This quote to me calls back to another period in American history. This reminds me of the Republican Motherhood movement from the period of early America where women were looked at as nurturers that would teach future generations the ideals of liberty1. Women are often looked at as gentle and domesticated but they used that to their advantage when it came to politics by applying gentle pressure and persuasion on the men in their lives. When women get together, they play a pivotal role in shaping history.

The American Yawp, Chapter 7, Section 3.

This is something I have always wondered and I brought up before. How is it that Jefferson could talk about liberty and freedoms and become a blueprint for democracy with reduced taxes and being for the people, but also demonize and mistreat Black people and Natives? It does not make any sense for the forefathers to fight to get out from under British control to be super brutal and cruel towards Blacks and Natives? How does white America shout let freedom ring but then deny those same feelings and freedoms to those who aren’t white? Grimke made an excellent point; it is absolutely absurd to declare America this free Republican government but deny freedom to certain populations that live within it.

I am not a hundred percent sure what is happening right here. I have no idea if Nat was hallucinating or if there was an actual person that he felt he helped set straight by leading him on a righteous path. I was also a little confused because if this white man “ceased from his wickedness” then why did he start to ooze blood? Was it like some evil spirit hanging on for dear life? Was the blood a sign of his wickedness draining from his body? If it took him nine days to stop oozing blood was it a fever or some sort of illness that healed itself? Who really knows, but I feel this event helped solidify Nat’s feelings that he was being used as an instrument by God to set his people free. He probably saw it as a physical and true sign that he had a gift and that a spirit was directing him towards freedom.

Honestly I’m sure every enslaved person felt they were no use as a slave. Who the hell wanted that? I think it probably was such a mind eff to be intelligent and even have white people recognize that in some aspect, while still insisting that you and your entire family deserve to be property. Nat Turner could read a bible and preach. I’m sure a lot of Whites and enslaved Blacks thought it was a remarkable gift when in reality if all enslaved Black folks had the same opportunity they would have also succeeded.

One, I am skeptical about this confession. The book has controversy attached to it because it was written by a white guy in an era where this enslaved Black man gathered a small army and murdered quite a few White people. Did he truly transcribe what Nat Turner said or did he embellish and create a more fictional account? It’s hard to say. I would be surprised if he was unbiased.

Two, this section was interesting because Nat is basically saying that he was receiving messages from God and that God was essentially using him as this great messenger. I think by him saying he prayed for two years and continued to hear from this spirit was his way of reasoning with himself that it was real. That he wasn’t dreaming or anything like that but that he was being spoken to in a biblical way.

I am darkly amused reading this. Edwards called out his entire congregation without naming names. He is saying that their status and wealth will not protect them. That they are delusional if they think they are safe because God is angry at them too. I wonder if this is perhaps where people started falling over? At this point Edwards is saying God sees all the dirty secrets and "the spasms first appeared among known sinners in the community". (1) So the weight of his message probably started to smother them.

1. The American Yawp, Chapter 4, Section 4.

This section really beats the message into the congregation that there is nothing, absolutely nothing to prevent God from keeping them from hell. Edwards really repeats throughout this entire sermon that hell is essentially inevitable because God is not too fond of them right now. I can see why people were tipping over and feeling faint. This version of God that is vengeful and refuses to save you is scary as hell.

In this passage Edwards is letting his congregation know that the only reason they aren't in hell is because of God. He is letting them know at any possible moment they could end up in hell. His congregation may have woke up that day in great health and figured it was because they are taking care of themselves but Edwards reminds them that it was actually Gods will. The care that they are putting into themselves, "the good state of [their] bodily constitution" would not prevent them from dying and ending up in hell. They aren't safe by any means. This fits with Edwards and his beliefs because he believed in predestination.(1) Edward's basically felt that God already knew the majority of these people were going to hell and there was nothing, not even supposedly good health, that was going to prevent any member of the congregation from suddenly dying and ending up in hell. It was God's will.

1. The American Yawp, Chapter 4, Section 4