FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222  
223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   >>   >|  
ce with the characters and events recorded in the Old and New Testaments, than among the negro children in Antigua. Those passages which inculcate _obedience to law_ are strongly enforced; and the prohibitions against stealing, lying, cheating, idleness, &c., are reiterated day and night. Great attention is paid to _singing_ in all the schools. The songs which they usually sung, embraced such topics as Love to God--the presence of God--obedience to parents--friendship for brothers and sisters and schoolmates--love of school--the sinfulness of sloth, of lying, and of stealing. We quote the following hymn as a specimen of the subjects which are introduced into their songs: often were we greeted with this sweet hymn, while visiting the different schools throughout the island. BROTHERLY LOVE. CHORUS. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, We're sisters and brothers, And heaven is our home. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, We're sisters and brothers, And heaven is our home. The God of heaven is pleased to see That little children all agree; And will not slight the praise they bring, When loving children join to sing: We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, &c. For love and kindness please him more Than if we gave him all our store; And children here, who dwell in love, Are like his happy ones above. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, &c. The gentle child that tries to please, That hates to quarrel, fret, and teaze, And would not say an angry word-- That child is pleasing to the Lord. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, &c. O God! forgive, whenever we Forget thy will, and disagree; And grant that each of us, may find The sweet delight of being kind. We're all brothers, sisters, brothers, &c. We were convinced that the negroes were as capable of receiving instruction as any people in the world. The testimony of teachers, missionaries, clergymen, and planters, was uniform on this point. Said one planter of age and long experience on the island, "The negroes are as capable of culture as any people on earth. _Color makes no difference in minds_. It is slavery alone that has degraded the negro." Another planter, by way of replying to our inquiry on this subject, sent for a negro child of five years, who read with great fluency in any part of the Testament to which we turned her. "Now," said the gentlem
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222  
223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

brothers

 

sisters

 

children

 

heaven

 

island

 

planter

 
obedience
 
capable
 

negroes

 

people


schools

 

stealing

 

quarrel

 

delight

 

turned

 

convinced

 

gentlem

 

Another

 

Testament

 
forgive

pleasing

 

Forget

 

disagree

 

culture

 

experience

 

inquiry

 

subject

 

replying

 
slavery
 

difference


testimony

 

teachers

 

missionaries

 

degraded

 

instruction

 
fluency
 

clergymen

 

planters

 

gentle

 

uniform


receiving

 
praise
 

singing

 

embraced

 

attention

 

topics

 
school
 

sinfulness

 

schoolmates

 
friendship