Her Last Meeting With Her Master

In the spring of 1849, Sojourner made a visit to her eldest daughter, Diana, who has ever suffered from ill health, and remained with Mr. Dumont, Isabella's humane master. She found him still living, though advanced in age, and reduced in property, (as he had been for a number of years,) but greatly enlightened on the subject of slavery. He said he could then see that 'slavery was the wickedest thing in the world, the greatest curse the earth had ever felt-that it was then very clear to his mind that it was so, though, while he was a slaveholder himself, he did not see it so, and thought it was as right as holding any other property.' Sojourner remarked to him, that it might be the same with those who are now slaveholders. 'O, no,' replied he, with warmth, 'it cannot be. For, now, the sin of slavery is so clearly written out, and so much talked against,-(why, the whole world cries out against it!)-that if any one says he don't know, and has not heard, he must, I think, be a liar. In my slaveholding days, there were few that spoke against it, and these few made little impression on any one. Had it been as it is now, think you I could have held slaves? No! I should not have dared to do it, but should have emancipated every one of them. Now, it is very different; all may hear if they will.'

In the spring of 1849, Sojourner visited her eldest daughter, Diana. Diana had always suffered from poor health and had remained with Mr. Dumont, Isabella's humane master. Sojourner found him still living, though he was old and, as for many years, had less property. But he had become much more enlightened about slavery. He said he could now see that 'slavery was the wickedest thing in the world, the greatest curse the earth had ever felt. It was now very clear to him that this was true. But while he was a slaveholder himself, he did not see it that way. He thought owning slaves was as right as owning any other property.' Sojourner suggested that those who were now slaveholders might feel the same way he once had. 'Oh, no,' he replied warmly, 'that cannot be. Now, the sin of slavery is so clearly written about, and so many people speak against it. Why, the whole world cries out against it! So if anyone says he doesn't know and hasn't heard, I think he must be a liar. When I was a slaveholder, few people spoke against slavery. And those few made little impression on anyone. If things had been as they are now, do you think I could have held slaves? No! I would not have dared. I would have set every one of them free. Now things are very different. All may hear if they will.'

Yes, reader, if any one feels that the tocsin of alarm, or the anti-slavery trump, must sound a louder note before they can hear it, one would think they must be very hard of hearing,-yea, that they belong to that class, of whom it may be truly said, 'they have stopped their ears that they may not hear.'

Yes, reader, some may feel that the alarm bell or the anti-slavery trumpet must sound louder before they can hear it. If so, one would think they must be very hard of hearing. Indeed, they must belong to that group of whom it can truly be said, 'they have stopped their ears so that they cannot hear.'

She received a letter from her daughter Diana, dated Hyde Park, December 19, 1849, which informed her that Mr. Dumont had 'gone West' with some of his sons-that he had taken along with him, probably through mistake, the few articles of furniture she had left with him. 'Never mind,' says Sojourner, 'what we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord.' She thanked the Lord with fervor, that she had lived to hear her master say such blessed things! She recalled the lectures he used to give his slaves, on speaking the truth and being honest, and laughing, she says he taught us not to lie and steal, when he was stealing all the time himself, and did not know it! Oh! how sweet to my mind was this confession! And what a confession for a master to make to a slave! A slaveholding master turned to a brother! Poor old man, may the Lord bless him, and all slave-holders partake of his spirit!

She received a letter from her daughter Diana, dated Hyde Park, December 19, 1849. It said that Mr. Dumont had 'gone West' with some of his sons. He had taken along the few pieces of furniture she had left with him, probably by mistake. 'Never mind,' says Sojourner, 'what we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord.' She fervently thanked the Lord that she had lived to hear her master say such blessed things! She remembered the lectures he used to give his slaves about telling the truth and being honest. Laughing, she says he taught us not to lie and steal, when he was stealing all the time himself, and did not know it! Oh! How sweet that confession was to me! And what a confession for a master to make to a slave! A slaveholding master turned into a brother! Poor old man, may the Lord bless him, and may all slave-holders share his spirit!