A strong and earnest preacher, by the name of Elias Hicks, made himself more offensive than others in this respect.  He appears to have been a very just and conscientious man, with great reverence for God, and exceedingly little for human authority.  Everywhere, in public and in private, he lifted up his voice against the sin of slavery.  He would eat no sugar that was made by slaves, and wear no garment which he supposed to have been produced by unpaid labor.  In a remarkable manner, he showed this “ruling passion strong in death.”  A few hours before he departed from this world, his friends, seeing him shiver, placed a comfortable over him.  He felt of it with his feeble hands, and made a strong effort to push it away.  When they again drew it up over his shoulders, he manifested the same symptoms of abhorrence.  One of them, who began to conjecture the cause, inquired, “Dost thou dislike it because it is made of cotton?” He was too far gone to speak, but he moved his head in token of assent.  When they removed the article of slave produce, and substituted a woolen blanket, he remained quiet, and passed away in peace.

He was accustomed to say, “It takes live fish to swim up stream;” and unquestionably he and his friend Isaac T. Hopper were both very much alive.  The quiet boldness of this man was altogether unmanageable.  In Virginia or Carolina, he preached more earnestly and directly against slavery, than he did in New-York or Pennsylvania; for the simple reason that it seemed to be more needed there.  Upon one of these occasions, a slaveholder who went to hear him from curiosity, left the meeting in great wrath, swearing he would blow out that fellow’s brains if he ventured near his plantation.  When the preacher heard of this threat, he put on his hat and proceeded straightway to the forbidden place.  In answer to his inquiries, a slave informed him that his master was then at dinner, but would see him in a short time.  He seated himself and waited patiently until the planter entered the room.  With a calm and dignified manner, he thus addressed him:  “I understand thou hast threatened to blow out the brains of Elias Hicks, if he comes upon thy plantation.  I am Elias Hicks.”

The Virginian acknowledged that he did make such a threat, and said he considered it perfectly justifiable to do such a deed, when a man came to preach rebellion to his slaves.

“I came to preach the Gospel, which inculcates forgiveness of injuries upon slaves as well as upon other men,” replied the Quaker.  “But tell me, if thou canst, how this Gospel can be truly preached, without showing the slaves that they are injured, and thus making a man of thy sentiments feel as if they were encouraged in rebellion.”

This led to a long argument, maintained in the most friendly spirit.  At parting, the slaveholder shook hands with the preacher, and invited him to come again.  His visits were renewed, and six months after, the Virginian emancipated all his slaves.