I find, since reading over the foregoing Narrative, that I have, in several instances, spoken in such a tone and manner, respecting religion, as may possibly lead those unacquainted with my religious views to suppose me an opponent of all religion. To remove the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference—so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never was there a clearer case of “stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in.” I am filled with unutterable loathing when I contemplate the religious pomp and show, together with the horrible inconsistencies, which every where surround me. We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of each week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity. He who proclaims it a religious duty to read the Bible denies me the right of learning to read the name of the God who made me. He who is the religious advocate of marriage robs whole millions of its sacred influence, and leaves them to the ravages of wholesale pollution. The warm defender of the sacredness of the family relation is the same that scatters whole families,—sundering husbands and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers,—leaving the hut vacant, and the hearth desolate. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the adulterer against adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the Poor Heathen! All For The Glory Of God And The Good Of Souls! The slave auctioneer’s bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-trade go hand in hand together. The slave prison and the church stand near each other. The clanking of fetters and the rattling of chains in the prison, and the pious psalm and solemn prayer in the church, may be heard at the same time. The dealers in the bodies and souls of men erect their stand in the presence of the pulpit, and they mutually help each other. The dealer gives his blood-stained gold to support the pulpit, and the pulpit, in return, covers his infernal business with the garb of Christianity. Here we have religion and robbery the allies of each other—devils dressed in angels’ robes, and hell presenting the semblance of paradise.
After rereading this Narrative, I find that I have sometimes written about religion in a potentially misleading way. Those unfamiliar with my religious views might suppose I oppose all religion. To prevent this misunderstanding, I think it proper to add this brief explanation. My statements about and against religion apply strictly to the slaveholding religion of this country. They have no reference at all to Christianity itself. I see the widest possible difference between this country’s Christianity and the Christianity of Christ. To accept one as good, pure, and holy necessarily means rejecting the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be a friend of one necessarily means being an enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceful, and impartial Christianity of Christ. I therefore hate this country’s corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, baby-stealing, biased, and hypocritical Christianity. Indeed, I see no reason except the most deceitful one for calling this country’s religion Christianity. I consider it the most extreme misuse of a name, the boldest of all frauds, and the worst of all slanders. Never was there a clearer case of “stealing heaven’s uniform to serve the devil in.” I am filled with disgust beyond words when I consider the religious pomp and display surrounding me. The terrible contradictions everywhere deepen that disgust. We have kidnappers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and baby-stealers for church members. The man who wields the blood-crusted cowhide whip during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday. He claims to be a minister of the gentle and humble Jesus. The man who steals my earnings each week meets me as a church class leader on Sunday morning. He offers to show me the way to life and salvation. The man who sells my sister into prostitution presents himself as a devout defender of purity. The man who declares reading the Bible a religious duty denies me the right to learn to read. He will not let me learn even the name of the God who made me. The religious defender of marriage denies millions its sacred influence and exposes them to widespread sexual abuse and exploitation. The passionate defender of sacred family bonds is the very man who scatters entire families. He separates husbands and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers, leaving their homes empty and desolate. We see the thief preaching against theft and the adulterer against adultery. Men are sold to build churches, women to support the gospel, and babies to buy Bibles for the Poor Heathen! All For The Glory Of God And The Good Of Souls! The slave auctioneer’s bell and the church bell ring together. The heartbroken slave’s bitter cries are drowned out by his devout master’s religious shouts. Religious revivals and revivals in the slave trade go hand in hand. The slave prison and the church stand close together. The clanking shackles and rattling chains in the prison sound alongside the church’s devout psalms and solemn prayers. Dealers in human bodies and souls set up their stands before the pulpit, and each helps the other. The dealer gives his bloodstained gold to support the pulpit. In return, the pulpit dresses his hellish business in Christianity’s clothing. Here religion and robbery are allies. Here are devils dressed in angels’ robes, and hell made to look like paradise.
“Just God! and these are they,v Who minister at thine altar, God of right! Men who their hands, with prayer and blessing, lay On Israel’s ark of light. “What! preach, and kidnap men? Give thanks, and rob thy own afflicted poor? Talk of thy glorious liberty, and then Bolt hard the captive’s door? “What! servants of thy own Merciful Son, who came to seek and save The homeless and the outcast, fettering down The tasked and plundered slave! “Pilate and Herod friends! Chief priests and rulers, as of old, combine! Just God and holy! is that church which lends Strength to the spoiler thine?”
“Just God! These are the ones,v Who serve at your altar, God of justice! Men who lay their hands, with prayers and blessings, On Israel’s ark of light. “What! Preach, and kidnap people? Give thanks, and rob your own suffering poor? Speak of your glorious freedom, and then Lock the captive’s door tight? “What! Servants of your own Merciful Son, who came to seek and save The homeless and the outcast, chaining The overworked and robbed slave! “Pilate and Herod are friends! Chief priests and rulers join forces, as they did long ago! Just and holy God! Does that church belong to you, When it strengthens the oppressor?”
The Christianity of America is a Christianity, of whose votaries it may be as truly said, as it was of the ancient scribes and Pharisees, “They bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. All their works they do for to be seen of men.—They love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, . . . . . . and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.—But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides! which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but within, they are full of extortion and excess.—Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
The Christianity of America has followers who can truly be described as the ancient scribes and Pharisees were: “They tie up heavy burdens, painful to carry, and put them on people’s shoulders. But they themselves will not lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done to be seen by others. They love the places of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, . . . . . . and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You do not enter yourselves, and you do not let those trying to enter go in. You rob widows of their homes and make long prayers for show. Because of this, you will receive greater condemnation. You travel over sea and land to make one convert. Once converted, you make that person twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, anise, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. You should have practiced these without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside they are full of extortion and excess. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs. They look beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of filth. In the same way, you appear righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Dark and terrible as is this picture, I hold it to be strictly true of the overwhelming mass of professed Christians in America. They strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Could any thing be more true of our churches? They would be shocked at the proposition of fellowshipping a sheep-stealer; and at the same time they hug to their communion a man-stealer, and brand me with being an infidel, if I find fault with them for it. They attend with Pharisaical strictness to the outward forms of religion, and at the same time neglect the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. They are always ready to sacrifice, but seldom to show mercy. They are they who are represented as professing to love God whom they have not seen, whilst they hate their brother whom they have seen. They love the heathen on the other side of the globe. They can pray for him, pay money to have the Bible put into his hand, and missionaries to instruct him; while they despise and totally neglect the heathen at their own doors.
Dark and terrible as this picture is, I believe it is entirely true of the vast majority of professed Christians in America. They strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Could anything be more true of our churches? They would be shocked at the idea of welcoming a sheep-stealer into their fellowship. Yet they warmly welcome a man-stealer into their communion. And they brand me an unbeliever if I criticize them for it. Like the Pharisees, they strictly observe religion’s outward forms. Yet they neglect the more important matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. They are always ready to offer sacrifices, but seldom to show mercy. They are the very people described as claiming to love God, whom they have not seen. Yet they hate their brother, whom they have seen. They love the heathen on the other side of the world. They can pray for him and pay to put the Bible in his hands and send missionaries to teach him. Meanwhile, they despise and completely neglect the heathen at their own doors.
Such is, very briefly, my view of the religion of this land; and to avoid any misunderstanding, growing out of the use of general terms, I mean by the religion of this land, that which is revealed in the words, deeds, and actions, of those bodies, north and south, calling themselves Christian churches, and yet in union with slaveholders. It is against religion, as presented by these bodies, that I have felt it my duty to testify.
That, very briefly, is my view of the religion of this land. To avoid misunderstanding, I will explain what I mean by that broad term. I mean the religion shown in the words and actions of churches, both north and south, that call themselves Christian. Yet these churches remain allied with slaveholders. It is against religion as these churches present it that I have felt it my duty to speak out.
I conclude these remarks by copying the following portrait of the religion of the south, (which is, by communion and fellowship, the religion of the north,) which I soberly affirm is “true to the life,” and without caricature or the slightest exaggeration. It is said to have been drawn, several years before the present anti-slavery agitation began, by a northern Methodist preacher, who, while residing at the south, had an opportunity to see slaveholding morals, manners, and piety, with his own eyes. “Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”
I end these remarks by copying the following portrait of religion in the South. Through shared worship and fellowship, it is also the religion of the North. I solemnly affirm that it is “true to life,” with no caricature or the slightest exaggeration. A northern Methodist preacher is said to have written it several years before the current antislavery movement began. While living in the South, he saw firsthand the morals, manners, and religious devotion of slaveholders. “Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord. Shall I not take vengeance on a nation like this?”
A PARODY
A PARODY
“Come, saints and sinners, hear me tell How pious priests whip Jack and Nell, And women buy and children sell, And preach all sinners down to hell, And sing of heavenly union. “They’ll bleat and baa, dona like goats, Gorge down black sheep, and strain at motes, Array their backs in fine black coats, Then seize their negroes by their throats, And choke, for heavenly union. “They’ll church you if you sip a dram, And damn you if you steal a lamb; Yet rob old Tony, Doll, and Sam, Of human rights, and bread and ham; Kidnapper’s heavenly union. “They’ll loudly talk of Christ’s reward, And bind his image with a cord, And scold, and swing the lash abhorred, And sell their brother in the Lord To handcuffed heavenly union. “They’ll read and sing a sacred song, And make a prayer both loud and long, And teach the right and do the wrong, Hailing the brother, sister throng, With words of heavenly union. “We wonder how such saints can sing, Or praise the Lord upon the wing, Who roar, and scold, and whip, and sting, And to their slaves and mammon cling, In guilty conscience union. “They’ll raise tobacco, corn, and rye, And drive, and thieve, and cheat, and lie, And lay up treasures in the sky, By making switch and cowskin fly, In hope of heavenly union. “They’ll crack old Tony on the skull, And preach and roar like Bashan bull, Or braying ass, of mischief full, Then seize old Jacob by the wool, And pull for heavenly union. “A roaring, ranting, sleek man-thief, Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef, Yet never would afford relief To needy, sable sons of grief, Was big with heavenly union. “‘Love not the world,’ the preacher said, And winked his eye, and shook his head; He seized on Tom, and Dick, and Ned, Cut short their meat, and clothes, and bread, Yet still loved heavenly union. “Another preacher whining spoke Of One whose heart for sinners broke: He tied old Nanny to an oak, And drew the blood at every stroke, And prayed for heavenly union. “Two others oped their iron jaws, And waved their children-stealing paws; There sat their children in gewgaws; By stinting negroes’ backs and maws, They kept up heavenly union. “All good from Jack another takes, And entertains their flirts and rakes, Who dress as sleek as glossy snakes, And cram their mouths with sweetened cakes; And this goes down for union.”
“Come, saints and sinners, hear me tell How devout priests whip Jack and Nell, And buy women and sell children, And condemn all sinners to hell, And sing of heavenly unity. “They’ll bleat and baa like goats, Swallow black sheep, yet choke on specks, Dress themselves in fine black coats, Then seize their enslaved people by the throat, And choke them, for heavenly unity. “They’ll discipline you in church for sipping liquor, And damn you if you steal a lamb. Yet they rob old Tony, Doll, and Sam Of human rights, and bread and ham. Such is the kidnapper’s heavenly unity. “They’ll talk loudly of Christ’s reward, And tie up people made in his image, And scold, and swing the hated whip, And sell their brother in the Lord Into handcuffed heavenly unity. “They’ll read and sing a sacred song, And pray both loudly and at length, And teach what’s right while doing wrong, Greeting the crowds of brothers and sisters With words of heavenly unity. “We wonder how such saints can sing, Or lift their praises to the Lord, While they roar, and scold, and whip, and sting, And cling to their slaves and wealth, United by guilty consciences. “They’ll grow tobacco, corn, and rye, And drive people hard, steal, cheat, and lie, And store up treasures in heaven By lashing people with switches and leather whips, In hopes of heavenly unity. “They’ll strike old Tony on the skull, And preach and roar like a bull of Bashan, Or a braying donkey, full of malice, Then seize old Jacob by his hair, And pull for heavenly unity. “A roaring, ranting, well-fed kidnapper, Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef, Yet never gave any help To suffering Black people in need, Was full of talk about heavenly unity. “‘Do not love the world,’ the preacher said, And winked his eye, and shook his head. He seized Tom, and Dick, and Ned, Cut their portions of meat, clothes, and bread, Yet still loved heavenly unity. “Another preacher spoke in a whining voice Of the one whose heart broke for sinners. He tied old Nanny to an oak, And drew blood with every stroke, And prayed for heavenly unity. “Two others opened their iron jaws, And waved their child-stealing hands. There sat their children in fancy trinkets. By skimping on enslaved people’s clothing and food, They maintained heavenly unity. “Another takes every good thing from Jack, And entertains their flirts and womanizers, Who dress as sleekly as glossy snakes, And stuff their mouths with sweet cakes. And this passes for unity.”
Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds—faithfully relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my humble efforts—and solemnly pledging my self anew to the sacred cause,—I subscribe myself,
I sincerely and earnestly hope this little book may help shed light on the American system of slavery. I hope it may hasten the joyful day of freedom for the millions of my brothers and sisters in bondage. I firmly trust in the power of truth, love, and justice to bring success to my humble efforts. I solemnly pledge myself once again to this sacred cause, and sign my name,
FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
LYNN,_Mass., April_28, 1845.
Lynn,_Massachusetts, April_28, 1845.
THE END
THE END