{"id":545,"date":"2026-01-27T23:59:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T23:59:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/?p=545"},"modified":"2026-03-28T18:37:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T18:37:30","slug":"an-evening-thought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/?p=545","title":{"rendered":"An Evening Thought"},"content":{"rendered":"

“An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penetential Cries” (1761)<\/h4>\n

by Jupiter Hammon<\/p>\n

In 1761, Hammon became the first Black poet published in the United States when his poem, \u201cAn Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries,\u201d was printed as a broadside in Hartford. Written on Christmas Day in 1760, the poem expresses his deep Christian faith and marks the beginning of a decades-long literary career. This is Hammon’s first published poem and a foundational piece in the history of African American literature.<\/em><\/p>\n

Salvation comes by Jesus Christ alone,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The only Son of God;<\/div>\n
Redemption now to every one,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That love his holy Word.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus we would fly to Thee,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And leave off every Sin,<\/div>\n
Thy Tender Mercy well agree;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation from our King.<\/div>\n
Salvation comes now from the Lord,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our victorious King;<\/div>\n
His holy Name be well ador\u2019d,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation surely bring.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus give they Spirit now,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thy Grace to every Nation,<\/div>\n
That han\u2019t the Lord to whom we bow,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Author of Salvation.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus unto Thee we cry,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Give us the Preparation;<\/div>\n
Turn not away thy tender Eye;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We seek thy true Salvation.<\/div>\n
Salvation comes from God we know,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The true and only One;<\/div>\n
It\u2019s well agreed and certain true,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He gave his only Son.<\/div>\n
Lord hear our penetential Cry:<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation from above;<\/div>\n
It is the Lord that doth supply,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With his Redeeming Love.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus by thy precious Blood,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The World Redemption have:<\/div>\n
Salvation now comes from the Lord,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He being thy captive slave.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus let the Nations cry,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And all the People say,<\/div>\n
Salvation comes from Christ on high,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Haste on Tribunal Day.<\/div>\n
We cry as Sinners to the Lord,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation to obtain;<\/div>\n
It is firmly fixt his holy Word,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ye shall not cry in vain<\/em>.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus unto Thee we cry,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And make our Lamentation:<\/div>\n
O let our Prayers ascend on high;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We felt thy Salvation.<\/div>\n
Lord turn our dark benighted Souls;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Give us a true Motion,<\/div>\n
And let the Hearts of all the World,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make Christ their Salvation.<\/div>\n
Ten Thousand Angels cry to Thee,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yea lourder than the Ocean.<\/div>\n
Thou art the Lord, we plainly see;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thou art the true Salvation.<\/div>\n
Now is the Day, excepted Time;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Day of Salvation;<\/div>\n
Increase your Faith, do no repine:<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Awake ye every Nation.<\/div>\n
Lord unto whom now shall we go,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Or seek a safe Abode;<\/div>\n
Thou hast the Word Salvation too<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The only Son of God.<\/div>\n
Ho! every one that hunger hath,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Or pineth after me,<\/div>\n
Salvation be thy leading Staff,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To set the Sinner free.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus unto Thee we fly;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Depart, depart from Sin,<\/div>\n
Salvation doth at length supply,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Glory of our King.<\/div>\n
Come ye Blessed of the Lord,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation greatly given;<\/div>\n
O turn your Hearts, accept the Word,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your Souls are fit for Heaven.<\/div>\n
Dear Jesus we now turn to Thee,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation to obtain;<\/div>\n
Our Hearts and Souls do meet again,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To magnify thy Name.<\/div>\n
Come holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Object of our Care;<\/div>\n
Salvation doth increase our Love;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our Hearts hath felt thy fear.<\/div>\n
Now Glory be to God on High,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Salvation high and low;<\/div>\n
And thus the Soul on Christ rely,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To Heaven surely go.<\/div>\n
Come Blessed Jesus, Heavenly Dove,<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Accept Repentance here;<\/div>\n
Salvation give, with tender Love;<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us with Angels share.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Public domain.\r\n\r\nSource: An Evening Thought, The Poetry Foundation<\/a><\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“An Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penetential Cries” (1761) by Jupiter Hammon In 1761, Hammon became the first Black poet published in the United States when his poem, \u201cAn Evening Thought: Salvation by Christ with Penitential Cries,\u201d was printed as a broadside in Hartford. Written on Christmas Day in 1760, the poem expresses his … Continue reading An Evening Thought<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[32,31,48],"class_list":["post-545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jupiter-hammon","tag-poem","tag-poetry","tag-religious-belief"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hartfordlit.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}