Jupiter Hammon

“Now I acknowledge that liberty is a great thing, and worth seeking for, if we can get it honestly; and by our good conduct prevail on our masters to set us free.”

“For my own part I do not wish to be free, yet I should be glad if others, especially the young negroes, were to be free.”

“Salvation comes by Jesus Christ alone, The only Son of God.”

“Come you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

“That liberty is a great thing we may know from our own feelings, and we may likewise judge so from the conduct of the white-people, in the late war.”

“Getting our liberty in this world is nothing to our having the liberty of the children of God.”

“It is our duty to be faithful to them that they may receive the reward of virtue, by setting us free.”

“While we are slaves, it is our duty to obey our masters, in all their lawful commands.”

“If we should get our freedom, we shall be engaged in a civil war, and that by our own folly.”

“If we are slaves it is by the permission of God.”

“Now I will conclude with a few words of advice to you who are free. The most of you have been slaves, and some of you were born free. You have more advantages than we have.”