and watching the proceedings with deep interest.  She evidently wished to enter, but dared not.  At the close I introduced myself to the minister as Davies, from British Guiana, attached to the ministry of the missionaries of the London Society.  He was very kind and cordial, and pressed my wife and myself to go home with him to tea.  We accepted the invitation.  Among other questions, he asked how our negroes worked, now that they were free?  I told him, “Very well indeed; and you may very safely venture to emancipate your slaves as soon as you please.”  This led us at once in medias res.  His views I found to be simply as follows:  how pious! how plausible! how convenient! how extensively prevalent in reference to other evils than slavery!  “Slavery is a political institution.  As a Christian minister, I have nothing to do with politics.  My business is to preach the Gospel, and try to save men’s souls.  In this course I am sanctioned by the example of the Apostle Paul.  Slavery existed in his day; but he turned not aside from the great object to attempt its overthrow.  He simply told masters and slaves their duty, without at all interfering with the relation subsisting between them.  Besides, the opposite of this course would render us and our churches unpopular, and thereby destroy our usefulness.”  He also seemed very sore at the idea of the Christianity of slave-holders being at all called in question.  “People,” said he, or words to the same effect, “may spare themselves the trouble to pass resolutions of non-fellowship with us; we wish for no fellowship with those who are so uncharitable as to question our piety.”  I began now to understand why the Abolitionists call the American churches “the bulwark of slavery.”

Subsequently, on the same day, I had conversation with a young man, whom I had that afternoon seen sitting down at the Lord’s Table in the Baptist Church.  He told me that there were in New Orleans two Baptist Churches of coloured people, presided over by faithful and devoted pastors of their own colour.  “And does your pastor,” I inquired, “recognise them, and have fellowship with them?” “Oh! yes, he has often preached to them.  He feels very anxious, I can assure you, for the conversion of the slaves.”  “And do those coloured preachers ever occupy your pulpit?” “Oh, dear me, no!” with evident alarm.  “Why not?  You say they are good men, and sound in doctrine.”  “Oh! they would not be tolerated.  Besides, they are accustomed to speak in broken English, and in very familiar language; otherwise the slaves could not understand them.  The slaves, you know, cannot read, and are not allowed to learn.”  This he said in a tone of voice which indicated an entire acquiescence in that state of things, as if he thought the arrangement perfectly right.  But what iniquity!  To come between the Word of God and his rational creature!  To interpose between the light of Heaven and the soul of man!  To withhold the lamp of life from one-sixth of the entire population!  Of all the damning features of American slavery, this is the most damning!