[212] And it cannot be pretended that, among enlightened Africans as
compared with other enlightened people, there have been more grievous
failings off from the scriptural standard of deportment. Possible it
certainly is that considerations akin to, or even identical with,
those relied upon by Mr. Froude might, on the first reception of
Christianity in their exile, have operated effectually upon the minds
of the children of Africa. At that time the evangelizers whose
converts they so readily became possessed the recommendation of
belonging to the dominant caste. Therefore, with the humility proper
to their forlorn condition, the poor bondsmen requited with intense
gratitude such beneficent interest on their behalf, as a
condescension to which people in their hapless situation could have
had no right. But for many long years, the distinction whether of
temporal or of spiritual superiority has ceased to be the monopoly of
any particular class. The master and employer has for far more than
a century and a half been often represented in the West Indies by
some born African or his descendant; and so also has the teacher and
preacher.
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