c ° " 
 
 ^o 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 r- .0 
 
 ;."-^<s ^-^ o^ 
 
 t 
 
 
 "k 
 
n cL: 
 
 AN 
 
 EFISTLE 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 YEARLY ]fI££TII¥G OF FRIENDS, 
 
 HELD 
 XZr PEZZiADEXiPHZA, 
 
 By adjournments from the 9th day of the 4th month to tho 
 J4th of the same, inclusive, 1832, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PEOPLE OF COLOUR 
 
 RESIDING IN PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, 
 AND PARTS ADJACENT. 
 
 
 PHILADELPHIA.' 
 Printed by J. Richards, 13 Church Alley. 
 
 1832. 
 
 It. 
 
EN5 
 
 Gift 
 W. L. Shoataak»r 
 
 7 % 'oe 
 
 ^O-'^oSs 
 
EPISTLE 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, 
 
 HELD IN PHILADELPHMt 
 
 By adjournments from the 9th day of the 4th month to the 
 l4th of the same, inclusive, 1832, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 M^EOJPJLE OF COJLOrR 
 
 RESIDING IN PENNSYLVANIA, &c/ 
 
 It is with feelings of brotherly and Christian 
 sympathy, that we are engaged to address you 
 at this time, to encourage you to bear up un- 
 der the difficulties and trials which surround 
 you. 
 
 Our forefathers took a deep interest in the 
 afflictions of your forefathers: they laboured 
 faithfully in pleading their cause, and often 
 stood forth as mouth for the dumb. The 
 same feelino: remains among us who are their 
 
descendants. It has solemnly spread over this 
 meeting at this time, and under its influence 
 we now address you. 
 
 Although dangers may threaten, and dark 
 clouds may hang over you, and you may feel 
 great discouragements, especially in perceiving 
 a disposition in some to pass oppressive laws 
 against you — when you look as on the right 
 hand, you may fear there is none to help, and 
 on the left, there is none to uphold, — ^yet re- 
 member that the Lord on high is mightier than 
 the noise of many waters, yea, even than the 
 raging waves of the sea; and if you are stea- 
 dily concerned to walk before Him in innocen- 
 cy and uprightness of heart, he will be to you 
 a never failing friend and helper in the time of 
 your distress. 
 
 We earnestly desire that you may be in- 
 creasingly concerned, that your lives and con- 
 versation among men may be such as become 
 the professors of the name of Christ; ever 
 bearing in mind, that the blessed Saviour was 
 a perfect example of meekness, gentleness, and 
 patience, under trial and deep suffering. When 
 he was spit upon and reviled, he reviled not 
 again, but returned blessing for cursing. He 
 
was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with 
 grief. And so far from being among the rich 
 and the great of this world, he declared of 
 himself, " The foxes have holes, and the birds 
 of the air have nests; but the son of man hath 
 not where to lay his head." 
 
 It has been cause of great comfort to us to 
 be informed, that among the people of colour 
 residing in Philadelphia and its neighbourhood, 
 a large number are conducting in a manner 
 highly satisfactory to their friends. We find 
 that many of you are industriously and honest- 
 ly engaged in different callings, are bringing 
 up your famihes wdth reputation, and are giv- 
 ing a good education to your children. We 
 also learn, that by the formation of numerous 
 societies among yourselves, for mutual assist- 
 ance in times of sickness and distress, you 
 extend aid to each other; and hence prevent 
 many from becoming a burden to the pubhc. 
 
 To such of you, especially, as are parents, 
 we desire to hold forth encouragement to per- 
 severe in giving useful learning to your chil- 
 dren to fit them for business. And may you 
 be careful, by precept and example, to bring 
 them up in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord, Ask counsel of Him to show you how 
 
'* 
 
 6 
 
 to go in and out before your tender offsprings 
 so that you may be enabled to raise them up 
 in all godliness and honesty — that they may 
 become respectable and useful members of the 
 community, and may prove a comfort to your 
 declining years. 
 
 To your children and youth, we feel en- 
 gaged to offer a word of tender counsel. We 
 would say to them, " Remember your Creator 
 in the days of your youth." Honour your 
 fathers and mothers. Cultivate love and kind- 
 ness to each other in your families. Keep 
 strictly to truth, honesty, and sobriety. Be 
 respectful and courteous in your deportment. 
 Be industrious, — remembering that now while 
 you are young is the all-important time to ob- 
 tain useful learning, and for the formation of 
 sound principles and correct habits. Thus as 
 you become obedient children of the Lord, and 
 of your parents, the Divine blessing will de- 
 scend upon you. 
 
 And now, with another class we are engaged 
 to expostulate, and to plead with them on be- 
 half of their own souls. To you who give 
 way to temptation, and lead an evil course of 
 Hfe — Oh ! that we could avaihngly entreat you, 
 
solemnly to pause — to consider your ways, 
 and be wise. Experience must have shown you 
 that " the way of the transgressor is hard." 
 Look around upon your sober and exemplary 
 neighbours, — see the comfort and happiness 
 which they enjoy, — compare their peaceful 
 homes with the vice and misery to be seen 
 in yours ! And further remember, that unless 
 you are favoured to experience repentance 
 and amendment of life, an awful judgment will 
 await you in the w orld to come ! While your 
 reproachful conduct is cause of deep distress 
 to your best friends, it gives occasion to those 
 who are watching over you for evil, to tell 
 them that the People of Colour are not fit to 
 be free men and women. It grieves the hearts 
 of your innocent and sober neighbours of your 
 own colour, who have sorely to feel the effects 
 of your evil conduct; and it has a tendency to 
 rivet the fetters more strongly on your afflict- 
 ed brethren and sisters who are still groaning 
 in bondage. Return, then, we entreat you ; — 
 repent, and live in a sober, honest, orderly, 
 and exemplary manner. 
 
 Finally, we desire to encourage all to put 
 their trust and confidence in our Heavenly 
 Father, who sleeps not by day, nor slumbers 
 
 / 
 
8 
 
 by night; but who numbers the very hairs of 
 our heads. 
 
 May you remember, that his arm is not 
 shortened that it cannot save — nor his ear 
 heavy that it cannot hear; but, for the cries 
 of the poor and the afflicted, he will arise with 
 healing in his wings. Righteousness will yet 
 overspread the nations, and the prediction of 
 the holy prophet will assuredly be fulfilled : 
 "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my 
 holy mountain : for the earth shall be full of 
 the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover 
 the sea." 
 
 Then indeed the cry of the oppressed shall 
 cease — the now bleeding Ethiopia, shall avail- 
 ingly stretch out her hands unto God, and that 
 glorious day will arrive when the kingdoms of 
 this world shall become the kingdoms of our 
 Lord and of his Christ. 
 
 Signed by direction and on behalf of the 
 Meeting, by 
 
 JOHN COMLY, 
 
 Clerk of the Men^s Meeting, 
 
 DEBORAH F. WHARTON, 
 
 Clerk of the Women'' s Meeting. 
 
 
- .0 
 
 '-'' '"-^o^ . ^^ ^ov^ :C:- 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 ,0^ , 
 
 
 4 <^ 
 
 o w o 
 
 
 ■'^^ "ov r-^- ; ■'^o'^ »T' 
 
 
 * • o^ ";> \/ cs *.• ^, o. 
 
 4- 
 
 V ^ 
 'o ^^^ v^"^ '^ 
 
 <^.r 
 
 W.^ J" % ^^iV^^ ^^' 
 
 
 *o 
 
 ° JsV^ 
 
 0^ ^^ *^ 
 
 
 
 » Y^>/?rTt\\V' 
 
<^. "'..** ,G 
 
 
 
 
 
 > • 
 
 "^0 
 
 .-?-' 
 
 o 
 
 X 
 
 o V 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 LIBRARY Bl.. ,' ' '^ ^ (:_J -, '^ • 
 
 FEB 74 m^ y^c^ "^^^^Z 0""%. ^ 
 
 '. /#^^ FLA. - ^ '^^^l^- ^ a"^ ►^^^.^ v^ 
 
 V ST. AUGUSTINE 
 
 ^^ 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 i 
 
 011 529 935 9 
 
 m