Religion As A Controlling Force During Slavery

Essay, Research Paper

Religion as a Controlling Force During Slavery

The Turner Rebellion and Thomas Bacon s

Sermon to Maryland Slaves, 1749

During antebellum, religion, in many cases, was used as a tool to control people, an institution of empowerment. Preachers conformed individuals to their views simply by backing their message with either signs from God or the word of God, the Bible. Nat Turner and Thomas Bacon are two prime examples of preachers that did just this. Thomas Bacon oppressed slaves during the eighteenth century by preaching a comprehensive view of the slaves duties and responsibilities in the eyes of God.1 Nat Turner, on the other hand, preached a message of signs he had received from God in order to conform fellow slaves to rise up and rebel against their current position in society. In both cases, those preachers used religion as a means of empowerment.

Thomas Bacon

Sermon to Maryland Slaves, 1749

Thomas Bacon was a preacher notorious for conforming slaves to think of themselves as creation of God placed on earth for a purpose. That purpose was to assist and work for masters and mistresses that provide for them. 2 In Bacon s Sermon to Maryland Slaves, 1749, he preached a message to black slaves to, basically, stay in line. Bacon begins his sermon by hyping himself up as a messenger, watchman, and steward of the great Lord. 3 This makes his audience of slaves look at him as not just a white man preaching his interpretation of the bible, but a divine individual preaching the word of the most powerful force in the world, God. Bacon then becomes friendly with his parishioners after he establishes his position of power by saying, my dear black brethren

1. Butler, Religion in American History, 74

2. 74

3. 75

and sisters, I beg that you will listen seriously to what I say. You all know what love and affection I have for you and I do believe that most of you have always found me ready to

serve you when you wanted my help. I doubt not therefore, that you will readily hearken to the Good Advice I shall now give you and, as you know me to be your friend and wellwisher, and hope you will remember it hereafter, and think upon it at home and talk it to your fellow servants that are not here, that they may receive advantage by it, as well as you, that hear it from my own mouth. 4 Since Bacon is on a friendly level with the audience he makes them believe that the message that they are about to receive is one of extreme importance. A message from a divine figure to people that this person has well wishes for.

Bacon paints the picture that the work the slaves are doing is work for God, not for the profit of their master. He then sermonizes that masters and mistresses are godsends; that the man that is in the field with a whip, cracking it over his slaves backs is a creation of God placed on this planet to take care of the men and women he is so wrongfully abusing. Bacon explains this to his congregation by telling them, That whatever good thing you do, though you be slaves, bound to serve masters and mistresses, here upon the earth, for the sake of bare maintenance; yet while you are doing what is right and good, you are at the same time, working for a just master in heaven. Bacon proceeds with his sermon He had sent your fathers and mothers, your masters and mistresses before you, to take care of you, and provide for you, while you could take not care of, or help, or provide for yourselves. He hath made Masters and Mistresses, for

4. Butler, Religion in American History 76

taking care of their children, and others that belong to them. 5 Bacon justifies this

section of his sermon simply by asking his congregation one lucid question, Can you think that almighty God would send you into the world for bad purposes. He (God) takes care of all. 6

Bacon then justifies why slaves were put in the position they are and virtually crushes any thoughts of a slave rebellion through the idea of damnation:

Almighty God hath been pleased to make you slaves here, and to give you nothing but labor and poverty in this world which you are obliged to submit to, as it is his will it shall be so. And think within yourselves what a terrible thing it would be, after all your labors and suffering in this life, to be burned in hell in the next; and after wearing out your bodies in service here, to go into a far worse slavery when this is over, and your poor souls be delivered over into possession of the Devil, to become his slaves forever in Hell, without any hope of getting free from it. If therefore, you would be God s freemen in heaven, you must strive to be good, and serve him on earth. 7

Bacon continues his sermon by dealing with problems that planters saw arising in their slaves. He deals with the obedience of slaves by stating, you are to be obedient and subject to your masters in all things. God requires this of you, that whatever your masters and mistresses order you to do, you must set about it immediately, and faithfully perform it, without any disrupting or grumbling and take care to please him in all things. And, for your encouragement, he tells you, that he will reward for it in heaven, because while you are honestly and faithfully doing your master s business here, you are serving the lord and master in heaven. 8 Baco

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать