n the church of
America;" but at the very latest joint exhibition of himself and his
friend _Moses Roper_, in London, it was stated by the latter in one of
his usual interludes to Mr. Thompson, perhaps in his presence,
certainly uncontradicted, that, slave holding was universally
practised by "all Christian _societies_" in America; the societies of
Friends only excepted. It may excite a blush in America, to know that
the poor negro's silly falsehood was received with cheers by the
London audience.

What then should the similar declarations of Mr. Thompson, made
deliberately and repeatedly, and with infinite pretence of candour and
affection, what feelings _can_ they excite; and how will that insulted
people regard the easy credulity which has led the Christians of
Britain to believe and reiterate charges in which it is not easy to
tell whether there is less truth or more malignity? For how stood the
facts? What church owns slaves? What Christian corporation is a
proprietor of men? Out of our ten thousand churches perhaps half are
involved in this sin? Perhaps a tenth part? Surely one Presbytery at
least? No,--this mountain of fiction has but a grain of truth to
support its vast and hateful proportions. If there be above five
congregations in all America that own slaves, I never heard of them.
The actual number, of whose existence I ever heard, is, I believe,
precisely _three_! They are all Presbyterian congregations, and
churches situated in the southern part of Virginia, and got into their
unhappy condition in the following manner:--Many years ago, during
those times of ignorance at which God winked--when such a man as John
Newton could go a slaving voyage to Africa, and write back that he
never had enjoyed sweeter communion with God than on that voyage;
during such a period as that, a few well meaning individuals had
bequeathed a small number of slaves for the support of the gospel in
three or four churches. These unfortunate legacies had increased and
multiplied themselves to a great extent, and under present
circumstances to a most inconvenient degree. A fact which puts the
clearest contradiction on that assertion of this "accuser of the
brethren"--representing their condition as being one of unusual
privation and suffering. Of late years these cases had attracted
attention, and given great uneasiness to some of the persons connected
with these churches. I have on this platform, kindly furnished me,
like most of t