ykes were appointed a committee "to visit
and treat with such Friends as kept slaves."[187] Thus the first
important step towards the abolition of slavery was taken.

The committee lost no time in setting out on their mission. Such a
stupendous undertaking, however, was fraught with obvious
difficulties. In the first place, the system of slavery had assumed
such large proportions that it required a number of years to visit and
treat with any appreciable number of slaveholders. Again, it was by no
means easy to persuade slaveholders to give up a possession which
meant so much to them in power and wealth. Finally, it was
unfortunately true in the eighteenth century, as it is in the
twentieth, that an argument of right and justice, based upon
Christianity, did not have instantaneous effect upon professing
Christians. But Woolman seemed divinely inspired to perform his
mission. He travelled extensively and never hesitated to approach
Friends on the subject of slavery.[188] At the Yearly Meeting for
1759, he was gratified to learn that a recommendation had been made to
Friends "to labor against buying and keeping slaves."[189]

As a means of promoting his cause, Woolman published in 1762 the
second part of his "Considerations on Keeping Negroes," a continuation
of his appeal for the operation of the Golden Rule.[190] The overseers
of the press offered to print the essay at the expense of the Yearly
Meeting, but Woolman did not accept the offer. He published the essay
at his own expense.[191] Woolman gives the following reason for not
accepting the overseers' offer: "This stock is the contribution of the
members of our religious society in general, among whom are some who
keep Negroes, and being inclined to continue them in slavery, are not
likely to be satisfied with such books being spread among a people,
especially at their own expense, many of whose slaves are taught to
read, and, such receiving them as a gift, often conceal them. But as
they who make a purchase generally buy that which they have a mind
for, I believe it best to sell them expecting by that means they would
more generally be read with attention."

The story of the rest of Woolman's life is but a repetition of his
travels and labors in behalf of abolition. He travelled extensively,
beheld the deplorable conditions attending slavery, and preached to
Friends his only sermon, that "Whatsoever ye would that men should do
unto you, do ye even so unto them." H