James W.C. Pennington (1807-1870) was a minister, abolitionist, author,  orator, and the first African American to attend Yale University. Born James Pembroke  to enslaved parents in Maryland, Pennington trained as a blacksmith at his master’s  bidding. At age 19, Pennington made a harrowing escape from slavery, living first with  one and then another Quaker family until he made his way eventually to New York City.  When Pennington gave this sermon as moderator of the Third Presbytery of New York,  he had just gained his freedom two years before. In this sermon, Pennington talks about  the need to help the growing population of poor New Yorkers moving into the lower wards that had previously housed the middle and upper classes. He also addresses the  question of slavery, pointing out that American Presbyterians were thought to own as  many as 80,000 slaves altogether. He does not condemn his own denomination  outright, perhaps because he did not want to seem ungrateful after being honored with  the position of moderator, and some abolitionists felt he was too lenient towards his  fellow Presbyterians regarding their general tolerance of slavery and slaveholding church members. 

James W.C. Pennington (1807-1870) was a minister, abolitionist, author,  orator, and the first African American to attend Yale University. Born James Pembroke  to enslaved parents in Maryland, Pennington trained as a blacksmith at his master’s  bidding. At age 19, Pennington made a harrowing escape from slavery, living first with  one and then another Quaker family until he made his way eventually to New York City.  When Pennington gave this sermon as moderator of the Third Presbytery of New York,  he had just gained his freedom two years before. In this sermon, Pennington talks about  the need to help the growing population of poor New Yorkers moving into the lower wards that had previously housed the middle and upper classes. He also addresses the  question of slavery, pointing out that American Presbyterians were thought to own as  many as 80,000 slaves altogether. He does not condemn his own denomination  outright, perhaps because he did not want to seem ungrateful after being honored with  the position of moderator, and some abolitionists felt he was too lenient towards his  fellow Presbyterians regarding their general tolerance of slavery and slaveholding church members.