Colored Citizens, led by Rev. Snowden, and John T.Hilton, supporting Garrison

GREAT MEETING OF THE COLORED CITIZENS OF BOSTON   — inserted at “the request of  an esteemed colored brother”.   By request of a number of colored gentlemen, Mr. Garrison met the colored people in the Baptist Church,  Belknap Street, the object of which was, for  Garrison to give an explanation of his views  on non-resistance, peace, political action, women’s rights, no government, (so called), etc…. intense interest drew a full house at an early hour.  Meeting opened with fervent prayer by Rev. Samuel Snowden.   Mr. Garrison was greeted by the Thompsonian and Massachusetts Singing Societies, who were waiting to honor him.   John T. Hilton introduced Mr. Garrison.  Some of Hilton’s words included:  The object of the meeting was in part “to allow him an opportunity of meeting and hurling back certain slanders to the regions of darkness from whence them came”….I introduce to you this evening the firm and faithful friend of the bondsman, him who first dared to open his lips amidst fury, to plead the cause of bleeding humanity … man, who while church and clergy rocked and sung a lullaby to the monster Slavery, girded on the armor of truth and marched through the fiery trials to expel it from the land … who first proclaimed in this country immediate,  universal and unconditional emancipation to all who wear the image of God … at whose approach Colonization, that foul system of human wickedness, fell as if smitten by Omnipotence …a beloved, but a persecuted man; and persecuted in consequence of his entire consecration and devotedness to the cause of liberty and equal rights to all mankind …  The Committee call you to record, that they here pledge themselves to stand by him until their hearts, the seat of affection, cease to beat ….  (Liberator, October 25, 1839, pg 2)