Religion and Slavery in "The Quaker Settlement" (Chapter 13)

Post and presentation by Taylor Barnett: 

As previous presentations have pointed out, the issue of religion and slavery is a key part of Stowe’s emotional argument against slavery. In previous chapters, there have been characters that believed slavery was wrong on the basis of their religious beliefs yet ironically they still owned slaves.

In Chapter 13, we are introduced to the Quaker Settlement where they do not own slaves and aid, feed, and shelter fugitive slaves in their homes. The Quakers appear to practice their Christian beliefs in the purest form. They are free of the hypocrisy that previous Christians in the novel displayed. I found this passage to display the true devotion that the Quakers had to their Christian beliefs:

"Father, what if thee should get found out again?" said Simeon second, as he buttered his cake.

"I should pay my fine," said Simeon, quietly.

”But what if they put thee in prison?"

"Couldn't thee and mother manage the farm?" said Simeon, smiling.

"Mother can do almost everything," said the boy. "But isn't it a shame to make such laws?"

"Thee mustn't speak evil of thy rulers, Simeon," said his father, gravely. "The Lord only gives us our worldly goods that we may do justice and mercy; if our rulers require a price of us for it, we must deliver it up.

"Well, I hate those old slaveholders!" said the boy, who felt as unchristian as became any modern reformer.

"I am surprised at thee, son," said Simeon; "thy mother never taught thee so. I would do even the same for the slaveholder as for the slave, if the Lord brought him to my door in affliction.”

Simeon second blushed scarlet; but his mother only smiled, and said, "Simeon is my good boy; he will grow older, by and by, and then he will be like his father."

"I hope, my good sir, that you are not exposed to any difficulty on our account," said George, anxiously.

"Fear nothing, George, for therefore are we sent into the world. If we would not meet trouble for a good cause, we were not worthy of our name."

"But, for me," said George, "I could not bear it."

"Fear not, then, friend George; it is not for thee, but for God and man, we do it," said Simeon.

"And now thou must lie by quietly this day, and to-night, at ten o'clock, Phineas Fletcher will carry thee onward to the next stand, -- thee and the rest of they company. The pursuers are hard after thee; we must not delay."

Although it is not directly mentioned, the Fugitive Slave Act of1850 is brought up by one of the sons to his father. The act included a $1,000 fine and six month prison sentence for any person who aided a fugitive slave. Like the Quakers we are introduced to, many abolitionists went against the act and disobeyed it. The son questioned what will happen if they get in trouble for sheltering fugitive slaves again. The reply is that the father will pay their fine and will go to prison if needed. The Quaker family does not question whether or not they want to shelter fugitive slaves. Since Stowe wrote they might “get found out again” in the conversation between father and son, this is proof that the Quakers have been in trouble in the past (Stowe 120). It does not deter them from continuing to shelter fugitive slaves. They saw breaking the law and being punished as a small price to pay for being thankful for the “worldly goods” that the Lord gave them (120). They believed that they have fortunate and gifted lives, and it was not given them for free. If this means they must pay for the life that has been given to them, it needs to be done. The father said it best when he said he “would do even the same for the slaveholder as for the slave, if the Lord brought him to my door in affliction” (120). They believe that all people should be treated equally and wish to achieve that in their lives.

Eliza, George, and Harry who have been staying with the Quakers are going to be taken “onward to the next stand” (120). This is another historical reference that is not directly named. I translated “the next stand” as the next stop on the Underground Railroad, which Quakers were known to have participated in (120). These historical aspects of Uncle Tom’s Cabin must have given more meaning to the novel’s first readers in The National Era. The readers were more familiar with that fugitive slaves were being helped to travel north to escape the horrible things they were being put through in the South. These historical aspects gave readers more context back then as opposed to modern day readers who were not born until many years after slavery had been abolished. I feel like this helped the book make a greater impact on the abolitionist movement after it is was written.

Questions:

Do you think that on going awareness of the Fugitive Slave Act and stories of the Underground Railroad next to the initial publishing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped create more awareness for the need to abolish slavery?

The novel focuses on the Fugitive Slave Act quite frequently, but would there been as many as characters who were against slavery if it had not existed? Basically, did the Fugitive Slave Act push some of the characters over the line where they could not support slavery anymore?

How does having the Quakers representing the purest form of Christianity effect the novel?