Frederick Douglass

His words made a very deep impression upon me, and I verily felt that some such work was before me, though I could not see how I could ever engage in its performance.

I could teach him “the letter,” but he could teach me “the spirit,” and refreshing times we had together, in singing and praying.

I saw the world in a new light, and my great concern was to have everybody converted.

I loved all mankind, slaveholders not excepted though I abhorred slavery more than ever.

The preaching of a white Methodist minister, named Hanson, was the means of causing me to feel that in God I had such a friend.

Of course it was impossible for me not to hope much for the abolition movement when I saw it supported by the Almighty, and armed with DEATH.

The cholera was then on its way to this country, and I remember thinking that God was angry with the white people because of their slaveholding wickedness, and therefore his judgments were abroad in the land.

Thus the light of this grand movement broke in upon my mind by degrees; and I must say that ignorant as I was of the philosophy of that movement, I believed in it from the first, and I believed in it, partly, because I saw that it alarmed…

I saw that there was fear as well as rage in the manner of speaking of the abolitionists, and from this I inferred that they must have some power in the country, and I felt that they might perhaps succeed in their designs.

Ever after that, when I heard the word abolition, I felt the matter one of a personal concern, and I drew near to listen whenever I could do so, without seeming too solicitous and prying.

I saw that slaveholders would have gladly made me believe that they were merely acting under the authority of God in making a slave of me and in making slaves of others, and I felt to them as to robbers and deceivers.

It was slavery, not its mere incidents I hated.