Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-04-14
The Slave Martyr.


In many of the criticisms on Mrs. Stoves
great work, no objection is so common as
that of exaggeration. or overdrawing in the
finale of Uncle TOMS death. All who read
The newspapers agree that whippings to
death do occur, but all will not or cannot
believe that any one for Conscience sake,
has died by the lash here, in Ibis nineteenth
century Those 'niggers who are whipped
10 death are desperate characters--persons
who have worn ont the patience of Oversee
ers and masters by crime and laziness.
Well, in the summer of 1889. we were
in Louisville, Ky. As no great change has
ever taken place in our own opinion on
this slavery question. we were at some loss
then for place to get preaching, and used
on Sabbath to walk out to grave yard, or
into the fields, or up and down the streets
in search of sermons. One forenoon, pass
ing little frame church on Walnut street,
if we remember rightly. we heard the volc
es of congregation singing. Brother Sam
uel. who was with us-it was farther down
the street than would have been thought
safe for woman at mid-day-sad it was
congregation of Methodists, and mis-
sionary station. he thought, but assured US
lie had once dropped in and heard a sermon
he liked.
We went in and took seat. A plain
looking, elderly man preached in the style
usual tor Metho list ministers in country
places-all about religion, its comforts in
| 1; E., o,,I ho IN 1aath ,I,o IIn,I,
Tom, he insisted, with great earnestnes,
that it was "a great thing 10 be Christ
ian" Religion--it made the weak strong,
and the meanest most honorable. To IL
nstrate this grand truth, he told an anec-
dote as something coming within range of
his own knowledge, of ali old slave who
had "got religion" His master was kind,
but irreligIous and reckless, and was with.
al, much impressed by the earnestness of
his servants prayers and exhortations. But
.e day, one evil day, Oh Sabbath too, this
same kind master was drinking and play.
ing cards with visitor, when the converse.
ton turned upon the religion of slaves
The visitor boosted that he could whip the
religion out of any niger IN the State. in
half an hour"
The master proud of possessing rare
specimen, boosted that he had one out of
whom the religion could not be whipped.
A bet was lad, and the martyr summoned.
: A fearful oath of recantatlon and blasphe-
nous denial of his Savior was required of
the old discipline, upon pain Of being whip
ped to death. The answer was" Bress de
!, Lord, massa | can't"
Threats, oaths, entreaties and noise were
tried but he fell on his knees, aud holding
up his hands plead "Bress de Lord, massa
| can't Jesus, he die for me Massa,
please massa, can't.''
The executioner summoned his aids, the
old man was tied up and the whipping COM
menced. ut shrleks for mercy were all
iniermngFed with prayers and praises-pray
ers for his own soul and those of his MUIR
derers When fainling and revived, the
terms OF future freedom from punishment
were offered again, and again he put them
away with The continued exclama,ions, "Je.
sus, he die Tor me Bress de Lord massa :,
| can't"
The bet was to the full value of the prop
erty endangered The men were flushed
with wine, and the experimenter on "ngger
religion" insisted on trying it out" Hon
or demanded that he should have fair
chance to win his bet and the old dcit line
died under the lash. blessing sAe Lord thu,
Jesus had for h'ml
The preacher gave his recital with many
tears, and before he was done, and before
he was done, we do not think there was
dry eye, except our own, in the house Our
pulses all stood still with horror, but the
speaker did not appear to dream that his
t story had any bearing againgt the insli,u.
ton with which he was surrounded.
We cannot remember how he said the
particulars came to his knowledge, but
think the martyr had been under his pasto-
raj care, and that he got The minutes from
slave witnesses in a 4" love feast"
lie gave US the story simply to show us
what good thing religion was OF those
who heard it, and the many persons there to
whom we related it, we found not one who
appeared to doubt it. Any indignation felt
and expressed, was against the individual
actors in the tragedy-.Mrs. Swisshelm, in
the Pittsburgh Visitor.