Preface

The Christian public will undoubtedly be astonished at the humble source from which this work emanates. Nevertheless it must be a God-send, as every one must be convinced who may read its pages. The work was suppressed for forty-six years; and the author was struggling during that time in widowhood and sorrow to maintain her dignity and standing as a woman and a Christian in poverty's dark shade. The work has come up through the wonderful development of the knowledge that she had a claim in the United States Navy Department, for services rendered by her late husband to the Government in the war of 1812. To establish her claim she procured all her evidence from Boston. The author believes that God's time has come for the work to be recognized among His people; for God seeth not as man seeth, but uses such instruments as He sees proper to bring about His most wise and glorious purposes. That God's blessing may accompany the work, and that souls may be brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, is the prayer of the unworthy author.

Feeling a deep solemnity of soul, in view of our wretched and degraded situation, and sensible of the gross ignorance that prevails among us, I have thought proper thus publicly to express my sentiments before you. I hope my friends will not scrutinize these pages with too severe an eye, as I have not calculated to display either elegance or taste in their composition, but have merely written the meditations of my heart as far as my imagination led; and have presented them before you, in order to arouse you to exertion, and to enforce upon your minds the great necessity of turning your attention to knowledge and improvement:

I was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1803; was left an orphan at five years of age; was bound out in a clergyman's family; had the seeds of piety and virtue early sown in my mind, but was deprived of the advantages of education, though my soul thirsted for knowledge. Left them at fifteen years of age; attended Sabbath schools until I was twenty; in 1826 was married to James W. Stewart; was left a widow in 1829; was, as I humbly hope and trust, brought to the knowledge of the truth, as it is in Jesus, in 1830; in 1831 made a public profession of my faith in Christ.

From the moment I experienced the change I felt a strong desire, with the help and assistance of God, to devote the remainder of my days to piety and virtue, and now possess that spirit of independence that, were I called upon, I would willingly sacrifice my life for the cause of God and my brethren.

All the nations of the earth are crying out for liberty and equality. Away, away with tyranny and oppression! And shall Afric's sons be silent any longer? Far be it from me to recommend to you either to kill, burn, or destroy. But I would strongly recommend to you to improve your talents; let not one lie buried in the earth. Show forth your powers of mind, Prove to the world that

Though black your skins as shades of night,
Your hearts are pure, your souls are white.

M. W. STEWART.