An Incident Of Slaves


I REMEMBER once hearing a colored lecturer

relate the narrow escape of two slaves, who

 were on their way to Canada; and although it is

 some years since I heard it, the main points of

 the story are still fresh in my mind. It runs thus:

Two black men, eager for that freedom which

God wants all his creatures to enjoy, had stolen

away from their master's plantation, and after

enduring many hardships and perils among men

and dogs in the search, had finally reached the

city of Buffalo. This place you all understand

is in the sight of Liberty—or Canada for Canada

and liberty mean the same in the minds of

the poor oppressed slaves. Here they were

 congratulating themselves on their narrow

 escape, and how they had been successful in

 eluding their master who was also in the 

pursuit. But their rejoicing liked to have been 

a little too soon.

They were just making preparations to cross

over the ferry when they would become free

men; but as they were passing the steps of a 

hotel one morning, lo! Whom should they see but

their old master, who was hot in their search, and now begun the race the colored men ran to

escape from slavery, from whips, from kicks,

 misery and woe, and the tyrannical slaveholder

 ran to catch his slaves. Fortunately for the 

fugitives, while their master was getting an 

officer they got a little of the start; but as he 

and the officer were mounted on horseback, 

they went faster than the Negroes, so that 

they all arrived at the river at nearly the same

 time. There was a little skiff lying at the shore,

 manned by a single oarsman, and into this the

 excited slaves jumped and told the man to pull

 for the other shore with all his might. They had

 moved a rod or more from the brink, when up

 galloped the officer and master after their prey.

 The first ordered the boatman to stop and bring

 back the slaves, and the more covetous master

 drew his revolver, and threatened the life of the

 oarsman if he pulled another stroke. The 

anxious Negroes, full as earnest, threatened his

 life if he stopped a minute. The poor boatman

 thinking it a hard case, but best to die in a good

 cause, under the drawn knife of the slaves, and

 before the drawn pistols of the master, began to

 pull away for the Canadian shore, and as the

 slaveholder didn’t shoot, they made good their

 escape. As they reached the bank, one of them

 in his haste to be free, while the boat was some

 ways from" the shore, gave a spring, but he fell

 into the water; he is soon out, however, and

 now comes a scene not easily described. The

 liberated captives bless their deliverer embrace

 their friends jump run sing hallo hurrah give

cheers for queen Victoria laugh and cry by

turns and in this manner, said the lecturer,

they shouted nearly half a day, or until they were

completely exhausted.

Now this little adventure of the colored men

and their old master forcibly illustrates the 

cases of the people of God who are also 

escaping from the dominion of sin and the rule 

of the Devil. The poor slaves were fleeing to a

 land where they would have but a partial end 

of their troubles; the people of God are going 

to a land "where sickness and sorrow, pain 

and death are felt and feared no more." The

 slaves were struggling for a short life of

 freedom; the children of God are after freedom

 which will continue as long as time shall last.

 The slaves run "uncertainly," that is, they are

 not sure they can be made free; in the Christian

 race all who patiently run to the end of the

 narrow way will receive the reward of 

everlasting life. Let us remember the words of

 the Apostle, 

"So run that ye may obtain."



YI