Part 16

In the year 1842, when he was eighty years old, his wife died suddenly. As the remains of Sarah were borne from their humble home, he stood at the door, supported by his crutches, the tears streaming down his cheeks. "Farewell," said he, "I shall see her no more, till we meet within the Pearl Gates." Sarah was not inferior to her husband, to whom she was a helper in spiritual and temporal things. He felt this bereavement keenly, his situation without her was forlorn. Living alone in his house, too feeble to dress himself, his son, who was out at service, would put him to bed at night, and come in the morning to dress him. Arrangements were made by several families to furnish him with dinner, each taking a particular day; and this plan was pursued for eight years. His landlord supplied his morning and evening meal, until Quamino's sight entirely failed, when a faithful care-taker was provided for him.

Charles Taber, a Friend and a Minister, from Canada, visited him one morning, and was fervently engaged in prayer. When he rose from his knees Quamino exclaimed, "Now I know that my prayer was heard. Dis morning, after blessing and praising de Master for taking care of me through de night, I asked Him to please to send me something to comfort me through the day, and now He sent you to me, oh, my dear friend!"

Speaking of the evidence of evil around us, he said, "God is His own interpreter and my comforter, and He will make all things plain." Referring to his pains, he said, "The Lord is the physician--He has a balm for every wound. It seems, as I sit here, I have a view over Jordan. We must pass Jordan's swelling flood, and then we'll be in the promised land."

In reference to his blindness, he said, that with his natural sight and comprehension he had never been able to conceive the half of the glory which should be revealed, or to form a conception of the "good things" held in store even for so poor a creature as he felt himself to be. "How long I have to remain in this state," he exclaimed, "the Lord knows. I resign myself in His hands, and to His wisdom. Oh, the Lord moves with me so beautiful! I trust the Lord has enabled me to seek and to find His face and favor."

Being inquired of concerning his health, he replied, "That he could not wish to be better--that he was so composed in mind, so calm and peaceable. Oh, the glorious prospect I have in view. I can't see anything of this world, but there seems to be a hovering around me. If the heart is composed to His will, what can trouble us? Blessed Master, please to give me an insight into Thy will." He spoke of the comfort and strength which is afforded him to hear the Holy Scriptures read.

"Oh," said he, "if I could only find words to express the feelings I have when I am alone--and yet I do not feel that I am alone either. He cares for us and provides for us; but He is all in all, and over all; He leads us by His spirit; He don't compel us, but enables us. Oh, my blessed Saviour, teach me, oh, teach me the measure of my days, that I may turn my thoughts more to it. But I trust in the Lord that He will prepare me and keep me to the end."

Wm. J. Allinson called on him one morning. He found the old man, who was 108 years of age, sitting in his chair; he gave his visitor an earnest welcome, and his tongue was eloquent with rejoicing praises of Him who had made him meet for an inheritance with the saints in light. "Glory be to my blessed Master," he cried again and again, clasping his hands like an artless and overjoyed child. On this occasion, and indeed in almost every interview, he devoutly expressed his thankfulness that, although deprived of sight, his reason and memory were spared him; and this was remarkably the case to the last moment of existence.

"My dear friend has been to visit me once more," he exclaimed repeatedly after this parting. This was his last conversation with any one, except a few words to his son and his attendant. In the night he called his son, and with his mental powers apparently clear to the last, and conscious that his end had arrived, his purified and enfranchised spirit deserted the clay tenement; and who can doubt his welcome into the joy of the Lord?

A few weeks afterwards a sermon relating to Quamino was preached by the pastor of the Methodist congregation to which this aged Christian belonged. The text was, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his troubles." Psalm xxxiv. 6.

"See thy Saviour bending o'er thee, Even to old age the same, Set life's one chief end before thee, Still to glorify its name; While on Himself is fixed thy sight, At evening-time there shall be light."

EMANCIPATION IN NEW YORK.

The period fixed by law for the termination of slavery in the State of New York was the 4th of July, 1827. According to the census of 1820, there were 20,279 free persons of color, and 10,092 slaves in the State; making in all 30,371.

THE FREEDMEN OF AMERICA.

During the four years' war commencing 1861 the colored people fled from bondage, and gathered in large numbers around Washington, and in those parts of Virginia which were in possession of the United States Government. Sometimes one thousand refugees came to the freedmen's settlement in a week, and most of them had travelled on foot for several days, with scant food and clothing. They rejoiced greatly when they arrived at a place of refuge, and became free men and women. The able-bodied men were employed by the Government, but the sick and aged, the women and children, were cared for by different benevolent associations of the churches at the North and West. The Religious Society of Friends always cherished a deep feeling for the enslaved people of color, and after sending agents to ascertain the condition of the freedmen in the camps and quarters assigned to them by the Government, they earnestly labored to feed, clothe and teach those for whom they had long solicited the boon of freedom.

Believing some incidents and anecdotes from letters received from the agents of Friends will be interesting to many, the following extracts are presented:

"It is difficult to make a connected account of our visit among the freedmen at Washington and elsewhere. We went into their cabins, the tents, and the hospitals, looking into the condition of the poor people congregated there. Their stories may be considered almost trifling in themselves, and yet summed up as a whole--a people's history--they tell the oft-repeated tale of sorrow, degradation, and oppression in slavery; of hunger and cold, of sickness and suffering, patiently and uncomplainingly borne, in their great struggle for freedom. Every sacrifice, every privation seems insignificant compared to the blessed boon of liberty, to them and to their children. 'The good Lord Jesus has at last heard our prayers and sent Uncle Abram to set us free.'

"They come to the Union as little children would to a parent, with perfect confidence that they will be helped. The younger women mostly had their children with them, but the older ones had all come off 'wid 'lations and friends.' In a severe snow-storm one thousand arrived, with only the clothes on their backs. Their utter poverty is terrible. During this storm we had not clothes for the children, who were crying to get out of bed. Nine hundred came yesterday--all ragged; their masters had not given them clothes, some for a year, others for two years. All beg for Bibles."

* * * * *

"The rope-walk is a very long building divided into cabins; it is where the refugees come at first. In each cabin live four or five families. It is the most interesting place to visit. There are over five hundred people there, fresh from slave-life, and rejoicing over their freedom. Not being able to read, they often burst out as we are reading to them with, 'Well, I never heard that before.'

"The beautiful doctrine of the golden rule seems almost new to them. It is true the religious element is very strong in them, but their manner of receiving it is very different from our ideas. Although they may be what they call converted, they need plain words of moral truth for every-day life. They have plenty of faith and thankfulness, but not Christ's law of love in their hearts to govern every action.

"We stopped at a church and witnessed one of their religious excitements--women all rocking their bodies and singing weird choruses; then some one getting excited above the others, and throwing herself about, jumping and screaming. We stayed until they were out, and all down the aisles they sang and shouted--real fine, full voices, and the words more strange than all. All the women had that swaying motion so peculiar to them.

"The boxes were handed over to me on the 19th of January. From that date to the 7th of May, I have given out twenty-six hundred and twenty garments, large and small. For the last ten days we have been very busy. During the last engagement on the battle-field, hundreds have come, more than can possibly find shelter here. I have witnessed some of the arrivals at the depôt. At the sound of the whistle, many anxious hearts and longing eyes are seeking their friends. Here mothers find their long-lost children. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, meet after long separation. One good old mother here found six of her children in one group. One poor mother, with seven children, was inquiring for her husband: the answer was, 'he is dead!' The small-pox left that record for this poor mother.

"We saw one noble-looking man, not far from seven feet high, in mere rags and bare feet. Our No. 12's looked like baby-shoes beside them; but I heard of a pair of No. 19 at the Commissary, which they were very glad to exchange. The old man had had a hard master, and had been driven off 'without food enough to cover a pin.' But I never saw such a flash of joy as when I said, 'But, uncle, you have such a _good, kind_ master now, and such a beautiful home up in heaven.' 'Oh, missis, it's _that_, it's jest _that_, that's 'stained me all along.' They all seemed so grateful, and we had a happy day indeed."

* * * * *

"They learn surprisingly fast; they were very anxious to learn to reckon. I said I would repeat the multiplication table if they would try to remember it. I repeated the 2's once, and they said it after me in concert. I then questioned them, and though they had never heard it before, quite a number remembered the whole.

"One little fellow in the school being asked if he knew his letters, said, promptly, 'Yes, ma'am.'

"Well, what else do you know?

"Drawing himself up to his full height, which might be about four feet, he replied, 'I know a heap.'"

* * * * *

"Freedman's Village, near Arlington, is really an attractive-looking place; comfortable houses, nicely white-washed; a school-house, capable of accommodating two or three hundred children, and a 'Home' for the aged and infirm. Fervor and earnestness pervade the sermons and prayers of the colored people here. One gave thanks for 'the glorious privilege that we ain't all dead and shut up in hell.'

"Some of us might not have realized before that it was a glorious privilege to be still left on earth, either as faithful servants, to do the Master's bidding, or to become reconciled to Him before we were snatched away with no alternative but to be 'shut up in hell.'

"You would have been touched to witness their grief at the death of our beloved President. Every tenanted hut was decked with some badge of mourning. Thousands went to look at their emancipator, as he lay in state in the White House. Aunt Cicily, who bore the yoke of slavery one hundred and ten years, looked on Mr. Lincoln with a reverential feeling, beautiful to behold in one so aged--'for the privilege,' she says, 'that he gave me to die free.'"

"Some old men who had learned to read while in slavery, said, 'We toted massa's children to school, stayed all day, and then toted them back. We learned to read, and massa didn't know it; and now we can read de blessed Book ourselves. De good people of de North have been bery good, bery good to us. Jesus tell dem to help de poor slave: by-and-by we can help ourselves. We tank you all bery much!' Mother, child, and grandchild sometimes go hand-in-hand to the school-room. The stimulating motive with most of the adults is a fervent desire to read the Bible."

* * * * *

"The marriage record kept among the Freedmen, shows that a large part of the marriages, especially at first, were of those who had lived together as husband and wife, perhaps many years, without an opportunity to be legally united. One old man, of almost three-score and ten, was thus joined in lawful marriage to his venerable wife. At the conclusion of the ceremony, when the pastor extended his hand with the nuptial benediction, and dismissed them with a short prayer, they dropped on their knees together, their eyes streaming with tears of thankfulness, and still kneeling, the old man reached out both arms and hugged her to his heart, saying aloud, 'My dear old woman, I bless God that I can now, for the first time, kiss my own lawful wife.'"

An agent, under date 5th month, 1863, writes:

"When I first wrote to thee, the supply of excellent clothing, furnished by New York Friends, and other quarters, seemed so ample that, to my eyes, the subject of further need, did not suggest itself. I thought the time must come when such wants must be satisfied. But that time dawns not yet. The hospitals for colored people are a heavy drain on the clothing. Now, that the army advances, there are daily arrivals of freedmen; they come with only the clothing they have on, and must have a change to preserve health."

LETTERS FROM A LADY AGENT IN RICHMOND, 1866.

"In my jaunt to Deep Creek, and to the poor cabins in Dismal Swamp, I helped mend six bridges before our horse could cross, borrowing rails from the fence. It was a very hard trip--no chance for a single dinner while gone--but it paid. The same night I mended bridges, I found work of a different kind. Going on business to the Bute Street Church, I found a love-feast under full headway: about two hundred were present; the excitement terrible among the young converts, who, in their frantic leaps, broke lamps and windows, and filled the house with perfect uproar. I found the new pastor dared not risk his popularity by checking it. Courage was given me to make my way to the pulpit, when I at once had permission to speak. All was still as need be, while I appealed to their judgment, and the teachings of the Bible. I saw I had the sympathy of most, and when at last, I said, 'wait till the wind, and the earthquake, and the fire have all passed by, and then go to your homes and listen to the still small voice by which God himself will teach you; and oh, remember, my young sisters, that the proof of your growth in grace is not the _feelings_ you have here tonight, but the _life_ you will lead to-morrow.' There was such an earnest 'amen,' all over the house, as gave me hope again that they will rise above this great delusion. Many came to thank me. 'It was just what we needed, and they will hear it from you.'"

"Deeply impressed with the moral wants of these poor creatures, especially the women, and their need of friendly counsel in their new position, I have opened Mother's meetings--now held weekly, in each of our three-school districts--where they are invited to come with their work and their babies. I talk familiarly with them about their household matters, the cheapest and most wholesome food, the best ways of cooking it, and the right care of their children, and their duties to their husbands--often being greatly helped out in my own stock of knowledge by the practical experience of some nice old aunty, who tells how she manages, till the whole group is at ease and can confide their troubles and trials. Then I read, teach, or talk to them. Finally, all lay aside their work, and the babies are hushed up, while they listen to a chapter from the Bible; and the devotional pause at the close is solemn and impressive. Those who cannot spare two or three hours, hurry in at the last, and I hear them saying 'I'se just goin' over to prayers, 'pears like it gives me _such_ a lift.'"

LOVE FOR THE BIBLE.

At a great fire in the city of New York a hundred houses had been burned. Dr. Ely overtook a colored woman who was carrying under one arm a bundle of wood, and under the other a large Bible.

"Poor woman," said he, "have you been burnt out too?" "Yes, sir," said she, "but blessed be God, I'm alive." "You are very old to be turned out of house and home." "I'm well stricken in years, but God does it." "Have you saved nothing but the Bible?" "Nothing," said she, "but one trunk of things; but this blessed Book is worth more than all the rest; it makes me feel better than all the rest. So long as I keep this, I am content."

HYMN.

SUNG AT CHRISTMAS BY THE SCHOLARS AT ST. HELENA'S ISLAND, S. C.

O none in all the world before Were ever glad as we! We're free on Carolina's shore, We're all at home and free.

Thou Friend and Helper of the poor, Who suffered for our sake, To open every prison door, And every yoke to break,

Bend low Thy pitying face and mild, And help us sing and pray; The hand that blessed the little child, Upon our foreheads lay.

We hear no more the driver's horn, No more the whip we fear; This holy day that saw Thee born, Was never half so dear.

The very oaks are greener clad, The waters brighter smile; O never shone a day so glad On sweet St. Helen's isle.

We praise Thee in our songs to-day, To Thee in prayer we call; Make swift the feet and straight the way, Of freedom unto all.

Come once again, O blessed Lord! Come walking on the sea! And let the main-lands hear the word That sets the islands free.

J. G. WHITTIER.

A TEMPERANCE MEETING IN AFRICA.

James Backhouse, an English Friend and a minister, published a journal of his mission in Africa, in which he says, under date of December 1st, 1838--

This is the memorable day in which slavery ceased in Cape Colony, South Africa. We arrived at Hankey in time to join a considerable congregation of those who had been in bondage--natives of Madagascar and Mozambique, as well as home-born slaves; they had come from the surrounding country to unite with those on the mission station in praising God for their deliverance from bondage. In the evening a meeting was held, when several Hottentots (natives of South Africa) and freedmen addressed the congregation. The next day was "a Sabbath day," and truly "a high day." About five hundred freed slaves and Hottentots assembled early in the morning; they held a prayer-meeting, in which the language of thanksgiving was held forth by one lately in slavery, and appropriate hymns were sung. I exhorted the liberated to seek, through Jesus Christ, deliverance from that worst of bondage--slavery to sin. In the evening of the third day a temperance tea-meeting was held in the chapel. A suspended wheel-tire was struck for a bell, to call them to assemble. The men sat at the tables on one side of the chapel, and the women at the other side; tea and cakes were dealt out by some of the women. All were remarkably clean, and conducted themselves with sober cheerfulness and looks full of interest. After the Missionary had returned thanks and made a brief address, it was my privilege to follow him in recommending total abstinence from intoxicating liquors. Several Hottentots and freed slaves then addressed the meeting, which afterwards adjourned for a short interval at milking time. On re-assembling, George W. Walker spoke at some length, and several others.

At half-past ten the Missionary suggested that it would be unseasonable to continue the meeting longer; he therefore opened a book of signatures to the total-abstinence pledge, and one hundred and sixty new names were received. As neither my companion, G. W. Walker, nor I had hitherto signed such a pledge, we also added our names. A sweet sense of the love of God overshadowed this meeting.

Some attention had been paid to temperance from the early institution of this settlement. The children have so little idea of what drunkenness is, that in 1842, when an Englishman appeared in a state of intoxication, some of them ran away, thinking he was mad; others thought he must be ill because he staggered, but others feared he was blind, and offered to lead him.

At the expiration of a year from this period, only one of the persons who signed the pledge on this day, was known to have broken it, and that only to the amount of taking a single glass of wine.

LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVE.

WRITTEN ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF BRITISH EMANCIPATION.

Oh, Holy Father! just and true Are all thy works, and words, and ways; And unto Thee alone are due Thanksgiving and eternal praise! As children of Thy gracious care, We veil the eye--we bend the knee; With broken words of praise and prayer, Father and God, we come to Thee.

For Thou hast heard, O God of Right! The sighing of the island slave, And stretched for him the arm of might, Not shortened that it could not save. The laborer sits beneath his vine, The shackled soul and hand are free-- Thanksgiving!--for the work is Thine! Praise!--for the blessing is of Thee!

WHITTIER.