You must take it up on Christian ground, and fight against it with Christian weapons,
I would take a guess and say that when Angelina is telling women to "...take it up on Christian ground..." she is implying to tell the women to go to church or a temple where a christian gathering is taking place and to "...fight against it with Christian weapons,..." meaning to pray and use the bible, maybe?
We must come back to the good old doctrine of our fore fathers who declared to the world, “this self evident truth that all men are created equal, and that they have certain inalienable rights among which are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
While men fought for their freedom and declared "... all men are created equal...." Angelina is stating that those apply to women as well, that women should be treated equal and deserve the same rights as men.
I do feel and do pray for you,
Also another common christian thing to say, .."I pray for each and every one of you..."
But there are other Christian women scattered over the Southern States, a very large number of whom have never seen me, and never heard my name, and who feel no interest whatever in me. ‘But I feel an interest in you,
As a christian, I feel like this is so common for most christians to tell each other, "I don't know you personally, and you don't know me personally, but just know that I love you." Something along those lines.
It is because you have known me, that I write thus unto you.
Angelina is saying she's writing this to her fellow women because they know her and because she's trying to help them, I would guess.
I heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.
Turner concludes his statement to Gray by saying the reason behind the rebellion was because of God, and I can only imagine what must be going through Gray's head at this moment.
bout this time I told these things to a white man, on whom it had a wonderful effect—and he ceased from his wickedness, and was attacked immediately with a cutaneous eruption, and blood oozed from the pores of his skin, and after praying and fasting nine days, he was healed
Healed as in the white man did not die? Or healed as in the white man was healed of wickedness by death? Or healed as in the white people are going to die and the black people will be healed?
I then found on the leaves in the woods hieroglyphic characters, and numbers, with the forms of men in different attitudes, portrayed in blood, and representing the figures I had seen before in the heavens.
Hieroglyphic characters and numbers? Is Turner referring back to Egyptian times hieroglyphics?
hat I should return to the service of my earthly master—“For he who knoweth his Master’s will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, and thus, have I chastened you.” And the negroes found fault, and murmured against me, saying that if they had my sense they would not serve any master in the world.
Turner's fellow slaves started doubting Turner when he told the people the message the Spirit gave him about serving his earthly master.
after remaining in the woods thirty days, I returned, to the astonishment of the negroes on the plantation, who thought I had made my escape to some other part of the country, as my father had done before. But the reason of my return was, that the Spirit appeared to me
Did he actually see a Spirit appear before him while in the woods? That he was in for 30 days, without food and clean water? There's a chance he could've been hallucinating from all the different mysteries of the forest. All his followers or people thought that he escaped to another country, so there is a possible chance at least one person knew that he was hiding in the woods and helped give him food and water, but I think that there's a good chance that Turner could have been imagining things, or going a little crazy.
but by the communion of the Spirit whose revelations I often communicated to them, and they believed and said my wisdom came from God.
It seems like Turner was a respected man who his fellow people listened to, so they also believed that he was almost like a prophet, receiving revelations from God and so whatever Turner said, the people believed.
fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty
Turner believed that he had a greater meaning to his life than just living. He believed that God had bigger plans for him.
I was greatly astonished, and for two years prayed continually, whenever my duty would permit—and then again I had the same revelation, which fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty.
Showed that Turner was very religious, and faithful to his God.
While he awaited trial, Turner spoke with the white attorney, Thomas Ruffin Gray,
Interesting how it was written "...with the white attorney..." and not "...with a white attorney...", I wonder what thoughts and feelings that Gray was going through while talking to Gray.
Question—what do you mean by the Spirit. Answer—The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former days—and I was greatly astonished, and for two years prayed continually, whenever my duty would permit
Very interesting method Turner used to explain what the Spirit was and what the Spirit meant to him.
Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over great part of this congregation: let everyone fly out of Sodom. Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed
Is he telling his audience to run away? try to run from God?
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God; many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are in now an happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him that has loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition?
Edwards is trying to convince people who are not baptized of his faith that they are being left behind but MIRACULOUSLY there is a great opportunity just now if they baptize, they will be saved and will be able to take part in the salvation
And you children that are unconverted, don’t you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God that is now angry with you every day, and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?
Guilting people who are not baptized by preaching that they're going to hell.
If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him
Sounds like they would shame anyone who is not baptized?
How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in danger of this great wrath, and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation, that has not been born again,
Edwards believes anyone who has not been baptized or "born again" are going to face God's wrath.
God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies that he will inflict wrath without any pity
God won't give any second chances or be forgiving or merciful.
you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes as the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours
Whitehead is proclaiming that God is so mad at the sins of the people that he is the one that is punishing us to hell.
That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon
The usage of imagery that Edwards used helps support his views and also instills more fear when the audience can picture how serious the situation is perceived by the speaker. Whether it be true or not, imagery is very effective when appealing to the audience.