In chapter nine of Frederick Douglass, Douglass alludes to the significance of religion his slave owner, Master Thomas Auld, found in his treatment with his slaves. In this chapter, Auld goes to a Methodist camp-meeting, and returns with strong religious faith. Douglass hopes that this new renown faith will liberate his slaves, or treat his slaves more humanely. This meeting led Auld to find a new purpose within the religion, Christianity. Douglass utters, “After his conversion, he found religious sanction and support for his slaveholding cruelty” (Douglass 67). In contrary to Douglass’s anticipation, Auld becomes a more cruel man; Douglass even recalls that Auld now uses religion to justify owning slaves, and takes Scripture out of context.
