Star.
London, England, 1830-08-02 00:00:00

THE SLAVE'S COMMENTARY ON THE LORD'S

PRAYER.

The stale of society in the West Indies is, that a determined
aversion exists to learning to read, and the moat approved extent of
Instruction permitted is, teaching by word of mouth, the Lord's
P•ayer. the Ten Commandments, and the Creed. Now, if learning
and reciting these words by rote be all that is aimed at, we have no-
los for our labour and our money, but a mere parrot system :
words, indeed, arc treasured up, but they are words without mean.
int!, and, as fares any improvement of mind goes, the negroes might
as well be taught to cry " Poor Poll." But, if the true and
full meaning of these words be aimed at, then the minds of the ne-
groes must be more or less engaged about the sense of the words
which they leant ; and, in such raise, a negro, after reciting the
Lord's prayer, soliloquises thus :--
" Our Father, which art in heaven."
111* too much glad, me got fader in heaven ; de cruel buckra man
steal me away from my fader on earth ; ah, me have no more any
fader on earth, but me got fader in heaven. Buckra man no can
steal him ; I tank my taller in heaven.
" Thy kingdom come."
-

Oh how glad me be, my fader in heaven, when dy kingdom
some ; den poor black negro no more be slave to strong white man ;
den poor negro no more be sold, like beast—no more be flog—no
.nore be rob—no more his wife and his pickaniny be take away—no
WINO whip smack him up in morning ; then he sleep 'nough—then
he work well for himself—then he bring his wages, and give to him
wife—then he take care of his own pickaniny, and nobody take him
away ; bb how glad poor black aegto be when his great fader's king-
dom come.

•' Thy will be done on earth, as it is in }leaven."
Then we all love one 'nether, like holy angels--then me easy love
mama, 'cause maws no mote beat, tob, kill me, but love me, and
me love =sea. _ _ _ _ .__

" Give us this day our daily bread."
0 my fader in heaven, tell my maua give us more time work—
more time earn something, so can pay mass: for make us free; now
we too much hungry, we no can get any thing • tell mama he no
ilog, he give more time, he pay wages— he no sill us, we work great
deal more for him. _ _

" And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass
against us."

This too much hard ; masse 'buse, flog, buy, sell, steal negro
—take away negro's wife, negro's daughter, negro's little pick.
twiny; then negro say any thing, moan beat, send workhouse, kill
negro ; how can poor negro forgive wicked masse ; negro himself
too wicked sometimes • what shall poor negro do, he too much
wicked—his muss poles him alone. Oh, my fader in heaven,
forgive poor wicked black negro—forgive poor black negro's wicked
masse.

" And lead us not into temptation."
Me very glad if my muss let me alone ; my maw tempt me too
much ; sometimes me bee my wicked mama 'buseinty wife, den me
very angry; den me can feel, me wish kill my maws; den my
heart jump; oh my massy tempt me too much ; me afraid me
sometime kill my mosso, when he so wicked. My great fader in
heaven, don't let my mass tempt me too much.
" But deliver us from evil."

Oh, my fader, poor black negro want very much be deliver from
evil ; de wicked buckra man got him, bold him fast; put him in
irons, put him in stocks, smack him up, make him work all day,
flog him too much, no let hint rest, make him break Sunday, no
pay him wages, 'buse his wife, 'buss his child, buy 'em, sell 'em,
mat e'm like beasts. Oh, my fader, poor ,black negro suffer too
much—deliver me, my fader, from evil.