was the counsel given by George Fox to Friends in Barbadoes in 1671.
“Respecting their negroes, I desired them,” says he in his journal, “to endeavour to train them up in the fear of God, as well those that were bought with their money, as them that were born in their families, that all might come to the knowledge of the Lord; that so with Joshua every master of a family might say, ‘As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.’ I desired also that they would cause their overseers to deal mildly and gently with their negroes, and not use cruelty towards them as the manner of some hath been and is; and that after certain years of servitude they should make them free.” In a public discourse spoken in that island, he bears the following remarkable testimony: “let me tell you it will doubtless be very acceptable to the Lord, if so be that masters of families here, would deal so with their servants, the negroes and blacks whom they have bought with their money, [as] to let them go free after they have served faithfully a considerable term of years, be it thirty years after, more or less, and when they go and are made free, let them not go away empty handed.” George Fox visited that island in company with Wm. Edmundson, and their earnest labours with the masters on behalf of the slaves, gave rise to a report that they were exciting the latter to revolt; a report which George Fox promptly pronounced to be a wicked slander. Four years afterwards, William Edmundson again visited the island; and the same slanders 7 being revived, he was taken before governor, as appears by his journal. It was probably during this second visit that he addressed an epistle to Friends of Maryland, Virginia, and other parts of America, which contains the following passage: “And must not negroes feel and partake the liberty of the gospel, that they may be won to the gospel? Is there no year of jubilee for them? Did not God make us all of one mould? And did not Jesus Christ shed his blood for us all? And what if they were of Ham's stock, and were to be servants of servants? hath not that been fulfilled upon them? and must that yoke always rest upon their bodies, or rather be laid upon Ham's spirit wherever it is? and doth not Christ take away that wall of partition between people and people? and is it not now that God is no respecter of persons, but of every nation, tongue and people, he that fears God and works righteousness shall find mercy? and should not we show forth the mercies and kindness of God to our fellow creatures? And doth not the prophet say the Lord will stretch forth his hand to Ethiopia and will set up his altar in Egypt which David several times calls the land of Ham? And Christ's command is to do to others as we would have them to do to us; and which of you all would have the blacks or others to make you their slaves without hope or expectation of freedom or liberty? Would not this be an aggravation upon your minds that would outbalance all other comforts? So make their conditions your own; for a good conscience void of offence, is of more worth than all the world, and Truth must regulate all wrongs and wrong dealing.” 8 These extracts prove that the sin of slaveholding was seen in its true light by some of the most eminent of our early Friends. That many bore a faithful testimony from that time forward, will be shown from the official records of the Society.