Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Contents
- CHAPTER I The Father of the Man
- CHAPTER II The Man Hears a Voice: Samuel, Samuel!
- CHAPTER III The Man Begins his Ministry
- CHAPTER IV The Hour and the Man
- CHAPTER V The Day of Small Things
- CHAPTER VI The Heavy World is Moved
- CHAPTER VII Master Strokes
- CHAPTER VIII Colorphobia
- CHAPTER IX Agitation and Repression
- CHAPTER X Between the Acts
- CHAPTER XI Mischief Let Loose
- CHAPTER XII Flotsam and Jetsam
- CHAPTER XIII The Barometer Continues to Fall
- CHAPTER XIV Brotherly Love Fails, and Ideas Abound
- CHAPTER XV Random Shots
- CHAPTER XVI The Pioneer Makes a New and Startling Departure
- CHAPTER XVII As in a Looking Glass
- CHAPTER XVIII The Turning of a Long Lane
- CHAPTER XIX Face to Face
- CHAPTER XX The Death-Grapple
- CHAPTER XXI The Last
- Index
CHAPTER II - The Man Hears a Voice: Samuel, Samuel!
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2012
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Contents
- CHAPTER I The Father of the Man
- CHAPTER II The Man Hears a Voice: Samuel, Samuel!
- CHAPTER III The Man Begins his Ministry
- CHAPTER IV The Hour and the Man
- CHAPTER V The Day of Small Things
- CHAPTER VI The Heavy World is Moved
- CHAPTER VII Master Strokes
- CHAPTER VIII Colorphobia
- CHAPTER IX Agitation and Repression
- CHAPTER X Between the Acts
- CHAPTER XI Mischief Let Loose
- CHAPTER XII Flotsam and Jetsam
- CHAPTER XIII The Barometer Continues to Fall
- CHAPTER XIV Brotherly Love Fails, and Ideas Abound
- CHAPTER XV Random Shots
- CHAPTER XVI The Pioneer Makes a New and Startling Departure
- CHAPTER XVII As in a Looking Glass
- CHAPTER XVIII The Turning of a Long Lane
- CHAPTER XIX Face to Face
- CHAPTER XX The Death-Grapple
- CHAPTER XXI The Last
- Index
Summary
There is a moment in the life of every serious soul, when things, which were before unseen and unheard in the world around him become visible and audible. This startling moment comes to some sooner, to others later, but to all, who are not totally given up to the service of self, at sometime surely. From that moment a change passes over such an one, for more and more he hears mysterious voices, and clearer and more clear he sees apparitional forms floating up from the depths above which he kneels. Whence come they, what mean they? He leans over the abyss, and lo! the sounds to which he hearkens are the voices of human weeping and the forms at which he gazes are the apparitions of human woe; they beckon to him, and the voices beseech him in multitudinous accent and heart-break: “Come over, come down, oh! friend and brother, and help us.” Then he straightway puts away the things and the thoughts of the past and girding himself with the things, and the thoughts of the divine Ought and the almighty Must, he goes over and down to the rescue.
Such an epochal first moment came to William Lloyd Garrison in the streets of Boston. Amid the hard struggle for bread he heard the abysmal voices, saw the gaunt forms of misery. He was a constant witness of the ravages of the demon of drink—saw how strong men succumbed, and weak ones turned to brutes in its clutch.
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- Chapter
- Information
- William Lloyd GarrisonThe Abolitionist, pp. 38 - 68Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010