Letter to Selina, Countess of Huntington, 1775-04-10

              Philada. of 10th. 4th mon. March 1775
Respected Friend L. Huntington
The kind condescention in taking to benevolent 
a notice of the letter I took the freedom to write to thee concerning 
the deep suffering of the oppressed People of Guinea our 
fellow men & fellow heirs of the same salvation, thro Christ our 
Lord: and the dreadful consequent effect it has upon their Lordly 
oprressors & their unhappy offspring: was greatfully received by 
me. I am fully united in sentiment with thee that vain is the 
help of man 'tis God alone: by his almighty power, who can & 
will in his own time bring outward, as well spiritual deliverance 
to his afflicted & oppressed creatures: nevertheless it has 
pleased God in all ages to stirr up an holy jealosy in the heart 
of many, to labour both by word & deed; for the deliverance of 
their fellow men from outward as well as spiritual oppression
& distress. The Propher Ezekiel reminds the people of his day, 
not only to attend to their call thereto, but of the judgement 
that will attend a neglect thereof: the principal difficulty is 
lest we should mistake the activity of our minds for the 
puttings forth of the divine hand, and oh' that I may be preserved 
in this spot. I am sensible of the great danger which, in 
this respect, attends people of a sanguin disposition, especially 
such as are naturally favoured with feeling hearts; 
And I cannot but earnestly wish for myself as well as my brethren 
the welminded in every religious Denomination whose expectation is that we may 
from Christ alone however we may differ in circumstantial
in every respect, stand quite clear from giving way to the subject 
workings of the selfish principle so apt imperceptibly to 
influence the human heart, in things that flatter our humour, 
& interest. May well disposed people are ready at their first 
prospect of some prevailing evils to say with one of old, 
"Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing" and yet from 
a repeated sight & habit of that which flatters self, which 
sooths our pride & interest, we are too often gradually drawn 
into the practice & defence of that which we at first like 
the Assyrian King, looked upon with abhorance. This I have 
observed to be more particularly the case with respect to the 
bondage of the Negroes. I have much desired that the persons