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Excerpt from Maryland Colonization Journal, Vol. 9: Baltimore, June, 1857 This day was one of severe labor for all hands on board; the emigrants' effects had all to be overhauled, much of them stowed below, and the remainder arranged in proper order between their tiers of berths and made fast. The people were divided into messes or squads and captains of each appointed; arrangements were made for a systematic serving out and cooking of food, and also for the supply of water - in short - we were preparing to get under way. The next day was the sabbath; the wind still ahead; and although all seemed anxious to get to sea, yet I believe most were glad to spend one more holy day in this their land of bondage; no one present could feel that it was unprofitably spent. Early on that cold, misty morning hymns from many euphonious voices ascended in volumes of incense from the living mass, in the hold of that Colonization ship, and earnest and strong men literally wrestled in prayer. They had much - all to pray for - much to fear, much to hope, utter dependency both on God and man, the most stupid and thoughtless could not help praying. Their mid-day services were conducted in the most earnest and solemn manner; much was said in reference to their peculiar and most interesting situation; every word meant something; there was enough of which to speak that could not fail to interest all. Probably, at no time had the most intelligent so fully realized the magnitude of their perilous undertaking; for the first time on ship-board, under the control of strangers, cut off from what, to them, had been the world, from all to whom they had looked for direction and support, in the midst of this inland sea, surrounded by the dim bleak shore on which they were never again to set foot, just ready to embark on the great boundless ocean; without a strong confidence both in God and man, it must have seemed like the scaffold to the culprit, "the plunge opaque," doom itself. But they possessed this confidence, they felt that in leaving this land they were, not only, fulfilling the designs of Him, who willeth all things, but of men, of good men; they had a confidence in the promises made to them, in the hopes held out for the future good of themselves and their children. They implored the blessings of God on those who had been instrumental in providing a home for them in their far off father land, and for those who had enabled them now to seek it. The services of the day closed with a liberal collection in aid of the American Colonization Society. We say liberal, it was so in more than one sense of the word, it was comparatively so, far exceeding in amount what we have sometimes known to be given for this or a like cause in a congregation whose aggregate wealth exceeded half a million; it was liberal to the Society, as such contributions, such mites of widows and orphans must carry with them a deep and lasting blessing; and we could not doubt it possessed the other essential quality of charity as "blessing him that giveth." How will the departure of these Pilgrims, and those by every Colonization ship from the Elizabeth down to the present day, compare with that of the Pilgrims by the May Flower from Dort? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com