John’s church - so hopeful. Finally, he spoke. “Carrie is quite adamant in her belief that slavery is wrong. She doesn’t believe marriage would work between us because we cannot stand united on this subject.” Hesitating, he wondered if he should tell Thomas about his father’s death - about watching him be killed by a runaway slave when Robert was just a boy. Carrie was the only person he had ever told. She had been sympathetic, but still... now she was telling him she could not marry him because of hatred in his heart. He swallowed his words and shook his head. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Did you tell her it is our divine destiny to be slave owners?”
“She doesn’t believe that, Thomas.” Robert paused, pulling his thoughts together. Why did Carrie’s words still haunt him? “I told her the Bible sanctions slavery.”
“Yes.”
“She wanted to know where it says that.”
“What did you tell her?” Thomas’ eyes bored into him.
Robert shrugged helplessly. “That I didn’t know the answer. I told her it wasn’t my job to know - it was a minister’s.”
Thomas nodded. “That’s true,” he said firmly.
“She doesn’t agree,” Robert continued. “She told me the Bible doesn’t sanction slavery - that people can find a way to justify anything they want to believe. She said she had sought God’s heart - that she could no longer condone slavery.”
“Yet she is running our plantation with our slaves,” Thomas said wryly.
Again Robert shook his head. “She says she owns not a single slave - that they belong to you. If she had her way, she would let them all go free.”
Thomas looked startled. “That would mean the end of all we’ve ever known. Surely she can’t mean that.” He paused for a moment. “It’s a good thing Cromwell Plantation isn’t completely in her hands. At least I’ve had the comfort of mind knowing Ike Adams is doing his job to keep the slaves in line.”
Robert shrugged, already wondering if he had said too much. He had kept Carrie’s secret about Adams since Christmas. There were many times he had wondered at the wisdom of his promise, but still... a promise was a promise. It was also obvious Thomas was going to offer him no way to change his daughter’s mind. For weeks now, Carrie’s words had haunted him. “Where does the Bible say slavery is sanctioned by God, Thomas?”
Now Thomas looked at him sharply and spoke in a stern voice. “You need to be asking a minister those questions. It is their job to interpret the scriptures for us.”
Robert sensed he should drop it but somehow he couldn’t. “Carrie believes she has received answers from God...” His voice trailed off, his mind full of Carrie’s challenge to him. Ask God to show you the truth, Robert. If you’re right, there is nothing to be afraid of.
Those words, when he wasn’t completely occupied with military matters, had haunted him since the night she had uttered them. It was easy to shove them away when he was busy planning the defense of all he had ever believed in, but in the few quiet moments he had, her voice and her face rose up to taunt him.
He could tell by the look on Thomas’ face that he was frustrated. He could also tell Thomas was trying to think of something to say. His words, when he finally spoke, were half-hearted. “My daughter will come to accept the truth eventually. She loves you. I don’t believe she will let this issue keep you
“Did you tell her it is our divine destiny to be slave owners?”
“She doesn’t believe that, Thomas.” Robert paused, pulling his thoughts together. Why did Carrie’s words still haunt him? “I told her the Bible sanctions slavery.”
“Yes.”
“She wanted to know where it says that.”
“What did you tell her?” Thomas’ eyes bored into him.
Robert shrugged helplessly. “That I didn’t know the answer. I told her it wasn’t my job to know - it was a minister’s.”
Thomas nodded. “That’s true,” he said firmly.
“She doesn’t agree,” Robert continued. “She told me the Bible doesn’t sanction slavery - that people can find a way to justify anything they want to believe. She said she had sought God’s heart - that she could no longer condone slavery.”
“Yet she is running our plantation with our slaves,” Thomas said wryly.
Again Robert shook his head. “She says she owns not a single slave - that they belong to you. If she had her way, she would let them all go free.”
Thomas looked startled. “That would mean the end of all we’ve ever known. Surely she can’t mean that.” He paused for a moment. “It’s a good thing Cromwell Plantation isn’t completely in her hands. At least I’ve had the comfort of mind knowing Ike Adams is doing his job to keep the slaves in line.”
Robert shrugged, already wondering if he had said too much. He had kept Carrie’s secret about Adams since Christmas. There were many times he had wondered at the wisdom of his promise, but still... a promise was a promise. It was also obvious Thomas was going to offer him no way to change his daughter’s mind. For weeks now, Carrie’s words had haunted him. “Where does the Bible say slavery is sanctioned by God, Thomas?”
Now Thomas looked at him sharply and spoke in a stern voice. “You need to be asking a minister those questions. It is their job to interpret the scriptures for us.”
Robert sensed he should drop it but somehow he couldn’t. “Carrie believes she has received answers from God...” His voice trailed off, his mind full of Carrie’s challenge to him. Ask God to show you the truth, Robert. If you’re right, there is nothing to be afraid of.
Those words, when he wasn’t completely occupied with military matters, had haunted him since the night she had uttered them. It was easy to shove them away when he was busy planning the defense of all he had ever believed in, but in the few quiet moments he had, her voice and her face rose up to taunt him.
He could tell by the look on Thomas’ face that he was frustrated. He could also tell Thomas was trying to think of something to say. His words, when he finally spoke, were half-hearted. “My daughter will come to accept the truth eventually. She loves you. I don’t believe she will let this issue keep you
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