L E T T E R S

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 17, 1858

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."

From Bro. Adams.

FRANCE REVIVING THE SLAVE TRADE.

BRO. SMITH : A thought which has lately been impressed on my mind, seems to me worthy of being canvassed and reflected upon, from its significance at this time. It is this: That the Ex-president of the Liberian Republic, having lately visited France, to receive, (according to a former promise of the emperor,) the war Frigate, it has been refused to him on the alleged ground that the Republic's government has hindered the outworkings, in Africa, of the French government in inducing native Africans to leave their country, and place themselves as voluntary servants (apprentices is the legal term for their servitude,) in the French plantations. The Liberians have done so because, says their publication, "it (the French system,) is nothing else than masked slavery." And the French emperor, finding his masked plan not working successfully, has authorized the French squadron, on the coast of Africa, to co-operate with his agents, who are now engaged in receiving from the regular slave dealers in Africa, their captive prisoners, and to have them conveyed to the French settlements as field workers, etc., for fourteen years' service to enrich the white man.

Thus we see by this act of the eldest son of the church of Rome—and I trust, (as the revived Napoleonic Dynasty,) the last great horn of the fourth beast kingdom, has, in fact and in deed, restored and filled up the "bill of lading," in the list of Rev. xviii, 12-14. See last item—" slaves and souls of men."

And the British are substantially doing the same thing with their coolies from China. While both these governments have, the former for fifty or sixty years, professed to suppress the slave trade, they are thus now actually fulfilling the words of Revelation, at the time in the world's chronology, when their great city shall fall to rise no more.

Yours faithfully, B. M. ADAMS.

Philadelphia, Pa., May, 1858.