This was another and a great step forward, and when known gave rise to renewed denunciations, the press being particularly severe against such an unheard-of thing, which, it was declared, would not be tolerated if the Misses Grimke were not members of the Society of Friends.  The abolitionists, however, rallied to their support, H.B.  Stanton even proposing to arrange some meeting where he and they could speak together.  But even Angelina shrank from such an irretrievable committal on his part as this would be, and did not think the time had yet come for such an anomaly.  On the 19th they returned to Amesbury, and Angelina writes that great excitement prevailed, and that many had come from neighboring towns to hear two Massachusetts men defend slavery against the accusations of two Southern women.  “May the blessed Master,” she adds, “stand at our right hand in this trying and uncommon predicament.”

Two evenings were given to the discussion, the hall being packed both evenings, many, even ladies, standing the whole time.  Angelina gives no details about it, as, she says, she sends a paper with a full account to Jane Smith; but we may judge of the interest it excited from the fact that the people urged a continuance of the discussion for two more evenings, which, however, the sisters were obliged to decline.  Angelina adds:—­

“Everyone is talking about it; but we have given great offence on account of our womanhood, which seems to be as objectionable as our abolitionism.  The whole land seems aroused to discussion on the province of woman, and I am glad of it.  We are willing to bear the brunt of the storm, if we can only be the means of making a breach in the wall of public opinion, which lies right in the way of woman’s true dignity, honor, and usefulness.  Sister Sarah does preach up woman’s rights most nobly and fearlessly, and we find that many of our New England sisters are prepared to receive these strange doctrines, feeling, as they do, that our whole sex needs emancipation from the thraldom of public opinion.  What dost thou think of some of them walking two, four, six, and eight miles to attend our meetings?”

This preaching of the much-vexed doctrine was, however, done chiefly in private, indeed altogether so by Angelina.  Sarah’s nature was so impulsive that she could not always refrain from putting in a stroke for her cherished views when it seemed to fit well into the argument of a lecture.  What prominent abolitionists thought of the subject in its relation to the anti-slavery cause, and especially what T.D.  Weld and John G. Whittier thought, must be told in another chapter.

CHAPTER XIV.