napkin and buried in the earth. It is the _duty_ of all, as far as
they can, to improve their own mental faculties, because we are
commanded to love God with _all our minds_, as well as with all our
hearts, and we commit a great sin, if we _forbid_ or _prevent_ that
cultivation of the mind in others, which would enable them to perform
this duty. Teach your servants then to read &c, and encourage them to
believe it is their _duty_ to learn, if it were only that they might
read the Bible.

But some of you will say, we can neither free our slaves nor teach
them to read, for the laws of our state forbid it. Be not surprised
when I say such wicked laws _ought to be no barrier_ in the way of
your duty, and I appeal to the Bible to prove this position. What was
the conduct of Shiphrah and Puah, when the king of Egypt issued his
cruel mandate, with regard to the Hebrew children? "_They_ feared
_God_, and did _not_ as the King of Egypt commanded them, but saved
the men children alive." Did these _women_ do right in disobeying that
monarch? "_Therefore_ (says the sacred text,) _God dealt well_ with
them, and made them houses" Ex. i. What was the conduct of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, when Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image in
the plain of Dura, and commanded all people, nations, and languages,
to fall down and worship it? "Be it known, unto thee, (said these
faithful _Jews_) O king, that we _will not_ serve thy gods, nor
worship the image which thou hast set up." Did these men _do right
in disobeying the law_ of their sovereign? Let their miraculous
deliverance of Daniel, when Darius made a firm decree that no one
should ask a petition of any mad or God for thirty days? Did the
prophet cease to pray? No! "When Daniel _knew that the writing was
signed_, he went into his house, and his windows being _open_ towards
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon this knees three times a day, and prayed