Page:The Story of the Jubilee Singers (7th).djvu/72

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

humble students learned in their slave cabins, and that not merely for her own entertainment, but to encourage them in their efforts to lift up their fellow freed people, was worthy a place in history. Such an occurrence marks unmistakably the progress that Christianity has made in renewing our world, since the not very distant day when royalty would have taken no interest whatever in such a people. And it throws a beautiful light on the character of the noble woman who is universally loved and reverenced as no ruler was ever loved by any people before.

Other hospitalities made the next three months of their stay in London memorable. Probably no private party of Americans was ever before treated with such distinguished attention. It was not possible for them to accept all of the invitations of this nature which they received. While at Argyll Lodge, Dean Stanley invited them to visit the Deanery at Westminster Abbey, a pleasure which they realised a few days after.

An afternoon was spent at the delightful home of Samuel Gurney, the distinguished Quaker abolitionist, near Regent's Park, introducing the Singers to a large party who were Friends in truth as well as name. To no one did the mission of the Singers mean more than to the noble circle of Quakers, who had all their lives long been such devoted friends of the oppressed.

Mr. George MacDonald, the distinguished novelist, gave them a welcome invitation to his beautiful home on the banks of the Thames, on the occasion of one of his annual garden parties—a Scriptural