Liele's steps, missteps on slavery

By Devon Dick

At the recently held Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering in Ocho Rios, there was a focus on George Liele, the American ex-slave who established Baptist witness in Jamaica in 1783. In addition to the lively discussion about Liele, Jamaican Baptist pastors were given a copy of George Liele's Life and Legacy (2012) by the Friendship Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia.

This focus on Liele was started by the Native Baptists. They claimed that they had not been treated 'with Christian charity' by the English Baptist missionaries, hence their reason for the formation of the Jamaica Native Baptist Missionary Society in about 1840. Also, on assessing the ministry of the founders of the Baptist mission in Jamaica, the Native Baptists felt there was a lack of appreciation of the work of their forefathers.

Then in 1982, Clement Gayle, Baptist historian, published George Liele: Pioneer Missionary to Jamaica, which helped to refocus Baptist witness on Liele.

Liele deserves all the attention he is getting because he was way ahead of his time. However, there are divergent views concerning his steps and missteps concerning slavery.

Liele subtly subverted the institution of slavery. Carter Woodson, founder of Black History Month and distinguished Afro-American writer, said Liele acted as a diplomat to soothe the planters while engaging in a ministry to mainly the enslaved.

UPLIFTING SLAVES

Some perceived Liele as an accommodationist because of his support of the British in the American War of Independence. However, Liele challenged slave society by encouraging his enslaved members "to keep the Lord's day throughout the year", which is a statement that the day belonged to the Lord and not to earthly slave masters.

Liele also encouraged the enslaved to get married, which was counter to the dictates of slave society. He was affirming that the enslaved were human beings and were capable of getting married and raising a family.Additionally, Liele believed in gender equality.He had 24 elders, 12 of whom were women. Females were on equal footing with males, having dignity and worth.This was an affront to the chauvinistic slave society.

Liele referred to his congregations as 'the Ethiopian Baptists of Jamaica'. He was aware of his Christian heritage from Ethiopia, and was affirming it.This Afrocentric declaration, in a context where anything African was considered inferior and idiotic, was an outrage to the very foundations of colonial slave society.

In addition to establishing the Baptist witness in Jamaica, Liele established schools for the enslaved. Liele was shaking the very foundations of slavery and perceived the enslaved as capable of the normal and natural functions of a human being.

According to this new work on Liele, he had bequeathed his six enslaved persons to his wife on the understanding that on her death, they should be set free.

Liele's intention for freedom of the enslaved in his household in the 1820s was revolutionary and way ahead of his time. It was a step in the right direction.It was a misstep to enslave persons, but unlike the evidence against the planters, there was none to suggest that Liele mistreated the enslaved.

Perhaps his misstep was to follow societal norms of using enslaved persons for domestic chores rather than employing people. Interestingly, his wife, Hannah, overturned his wishes of having the enslaved set free on her death. She claimed her husband had no such authority, and she, in turn, bequeathed the enslaved to her daughter, Lucy!

On this Emancipation Day, we cannot afford any missteps concerning slavery. We must step up our fight against human trafficking and any other practice that resembles slavery in Jamaica, land we love.

The Rev Dr Devon Dick is an author and Baptist pastor. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.