Quaker Protest Against Slavery, Merion (Pa.) 1696

              Ffreinds, There was something before me concerning the buying of Negroes. (first the scarcity of the hands here and how difficult they were to be had)  I thought If I bought such of them as were good It would be some help to me and that I could with more ease Leave my calling to go to Meeting, And I have been enquiring for some, & did find for one, In the mean while his Consideration of it came before me. If I should have a bad one of them, that must be corrected, or would Run away, or when I went from home, & leave him with a woman or maid, and he should desire or seek to comitt wickedness, if such a thing happened that it would be more Loss and Trouble to me, than any outward gain could countervail. And I was in Perplexity concerning it, And I could find no satisfaction through Enquiries of men. (Some advised me to buy and others to forbear.) Then I desired of ye Lord, that he would make it known to me whether it was his will if I should buy of them or no, And I should do it however it would be as to wordly things. And it was not Long before he made it known unto me That I should not be Concerned with them. And afterwards I had no freedom to buy or take any of them upon any account. And being I understant that there are divers yt who are not fully satisfied concerning it. I could no less than make known how it was with me upon this accound, And I can say that I have nothing in my heart against any particular yt who buys them. But I would have them Consider this thing before the Lord to know his will therein. And yt worldly gain should not have place in the thing, But that we should Remember Abraham who at ye Command of ye Lord was ready to offer up his onely Son Isaac, who was a great deal nearer to him that bond-servants can be. It has been thus with me about two years ago, at which time I had not heard of others writing abt. it, and If I could write my self, I had written it more at Large when it came to me. Merion 28th of ye 5th moneth 1696. Cadwalader Morgan