I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. – John 10:10
Francis Daniel Pastorius and a group of Quakers residing in Germantown, Pennsylvania, filed the Germantown Quaker Petition against slavery on this day in 1688. Based on the Golden Rule in Luke 6:31, he urged the community to stand against slavery. He conveyed the importance of universal human rights, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion by referencing the capture of European Christians by the Barbary Pirates. The petition advanced through colonial administrative meetings but was met with hesitation and controversy when it reached London for approval. Despite the legality of slavery within the colony, a number of Mennonites and Quakers protested the practice. In 1776, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting issued a proclamation banning slavery. This petition remains the first American document fighting for equal human rights for everyone.
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For the president and members of his Cabinet to consider the Golden Rule as they consider policies and decisions today.
- That the hearts of governing officials would be moved by the Spirit of God to follow His ways.
