Remembering a Black Christian Philosopher of the 18 th Century

1. Remembering a Black Christian Philosopher of the 18th Century East preston united baptist church February 16, 2014 Dr. chikejeffers Dalhousie university

2. Proverbs 31:9 “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

3. QuobnaOttobahCugoano 1757-(1791? 1792?); born in what is now Ghana

4. Cugoano

5. Cugoano’s book Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil and Wicked Traffic of the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, Humbly Submitted to the Inhabitants of Great-Britain, by OttobahCugoano, a Native of Africa (1787)

6. Letter to Sharp “Pardon the liberty taken in troubling you with this few lines but as there is Several Ships now going to new Brunswick I could wish to have your answer that I might be able to gived the black settlers there some kind of answer to their request, the generality of them are mediately the natives of Africa who Join the british forces Last war, they are consisting of Different Macanicks such as Carpenters, Smiths, Masons, and farmers, this are the people that we have imediate use for in the Provence of freedom…”

7. On being introduced to Christianity “…I may say with Joseph, as he did with respect to the evil intention of his brethren, when they sold him into Egypt, that whatever evil intentions and bad motives those insidious robbers had in carrying me away from my native country and friends, I trust, was what the Lord intended for my good.”

8. Goodness vs. slavery “And should it please the Divine goodness to visit some of the poor dark Africans, even in the brutal stall of slavery, and from thence to instal them among the princes of his grace, and to invest them with a robe of honor that will hang about their necks for ever; but who can then suppose, that it will be well pleasing unto him to find them subjected there in that dejected state?”

9. Warning the British people “But while ever such a horrible business as the slavery and oppression of the Africans is carried on, there is not one man in all Great-Britain and her colonies, that knoweth any thing of it, can be innocent and safe, unless he speedily riseth up with abhorrence of it in his own judgment, and, to avert evil, declare himself against it, and all such notorious wickedness.”

10. Challenging us all “But whereas every man, as a rational creature, is responsible for his actions… he becomes not only guilty in doing evil himself, but in letting others rob and oppress their fellow-creatures with impunity, or in not delivering the oppressed when he has it in his power to help them.”