Page:A memoir of Granville Sharp.djvu/52

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48
MEMOIR OF

disposition in every way worthy of cultivation. His capacity was not extraordinary; but he excelled in distinguishing characters. His person was not remarkable; but his demeanor was uncommonly pleasing, being full of native courtesy and delicacy. His disposition was affectionate and his feelings warm. He became deeply impressed with religious principles, and with reverence for the sacred scriptures. His morals were pure, and he always shewed a strong abhorrence for profane conversation, and for every kind of vice. Respecting the reputation of his country, he displayed a lively jealousy; and being once told of a person who had publicly asserted something highly derogatory to the African character, he broke out into violent and vindictive language. Being immediately reminded of the duty of loving our enemies, he replied, "If a man should rob me of my money, I could forgive him; if he should shoot at me, or try to stab me, I could forgive him. If he should sell me and all my family into slavery, I could forgive him ; but," added he, rising from his seat with great emotion; "if a man takes away the character of the people of my country, I cannot forgive him." Why, said his friend. He answered, solemnly, "If a man steal from me, or try to kill me, or sell me and my family for slaves, he does an injury to the few, whom he attacks or sells. But if any one take away the character of black people, he injures black people all over the world; and when once he has taken away their character, there is nothing which he may not afterwards do to black people. He will beat black men, and say, 'Oh, it is only a black man!' He will enslave black people, and cry, 'Oh, they are blacks!' He may take away all the people of Africa, if he can catch them, and if you ask him, 'Why do you take away all these people,' he will say, 'Oh, they are only black people—they are not as white as we are—why should I not take them?' That is the reason why I cannot forgive the man, who takes away the character of the people of my country.—(See Appendix 3.)

What an awful exhibition of the truth of this foresight, does the present colonization-mind of the United States exhibit. How would young Naimbana's heart be wrung