Read it through once

It is incumbent on me to state, in conclusion, that the clergy of the slave States have done all that was practicable, under the circumstances, to confer on the slaves the benefits and advantages of religious instruction. I doubt whether the poorer class of people, white or black, have had superior religious advantages in any part of Christendom, at least so far as it relates to the preaching of the gospel, and the ordinances of the church. The clergy of the different denominations have been untiring in their efforts to Christianize the African population. And it is a little remarkable that, in many instances, irreligious men,--men who make no pretentious to religion, men who rarely attend the preaching of the gospel themselves, should encourage their slaves to attend divine service, and, in some instances build churches and employ ministers for the benefit of their own slaves. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true. But admitting the fact, and I cheerfully admit it, that all has been done that was practicable, under the circumstances, to Christianize the African race in the Southern States, yet the principles of Christianity have exerted on them but a partial influence, in consequence of their ignorance. No people can be brought fully under the influence of the Christian religion, unless their minds are at the same time enlightened and expanded by literature. Religion and literature are twin sisters; bound together by indissoluble ties, and the Divine Being never intended that they should be separated. Religious instruction without literary culture, can produce but a partial and superficial effect on the human mind; it can produce no strong, permanent and abiding influence. When the gospel is preached to an ignorant, illiterate, semi-savage people, the seed is sown in an incongenial soil, and the product will be in accordance with the soil in which the seed is sown. This accounts for a fact stated in the preceding pages, that slaves apparently pious, when liberated and exposed to certain temptations, were very likely to fall into their former habits and vices. It also accounts for the fact, that but few Africans can bear flattery and attention from the white race, it matters not how virtuous and pious they may be; it is certain to elate them, and to excite them to acts of indiscretion, and sometimes to acts grossly vicious. It is so common for Southern slaves who arc apparently pious, when exposed to temptation to fall into acts of gross immorality, that many unthinking persons in the South have come to the conclusion that there is no sincere piety among them; that they are insincere and hypocritical in their professions and pretentious. A gentleman once remarked to me, that he had never seen an African in whose piety he had entire confidence. It was a remark, I believe of Doctor Nelson, (the author of the celebrated work on infidelity,) that he had never seen but one or two consistently pious slaves. The doctor was long a resident of Tennessee, a practitioner of medicine and a minister of the gospel, and certainly had good opportunities for forming correct opinions on the subject; but it appears to me that such views are not only uncharitable, but also unphilosophical. Professors of the Christian religion of the African race are not less sincere than are the same class of persons among the white race. On the contrary a slave is more likely than his master to attach himself to a church from pure motives. Many considerations may induce a white man to make a profession of religion, which have no bearing, force, or influence whatever, on an African. But the slave is ignorant and degraded; and consequently he lacks moral stamina. He lacks that firmness and stability of character which result from mental culture. And moreover, his views of the Divine Being, of his attributes and his works are erroneous. He knows but little of his Creator or his works; but little about himself and his relations to his fellow creatures. He desires to do right, but he is too often unable to distinguish between right and wrong. But this is not all; for slaves are, to a great extent, devoid of what, (in ordinary parlance,) is called a sense of honor and shame; and too many white Christians, as well as black ones, require all the restraining motives and influences, that can be brought to bear on them, to keep them in the paths of rectitude. What is called the moral sense alone, would fail in a large majority of cases. The above remarks are as applicable to an ignorant, depraved and vicious class of white persons, which may be found every where, as they are to the Southern slaves and free negroes. I will here remark that all that is indispensably necessary to enable an individual to cultivate his mind, is a tolerable knowledge of his mother tongue, so far at least, as to be able to read and write it; and a few well selected books. It is neither necessary nor advisable to read many books; for most of reading men have read too many books, and have studied none. It is a little remarkable that Christians know so little about the Bible. I do not suppose that there is one in a hundred among them who ever read the sacred volume through; and a large majority of them know very little about it, except some very incorrect notions which they have gathered from sermons. It seems that some people imagine that attending church, and hearing sermons comprises the "whole duty of man." This is all very well so far as it goes; but I beg leave to remind such persons that our Saviour preached a sermon on the mount, near two thousand years ago, which is far superior to any sermon that has been preached from that day to the present time; and that they would do well to read it at least once a month.