The escaped slaves have been told by their masters that the Northern men wanted to get possession of them that they might cruelly misuse them; that the abolitionists would treat them worse than they had been treated while in slavery. All manner of horrible stories have been repeated in their ears to make them detest the North, and yet they have had a confused idea that some hearts in the North felt for their grievances and would yet make an effort to help them. This has been the only star which has shed its glimmering light upon their distressed and gloomy bondage. The manner in which the poor slaves have been treated has led them to believe that their masters have told them the truth in these things. And yet a national fast is proclaimed! Saith the Lord: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” When our nation observes the fast which God has chosen, then will He accept their prayers as far as the war is concerned; but now they enter not into His ear. He turns from them, they are disgusting to Him. It is so managed that those who would undo the heavy burdens and break every yoke are placed under censure, or removed from responsible stations, or their lives are planned away by those who “fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness.” {1T 258.1}

(258) De undslupne slaver har fået fortalt af deres mestre at de nordstaternes folk ønskede at få fat i dem, så de kunne mishandle dem forfærdeligt; så at modstanderne mod slaveriet ville behandle dem værre' end de var blevet behandlet i slaveriet. Forfærdelige historier på alle måder er blevet gentaget i deres ører, for at få dem til afsky nordstaterne og alligevel havde de vage begreber om at nordstaterne følte for deres klager og ville anstrenge sig for at hjælpe dem. Dette har været den eneste stjerne, som har spredt sit glimtene lys over deres fortvivlelse og dystre trældom. Den måde de stakkels slaver har været behandlet, på har fået dem til at tro at deres mestre har fortalt dem sandheden om disse ting. Og alligevel blev en national fastedag proklameret! Herren sagde: Nej, faste efter mit sind er at løse gudløshedens lænker, at løse ågets bånd, at slippe de kuede fri og sønderbryde hvert åg?« Hvis vor nation overholder den faste, som Gud har valgt, så vil han tage imod deres bønner så vidt, som det angår krigen; men nu kommer det ikke ind i hans ører. Han vender sig fra dem, de væmmes ved ham. Det er ordnet sådan at dem, som vil løsne byrderne og bryde hvert åg er under kritik, eller fjernet fra ansvarsfulde stillinger, eller deres levned ikke er påtænkt af dem som "faster for strid og diskussion og for at slå med ondskabens næve."