| A Good Time Was Coming French to Whipple March 18 1862 AMA Records |
| Hilton Head, SC March 18’62 Dear Bro Whipple and Jocelyn I have a moment to say a word; while the steamer is rounding J came down to look after some last boxes. The field opens wider and wider. J regrets never and more the failure to come if the ladies and fifty could be employed to advantage. Still it would not be advisable to send them new. The clothes is nearly all distributed and we are looking anxiously for a fresh arrival. the ladies discover generally a disporition in the part of the families to elevate themselves. Indeed, the importance of this womanly mission is just beginning to appear. Woman can touch cords in woman’s heart. Man has no power to either discover in if discovered to play upon. Number of the purest noblest and most worthy as well as most tenderly sympathizing natures are needed for this work. In woman and in the children are to be found the materials from which of the super structure of their future great men and useful men is to be constructed. The great majority are pious. Their hearts have an education in the knowledge of Christian experience that may well be coveted by many whose mental culture bears no comparison with the dark minds of most of them. Their talk as Christians often sparkles with rich genus. Last Sabbath, after preaching to a congregation of probably one hundred fifty belonging mostly to one plantation I called in them to rise and speak of the dealings of God with their souls. It was soon evident to the ladies, who accompanied me one from Boston and two from New York that they were indeed listening to some of the Johns and Marys, who are favored with the Master’s special smiles. As they spoke of their trust in the Savior, his assurances by the application of the promises of their hearts that “a good time was coming.� when their cries of justice would cast their shadows around them in quietness and safety and no more partings of family be known, our hearts dissolved in sympathy and gratitude in their behalf. The church was a rude structure without any floor and yet these people were more intelligent than those if any adjoining plantation. The owner furnished a better stable for his horses than house of worship for their sons and daughters of the King of kings. At the close, a couple, both formerly slaves of this same master came forward before the congregation for marriage. This to me was a privilege unlooked for. I approved the opportunity to instruct the people as to the duties, relations and Sacredness of the marriage relation other in the most solemn manner joined them as husband and wife in the name of the God of Abram, Israel and Jacob. If God ever owned a manager making it sacred by the manifestation of his presence I believe he owned this marriage. I prayed that each would never let the Government by the ? of slavery put asunder these two so sacredly joined in one. Others, self married, craved the privilege of having their unions solemnly ratified. We intend to do much of this work. Every banner that can prudently raise against the re-enslavement of the people we should now certainly raise. God is in this work of deliverance. To try to undo it is to rush into every injustice and into worse national troubles that we have yet seen….. Rev. French |
| Dr. George Whipple worked for the AMA as Secretary for over 30 years from 1846.. He was born in Albany, N. Y in 1805. Rev. French was another New Yorker who took part in the Port Royal Experiment. From this letter the status of slavery was not a settled issue. This was still several months before Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. However most of these slaves could be considered free because the were working for the Federal government. Marriages would be a big issue for these free slaves. After the Civil War when pensions were sought by the wives of deceased African-American soldiers it was very difficult to prove the marriage especially those that extended to slavery times. |