PROVIDENCE IN THEIR LOCATION.

HE African slave-trade was "the sum of villainies." One cargo of the wretched creures I saw long years ago. It was sickening as was devilish. Well did David Livingstone say the slave-trade that still exists in some parts Africa: "It is the open sore of the world." But have not now to discuss the sins of the bad me who brought to this country several thousands c savage Africans, the progenitors of the several mil ions of Americanized Africans who have been. long the bone of contention in this Republic. No have I, at this time, to discuss the sins of the ba masters who abused their slaves, nor the virtues the good men and women who did the best the could with an awkward and burdensome inst tution, handed down to them from their fathers and fastened upon them by historical, industrial political, and social conditions that they could no control.

In this discussion I am concerned about those facts connected with their history and present condition which may aid me in the consideration of

the problem that grows out of their presence

here.

They are in the United States, six and a half millions strong. Their dwelling-places are chiefly between parallels of latitude 30° and 40°, and of longitude (west of Washington) o° and 25°, embracing, as some patriotic and perhaps enthusiastic people think, the very best part of the globe, as Goshen was the best part of Egypt.

At the first there were slaves in the Northern States, even in New England. Slavery was abolished in Massachusetts by the State Constitution of 1780 It was not finally extinct in Connecticut until after the year 1840. "The United States Census," says Curtis, in his "History of the Constitution," vol. ii, p. 289, foot-note, "for 1790 returned 2,759 slaves for Connecticut; the census for 1840 returned 17; in the census for 1850 none were returned. A like gradual emancipation took place in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York and Pennsylvania." The emancipation of the slaves in these States did not produce any financial, social, or political convulsions. And chiefly for two reasons: 1. There were few to set free, too few to make it profitable to keep them in servitude or perilous to emancipate and enfranchise them. 2. Their emancipation was so gradual that both masters and slaves were prepared for it. Is it surprising that the sudden emancipation of between four

and. five millions of slaves, at the close of an exhausting war, convulsed and prostrated the Southern States in 1865?

Slavery was unprofitable in the Northern States, and, in the course of time, the opinions and sentiments of the best people were arrayed against the institution. These opinions grew into amazing strength soon after the final abolition of slavery in the last of the Northern States. Some of their slaves lived after their emancipation in the States where they had been set free; others were sent South before their emancipation, and sold to those who still believed in the institution. In this way, in some cases at least, the ignorance and errors of one party helped another party to ease of conscience without loss of cash. I have long believed that it was one of the most fortunate things in the world that slavery did not prosper in the Northern States. If it had been profitable in the North, these good people, according to the infirmity of our nature, might possibly have remained to this day unconvinced of the evils of slavery, being blinded by their worldly interests. Had slavery been profitable in the North, the institution, with all its evils, might have been fixed upon this country, so far as human purposes might have had to do with the matter, forever.

Most sincerely do I believe that this would have been not only a grievous misfortune, but a wither

praise him:" that he overrules the selfishnes sins of men to bring about good and gra results. On this rock has triumphant faith thousand times planted her feet in the day of ness and doubt.

Let us illustrate the doctrine:

Joseph was carried into Egypt as a slave, and by his blood-brothers to wandering merchants c Arabs. What a light is cast upon dark provide by the words of good and wise Joseph to his p tent brethren when they had returned to E from the burial of their father Jacob: "As for ye thought evil against me; but God meant it good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save m people alive." And what blessings, reaching w did this Joseph, stolen from his father, sold slavery by his brothers, bring not only to his fath house, but to Egypt, the land of his servitude!

All providences, in the lives of individuals and the history of nations, must be interpreted in light of their relation to the Cross of Christ, wh shines backward and forward upon all the da questions of the ages. Let us try to look at t question, first, of African slavery, and, secondly, African freedom in the United States, in this cle and steady light.

The secular historian will say truly that th negroes did a wonderful work in helping to subdu this western wilderness. But the historian of th