Sabbath School

The Narrative of Frederick Douglass should be considered essential reading for any American person in public education in the United States. Not only is this a searing expose of the brutality of America’s original sin of slavery it is also written with incredible literary tone and excellence.

When I read Frederick Douglass for the first time I couldn’t help but reflect on one section of Chapter 10 in particular, the Sabbath school. Douglas writes that “…instead of spending the Sabbath in wrestling, boxing, and drinking whisky, we were trying to learn how to read the will of God; for they had much rather see us engaged in those degrading sports, than to see us behaving like intellectual, moral, and accountable beings..” A controlled ignorance was the primary means to perpetuate the evil of Slavery and Douglas was revolutionary to spend his Sabbath serving his fellow slaves instead of partaking in drinking or sporting. His service to his fellow man was a shining light to other slaves. Douglas reflects: “I look back to those Sundays with an amount of pleasure not to be expressed. They were great days to my soul. The work of instructing my dear fellow-slaves was the sweetest engagement with which I was ever blessed.“ One of the greatest acts of love between human beings is service and Douglas was a true disciple of this love to his fellow slaves. Douglas lived the sprint of freedom in the dark prison cell that was American slavery. Douglas was a servant of his fellow slaves, he worked hard and risked death to free their minds from bondage so hopefully their very bodies would one day be free as well.

“They came because they wished to learn. Their minds had been starved by their cruel masters. They had been shut up in mental darkness. I taught them, because it was the delight of my soul to be doing something that looked like bettering the condition of my race. “

The description of the hope inspired by Douglas in his sabbath school is a hope to my very soul. Frederick Douglass is a true American hero.

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