Page:A memoir of Granville Sharp.djvu/71

Rh islands of the Pacific, or such as pour over the hunted and scorched soul of the otherwise outraged aborigines of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, sweet rills of the water of life. But we mean colonies, such as those of Phoenicia and Athens—such as those of Spain and Portugal—such as those of France, Great Britain and Holland—such as Liberia itself; in fact, political and commercial colonies, whatever be their pretence. Armed settlements, of civilized, on the shores of uncivilized people. If this be not our meaning. If, on the contrary, such colonies as William Penn's, or such as the missionary establishments of the British and American missionary societies, be meant—colonies without other weapons than the weapons which through Christ overcome by love and by suffering perseverance in well doing—our controversy is at an end. With delight I grant that of such colonies, Granville Sharp was the friend indeed. Presuming however, that at present we have nothing to do with colonies of this unearthly description, but with such colonies as Liberia, &c, our question is, Was Granville Sharp a friend of such colonies as these?

What were the well known and ruling principles of his mind? They were eminently, equity—love—and peace. Equity without respect of colors or of persons—undissembling and holy love—harmless, suffering, Christ-like peace—the ministering spirit, like his Lord and master's conquering by services of love. Witness, his resignation of office, at the beginning of the revolutionary war, &c. The only exception of which I am aware is, that in 1780, when London was jeoparded by outrageous riots, he offered to become a citizen soldier during the emergency. This is an anomaly in his character—I do not attempt to account for it, and I will not defend it. It is, however, but an exception, and serves only to render the opposite rule, the law of peace, which governed his life, more lovely—or should a fighter scoff at this, and applaud, in resisting evil, the pouring out of brother's blood by brother, let him, if he be consistent, advocate the rising of the Russian serfs against their lordlings; or with greater emphasis still, the striking by