Antebellum Southern Christianity (Gimme That Olde-Tyme Religion)
From The Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, An American Slave
Another advantage
I gained in my new master was, he made no pretensions to, or profession of,
religion; and this, in my opinion, was truly a great advantage. I assert most
unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most
horrid crimes, - a justifier of the most appalling barbarity, - a sanctifier of
the most hateful frauds, - and a dark shelter under, which the darkest,
foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest
protection. Were I to be again reduced
to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the
slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of
all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the
worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and
cowardly, of all others. It was my unhappy lot not only to belong to a
religious slaveholder, but to live in a community of such religionists. Very
near Mr. Freeland lived the Rev. Daniel Weeden, and in the same neighborhood
lived the Rev. Rigby Hopkins. These were members and ministers in the Reformed
Methodist Church. Mr. Weeden owned, among others, a woman slave, whose name I
have forgotten. This woman's back, for weeks, was kept literally raw, made so by
the lash of this merciless, religious wretch. He used to hire hands. His maxim
was, Behave well or behave ill, it is the duty of a master occasionally to whip
a slave, to remind him of his master's authority. Such was his theory, and such
his practice.
Mr. Hopkins
was even worse than Mr. Weeden. His chief boast was his ability to manage
slaves. The peculiar feature of his government was that of whipping slaves in
advance of deserving it. He always managed to have one or more of his slaves to
whip every Monday morning. He did this to alarm their fears, and strike terror
into those who escaped. His plan was to whip for the smallest offences, to
prevent the commission of large ones. Mr. Hopkins could always find some excuse
for whipping a slave. It would astonish one, unaccustomed to a slaveholding
life, to see with what wonderful ease a slaveholder can find things, of which
to make occasion to whip a slave. A mere look, word, or motion,- a mistake,
accident, or want of power,- are all matters for which a slave may be whipped
at any time. Does a slave look dissatisfied? It is said, he has the devil in
him, and it must be whipped out. Does he speak loudly when spoken to by his
master? Then he is getting high-minded, and should be taken down a button-hole
lower. Does he forget to pull off his hat at the approach of a white person?
Then he is wanting in reverence, and should be whipped for it. Does he ever
venture to vindicate his conduct, when censured for it? Then he is guilty of
impudence,- one of the greatest crimes of which a slave can be guilty. Does he
ever venture to suggest a different mode of doing things from that pointed out
by his master? He is indeed presumptuous, and getting above himself; and
nothing less than a flogging will do for him.
