4.  Act on this subject.  Some of you own slaves yourselves.  If you believe slavery is sinful, set them at liberty, “undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free.”  If they wish to remain with you, pay them wages, if not, let them leave you.  Should they remain, teach them, and have them taught the common branches of an English education; they have minds, and those minds ought to be improved.  So precious a talent as intellect, never was given to be wrapt in a napkin and buried in the earth.  It is the duty of all, as far as they can, to improve their own mental faculties, because we are commanded to love God with all our minds, as well as with all our hearts, and we commit a great sin, if we forbid or prevent that cultivation of the mind in others, which would enable them to perform this duty.  Teach your servants, then, to read, &c., and encourage them to believe it is their duty to learn, if it were only that they might read the Bible.

But some of you will say, we can neither free our slaves nor teach them to read, for the laws of our state forbid it.  Be not surprised when I say such wicked laws ought to be no barrier in the way of your duty, and I appeal to the Bible to prove this position.  What was the conduct of Shiprah and Puah, when the king of Egypt issued his cruel mandate, with regard to the Hebrew children? “They feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.”  And be it remembered, that it was through their faithfulness that Moses was preserved.  This great and immediate emancipator was indebted to a woman for his spared life, and he became a blessing to the whole Jewish nation.  Did these women do right in disobeying that monarch? “Therefore (says the sacred text,) God dealt well with them, and made them houses” Ex. i.  What was the conduct of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image in the plain of Dura, and commanded all people, nations, and languages, to fall down and worship it?  “Be it known, unto thee, (said these faithful Jews) O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up.”  Did these men do right in disobeying the law of their sovereign?  Let their miraculous deliverance from the burning fiery furnace, answer; Dan. iii.  What was the conduct of Daniel, when Darius made a firm decree that no one should ask a petition of any man or God for thirty days?  Did the prophet cease to pray?  No!  “When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”  Did Daniel do right thus to break the law of his king?  Let his wonderful deliverance out of the mouths of the lions answer; Dan. vii.  Look, too, at the