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Show NOTE-page 60. On this page I have spoken of the manner in which the slaveo in the West Indies received E man· cipation. This great event took place on the first of August, 1834. 'fhe following account of the manner in which the preceding night was kept, is extracted from Thome and Kimball's book on the subject. "The Wesleyans kept 'watch-night' in all their chapels on the night of the 31st July. One of the ·w esleyan missionaries ga1•e us an account of the watch meeting at the chapel in St. J ohn's. The spa· cions house was filled with the candidates for liberty. All was animation and eagerness: A mighty chorus of voices swelled the song of expectation and joy, and as they united in prayer, the voice of the leader was drowned in the universal acclamation of thanksgiv· ing, and praise, and blessing, and honor, and glory, to God, who had come down for their deliverance. In such exercises the evening was spent until the hour of twelve approached. 'fhe missionary then proposed that when the clock on the cathedral should begin to strike, the whole congregation should fall upon their knees and receive the boon of freedom in silence. Accordingly, as the loud bell tolled its first note, the immense assembly fell prostrate on their knees. All was silence, save the qu ivering half-stilled breath of the · struggling spirit. 'fhe slow notes of the clock fell upon the multiwde; peal on peal, peal on peal, rolled over the prostrate throng, in tones of angels' voices, thrilling among the desolate chords and weary heart-strings. Scarce had the clock sounded its last note, when the lightning flashed vividly around, and a loud peal of thunder roared along the sky-God's pillar of fire, and trump of jubilee ! A moment of profoundest silence passed- then came the bu?·st-they broke forth in prayer; they shouted, they sung, 'Glo· ry,' ' alleluia;' they clapped their hands, leaped up, fell doll'n, clasped each other in their free arms, cri· |
