Lydia Maria Child, Letters of Lydia Maria Child
John Greenleaf Whittier, Wendell Phillips, Harriet Winslow Sewall, Ed.

To Miss Henrietta Sargent.

I found the reverend Doctor walking down Mount Vernon Street, but lie insisted so strongly upon going back, that I at last consented. He was very kind and complimentary, in manners and conversation. He soon began to talk of anti-slavery. I could see that he had progressed (as we Yankees say) considerably since I last conversed with him; but he still betrayed his characteristic timidity. Almost every sentence began with, “I am doubtful,” or “I am afraid.” Tie was “doubtful” of the policy of sending out seventy agents. He was “afraid” there would be among them some indifferent men. I told him that they gave pretty good evidence they were not indifferent to the cause. He did not mean that, he meant there would be some among them of indifferent intellectual and moral gifts. I urged that their willingness to go was strong presumptive evidence in favor of their moral character; and expressed a reasonable doubt whether the seventy sent out by the apostles were all equally gifted. He replied, “But they went out on a very simple errand.” I rejoined, “And the abolitionists go out on a very simple errand. Their principles are a resuscitation of doctrines preached by the apostolic seventy.” He admitted that the foundation principles of Christianity and abolition were identical; but still this subject was so intertwisted with politics, prejudice, and interest, and the manner of illustrating it might be so injudicious, that he thought it every way desirable [25] to have agents peculiarly qualified. I answered that we had good reason to suppose the early opposition to Christianity was interwoven with the prejudices and interests of nations. If it were not so, why had the apostles been persecuted even unto death? We, like the apostles, could only choose the willing-hearted, and trust that God would bless their mission. Even if it were desirable to select the “wise and prudent” of this world, there was abundant reason to suppose that now, as then, they would not be in readiness to perform the Lord's mission.

I do not know how much longer we might have “argufied” about the seventy, if we had not been interrupted by Mrs. M., who was soon followed by several other ladies. From courtesy I forebore to renew a subject which might be embarrassing to mine host, in the presence of visitors who doubtless would not so much as touch it with a pair of tongs; but I was much pleased to have the Doctor interrupt some general remarks which I made on literature, with this question: “But, Mrs. Child, I want you to tell me something more about the progress of antislavery.” I related several anecdotes illustrative of the progressive movement of the public mind, assuring him that all ranks and classes had been moved, in spite of themselves, nay even while many cursed the stream which propelled them. I did not forget to relate how many Southerners in New York, during the past summer, had been into the anti-slavery office to inquire for the best book on emancipation. He seemed much affected by the story of the anonymous fifty dollars sent to the Society, as “the master's mite toward the relief of those in bondage.”