Finding a Brother and Sister

When Isabella had obtained the freedom of her son, she remained in Kingston, where she had been drawn by the judicial process, about a year, during which time she became a member of the Methodist Church there: and when she went to New York, she took a letter missive from that church to the Methodist Church in John street. Afterwards, she withdrew her connection with that church, and joined Zion's Church in Church street, composed entirely of colored people. With the latter church she remained until she went to reside with Mr. Pierson, after which, she was gradually drawn into the 'kingdom' set up by the prophet Matthias, in the name of God the Father; for he said the spirit of God the Father dwelt in him.

After Isabella secured her son’s freedom, she stayed in Kingston for about a year. The legal proceedings had brought her there. During that time, she joined the Methodist Church in Kingston. When she went to New York, she took a letter of introduction from that church to the Methodist Church on John street. Later, she left that church and joined Zion’s Church on Church street, which was made up entirely of colored people. She remained a member there until she went to live with Mr. Pierson. After that, she was gradually drawn into the ‘kingdom’ established by the prophet Matthias in the name of God the Father. Matthias said that the spirit of God the Father lived in him.

While Isabella was in New York, her sister Sophia came from Newburg to reside in the former place. Isabel had been favored with occasional interviews with this sister, although at one time she lost sight of her for the space of seventeen years-almost the entire period of her being at Mr. Dumont's-and when she appeared before her again, handsomely dressed, she did not recognize her, till informed who she was. Sophia informed her that her brother Michael-a brother she had never seen-was in the city; and when she introduced him to Isabella, he informed her that their sister Nancy had been living in the city, and had deceased a few months before. He described her features, her dress, her manner, and said she had for some time been a member in Zion's Church, naming the class she belonged to. Isabella almost instantly recognized her as a sister in the church, with whom she had knelt at the altar, and with whom she had exchanged the speaking pressure of the hand, in recognition of their spiritual sisterhood; little thinking, at the time, that they were also children of the same earthly parents-even Bomefree and Mau-mau Bett. As inquiries and answers rapidly passed, and the conviction deepened that this was their sister, the very sister they had heard so much of, but had never seen, (for she was the self-same sister that had been locked in the great old fashioned sleigh-box, when she was taken away, never to behold her mother's face again this side the spirit-land, and Michael, the narrator, was the brother who had shared her fate,) Isabella thought, 'D-h! here she was; we met; and was I not, at the time, struck with the peculiar feeling of her hand-the bony hardness so just like mine? and yet I could not know she was my sister; and now I see she looked so like my mother.' And Isabella wept, and not alone; Sophia wept, and the strong man, Michael, mingled his tears with theirs. 'Oh Lord,' inquired Isabella, 'what is this slavery, that it can do such dreadful things? what evil can it not do?' Well may she ask, for surely the evils it can and does do, daily and hourly, can never be summed up, till we can see them as they are recorded by him who writes no errors, and reckons without mistake. This account, which now varies so widely in the estimate of different minds, will be viewed alike by all.

While Isabella was in New York, her sister Sophia came from Newburg to live there. Isabella had seen Sophia occasionally, though she had once lost track of her for seventeen years. That was almost the entire time Isabella was with Mr. Dumont. When Sophia appeared before her again, handsomely dressed, Isabella did not recognize her until someone told her who she was. Sophia told Isabella that their brother Michael was in the city. Isabella had never seen him. When Sophia introduced them, Michael told Isabella that their sister Nancy had lived in the city. She had died a few months earlier. He described her features, her clothes, and her manner. He said she had been a member of Zion's Church for some time, and he named her class. Isabella almost immediately recognized her as a sister in the church. They had knelt together at the altar and exchanged a meaningful squeeze of the hand, acknowledging their spiritual sisterhood. At the time, Isabella had little thought that they were also children of the same earthly parents, Bomefree and Mau-mau Bett. They quickly exchanged questions and answers, and became more and more certain that Nancy was their sister. She was the very sister they had heard so much about but had never seen. Nancy was the same sister who had been locked in the large old-fashioned sleigh-box when she was taken away. She would never see her mother's face again on this side of the spirit-land. Michael, who told them about Nancy, was the brother who had shared her fate. Isabella thought, 'Oh! Here she was. We met, and wasn't I struck at the time by the peculiar feeling of her hand? Its bony hardness was so much like mine. And yet I could not know she was my sister. Now I see that she looked so much like my mother.' Isabella wept, and she was not alone. Sophia wept, and the strong man, Michael, joined them in tears. 'Oh Lord,' Isabella asked, 'what is this slavery, that it can do such dreadful things? What evil can it not do?' She has good reason to ask. Surely the evils slavery can and does cause, daily and hourly, can never be fully counted until we see them as they are recorded by him who makes no errors and counts without mistake. People now judge this account of slavery's evils very differently, but all will view it alike.

Think you, dear reader, when that day comes, the most 'rapid abolitionist' will say-'Behold, I saw all this while on the earth?' Will he not rather say, 'Oh, who has conceived the breadth and depth of this moral malaria, this putrescent plague-spot?' Perhaps the pioneers in the slave's cause will be as much surprised as any to find that with all their looking, there remained so much unseen.

Dear reader, do you think that when that day comes, the most 'rapid abolitionist' will say, 'Look, I saw all this while on earth'? Will he not rather say, 'Oh, who has imagined the breadth and depth of this moral sickness, this rotting plague spot'? Perhaps the pioneers in the slave's cause will be as surprised as anyone. Despite all their searching, they may find that so much remained unseen.