[Benjamin Franklin] Philadelphia Quaker Abolitionist Manuscript Memorial For Sale

JAMES PEMBERTON (1723-1809) was an influential Quaker and an abolitionist from Philadelphia. He was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who succeeded Benjamin Franklin as president of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist Society, an organization strongly engaged in supporting and aiding African Americans seeking freedom, including supporting the work of the Underground Railroad. Pemberton and his brothers were banished to Virginia during the Revolutionary War for refusing to take an oath of allegiance. Pemberton returned to Philadelphia after the war and carried on his Quaker activities.

Offering a 4 pp, 7 ½ x 12, manuscript Memorial of Pemberton, narrating in wonderful detail the last days of his life with strong emphasis on individual conversations, including to his friend THOMAS SCATTERGOOD (1748-1814), an abolitionist and respected minister of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia. The author of the memorial is not known, but it was certainly someone familiar with Pemberton’s intimate conversations, including his commitment to the Quaker religion.

“James Pemberton of Philadelphia died there in his 86 years, 2 mo., 1809, he had employed a long life in various occupations of...active benevolence to the service of the Society of Friends. He devoted a larger portion of his time and love for the cause of Truth in unusual assiduity in what he undertook and his long experience...and usual in the fear of his Creator, contributed to make him imminent. Nor was he limited by the limits of our Society. More public objects of service to his fellow man, also engaged his attention & had his assistance in their promotions, particularly he was a promoter...for the abolition of the slave trade and relief of black people. In short he seems to have walked successfully and honorably thru life and to have defended calmly to the boundary of the grave & yet in surveying the unknown region which lay beyond it, he drained not trust for the peaceful establishment on any of his former works of righteousness. As his dependence was on his Saviour, and that he found to be an anchor to his Soul. So he felt himself gradually declining. He looked back to the number of years which he had paid compared with the...existence before him. They appeared but as a moment but yet he perceived them to be marked with so many preservations that his gratitude was afresh excited to his Almighty Benefactor and preserver...within somewhat by then a month before his end he had a fainting fit...he remarked how awful it was to be on the verge of Eternity...But continued...my mind for some time past been unusually employed with the vast importance of the Redeemer’s meditation. I have never before seen it with the same clearness. I’m free from pain of body or mind. The prospect of my change is awful, but after all I have nothing to trust but the merits of my Redeemer.

“The next day he said to Thomas Scattergood, a friend well known and much love in this country, I am thankful [for] Divine mercy. I feel evidence within me that I am not cast off. It has been a great desire of my Life that at the solemn close, I might be favored to feel that evidence. It was all that I wished. It seems to me that I cannot continue long, but I desire to wait patiently and to labor a perfect resignation to the divine will. The longer I live, I see more clearly that it is not mortal Righteousness that will do for men---nothing but Righteousness of Christ will avail us. We can claim nothing from our own merits---

“We owe all to Divine mercy.

“Near two weeks after this, he said to a friend who came in and asked how he was, I’m on the confines of Eternity and find nothing in my way, but all is mere Mercy! Two days after this, after an interval of silence, he exclaimed, ‘Oh the Blessing of an easy mind! Who can describe it? It is all owing to divine mercy to nothing else and his I hope to enjoy. In the same day, he addressed a grandson who was with him in a pathetic manner as follows: I have often been thinking that whenever a suitable opportunity should offer, I would unburden my mind to thee. And it has now arisen in me to address thee with the words of King David to his son...’know thou the good of thy father, serve him with a perfect heart and a strong mind. If thou seek him he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off forever. And what a dismal state is this to be cast off from thee presence of that Being, who is the greatest friend of Mankind. Nothing can be more dreadful. I wish thee to impress deeply upon thy mind and thee will find them joyful after I am gone. It is impossible to estimate the advantage of living under Divine protection. His mercy and goodness are incalculable.’

“In the evening of the same day when his children and grandchildren were around him, he addressed them in an instructive manner and on several subjects, none of which may be useful to introduce here in a form somewhat abridged, after recommending his family to live in harmony, my dear father said he was a very upright man. As occasion offered, he gave advice to his children and one of his most frequent admonitions and which made great impression on me in early life was to live in the fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of wisdom. It is indeed wisdom & it is founded on Love...If this principle is attended to through life, you will not fear when the Solemn shall come. All will be peace...

“I recommend to you the diligent perusal of the holy scriptures. Make yourself acquainted with them...You will find abundant source of instructions & edification. Reading the lives of pious men of former ages and observing how they were supported under their trials by the divine arm tend very powerfully to place our own dependence on him to whom it is impossible to make a sufficient return for his inestimable goodness.

“My parents took great pains with me and I received very great advantage from the constant...care of a most affectionate mother.

“The following he said to a friend. It is a great consolation to be free from a guilty conscience at such an hour as this and that I believe I am, we have all fallen short...of the glory of God but we are under his mercy who careth for us. There is one thing which is not enough included in our meetings – the meditation of the son...He then addressed some texts of scripture relating to this subject with remarks on them...as no man cometh to the father but by me...

“The following day in the evening on being assisted to get into bed, he exclaimed how many hundreds and thousands there are now sick in the world & have nobody to assist them, and I have so many! How am I loaded with blessings. This was on the last day of the 1st mo...

“I feel the time of my own departure draws nigh, as he was holding the hand of a visitor, on taking his leave, he said, ‘I love thee and all them that love the Lord...in sincerity. Farewell, those were his last words he spoke on a religious subject. The next day he put off mortality.”

The memorial concludes with expressions from Jonathan Raine of Lancashire.

Folds. Even toning. Foxing and some ink blotching. Occasional spelling corrected in transcript for clarification.

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