APPENDIX. NOTES. 393 



Christian nations have agreed to relinquish the trade in 

 slaves, and it is to be hoped that many of the wars that 

 were expressly kindled amongst the Africans themselves, 

 for the purpose of making slaves will cease : still there are 

 markets for slaves that we have no power to close, and 

 therefore it is to be apprehended that the good expected 

 from the abolition, by European states, of the traffic in 

 question, will not be altogether realized: so that it still 

 seems doubtful whether slavery is near its extinction, or 

 whether it ever will be extinguished during the present 

 state of society, and while the nations amongst whom it is 

 practised continue to be apostates from the knowledge and 

 worship of their Creator. While the souls of the sons of 

 Adam are thus enslaved and sold under sin, it seems im- 

 probable that God's time 'for their general emancipation 

 from bodily slavery should be at hand; but when their 

 heart shall turn to the Lord, this, and numberless other 

 evils, at his bidding, and by instruments that he appoints, 

 will cease. The best way therefore of accomplishing this 

 object is by providing means, wherever God has made an 

 opening, for the education of the negroes, and for training 

 them to habits of industry and order : to give them freedom 

 before they are qualified to use it for the benefit of society, 

 is giving them not a boon, but a curse. 



NOTE 17, p. 87. Should another and last cloud of error 

 envelope the world with darkness. There are many passages 

 of Holy Writ, from which it appears that, before the final 

 triumph of the gospel, there shall be a time of great 

 spiritual darkness upon earth ; and it seems also to be 

 intimated that this reign of evil shall be brought on by 

 men that Despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities, 1 



1 Jude, 8. 



