Richard Allen: Address on Slavery

[00:00:00] Revived thoughts is a production of Revive Studios.

[00:00:09] This is Troy and Joel, and you are listening to Revive Thoughts.

[00:00:19] Are these not dear brothers and sisters delights worth pursuing?

[00:00:23] Are these not privileges, this liberty?

[00:00:25] And these possessions far more valuable than thousands of worlds like the one we currently

[00:00:29] inhabit? Every episode we bring you a different voice from history and a sermon that they delivered.

[00:00:36] Today we're going to 1794 in Philadelphia to hear an address given by Richard Allen.

[00:00:42] to hear an address given by Richard Allen.

[00:00:45] Joel, we have some positive thoughts, positive responses to the five thoughts.

[00:00:48] Some positive thoughts as well.

[00:00:50] That's our next show.

[00:00:52] Positive thoughts.

[00:00:53] The five thoughts.

[00:00:54] There you go.

[00:00:55] One from Yessie on Twitter was,

[00:00:57] finished listening to this episode for the third time

[00:00:59] this morning because the sermon so touched me,

[00:01:01] fire, fire, fire emoji.

[00:01:03] And then this was our RA Tory sermon. That was probably a dorky way to say that but anyway our

[00:01:08] a Tory sermon that we did recently our a Tory three fires and hence the three

[00:01:13] fire emoji so thank you guys for listening I'm really glad that you

[00:01:16] enjoyed that sermon everyone we've we've heard that put out that sermon or

[00:01:20] interacted with that sermon even the speaker specifically said wow I really

[00:01:23] enjoyed that sermon I gotta be honest that sermon touched me as I was enjoyed that sermon. I got to be honest, that sermon touched me.

[00:01:26] As I was editing it, I had to have a meeting the next day

[00:01:28] with somebody and I was like,

[00:01:29] man, I'm really glad I read that sermon for it.

[00:01:31] I felt like it gave me a real passion

[00:01:33] to get out there and share the gospel.

[00:01:35] Richard on Spotify said,

[00:01:37] what an incredible sermon by Vermigli.

[00:01:38] And it expertly read by Timothy,

[00:01:40] amazing work RT team, thank you.

[00:01:42] I will let Timothy know you said that.

[00:01:43] Timothy was a great person

[00:01:45] who just is kind of doing their own reading sermons

[00:01:48] from the past.

[00:01:48] He literally ran into me by accident.

[00:01:50] And he also really loved that sermon.

[00:01:53] He was excited to read it and he did a great job.

[00:01:55] So I was really grateful for him.

[00:01:56] Thank you, Richard, for reading that on there.

[00:01:59] And finally on YouTube, somebody left a comment

[00:02:02] on our most recent episode, how not to teach church history.

[00:02:06] Thank you for this episode.

[00:02:07] It was a perfect layout of why we need to know church history

[00:02:09] and how it is being weaponized.

[00:02:11] This is something every Christian needs to hear.

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[00:02:34] All right, Troy.

[00:02:35] Richard Allen is who we're talking about today.

[00:02:39] Also, yeah, at 1700s, we're also talking

[00:02:43] about the interaction with the Methodists movement.

[00:02:46] This might be the first time, because last week we talked about

[00:02:50] some Methodist people in the 1700s, although they were in England at Oxford at the time.

[00:02:56] Now we're in America across the pond, but Methodists are still...

[00:03:01] They're brand new. They're contemporary with the development of

[00:03:02] that is are still the brand new, like they're contemporary with the development

[00:03:04] of Whitfield at this time, right?

[00:03:07] Yes, and Richard Allen, he is a unique story

[00:03:10] that we're gonna jump into here about,

[00:03:12] would you say it's accurate that the formation

[00:03:15] of one of the first African-American churches,

[00:03:19] church groups, church networks,

[00:03:20] church nominations throughout colonial America? Yeah, it was early America, so it had formed into the United States,

[00:03:28] it was forming into the United States, and it is the first,

[00:03:31] he will lead the first, the first, you know, yeah,

[00:03:34] black denomination in America.

[00:03:36] So that we, yeah, that's exactly what it is.

[00:03:39] Yeah, born in 1760 as a slave to a Quaker named Benjamin Chew.

[00:03:45] Benjamin Chew himself was an important lawyer

[00:03:48] that was from the colonial era

[00:03:50] and went through the revolutionary warrior.

[00:03:53] As a child, Richard Allen, him and his family

[00:03:55] were sold to a local plantation owner.

[00:03:57] However, due to some financial troubles,

[00:04:00] the plantation owner sold Allen's mother

[00:04:03] and two of his siblings off.

[00:04:05] And so this was really heartbreaking for him.

[00:04:07] Eventually, Alan and the remaining siblings began to attend local meetings there by a Methodist society that had sprung up.

[00:04:15] And at the time Methodist societies were very welcoming to slaves and freed black people.

[00:04:20] They welcomed them to come to their meetings and there were a lot of churches at this time

[00:04:26] that were not welcoming to black people

[00:04:28] coming to their services.

[00:04:29] So it was kind of a unique place

[00:04:31] for them to come and hear the gospel.

[00:04:32] The man who had purchased them, my name's Sturgis,

[00:04:35] encouraged them to go to church,

[00:04:36] even though he himself was not a Christian,

[00:04:39] was not a believer.

[00:04:40] And as Alan attended, he learned more and more

[00:04:43] about the Bible, and he actually was able to learn how to read and write through the church and the interactions he had there.

[00:04:51] When he was 17, he officially joined the church as a member, and immediately he began to preach and evangelize others to come to Christ.

[00:04:59] And this led to local slave owners and pro-slavery supporters to criticize him because they thought

[00:05:05] it was wrong for a slave to do that.

[00:05:08] Alan and his brother, who had also come to Christ, decided to work twice as hard at the

[00:05:12] plantation.

[00:05:13] They were him basically just kind of encouraging his brother, saying, we have to work harder

[00:05:18] than anybody so that no one can accuse becoming a Christian as not a good reason to let your

[00:05:23] slaves go to church.

[00:05:24] We don't want anybody to say that the slaves that go to church are worse or then the slave

[00:05:28] owners won't let any more slaves go to church and then they won't be able to hear the gospel.

[00:05:34] And so they tried to work double time and do the best job they could do so that the slave

[00:05:39] owners would say, well, you need to sit near slaves to church.

[00:05:41] They become better people.

[00:05:42] We should send our slaves to church.

[00:05:44] And the reason I thought that was just so interesting,

[00:05:45] I was like, man, that is such a sacrificial worldview.

[00:05:49] If I was a slave and I was going to church,

[00:05:53] I would be struggling not to be angry

[00:05:56] or maybe say like, you know,

[00:05:57] why God am I born into this situation?

[00:05:59] Those kind of questions, right,

[00:06:00] that often come to us when we're in hard times.

[00:06:04] I just thought it was interesting that Allen was, you know, here, his immediate notion was not

[00:06:09] to worry about that, but was to make sure that him and his brother were not in any way

[00:06:13] impeding the spread of the gospel.

[00:06:17] My pastor, a traveling preacher, came to town, free-born Garrettson, one of the first American-born

[00:06:22] Methodists.

[00:06:24] So he was born in America, he became a Methodist, so he's not from England like many of the other

[00:06:27] Methodists because the Methodists movement is still very new at this time.

[00:06:31] And he had once had slaves but as he grew in his walk with God he felt it was

[00:06:35] sinful to have them so he freed them and began preaching emancipation. By the way

[00:06:39] I'm pretty sure freeborn is his Christian name despite the fact that

[00:06:44] he's famous for

[00:06:45] freeing people.

[00:06:46] That is an interesting thing there.

[00:06:49] But anyway, he visited the Sturgis Plantation and shared that slavery was sinful and like

[00:06:53] a special speech he got to give there and everyone's coming from all around to here.

[00:06:58] And the guy, Sturgis, became convicted and had a change of heart.

[00:07:00] Now, it was unclear to me whether he became a Christian at this time, maybe just become

[00:07:04] a Christian. Whatever it was, he has a change of conscience.

[00:07:07] And he realizes, I don't wanna keep my slaves anymore.

[00:07:09] I feel bad about this.

[00:07:10] This guy is preaching, convicted me.

[00:07:12] But on the other hand, he doesn't wanna bankrupt

[00:07:14] his plantation and leave his family without anything.

[00:07:16] So he kinda comes up with this compromise

[00:07:17] where he tells the slaves, hey, if you guys work hard

[00:07:20] and earn, you know, doing extra stuff around

[00:07:22] and earn extra money, I will let you guys buy your freedom, which I feel like, although not still not good to have slaves,

[00:07:30] if we're grading on a curve historically speaking, that is a step in the right direction, I guess.

[00:07:35] And at the age of 20, a few years after this, Richard Allen was able to buy his freedom

[00:07:38] for what today would be $2,000, or at the time it's $2,000 today, it was a bit about

[00:07:43] $40,000. So basically it's a year's wages of additional work on top of the work he was already doing.

[00:07:49] Richard Allen then changed his name up until that point he had been called.

[00:07:53] His name was, this is what he was called, was Negro Allen, not my words his, but he

[00:07:57] wanted people to no longer call him that understandably, but to call him his actual name,

[00:08:01] which was Richard Allen.

[00:08:02] I do think that's an interesting vignette into society,

[00:08:06] because this is 80 years before this American Civil War,

[00:08:10] and yet there are still people going around preaching

[00:08:14] and convincing slave owners that slavery is wrong,

[00:08:18] innocent, and being effective in that.

[00:08:21] It's a look into American history that we don't often realize.

[00:08:26] Realize what I did there.

[00:08:28] I didn't, not know that story.

[00:08:29] I picked this one around kind of outside that story.

[00:08:31] When I saw that, I was like,

[00:08:32] that is actually really interesting.

[00:08:33] I mean, I wonder how many other stories are like that

[00:08:36] where preachers were coming to town

[00:08:37] and commencing people to give up their slaves.

[00:08:39] I'd be really interested in that history.

[00:08:42] That's interesting, yeah.

[00:08:44] So Richard, now a

[00:08:45] freedman, immediately pursued ministry and by 1784 he was at what was called the

[00:08:52] Christmas Conference and it was called that because it started on Christmas

[00:08:55] Eve in the year 1784. After the American Revolutionary War the Methodist began to

[00:09:01] set up an American side of the church. And we covered this a little

[00:09:05] bit on our episode with Thomas Cook, where you can find that episode to hear a little bit more

[00:09:10] about that if you'd like. But over 10 days, 81 people would get together, most of them young

[00:09:16] preachers, and they put together the plans for the American Methodist Church. Of them, two of them

[00:09:22] were black preachers that would be ordained in the

[00:09:25] American Methodist movement and one of those was Richard Allen. But it wasn't

[00:09:31] all perfect. For example, Richard Allen was not allowed to vote and the preaching

[00:09:36] slot that he was given at the conference was a 5 a.m. slot. That is not your most

[00:09:41] popular preaching hour. No, you don't think you were coming in the doors?

[00:09:45] It's nothing personal to Richard Allen.

[00:09:48] I'm sure, I mean, well, I actually probably was a bit there.

[00:09:50] Like, hey, we don't think you're doing the best stuff.

[00:09:52] But I'm just saying, I'm sure he was great,

[00:09:54] but very few people want to get up at 5 a.m.

[00:09:56] in 1886, he was made a minister at a church there in Philadelphia.

[00:10:01] But again, he was restricted to the early morning services,

[00:10:05] but those early morning services began to grow

[00:10:10] so much so that they had to go into bigger rooms.

[00:10:13] You know, you end up filling that room out.

[00:10:15] You gotta go into the big auditorium now.

[00:10:16] You got so many people, you got 50 people.

[00:10:18] You got more and more that are populating to his services.

[00:10:22] Richard Allen himself during this time, not quite a full time.

[00:10:26] He's also working on the side of this.

[00:10:29] So becoming a very busy man, working side jobs

[00:10:33] and also preparing for these sermons

[00:10:35] that are becoming increasingly

[00:10:38] more and more interested in bi people.

[00:10:40] So then they attempt to create a new society.

[00:10:43] It wasn't quite a denomination yet.

[00:10:45] It was called the Free African Society.

[00:10:47] It was for basically, hey, we want a society that will work across denominational lines

[00:10:52] to allow Black Christians to worship freely away from these restrictions.

[00:10:57] Basically, they would kind of be able to work together to buy church areas,

[00:11:00] build their own buildings and kind of be able to run their own services without

[00:11:04] being forced to the five AM slots

[00:11:06] and all of that.

[00:11:07] However, as pretty much as soon as it got started,

[00:11:09] the Anglican church returned to America.

[00:11:12] And I did not know this,

[00:11:14] but many of the Black Christians at that time

[00:11:16] were a part of the Anglican church.

[00:11:18] And they had left it during the Revolutionary War

[00:11:20] when the state church of England was kind of out of America.

[00:11:23] But as it was making its return, many of the Christians

[00:11:26] that Richard Allen was working with and hoping to build this society with

[00:11:30] went back to their original Anglican churches and left Richard hanging.

[00:11:35] In 1790, Richard gets married to his first wife, Flora.

[00:11:39] She will have many illnesses.

[00:11:40] As far as we know, she never has children.

[00:11:42] He will actually get married again later on to another wife,

[00:11:44] whom he will have six children with. But in 1793 a terrible tragedy strikes

[00:11:49] in Philadelphia and this was yellow fever. Now yellow fever is given through mosquito bites

[00:11:54] and it got its name because of the jaundiced looked its victims would get afterwards.

[00:11:59] However in 1793 Richard Allen and a partner of his wanted to help with the yellow fever outbreak

[00:12:03] and they worked with a doctor and the doctor told them that it was not possible for people from Africa to get this disease of yellow fever

[00:12:10] So they didn't have to be cautious they could just go in the areas and help out

[00:12:13] And this was a rumor that went around Philadelphia

[00:12:14] And there's probably some truth to the idea that maybe people from you know

[00:12:18] May African-Americans people were black were less likely to get it

[00:12:23] Perhaps because maybe it was more, you know, mosquito-borne

[00:12:25] illnesses are more common in Africa than they are in Europe.

[00:12:29] I don't know the genetics and how diseases work and stuff like that.

[00:12:32] However, it was completely false to say that they couldn't get it.

[00:12:36] And poor Richard Allen, because he's on the front line, so he's not really worrying about

[00:12:40] it.

[00:12:41] He's not really taking care of it.

[00:12:42] He does end up getting it.

[00:12:43] And he gets extremely sick. He almost dies because of it and

[00:12:48] Then within a couple months there start going out these pamphlets that basically say

[00:12:53] black people took advantage of white people while they were scared of this pandemic and and they were greedy and you know

[00:12:58] They took over the city basically during that time and they couldn't even get it and said all this crazy stuff was being written about them and Allen had to write out his own

[00:13:06] pamphlet basically saying no we didn't do any of that and also we can get it I

[00:13:10] know I almost died from it so this this whole thing is just I just feel bad

[00:13:14] because I feel like every time Richard Allen just you know makes a step forward

[00:13:18] there's always something kind of stupid that puts him you know a step back. In

[00:13:22] 1794 Allen opened what was called the first African Methodist Episcopal Church.

[00:13:29] And he wanted to stick with the Methodist traditions of the men like George Whitfield

[00:13:33] and the Wesleyan brothers, who again were contemporaries of his during this era.

[00:13:38] But they still had a problem.

[00:13:39] To have communion or baptism, they needed a white minister to come and visit because within this new structure, this arrangement,

[00:13:46] they weren't officially ordained, but finally in 1799 Francis

[00:13:52] Osprey visited and ordained Richard Allen so that they could run the church themselves.

[00:13:57] Ten years after its founding, they had over 400 members and by 1813 they had over 1200 members. In 1816 Richard Allen called for a general conference and brought together the five African

[00:14:10] churches in that region and declared themselves the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination.

[00:14:17] They elected Richard Allen as the first bishop, and so he would be in that position for the

[00:14:22] next 15 years up until his death. Officially, they have now officially established

[00:14:29] their own independent structure there.

[00:14:31] Him and his wife were also very active in fostering

[00:14:35] the Underground Railroad, which helped fugitives

[00:14:39] and slaves escape from the South.

[00:14:41] It's a little bit of a husband and wife duo team there

[00:14:44] that they worked on through that.

[00:14:46] It's such a different time to think about.

[00:14:50] I'm talking through all this stuff about the format and structure of their church

[00:14:55] and it's something that we would raise an eyebrow out and go,

[00:14:58] what are they? It's such a strange thing, but then you also, in the same paragraph,

[00:15:03] are talking about them helping slaves escape through the underground railroad.

[00:15:07] It's hard for us to relate with what religion and belief structure and everything was like

[00:15:15] in that dynamic.

[00:15:16] It's really sad too because they end up forming their own denomination really mainly because

[00:15:21] of just kind of constant restrictions and oversights that felt like. And you just look at it and you go,

[00:15:26] if people, you know, they clearly thought that

[00:15:28] there was no problem sharing the gospel.

[00:15:32] They certainly were like,

[00:15:33] yeah, black people should come to Christ,

[00:15:34] but I don't, it just seemed to be like,

[00:15:36] but I don't know if they could run their own churches.

[00:15:38] And it's like, man, if you just hadn't kept that prejudice

[00:15:40] and just let everyone run together,

[00:15:42] we maybe wouldn't have all these divided denominations.

[00:15:45] Maybe we would just kind of all be in the same group.

[00:15:48] And it's just sad that they understood

[00:15:51] the importance of the souls, but they still had,

[00:15:53] it seemed to me, just too much prejudice

[00:15:55] to let them do things themselves.

[00:16:13] In this address we see here, and Richard Allen is giving his remarks to the mayor of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia, and others who are present as well.

[00:16:16] He preached against slavery.

[00:16:17] He encourages those who are involved with it in different areas.

[00:16:20] He's their slave owners.

[00:16:21] He tells them, here's what you need to do.

[00:16:23] He's slaves.

[00:16:24] If they're slaves themselves, he tells them what they need to do. He talks

[00:16:26] to his fellow abolitionist, basically talking to everybody and gives like little, little

[00:16:29] ideas and thoughts to each group as he's going. Although slavery may not be a directly relatable

[00:16:34] item to us today. You may be listening, go, why do I need to hear an address on this situation

[00:16:39] today? But I think when it comes to other social ills, we can learn a lot about how he approached

[00:16:43] it. You know, we don't have slavery, but we do have things in society

[00:16:46] that are bad, and I think Richard Allen

[00:16:48] gives us a really good kind of blueprint

[00:16:50] of here's how you tackle these things,

[00:16:52] and here's how you can speak these things,

[00:16:54] while still keeping the gospel centered.

[00:17:17] To those who keep slaves and approve the practice, the thoughtful part of humanity might find it unjust to expect superior behavior from our kind when we are labeled as people with

[00:17:22] inherent baseness, deemed incurable, and then subjected to a form of servitude not even fitting for animals,

[00:17:28] you attempt to stop arising from what you portray as a state of barbarism.

[00:17:32] However, we can share from a degree of experience at a black person,

[00:17:36] even when reduced to the most degrading state within the limits of human nature,

[00:17:40] apart from genuine madness, can think, reflect, and feel injustices. Perhaps not with

[00:17:45] the same intense resentment and vengeance that you, our historical and current oppressors,

[00:17:50] might exhibit if placed in the same pitiable condition as a slave. We believe that if you

[00:17:55] were to undertake the experiment of nurturing the minds of a few black children with the

[00:17:59] same care and providing them with similar prospects for their future as you would for

[00:18:03] your own children, upon trying, you might discover that they are not inferior in mental abilities.

[00:18:09] I don't intend to provoke anger, but rather to draw attention to the abhorrent nature

[00:18:13] of slavery, which is detestable in the eyes of a god who has brought down kings and princes

[00:18:17] for oppressing poor slaves.

[00:18:19] Farronous princes, along with the descendants of King Saul, faced destruction at the hands

[00:18:24] of the protector and avenger of slaves. Wouldn't you think the Israelites were completely

[00:18:29] unsuited for freedom, and that it was impossible for them to achieve any level of excellence?

[00:18:35] Their history reveals how slavery had deeply affected their spirits. People must be intentionally

[00:18:40] blind and extremely biased if they can't see the different impacts of freedom and slavery on the human mind.

[00:18:46] I admit that the negative habits often picked up in a state of servitude are not easily

[00:18:50] shaken off.

[00:18:51] The example of the Israelites illustrates this.

[00:18:53] Despite Moses' efforts to reform them, they still clung to their habits to some extent.

[00:18:58] So why expect better from us?

[00:19:00] Why anticipate grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?

[00:19:04] It would be for our

[00:19:05] descendants who enjoy the same privileges as your own that you should expect better things.

[00:19:09] When you were appealed to, don't respond like Pharaoh did, saying, why do you, Moses and Aaron,

[00:19:14] keep people from their work? Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from

[00:19:18] their burdens. We urge you to think about the fact that God himself was the first advocate for the

[00:19:23] cause of slaves. The God who understands the hearts that God himself was the first advocate for the cause of slaves.

[00:19:25] The God who understands the hearts of all people and the desire of a person subjected to slavery to resent their oppressor.

[00:19:31] He has explicitly prohibited it for his chosen people.

[00:19:35] Deuteronomy 23.7 says,

[00:19:36] You will not hate an Egyptian because you are a stranger in his land.

[00:19:40] The gentle and humble Jesus, the supreme example of humanity,

[00:19:44] and every virtue that

[00:19:45] can adorn and dignify people, has instructed us to love our enemies and to do good to those

[00:19:49] who hate and mistreat us.

[00:19:51] I recognize the responsibilities and I desire to emphasize them to our fellow community.

[00:19:55] If we all can forgive you as we hope to be forgiven, it's indeed a great mercy to have

[00:20:01] all anger and bitterness removed from our minds.

[00:20:03] I ask you to reflect on your own feelings.

[00:20:06] Isn't it very distressing to sense yourselves under the influence of a wrathful disposition?

[00:20:11] If you have an affection for your children, if you have a love for your country, and

[00:20:14] if you have devotion to the Lord God of love, release your grasp on slaves.

[00:20:18] Do not burden your children or your country with them.

[00:20:21] My heart feels sorrow for the shedding of blood, both of the oppressors and the oppressed. In the eyes of the one who declared that, whoever sheds human blood

[00:20:28] by humans will their blood be shed, so both parties seem guilty of each other's blood.

[00:20:34] Will you, because you have subjected us to the unfortunate condition determined by our

[00:20:37] skin color, argue our inability for freedom, and our seemingly contented state under oppression

[00:20:43] as justification for keeping

[00:20:45] us under this burdensome yoke.

[00:20:47] I have explained the reason, and I will also clarify why they may appear contented in

[00:20:51] your eyes.

[00:20:52] However, the dreadful insurrections they have initiated, when given the opportunity,

[00:20:56] are enough to convince a reasonable person to profound uneasiness, not contentment, resides

[00:21:02] in their hearts.

[00:21:03] God himself has advocated for the cause.

[00:21:05] He has, from time to time, raised up instruments for that purpose, sometimes

[00:21:09] seemingly insignificant and contemptible in your view, and at other times those

[00:21:14] with whom you have not hesitated to engage in contention. And many have been

[00:21:19] convinced of their error, condemned their former conduct, and become zealous

[00:21:22] advocates for the cause of those whom you will not allow to plead for themselves. Now, let me address some of you specifically.

[00:21:29] To the people of color.

[00:21:32] Feeling a connection with your well-being, I approach you with affectionate sympathy.

[00:21:35] I have experienced being a slave and share the same yearning for freedom as any of you.

[00:21:40] However, the chains of bondage were so formidable that no apparent means for my release existed.

[00:21:45] Yet, at times, a glimmer of hope would emerge in my heart, suggesting that a pathway might

[00:21:50] someday unfold.

[00:21:51] When my mind was graciously touched by the love of God, these hopes intensified, and the

[00:21:57] confidence grew that He would pave the way for my liberation.

[00:22:01] Recognizing the need for patient waiting, I was sometimes blessed with it, while other times impatience prevailed.

[00:22:05] During those moments, the prospect of liberty nearly faded, and I found myself in darkness and confusion.

[00:22:11] I share my experience with you so that your hearts may not despair in the face of discouraging prospects.

[00:22:16] I encourage you to place your trust in God who sees your condition.

[00:22:20] Just as a merciful father has compassion on his children, God

[00:22:25] pities those who love them. As your hearts incline towards serving God, you'll feel

[00:22:30] an affectionate regard for your masters and mistresses and the entire household where

[00:22:33] you reside. This will be evident to them and may contribute to your liberty, especially

[00:22:38] if you have compassionate masters. Even if they're not, you'll have the favor and love

[00:22:42] of God dwelling in your hearts, something more valuable than anything else.

[00:22:46] It will be a source of comfort in the worst circumstances and no master can deprive you of it.

[00:22:51] Considering life's short and uncertain nature and that our primary purpose in the world is to prepare for a better one,

[00:22:56] I urge you to prioritize this over everything else. This perspective will offer you a glimpse of the freedom enjoyed by the children of God.

[00:23:04] If the troubles of your current condition persist until the end of your lives,

[00:23:08] you will be accepted to the freedom that God has prepared for those of all colors who love him.

[00:23:13] They are the power of the cruel master ends, and all sorrow and fears are wiped away.

[00:23:18] To those of you who enjoy freedom, let your conduct reflect your gratitude

[00:23:22] toward the compassionate masters who have granted you freedom. Do not harbor bitterness or ill will for any mistreatment you may have endured.

[00:23:29] If you do, you go against God who will not hold you guiltless.

[00:23:32] Even among his beloved people Israel, such sentiments were not tolerated,

[00:23:36] so why should it be allowed among us?

[00:23:38] Many white people have been instruments God's hands for our benefit.

[00:23:41] Some who once held us in captivity are now passionately advocating for

[00:23:45] our cause. It saddens me to note that too many focus more on the wrongs than the good they've

[00:23:50] received. Instead of heeding the advice of their friends, they dismiss it with indifference.

[00:23:55] Much depends on us for the advancement of our community more than many realize.

[00:24:00] If we are lazy and idle, the enemies of freedom use it as a reason why we should not be free.

[00:24:06] They argue that we are better off in servitude and that granting us liberty would be a disservice.

[00:24:10] By being lazy and idle, we reinforce the chains of oppression, keeping many in bondage who

[00:24:15] are more deserving than ourselves.

[00:24:17] I implore you to consider the responsibility we have to contribute to the cause of freedom.

[00:24:22] We who understand how bitter the cup is that the slave has to drink. Oh, how deeply we should emphasize, empathize with those who still remain in bondage.

[00:24:31] Will our friends excuse us and will God forgive us for the role we play in strengthening the hands

[00:24:35] of our colors adversaries? Some remarks for the friends of those who have no helpers.

[00:24:42] I feel an immense gratitude toward those of you who have dedicated yourselves to the cause of the African race. You have

[00:24:49] achieved liberation for many from bondage more severe than that of ancient Egypt.

[00:24:53] Your efforts are tireless for their complete emancipation from the harsh

[00:24:58] subjugation they endure. You sense our afflictions and empathize with the

[00:25:02] heart-wrenching distress of separation between husbands and wives, parents and children, who are destined never to reunite in this

[00:25:08] world.

[00:25:09] Your eyes shed tears of compassion at the sufferings that prevent our grove.

[00:25:13] Your righteous anger flares against the measures taken to replace murdered infants.

[00:25:19] You observe our race being more effectively destroyed than Pharaoh could achieve with

[00:25:22] Israel's sons.

[00:25:24] You sound the trumpet against his formidable evil, making tyrants tremble.

[00:25:28] You strive to elevate the slave to the dignity of a human being.

[00:25:32] You take our children by the hand, guiding them on the path of virtue,

[00:25:36] through your commitment to education.

[00:25:38] You're not ashamed to call even the most downtrodden among us brethren,

[00:25:42] acknowledging all as children of one Father

[00:25:45] who made all nations from one blood.

[00:25:48] You request only what is in line with the noble cause you champion.

[00:25:52] Nothing from personal gain only that we might be true friends to ourselves and not reinforce

[00:25:56] the chains of oppression through improper behavior when led out of the house of slavery.

[00:26:00] May the one who has risen to plead our cause and enlisted you as volunteers in

[00:26:06] the service increase your numbers until the princes come out of Egypt and Ethiopia stretches

[00:26:10] out her hands to God. Our Savior's primary and paramount mission was salvation of men's

[00:26:15] souls. However, we observe that among the multitudes who approached or were brought

[00:26:19] to him suffering from some sickness or ailment, he never missed an opportunity to heal their

[00:26:23] bodies. He never turned away anyone seeking his help without providing a complete cure, although

[00:26:28] at times for the sake of testing their faith, he allowed himself to be persistently urged.

[00:26:34] Moreover, he frequently addressed the needs of the poor by providing financial assistance,

[00:26:38] as evidence from various stories in his life.

[00:26:40] One such instance will suffice for now, namely an account where Satan had entered into Judas,

[00:26:46] and our blessed Savior had said, What you do, do it quickly.

[00:26:49] The other disciples were unaware of the true intent behind these words.

[00:26:53] Some of them speculated that since Judas was in charge of the common purse,

[00:26:56] Jesus had instructed him to buy what was needed for the upcoming feast.

[00:27:00] Alternatively, as was customary, they might have assumed that Judas was directed to give

[00:27:05] something to the poor.

[00:27:07] This irrefutable evidence from our Savior's actions is further reinforced by his repeated

[00:27:12] precepts and commands.

[00:27:14] His examples and teachings were always consistent.

[00:27:16] A new commandment I give to you, he said, that you love one another.

[00:27:22] By this will all men know that you are my disciples.

[00:27:24] If you have loved one one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have loved one to another. This is my commandment that you love one another as I've loved you.

[00:27:30] Greater love has no man than this, that it man lays down his life for his friends.

[00:27:35] I say to you which hear, love your enemies and do good to them which hate you.

[00:27:38] Bless them that curse you and pray for them which spitefully, despitefully use you.

[00:27:43] Love your enemies, do good and lend, hoping for no kind of gain, and your reward will

[00:27:48] be great, and you will be the children of the highest.

[00:27:51] For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.

[00:27:54] Be you, therefore, merciful as your father also is merciful.

[00:27:58] From these few passages, we can understand the nature, extent, and necessity of Christian

[00:28:02] charity.

[00:28:03] In its nature, it is

[00:28:05] pure and disinterested, devoid of any hopes or expectations of worldly return or recompense

[00:28:10] from the persons we help. We are to do good and lend, hoping for nothing again. In its

[00:28:16] extent, it is unlimited and universal. Although it requires a special regard for our fellow

[00:28:22] Christians, it is not confined to any specific persons, countries, or places.

[00:28:27] It encompasses all mankind, including strangers, enemies, the evil, and the unthankful, along

[00:28:32] with the good and the grateful.

[00:28:34] Christian charity has no other measure than the love of God to us, who gave His only begotten

[00:28:38] Son and the love of our Savior who laid down His life for us, even while we were His enemies.

[00:28:43] It extends not only to the good of the soul,

[00:28:45] but also to such assistance, as may be necessary for the supply of the bodily needs of our fellow

[00:28:50] creatures. The absolute necessity of practicing this duty is the very same as that of being

[00:28:55] Christians. This being the only sure mark by which we may be known and distinguish from those who

[00:29:00] are not Christians or disciples of Christ. By this will all men know that your mind disciples, if you have love, one to another. Listen to St. Paul speaking of this most

[00:29:09] excellent way or duty, and then judge my brethren the necessity of putting it into practice.

[00:29:14] Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels and have not love, I am become as a sounding

[00:29:19] brass or a tingling symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all

[00:29:23] mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so I can remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing.

[00:29:30] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and

[00:29:34] have not love, it profits nothing. But these articles will receive considerable light from the

[00:29:40] consideration of the second point, namely the benefits and advantages arising from the practice of Christian charity. This is directed towards the relief and support of the

[00:29:49] poor and the needy or contributing to work of piety and mercy designed to generally improve

[00:29:54] the condition of our less fortunate brethren, either through public or private acts of charity.

[00:30:00] By doing so, we enhance our talents for the glory of God and the well-being of our own immortal souls.

[00:30:05] Dear friends, let's reflect on the fact that everything we possess and all that we are

[00:30:09] is a trust from Almighty God. In him we live, move, and have our existence. The entire earth

[00:30:15] belongs to the Lord, along with all its abundance. Consequently, we are merely his servants or stewards.

[00:30:21] The talents we have are his, and it's his wealth that he distributes among us to some more to some less, according to his

[00:30:27] will. At the end of the day, we must give him an account for every

[00:30:30] penny, both the original sum and how we used it. Our beloved Lord

[00:30:35] hasn't handed over his resources to us like a lifeless

[00:30:37] investment to be hoarded or left unproductively in our possession.

[00:30:42] He expects us to put them to good and beneficial use, enhancing their value by doing good whenever the opportunity

[00:30:47] arises. We are called to invest in the real interest and well-being of his

[00:30:51] less fortunate children and subjects. When we engage in acts of mercy and

[00:30:56] charity, we are acknowledging our depends on God and recognizing his

[00:30:58] absolute right to all that we possess. In doing so, we bring glory to him in

[00:31:04] his creation and show reverence through cheerful obedience to His commands.

[00:31:07] On the contrary, when we misuse our resources

[00:31:10] on the extravagances and indulgences of the sinful world

[00:31:13] or for the satisfaction of our sinful desires, we deny God's rightful claim to

[00:31:17] what He has entrusted to us.

[00:31:19] It's a disowning of Him as our master,

[00:31:22] a direct violation of His instructions. In such actions, we inadvertently glorify Satan, whom we renounce at our baptism, and

[00:31:30] shamefully dishonor our Creator through the misuse of the talents he's granted us.

[00:31:35] When the time comes for us to face a reckoning at that awe-inspiring tribunal, where even

[00:31:40] the wealthiest and most powerful individuals on Earth will stand exposed and alone, just as the humblest beggar, and where only the goodness of our cause and the mercy of our judge

[00:31:49] can provide any comfort, let's ask. If, in that thorough and serious evaluation,

[00:31:55] if our accounts reveal little more than lavish spending on luxury and excess,

[00:31:58] participation in unjust practices or entanglement in unnecessary and frivolous legal battles,

[00:32:04] resources poured into vain and foolish pursuits while barely sparing a few pennies for acts of practices, or entanglement in unnecessary and frivolous legal battles. Resources poured

[00:32:05] into vain and foolish pursuits while barely sparing a few pennies for acts of kindness

[00:32:09] and charity, then we must reconsider our priorities. How will we feel when we hang our heads in

[00:32:14] shame and wish for rocks and mountains to conceal us, not only from the gaze of our rightfully

[00:32:18] offended master, but also from the eyes of angels and humanity? All witnesses to our

[00:32:23] disgrace.

[00:32:25] Some might argue I have refrained from debauchery and folly and idleness.

[00:32:29] I have earned an honest living, kept it, and secured a comfortable future for my family.

[00:32:33] Certainly this is commendable, and it is a wish that more would follow suit in this

[00:32:37] country.

[00:32:38] However, one might be asked, have you been charitable as well?

[00:32:41] Have you been as diligent in accumulating treasures in heaven as you have been amassing

[00:32:44] the transient wealth of this world?

[00:32:47] Have you stretched out your hand as you had opportunity

[00:32:49] even beyond the circle of your own house and family?

[00:32:52] Are your less fortunate neighbors grateful for your kind and charitable support?

[00:32:58] Have you devoted any part of your efforts, blessed by God,

[00:33:00] to doing good for others beyond your own circle?

[00:33:03] Has a stranger, the widow, or the orphan ever experienced your generosity?

[00:33:07] If you have an engagement such acts if you've neglected, overlooked, or deferred opportunities

[00:33:13] of this nature, your talent remains hidden in a napkin buried within yourself.

[00:33:18] Let's remember that the truly poor and needy are representatives of Christ.

[00:33:22] We can't doubt this, especially when we examine our Savior's account

[00:33:25] of the last judgment in the 25th chapter

[00:33:27] of Saint Matthew's gospel.

[00:33:29] It clearly shows that the scrutiny on that great

[00:33:31] and solemn day will focus on our acts of mercy and charity.

[00:33:34] As you've done, or as you have not done it

[00:33:36] to the least of my brethren, you've done,

[00:33:39] we've not done it to me.

[00:33:42] Therefore, an opportunity to do good

[00:33:43] or help someone in need arises. The wise Christians

[00:33:46] doesn't ponder, should I assist this man or woman? Should I aid this widow, orphan,

[00:33:50] or poor child? No. They see it as a demand made by Christ himself. They would be as hesitant

[00:33:56] to delay or refuse in such a situation as if they saw their Lord and Savior personally

[00:34:01] asking it of them. The question for them is this, doesn't the Holy

[00:34:05] Scriptures explicitly teach me that whatever I do for my brethren in need will be counted

[00:34:09] as if I had done it for Christ himself? Can I help them without aiding him or can I neglect

[00:34:14] them without disregarding him? What hope could I have of being received and accepted

[00:34:19] by him in the last day, or that he will listen to my please for mercy and forgiveness then,

[00:34:24] if I'm indifferent to the request he makes to me through his representatives now. I sincerely hope for mercy

[00:34:28] for my Lord. Therefore I will gladly extend kindness to his brother, no matter how small

[00:34:34] or insignificant he may seem. I fervently desire my Lord to show goodness to me on the

[00:34:38] great day of reckoning, therefore I will seize the current opportunity to do good, which he

[00:34:43] and his good will towards me, presently presents for my acceptance.

[00:34:48] Getting accustomed to these acts separates our affections from earthly things and teaches us to detach ourselves from the world and secure treasures in heaven.

[00:34:57] For those deeply in love with this world, finding no greater happiness than wealth or power can offer on earth such advantages might not be tempting.

[00:35:01] and wealth or power can offer on earth, such advantages might not be tempting.

[00:35:03] Speaking about placing their affections

[00:35:05] or on possessions beyond the grave,

[00:35:07] or diminishing their present gains

[00:35:08] in hope of future benefits,

[00:35:10] is akin to presenting a beautiful painting

[00:35:11] to a blind person,

[00:35:13] or the most delicate meals

[00:35:14] to someone who has lost their sense of taste.

[00:35:17] The person who has a due regard for his eternal salvation,

[00:35:20] who knows from experience how prone

[00:35:22] the love of earthly things is to divert his

[00:35:25] affections from heavenly ones, who remembers that he should not love the world or the things

[00:35:29] in it because the friendship of this world is enmity with God, and whoever is a friend

[00:35:33] or lover of the world is an enemy of God.

[00:35:35] This kind of person reflects that a time will come when they must part with all that is

[00:35:39] dear to them here, and so it is necessary to wean the mind from these perishable things, ensuring they

[00:35:45] bring no pain or uneasiness in parting with them. They are convinced that the whole world

[00:35:50] is of infinitely less value than the least inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven.

[00:35:56] Such an individual is always ready to engage in acts of mercy and charity, willingly parting

[00:36:01] with a portion where whenever an opportunity rises to do good. This reflects their readiness to give up everything when God calls upon them for it.

[00:36:08] They find joy in the ways provided to accumulate treasures that are not subject to waste, theft, or corruption,

[00:36:15] all at the small cause of a trifling sum here in this life.

[00:36:19] Moreover, they're prepared, if necessary, to listen to the advice of our Savior to his little flock, sell what you have and give alms,

[00:36:25] provide yourselves bags which do not grow old,

[00:36:27] a treasure in the heavens which never fails.

[00:36:30] In short, the love of this world is a heavy weight upon the soul,

[00:36:32] which chains her down and prevents her flight towards heaven.

[00:36:35] Habitual acts of charity loosen her from it by degrees

[00:36:38] and help her in her struggle to disengage herself and mount upwards.

[00:36:42] A dying person would give the whole world

[00:36:45] if it were in their possession,

[00:36:46] for any rational assurance of acceptance with God

[00:36:49] and inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.

[00:36:51] So why then would any person,

[00:36:53] knowing they must one day face death,

[00:36:55] neglect ensuring it to themselves

[00:36:57] by engaging in works of mercy during their health and strength?

[00:37:00] Such acts can provide assurance of mercy in a dying hour.

[00:37:04] As our dear edeemer said, blessed are the merciful for they will obtain mercy.

[00:37:07] Another advantage arising from acts of mercy and charity is that they secure us the blessing and protection of heaven.

[00:37:14] Blessed is he, as King David says, who considers the poor and the needy.

[00:37:19] The Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble.

[00:37:21] The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed upon the earth,

[00:37:25] and you will not deliver him into the will of his enemies.

[00:37:28] Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing.

[00:37:31] You will make all his bed in his sickness.

[00:37:34] To be slow and uneasy at alms giving suggests

[00:37:36] a strong distrust in providence.

[00:37:39] It either implies that God cannot

[00:37:40] or will not compensate us for what we give.

[00:37:43] To think that he cannot is to deny his Almighty power

[00:37:46] and to deny his very nature as God.

[00:37:48] To believe that he will not is to be suspicious of his truth.

[00:37:52] He is not only promised eternal treasures in heaven,

[00:37:54] but is also given his short word

[00:37:56] that he will repay it even on earth

[00:37:57] as if it were relent to himself.

[00:37:59] He that has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord

[00:38:02] and that which he has borrowed he will pay him again.

[00:38:06] How reasonably did our Savior solemnly warn his disciples to beware of covetousness, considering

[00:38:11] how closely it aligns with infidelity?

[00:38:14] How strangely inconsistent is the narrow-minded person with his own principles?

[00:38:18] He desires a blessing upon all that he has, wishes earnestly for wealth and prosperity,

[00:38:23] yet cannot bring himself to spend a little of what he has to secure that blessing and prosperity for himself and his family.

[00:38:29] He hesitates to engage in these charitable actions that Providence presents to him, even though God has assured him that these acts will bring about the very outcomes he desires.

[00:38:39] How much more rationally does the generous and benevolent Christian act, proceeding on sure and steady principles.

[00:38:46] This trifle, he says to himself, which I now give may cause some small present inconvenience,

[00:38:52] but it is given to God, and he will never allow me to feel the lack of it.

[00:38:57] My Savior has graciously guaranteed to me all that is necessary in this world by promising

[00:39:00] that if I prioritize seeking the kingdom of God in His righteousness, the things for which others' toil and labor, often in vain and frustration, will be added

[00:39:08] to me. Both earthly and heavenly blessings are laid before me, assuring a return from

[00:39:14] God even though he has explicitly directed me not to hope for anything in return from

[00:39:18] those to whom I give. Therefore, I will undoubtedly reap according to my sowing, here in this

[00:39:23] world of God deems it beneficial for me,

[00:39:25] but certainly in the blessings of the next if I do not grow weary or impatient.

[00:39:29] My charitable deeds will ascend before God as a memorial, and as he has taken the responsibility

[00:39:33] of repayment upon himself, I am confident that even a simple act of kindness, such as a cold

[00:39:39] cup of water given by those who have no more to offer, will not go unrewarded.

[00:39:44] Jesus has promised, and in him, all the promises of God are yes and amen.

[00:39:49] Having gone through the proposed topics and explained the nature, extent and necessity

[00:39:53] of Christian charity and having highlighted the benefits and advantages that arise from

[00:39:58] practicing it, securing blessings in both this world and the world to come, it's now

[00:40:02] necessary to address some common objections with a brief application to the present purpose. I'm aware that objections abound,

[00:40:09] and every person reluctant to contribute to a charitable proposal will likely come up

[00:40:13] with one to deflect the impact seemingly directed at their very core. Despite their numbers,

[00:40:18] these objections appear somewhat trivial, deserving only a cursory examination,

[00:40:23] and could be adequately addressed collectively.

[00:40:26] All objections to charitable contributions may be reasonably assumed to stem from Kavic'sness,

[00:40:30] which is essentially an unwillingness to part with one's wealth.

[00:40:34] Kavic'sness is indeed a formidable adversary, a giant of great magnitude,

[00:40:39] always ready to defy and dismiss the best formed arguments and motives derived from reason and

[00:40:43] scripture, challenging the armies of the living God.

[00:40:46] The usual claims of prudence regarding the manner of or timing of giving charity, along

[00:40:51] with suggestions of saving it for supposedly better purposes, often have their roots and

[00:40:55] comficiness in the love of money.

[00:40:57] Let each individual judge for themselves what kind of wretched fruit can be expected from

[00:41:01] the root of all evil, as explicitly termed by St. Paul.

[00:41:05] The response to all such claims of prudence and giving can be summed up in this.

[00:41:08] You might be mistaken about the recipient, but you can never go wrong in your charitable

[00:41:12] intent, regardless of the deserving nature of the recipient.

[00:41:16] Even if I give money to someone seemingly in need who later misuses it, the good intention

[00:41:20] sanctifies my gift, dedicates it to God, and guarantees me a blessing because it was done

[00:41:24] in his name and for his sake.

[00:41:26] The entire misuse rests upon the guilty conscience of the person who shamefully misapplies my act of kindness.

[00:41:32] It might indeed be a valid objection against giving to that same person a second time,

[00:41:37] but it can't be an excuse for me to withhold my hand from helping any other individual who may generally be in need of that charity in the future.

[00:41:46] Consider my beloved how profoundly joyful it must be for a person in their final moments

[00:41:50] to possess a conscience free of from guilt and to witness or bless the Savior without

[00:41:55] trust to arms, eagerly awaiting them as their last breath departs.

[00:42:00] Picture him saying, well done, good and faithful servant.

[00:42:03] You've been faithful over a few things.

[00:42:04] I will make you ruler over many things.

[00:42:06] Enter into the joy of your Lord.

[00:42:08] Are these not dear brothers and sisters delights worth pursuing?

[00:42:12] Are these not privileges, this liberty?

[00:42:14] And these possessions far more valuable than thousands of worlds like the one we currently inhabit?

[00:42:19] We must all part with this world shortly.

[00:42:22] And it cannot accompany us into this next life.

[00:42:24] Can you ever adequately marvel at the goodness of God must all part with this world shortly, and it cannot accompany us into this next life.

[00:42:25] Can you ever adequately marvel at the goodness of God or express enough gratitude to him

[00:42:29] for his benevolence, which has placed these glories and delights within the reach of

[00:42:32] the loneliest slave as much as the mightiest monarch alive?

[00:42:37] These heavenly possessions are not acquired through power and lofty positions.

[00:42:42] They are attained only through goodness and the service of God.

[00:42:46] Even the humblest among us can serve God just as effectively as the wealthiest individuals

[00:42:50] on earth.

[00:42:51] By doing so, we can adorn the doctrine of the Lord, our God, and all things, bringing

[00:42:55] more honor to Christ than many of higher rank and status who may not be as diligent and

[00:43:00] caring for their souls as you have the potential to be.

[00:43:03] So when we depart from the troublesome and unsociable world,

[00:43:07] our beloved friends who have already

[00:43:08] journeyed to heaven greet us with infinite joy

[00:43:10] upon our safe arrival, guiding us into the company of patriarchs,

[00:43:13] prophets, apostles, and martyrs, introducing us

[00:43:16] to intimate acquaintance with them and all

[00:43:18] those noble and generous souls whose glorious examples have

[00:43:21] shown brightly in the world.

[00:43:22] When we become familiar friends with angels and archangels,

[00:43:25] and every heavenly messenger hails us as brethren,

[00:43:28] warmingly welcoming us to their master's joy,

[00:43:31] we're embraced into their glorious society

[00:43:34] with the tender endearments and hugs of celestial love.

[00:43:36] What an immense addition to our happiness that will be.

[00:43:39] There are indeed other enhancements to the bliss of heaven,

[00:43:43] such as the splendor and grandeur of the place, the highest heaven, or the upper and pure regions of the ether, which

[00:43:48] is our Savior, which our Savior refers to as paradise.

[00:43:53] In the disposition of every wicked mind, there exists a profound aversion to the joys of

[00:43:57] heaven.

[00:43:58] These heavenly delights, being all chaste, pure, and spiritual, can never align with the

[00:44:02] corrupted taste of a basin degenerate soul. What harmony can exist between a spiteful and devil spirit and a source of all love

[00:44:09] and goodness, or between a sensual and carnalized spirit, acquainted only with the pleasures

[00:44:14] of the flesh and those pure and untainted spirits that either eat nor drink but subsist

[00:44:19] eternally on wisdom, holiness, love, and contemplation? Surely, until our minds are attuned to the heavenly state

[00:44:26] and we share the same disposition with God, angels,

[00:44:28] and saints, there's no pleasure in heaven

[00:44:30] that can appeal to us.

[00:44:32] For as, fundamentally, we will retain that same temperament

[00:44:36] and disposition when we transition into the afterlife

[00:44:38] as we possess when leaving this one.

[00:44:41] It's inconceivable how a total transformation could occur

[00:44:43] merely by moving from one world to the other.

[00:44:45] Consequently, just as in this world, it is similarity that brings beings together, so

[00:44:51] it is assuredly in the other world.

[00:44:52] If we care our wicked and devilish dispositions with us, as we undoubtedly will unless we

[00:44:57] subdue and mortify them here, there will be no suitable company for us to associate

[00:45:01] with, except the devilish and damned spirits of wicked individuals. With the likeness of nature already binding our wretched spirits to them,

[00:45:09] they will join as soon as they are excluded from the society of mortals. For where else should they

[00:45:15] gather but to their own kind, with whom should they form connections but with those malevolent

[00:45:20] spirits, to whom they are already united by a shared nature.

[00:45:40] There was a part in the sermon where he talks about the conduct of the slaves and he basically just, actually, sorry, the freedmen and he basically goes, hey, if you're a freed black person,

[00:45:46] you were a slave, you live a good life

[00:45:49] because the slave owners are saying we can't do it,

[00:45:53] and if you live a bad life, you're gonna prove them correct.

[00:45:56] So you need to live a good life to help everyone else out.

[00:45:59] And it really stood out to me,

[00:46:01] and there was another thing I read,

[00:46:02] I don't think it was in the sermon,

[00:46:03] but this was in my own research.

[00:46:04] There were Africans moving back to Africa and Richard Allen was like, Hey, you can go back to Africa.

[00:46:10] That's great.

[00:46:10] He actually was a big supporter of you.

[00:46:12] I go out to Africa.

[00:46:12] That's good.

[00:46:13] But then he specifically warned them.

[00:46:15] He said, if you go back to Africa and you make it sound terrible here and you only talk about the bad,

[00:46:20] the people of Africa won't listen to the missionaries that are white that come to share the gospel with them.

[00:46:28] And he says, basically the blood of their souls will be on your hands if you cause them to be hindered from listening to the gospel because of all

[00:46:33] the bad stories and bitter unforgiveness you have. And I was just blown away. I was

[00:46:39] just blown away. This guy was a slave for 20 years. He came from a really difficult

[00:46:43] background. And for him to just have such a clear for him years, he came from a really difficult background and for him to

[00:46:45] just have such a clear for him, he really wanted slavery to go away. He really wanted

[00:46:51] these things to be fixed, but just you could just tell. Nothing was more important to him

[00:46:55] than the gospel and saving souls. Whether it was back when he was 17 and his brother

[00:46:59] and him were trying to live really good so that other slaves could go to church or whether

[00:47:04] it's when he's an old man and people are moving back to Africa and he's like whatever you do,

[00:47:07] don't hinder the missionary work. This guy was just always what will bring people to Christ first.

[00:47:13] And I think that's why this is such a good blueprint to me of how to tackle the social

[00:47:17] issues of our day. The social issues do matter and he was all about it. He's very clear in this

[00:47:22] sermon, the speech here to tell you

[00:47:29] what, you know, we should call this issue out. But then he's also, he just had such a supremely high view of the gospel and what it means to

[00:47:35] share that with people. And what he just, he really never lost sight of the idea that souls were the most important thing.

[00:47:40] And I think that just for all of us, that was, that's a really good

[00:47:44] reminder that no matter

[00:47:45] what social issue is very important to you and there are many definitely worked to end them.

[00:47:49] He definitely did Richard Allen worked hard on that again working on the underground railroad.

[00:47:53] He was doing a lot but he never lost sight of the gospel and I think that that is an important

[00:47:58] reminder for us today. Thank you for listening to today's episode of Revive Thoughts.

[00:48:13] Today's sermon was narrated by Todd Nicholas.

[00:48:16] If you want to read a sermon, if you listen to Revive Thoughts and you're saying, I think

[00:48:20] I can do a better job, email us in, or buyathats at gmail.com.

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[00:48:28] The more readers, the better.

[00:48:30] Yeah, we're always looking for new readers.

[00:48:31] We have had several new people come on recently,

[00:48:34] which has been great.

[00:48:35] I've been getting sermons out left and right,

[00:48:37] but let me tell you, we can always use more voices,

[00:48:40] more people, and we are really looking forward

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[00:49:07] These voices only come back to life because of you who have helped us.

[00:49:11] This is Troy and Joel and this is your live thoughts.