The Golden Era Issued Semi-Monthly—The Missourians—Slave Holders—Travel in Southern Missouri—If Endless Woe is True all Nature would Weep—Region of Iron—Dunkards in Millersville—In Southern Illinois—Philosophy of Christ Being the Savior of the World—Refuse to Debate—Discussion in Carlyle—Inspiration—Our Name—Partialism Approaches Infidelity—Three Downward Steps—Reply to a Sermon—Hayne’s Sermon—Mr. Lewis Debating on his Knees—Written Discussions with Two Methodist Ministers—In Northern Missouri—A Preacher Replies—A Log Cabin—Talk With a Slave—Thomas Abbott—Negroes Hung—The Golden Era—Mrs. Manford Lecturing—Let Woman Work—A Circuit in Missouri—Traveling in Cold Weather—Debate in Quincy.
When the second volume of the Golden Era was commenced, it was issued semi-monthly, and changed to a quarto form. Its circulation rapidly increased, but I found it rather hard to pay expenses, for St. Louis was, and still is, a very dear place in which to live or do business. Labor, rent, paper, commanded high prices, and living expenses were about double they were in Indianapolis. If the people with whom I labored had not liberally compensated me, I could not have kept square with the world. But I found the Missourians to be hospitable, generous and liberal; and I shall ever remember with gratitude the many kindnesses I have received from their hands. I differed from many of them concerning slavery, and they knew it; but I am not conscious of any ill treatment from any one on that account. We often canvassed our differences, but in the kindest spirit on both sides, and some of my best friends were extensive slave holders. Many good people suppose that every slave holder was a semi-savage; but that is a great mistake. Some of the best men and women I was ever acquainted with owned slaves. They thought slavery was the normal condition of the black man, that God made him for servitude to the white man. They were educated to regard slavery in this light. Their churches, their pastors, their school teachers, so taught them. Slavery, then, was not wrong, but according to the laws of God. Those who know any thing of man well know that the most moral, most Christian people, may cherish intellectual errors without being morally corrupted. But slavery is now dead, and I have met but few in Missouri who are not glad of it. Although in their estimation, slavery was right enough, it was unprofitable, perplexing, and the bone of contention in the nation, and they are glad the cause of so much strife is no more. If slavery could be restored in Missouri to-day by the vote of the people, not one in twenty would vote—restore it.
During the second year I was in St. Louis, I traveled through Southern Missouri, Southern Illinois, and into the south part of Indiana. This journey occupied six weeks. Lectured in Potosi, forty miles south of St. Louis. A clergyman replied in a very bitter tone. I had spoken of the terrible doctrine of endless woe, and remarked, that if it was a fact in God’s universe, it seemed to me, that all nature would utter cries of woe. He was offended at the remark. I repeated, that if nine tenths of the inhabitants of God’s universe are to howl eternally in hell, nature, being all alive with goodness, would utter cries of woe.
“The woods would begin and tell it to the doleful winds;
And doleful winds, wail to the howling hills;
And howling hills, mourn to the dismal vales;
And dismal vales, sigh to the sorrowing brooks;
And sorrowing brooks, weep to the weeping streams;
And weeping streams, awake the groaning deep.
The heavens, great archway of the universe,