through the streets of that place in the evening, I saw
evidence that no minister nor citizen there was justified in casting the
first stone at the South for immorality. I lifted up my heart in thanks
to God that my sons were not exposed to the temptations of a Northern
city. Being in the United States District Court there, several times, I
had some revelations also with regard to the treatment and the condition
of seamen in some Northern ships, which led me to the conclusion which
I have often drawn,--that poor human nature is about the same, North and
South.

"'So, when I conducted the services of public worship, I prayed for that
city and for the young people, and alluded to the temptations which I
had witnessed; and I referred also to mariners, and prayed for masters
and officers of vessels who had such authority over the welfare and the
lives of seamen; and I prayed that Christians in both sections of our
land might pray for each other, considering each themselves, lest they
also be tempted, and that they might not be self-righteous and
accusatory; and that our eye might not be so filled with the evils of
other sections of the land as not to see those which were at home.

"'After service the good brother said, "I suppose you referred in your
prayer to my praying against the South, as you call it. Well," said he,
confidentially, "the truth is, some of our people make this thing their
religion, and they will not abide a man who does not pray against
slavery." Some gentlemen, with their ladies, stopped to speak with me.
One shook me by the hand most cordially. "We are glad to see our good
Southern brethren," said he; "thankful to hear you preach so, and pray
so, too," said he, with an additional shake and a significant look,
while the rest were equally cordial with their assent. One of the
gentlemen took me home with him. "This is most of it politics," said he,
"and newspaper trade, this anti-slavery feeling. The people generally
are not fanatics; they are kind and humane, and their sensibilities are
touched by tales of distress."--"Especially Southern," said I. "Last eve
I read in your papers four outrages which happened within fifteen miles
of this city, and two in your city, which equalled, to say the least,
in barbarity anything that ever comes to my knowledge among our people."

"'The next Sabbath, as I have since learned, my good brother was very
comprehensive, discriminating, and impartial in his supplication