,transcriber's ,note3 ,every effort has 
been made to replicate this text as     
faithfully as possible1 including       
obsolete and variant spellings and other
 inconsistencies4 ,text that has been   
changed to correct an obvious error is  
noted at the end of this ebook4         
,,thoughts  ,,on  ,,the ,,religious     
,,instruction  ,,of  ,,the ,,negroes    
,,of ,,this ,,country4    ,,by ,,wm4 ,s4
 ,,plumer1 ,d4,d4    ,,savannah3        
,,edward ,j4 ,,purse1 ,,printer1  ,no4  
#ajb ,bryan-,street--,up ,stairs4       
#ahdh4     ,many centuries ago1 a holy  
seer said1 ,ethiopia shall soon stretch 
out her hand unto ,god4 ,in view of the 
fulfilment of this prophecy1 the royal  
bard called for a song of universal     
praise4 ,the words next succeeding this 
prediction are1 ,sing unto ,god1 ye     
kingdoms of the earth3 ,o sing praises  
unto the ,lord4 ,the writings of        
,jeremiah inform us who the ,ethiopians 
were1 when he speaks of them as         
contra-distinguished from the rest of   

the race by their colour1 as the leopard
 is from the rest of the feline tribe by
 his spots4  ,the first step in the     
providence of ,god towards an           
amelioration of the spiritual condition 
of the negro race was their dispersion  
among other races of mankind4 ,this     
work1 both cruel and bloody1 had not    
been completed1 when ,christian         
philanthropy1 ever vigilant1 sought them
 out in bondage1 and bore to them the   
cup of divine consolation1 which the    
gospel offers to all1 and especially to 
the sons of sorrow4 ,as early as the    
year #agcb1 the ,united ,brethren       
commenced missions to the negroes in the
 ,danish ,west ,indies1 viz41 ,st4      
,thomas1 ,st4 ,croix1 and ,st4 ,jan4 ,in
 #aged they began their labours in      
,jamaica3 in #agef in ,antigua3 in #agfe
 in ,barbadoes3 in #agge in ,st4 ,kitts3
 in #agij in ,tobago4 ,in #agce they    
began their labours among the free      
negroes of ,surinam1 and in #agcf they  
commenced a mission in ,south ,africa4  

,the same zeal led the same people to   
labour amongst the slaves at and near   
,paramaribo4 ,one mission was at        
,paramaribo and one at ,sommelsdyke4    
,the difficulty of establishing the     
first missions among the negroes can    
scarcely now be conceived4 ,this        
difficulty was neither blindly          
contemned1 nor timidly feared4 ,with a  
zeal which ,christ knows how to reward1 
two of the ,brethren at ,hernhutth      
offered to sell themselves as slaves1   
should they find no other way of        
obtaining an opportunity of instructing 
the negroes4 ,in almost every instance  
some ignorant or viciously disposed     
persons chose to misunderstand and      
misrepresent the object and tendency of 
this missionary labour2 and thus at     
first opposition was frequently violent4
 ,but in every case this hostility was  
found to be unreasonable and died away4 
,thus in ,st4 ,thomas through the       
bitterness of some1 of whom better      
things might have been expected1 the    

missionaries were at one time imprisoned
 for fifteen weeks2 but soon after the  
governor and most of the planters on the
 island were convinced1 by experience1  
that the instruction of the negroes in  
the principles of religion1 instead of  
impairing1 promoted the interests of    
their masters2 and therefore they were  
pleased to see their slaves attend on   
the preaching of the gospel4 ,thus also 
in ,st4 ,croix1 when a dangerous plot   
was discovered among the slaves1 who had
 bound themselves to murder all the     
white people on the island in one night1
 certain malicious persons reported1    
that some of the negroes baptised by the
 missionaries were concerned in this    
conspiracy2 but their ignorance was soon
 vindicated by the criminals themselves4
 ,as long as the disturbances lasted1   
the ,brethren by the governor's advice1 
omitted the large meetings of the       
negroes2 and when he authorized them to 
begin them again1 he and some other     
gentlemen were present and encouraged   

the negroes in their attendance4 ,on    
another occasion when an order was      
issued that no negro should be seen on  
the streets or roads after seven o'clock
 in the evening1 he made a regulation   
that such negroes as had attended the   
meetings of the ,brethren1 and could    
produce a certificate to that effect1   
signed by their teacher1 should pass    
unmolested by the watch4 ,such was the  
confidence the governor placed in the   
missionaries1 and the slaves under their
 care4  ,indeed it has invariably       
occurred in the missions to these people
 that the planters have perceived the   
good effects of their labours on the    
slaves1 and found it in every respect   
best to have the gospel preached upon   
their estates4 ,while on this general   
subject1 it may be proper to assert what
 none will or can with truth deny1 viz41
 that no class of negroes well          
instructed in ,christianity1 and        
connected with churches under the care  
of white pastors1 have ever been engaged

 in any insurrectionary disturbances4   
,thus the poor1 miserable fanatic1 who a
 few years ago headed a band of drunken 
murderers in one of the counties of     
,virginia1 was not himself a member of  
any ,christian church2 nor had he any   
follower who had ever received sound and
 systematic religious instruction2 or   
was connected with any church having a  
white man for a pastor or teacher4 ,so  
also in reference to the plot of #ahbb  
in ,charleston1 ,s4,c41 the coloured    
members of the ,methodist ,episcopal    
,church were by report accused of some  
participation4 ,but the ,hon4 ,charles  
,cotesworth ,pinckney1 ,lieutenant      
,governor of the ,state1 and himself not
 a ,methodist1 in his address before the
 ,agricultural ,society of ,south       
,carolina1 says2 ,on investigation it   
appeared that all concerned in that     
transaction1 except one1 had seceded    
from the regular ,methodist ,church in  
#ahag1 and formed a separate            
establishment1 in connection with the   

,african ,methodist ,society in         
,philadelphia2 whose ,bishop1 a coloured
 man1 named ,allen1 had assumed that    
office being himself a seceder from the 
,methodist ,church of ,pennsylvania4 ,at
 this period1 ,mr4 ,s4 ,bryan1 the local
 minister of the regular ,methodist     
,church of ,charleston1 was so          
apprehensive of sinister designs1 that  
he addressed a letter to the ,city      
,council1 on file in the ,council       
,chamber1 dated #hth ,november1 #ahag1  
stating at length the reasons of his    
suspicion4  ,in proof of the importance 
of ,christianizing the negroes1 even in 
a political point of view1 it is not    
unworthy of notice1 that soon after the 
commencement of the war between ,england
 and ,france during the last quarter of 
the last century1 the governor of       
,tortola received information1 that the 
,french inhabitants of ,guadaloupe      
meditated a descent on the island4 ,he  
immediately sent for ,mr4 ,turner1 the  
superintendant of the ,methodist        

,missions in ,tortola and the other     
,virgin ,islands1 and having informed   
him of this report1 added that there was
 no regular force in the colony to      
defend it against the enemy1 and that   
they were afraid to arm the negroes     
unless he would put himself at the head 
of them4 ,mr4 ,turner was sensible that 
such a step was not properly within the 
line of the ministerial office2 but     
considering that the ,island was in     
imminent danger1 that if it were        
conquered by the ,french1 the religious 
privileges of the negroes would probably
 be lost1 and that the war on their part
 was purely defensive1 he consented to  
the governor's request1 and was         
accordingly armed with the negroes4     
,about a fortnight after1 a ,french     
squadron made its appearance in the bay2
 but being informed1 it is supposed by  
some emissaries1 of the armed force on  
the ,island1 it abandoned its design and
 retired4 ,soon after this the          
,governor-general of the ,leeward       

,islands sent an order to the ,methodist
 ,missionaries to make a return of all  
the negroes in their societies who were 
able to carry arms4 ,the return was     
accordingly made2 and a great part if   
not the whole of them were armed for the
 defence of the several ,islands4 ,such 
was the confidence the ,governor-general
 had in the loyalty of the missionaries 
and their flocks4 ,let these facts      
suffice1 especially as there are none on
 the other side1 respecting the safety  
of teaching the negroes to know and love
 ,god4  ,another great difficulty1 which
 the ,brethren met in their missions    
among the negroes was the unhealthiness 
of the climate4 ,thus many of them      
scarcely arrived on the islands1 when   
they were attacked by diseases1 which in
 a short time put a period to their     
labours and their lives4 ,thus from the 
commencement of the mission in the      
,danish ,islands in #agcb to the year   
#agff 7or in thirty-four years7 no fewer
 than sixty-six ,brethren and ,sisters  

died in ,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,croix and   
,st4 ,jan4 ,but though the mortality was
 so great1 it is surprising with what   
cheerfulness others came forward to fill
 the ranks of those1 who had so         
prematurely fallen4 ,bishop ,spangenburg
 informs us1 that on one occasion when  
it was made known to the congregation at
 ,bethlehem in ,pennsylvania1 that five 
persons had died within a short time on 
the ,island of ,st4 ,thomas1 no fewer   
than eight ,brethren voluntarily        
offered1 that very day1 to go thither   
and replace them4 ,disease and death as 
they did not dishearten them1 so neither
 ought they to dishearten us in this    
work1 even if they stared us in the     
face4  ,the ,brethren had often great   
difficulties1 with regard to the        
marriages of slaves1 even after their   
baptism4 ,when a planter in the ,west   
,indies1 for instance1 died in debt1 his
 slaves and other property were sold at 
auction2 and in these cases1 part of the
 negroes were frequently purchased by   

proprietors from other islands1 by which
 means it not only often happened that  
parents and children1 but husbands and  
wives were forever parted from each     
other4 ,how to act in such              
circumstances1 the ,brethren were at    
first quite at a loss1 and they appear  
for some time to have prohibited the    
converts from contracting another       
marriage1 apprehending this to be       
inconsistent with the principles of     
,christianity4 ,now1 however1 though    
they do not advise1 yet neither do they 
hinder a regular marriage with another  
person1 especially if a family of       
children1 or other circumstances1 seem  
to render a helpmate necessary4  ,the   
course of the ,english ,baptist         
,missionaries in the east1 on the same  
subject1 may properly be here stated4   
,among the trials which their converts  
had to endure1 their situation in       
respect to marriage was not the least   
considerable4 ,in some cases the        
converts were obliged at the time of    

their conversion to forsake their homes1
 their friends1 and even the wife of    
their bosom1 nor would she afterwards   
have any correspondence with them1 or if
 willing herself she was forcibly       
prevented by her relations4 ,by this    
means they were to all intents and      
purposes reduced to a state of          
widowhood1 and were in no small danger  
of falling into sin4 ,it therefore      
became a question among the             
,missionaries1 whether it was not lawful
 for a person in such circumstances to  
marry a second wife1 while the first was
 still living1 after he had in vain     
employed all possible means to induce   
her to return to him and not being able 
to recover her1 had taken some public   
and solemn measures to acquit himself of
 the blame4 ,this question they at      
length resolved in the affirmative4 ,a  
decision involving the same principles1 
as those referred to in the case of the 
removal or estrangement of a husband or 
wife was had in the ,synod of ,north    

,carolina at its sessions at ,salisbury 
in the year #ahbg1 whereby it was       
declared that the wife of a member of   
the church being sold to the far        
south-west1 and having herself married  
again1 the husband was at liberty to    
marry again4  ,notwithstanding the      
difficulties before stated and many     
similar ones1 the ,great ,head of the   
,church greatly blessed the labours of  
the ,brethren2 so that in #ahcc they had
 in the ,danish ,islands #g settlements 
with #cf missionaries1 and #idce        
negroes1 of whom about #djjj were       
communicants4 ,in ,jamaica1 #g          
settlements1 #bj missionaries1 #eadf    
negroes1 of whom #adgh were             
communicants4 ,in ,antigua1 #e          
settlements1 #bc missionaries1 #ad1cfb  
converts1 and #eddb communicants4 ,in   
,st4 ,kitts1 #c settlements1 #aj        
missionaries1 #ejce converts1 and #aacg 
communicants4 ,in ,barbadoes1 #b        
settlements1 #f missionaries1 #acgd     
converts and #bhb communicants4 ,in     

,tobago1 #a settlement1 #d missionaries 
and #bec in the congregation4 ,in       
,surinam1 after #ii years labour1 they  
had #a settlement1 #af missionaries1    
#ccec converts and #abjj communicants4  
,in ,south ,africa1 after labouring #ih 
years but with a long interruption1 they
 had #f stations1 #ch missionaries1     
#bifc converts and #ajdc communicants4  
,they have also one settlement in       
,paramaribo1 and one in ,sommelsdyke4   
,the general summary view of these      
missions then gives us about thirty-five
 stations1 one hundred and fifty        
missionaries--having in their           
congregations and under catechetical    
instruction about forty-two thousand    
souls1 most1 if all of whom profess     
conversion1 and have been baptised--of  
whom about fifteen thousand are         
communicants4 ,these statistics come    
down only to the year #ahcc4 ,since that
 time most of the missions have had     
great success1 but we have not complete 
statistics at hand4  ,in the foregoing  

statements1 one fact of great importance
 is brought to light1 viz43 that the    
gospel1 as dispensed by the ,moravians1 
has1 other things being equal1 been more
 successful among slaves than among free
 negroes4 ,so that the civil condition  
of these people cannot be pleaded       
against an honest discharge of our duty 
to them4  ,though the ,united ,brethren 
need the testimony of no man to the     
importance and utility of their labours2
 yet as the authority of ,bryan         
,edwards1 ,esq41 may have some influence
 with persons of a certain description1 
who are prejudiced against missionary   
exertions in general1 we shall here     
subjoin a short extract from the work of
 that writer3 ,it is very much1 says he1
 to the honour of the legislature of    
,antigua that it presented to sister    
islands the first example of the        
amelioration of the criminal law        
respecting negro slaves1 by giving the  
accused party the benefit of trial by   
jury1 and allowing in case of capital   

conviction1 four days between the time  
of sentence and execution4 ,and it is   
still more to the honour of ,antigua1   
that its inhabitants have encouraged in 
a particular manner1 the laudable       
endeavours of certain pious men1 who    
have undertaken1 from the purest and    
best motives1 to enlighten the minds of 
the negroes1 and to lead them to the    
knowledge of religious truths4 ,in the  
report of the lords of the committee of 
council on the slave trade1 is an       
account of the labours of the society   
known by the name of the ,unitas        
,fratrum1 commonly called ,moravians1 in
 this truly glorious pursuit2 from which
 it appears that their conduct in this  
business displays such sound judgment1  
breathes such a spirit of genuine       
,christianity1 and has been attended    
with such eminent success1 as to entitle
 its ,brethren and missionaries to the  
most favorable reception from every man1
 whom the accidents of fortune have     
invested with power over the poor       

,africans1 and who believe 7as ,i hope  
every planter believes7 that they are   
his fellow-creatures1 and of equal      
importance with himself in the eyes of  
an all-seeing and impartial ,governor of
 the ,universe4--,edward's ,history of  
the ,west ,indies4 ,vol4 #a1 page #dhg4 
,fourth ,edition4  ,in the autumn of    
#aghf the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,coke1 accompanied 
by three other ,methodist preachers1    
destined for ,nova ,scotia1 sailed from 
,england for that country1 but after    
being ten weeks at sea1 the violence of 
the gales1 a leak in the ship1 and      
apprehensions of the want of water1     
forced the captain to change his course1
 and bear off for the ,west ,indies4    
,having landed on the island of         
,antigua1 the ,dr4 and his companions   
resolved1 that1 instead of proceeding to
 the original place of their            
destination1 they would attempt to begin
 a mission on this and some of the      
neighboring islands4 ,of these          
establishments we shall now give a short

 account4  ,in the course of their      
labours the ,methodist ,missionaries    
established missions among the slaves in
 ,antigua--in ,dominico--in ,st4        
,vincents--in ,st4 ,kitts--in ,st4      
,eustatia--in ,nevis--in ,tortola and   
the ,virgin ,islands--in ,jamaica--in   
,barbadoes--in ,st4 ,bartholomews--in   
,grenada--in ,trinidad--in ,st4         
,thomas--in ,new ,providence--and the   
other ,bahama ,islands4 ,in these       
labours the ,methodists often met with  
little encouragement4 ,thus in ,nevis   
many of the most opulent planters at    
first opposed the design1 from an       
apprehension that it would introduce a  
spirit of insubordination among the     
negroes4 ,hence for a considerable time 
they would not permit the ,methodists to
 have access to the slaves on their     
estates2 and when some at length        
ventured to invite them1 they observed  
the utmost caution in their manner of   
proceeding3 and in some instances1 the  
missionaries1 after having preached a   

few times1 were discarded1 without being
 informed of any reason for such a      
singular mode of treatment4 ,they were  
rarely however without employment4 ,when
 dismissed from one plantation they were
 solicited to visit others1 and after a 
short season were treated in the same   
manner as they had been before4  ,in    
,jamaica1 matters were still more       
unpleasant4 ,a number of the white      
people at ,kingston1 soon after the     
opening of a chapel became so riotous   
that it was impossible in the evening to
 meet for the worship of ,god in peace1 
both the preacher and hearers being     
often in danger not only of mischief1   
but of losing their lives4 ,mobs and    
riots were raised against the           
missionaries4 ,their chapel was         
presented as a nuisance4 ,the chapel was
 stoned--its gates were torn down4      
,similar outrages were committed at     
,morart ,bay about #cj miles from       
,kingston4 ,opposition rose even higher1
 and the ,assembly of ,jamaica began the

 work of legislative persecution and    
carried it on with great zeal1 but not  
being supported by the ,crown1 they were
 not able to accomplish all their       
purposes1 though much inconvenience and 
even suffering followed4 ,this          
opposition has continued1 until within  
the last twelve or fifteen years1       
against the labours of these people1    
notwithstanding the law was fairly on   
their side4 ,yet were they not          
disheartened so as to abandon a field1  
where ,god had been with them from the  
first4 ,and now we can all see how a    
gracious ,god has overruled all these   
things for good4 ,the ,anniversary of   
the ,wesleyan ,missionary ,society in   
#ahcd was attended with an unusual      
degree of thankfulness on account of the
 cessation of this opposition and the   
readiness of the people to hear the word
 of ,god4  ,what has been the entire    
success of their labours up to this date
 is not known4 ,but in #ahaa1           
twenty-five years from the commencement 

of the first missions in the ,islands1  
there were #bg missionaries1 and between
 #aa1jjj and #ab1jjj converts4 ,that the
 number both of missionaries and        
converts has been more than doubled     
since that time is at least very        
probable4  ,in reference to the good    
effects of these missions1 one1 who may 
be regarded both as a competent and     
credible witness says3 ,among the       
members of the ,methodist societies in  
the ,west ,indies1 there are not a few1 
we hope1 who are sincere converts to the
 ,christian faith1 though we fear there 
is a considerable tincture of enthusiasm
 among them4 ,all of them so far as is  
known fulfil with propriety1 the        
relative duties of life1 even their own 
masters being judges1 or if any         
occasionally transgress the rules of    
morality1 they are excluded from the    
connection1 at least after neglecting   
due reproof4 ,they have abandoned the   
practice of polygamy1 the besetting sin 
of the negroes2 and the fatal influence 

of ,obeah or witchcraft1 which is often 
productive of the most terrible         
mischief1 among the slaves1 is          
effectually destroyed wherever          
,christianity prevails4 ,as a proof of  
the general good conduct of the         
converts1 it is not unworthy of notice1 
that when an office which requires trust
 and confidence becomes vacant1 such as 
that of a watchman1 it is a usual       
practice with the planters and managers 
to enquire for a religious negro to fill
 it4 ,indeed in ,antigua1 ,nevis1       
,tortola and ,st4 ,vincent's1 the       
proprietors of estates1 and the other   
inhabitants1 are so fully satisfied with
 the conduct of the missionaries1 and so
 sensible of the political1 as well as  
moral and religious advantages resulting
 from their labours1 that they entirely 
support the missions in the island by   
their voluntary contributions4  ,the    
,london ,missionary ,society has also   
laboured in this field to a limited     
extent4 ,in #ahjg they established a    

mission on the river ,demarara in       
,surinam1 in ,south ,america4 ,this     
mission from the first was encouraging4 
,many attended the preaching4 ,many came
 asking in the greatest earnestness1 the
 way of salvation4 ,the intemperate were
 reformed1 and some whom the whip could 
not subdue for years1 the gospel subdued
 in a few months4 ,prejudice and        
opposition here were never violent and  
soon gave way4 ,a place of worship was  
soon erected1 at which not less than    
#djj generally attended4 ,a credible    
witness says3 ,perhaps a more attentive 
congregation was never seen4 ,ungodly   
men testified to the good effects of    
this work4 ,they declared what every    
,christian would expect1 viz43 that the 
reception of the gospel made the        
indolent1 industrious1 the noisy1 quiet1
 the rebellious1 obedient1 the          
ferocious1 gentle4 ,the great promoter  
of this mission was a rich planter1     
whose name was ,post1 and to whom it    
occurred as it often does to others1    

that his labours and expenditures seemed
 to be much more blessed to the slaves  
on the neighbouring plantations than to 
his own4 ,the same society has          
established a mission at ,berbice1 a    
neighboring colony1 which is highly     
favoured4 ,they had #ad years ago an    
immense chapel at ,georgetown1 attended 
by great numbers of people of different 
colours1 among whom were supposed to be 
more than a #ajjj negroes4 ,at this     
place the slaves esteemed it a privilege
 to contribute to the funds of the      
,missionary ,society4  ,did time permit1
 we might also give some account of the 
labours of the ,society for the         
conversion and religious instruction of 
the ,negroes in the ,west ,india        
,islands4 ,but there is nothing very    
peculiar or marked in its history4 ,we  
therefore pass on to notice missions    
among the slaves in the ,united ,states4
  ,of those who have laboured in this   
field in our own country1 the earliest1 
that are known1 were the ,united        

,brethren4 ,the associates of ,dr4      
,bray1 a gentleman in ,england1 who had 
by his last will made some provision for
 the conversion of the negroes in ,south
 ,carolina1 having solicited ,count     
,zinzendorf to send some missionaries to
 that colony1 the ,brethren1 ,peter     
,boehler and ,george ,schulcus1 were    
sent thither in the year #agch4 ,in     
consequence however of the sinister     
views of those who ought to have        
assisted them1 they were hindered from  
prosecuting the great object of their   
mission4 ,both of them1 indeed1 soon    
fell sick4 ,schulcus died in #agci2 and 
,boehler1 who was at the same time      
minister of the colony of the ,brethren 
in ,georgia1 retired with these to      
,pennsylvania1 in consequence of being  
required to carry arms in the war that  
was carried on against the ,spanish4    
,the next labourers1 so far as known1 in
 this field were ,rev4 ,samuel ,davies1 
afterwards ,president of ,nassau ,hall1 
and ,rev4 ,john ,tod1 of ,hanover       

,presbytery in ,va4 ,mr4 ,davies began  
his ministry in ,hanover in #agdg1 and  
in #agee he gives the following account 
in a letter to a member of the ,society 
in ,london for promoting ,christian     
,knowledge among the poor4 ,the         
inhabitants of ,virginia are computed to
 be about #cjj1jjj men1 the one-half of 
which number are supposed to be negroes4
 ,the number of those who attend my     
ministry at particular times is         
uncertain1 but generally about #cjj1 who
 give a stated attendance2 and never    
have ,i been so struck with the         
appearance of an assembly1 as when ,i   
have glanced my eye to that part of the 
meeting-house where they usually sit1   
adorned1 for so it appeared to me1 with 
so many black countenances eagerly      
attentive to every word they hear1 and  
frequently bathed in tears4 ,a          
considerable number of them 7about five 
hundred7 have been baptised1 after a    
proper time for instruction1 and having 
given credible evidences1 not only of   

their acquaintance with the important   
doctrines of the ,christian religion1   
but also a deep sense of them upon their
 minds1 attested by a life of strict    
piety and holiness4 ,as they are not    
sufficiently polished to dissemble with 
a good grace1 they express the          
sentiments of their souls so much in the
 language of simple nature1 and with    
such genuine indications of sincerity1  
that it is impossible to suspect their  
professions1 especially when attended   
with a truly ,christian life and        
exemplary conduct4 ,my worthy friend1   
,mr4 ,tod1 minister of the next         
congregation1 has near the same number  
under his instructions1 who1 he tells   
me1 discover the same serious turn of   
mind4 ,in short1 sir1 there are         
multitudes of them in different places1 
who are willing and eagerly desirous to 
be instructed1 and embrace every        
opportunity of acquainting themselves   
with the doctrines of the gospel1 and   
though they have generally very little  

help to learn them to read1 yet to my   
agreeable surprise many of them1 by dint
 of application at their leisure hours1 
have made such progress that they can   
read a plain author intelligibly1 and   
especially their ,bibles1 and pity it is
 that any of them should be without     
them4 ,some of them have the misfortune 
to have irreligious masters1 and hardly 
any of them are so happy as to be       
furnished with these assistances for    
their improvement4 ,before ,i had the   
pleasure of being admitted a member of  
your society1 they were wont frequently 
to come to me with such moving accounts 
of their necessities in this respect1   
that ,i could not help supplying them   
with books1 to the utmost of my small   
abilities2 and when ,i distributed those
 among them which my friends1 with you1 
sent over1 ,i had reason to think that  
,i never did an action in all my life   
that met with so much gratitude from the
 receivers4 ,i have already distributed 
all the books that ,i brought over1     

which were proper for them4 ,yet still  
on ,saturday evenings1 the only time    
they can spare1 my house is crowded with
 numbers of them1 whose very            
countenances still carry the air of     
importunate petitioners for the same    
favours with those who came before them4
 ,but1 alas6 my stock is exhausted1 and 
,i must send them away grieved and      
disappointed4 ,permit me1 sir1 to be an 
advocate with you1 and by your means1   
with your generous friends in their     
behalf4 ,the books ,i principally want  
for them are ,watts' ,psalms and ,hymns1
 and ,bibles4 ,the two first they cannot
 be supplied with in any other way than 
by a collection1 as they are not among  
the books your society give away4 ,i am 
the rather importunate for a good number
 of these1 as ,i cannot but observe that
 the negroes above all the human species
 that ,i have ever known1 have an ear   
for music1 and a kind of ecstatic       
delight in psalmody2 and there are no   
books they learn so soon1 or take so    

much pleasure in1 as those used in that 
heavenly part of divine worship4 ,some  
gentlemen in ,london were pleased to    
make me a private present of these books
 for their use2 and from the reception  
they met with1 and their eagerness for  
more1 ,i can easily foresee how         
acceptable and useful a larger number   
would be among them4 ,indeed1 nothing   
would be a greater inducement to their  
industry to learn to read1 than the hope
 of such a present1 which they would    
consider both as a help and a reward to 
their diligence4 ,having obtained a     
further supply of books from ,london for
 the negroes1 ,mr4 ,davies1 in a letter 
to the same gentleman1 gives the        
following account of the manner in which
 they were received by them4 ,for some  
time after the books arrived1 the poor  
slaves1 whenever they could get an      
hour's leisure from their masters1 would
 hurry away to my house1 to receive the 
charity with all the genuine indications
 of passionate gratitude1 which         

unpolished nature could give1 and which 
affectation and grimace would mimic in  
vain4 ,the books were all very          
acceptable1 but none more so than the   
,psalms and ,hymns1 which enable them to
 gratify their peculiar taste for       
,psalmody4 ,sundry of them lodged in my 
kitchen all night1 and sometimes when ,i
 have awaked about two or three o'clock 
in the morning1 a torrent of sacred     
harmony poured into my chamber1 and     
carried my mind away to heaven4 ,in this
 seraphic exercise1 some of them spend  
almost the whole night4 ,i wish1 sir1   
you and their other benefactors could   
hear any of these sacred concerts4 ,i am
 persuaded it would surprise and please 
you more than an oratorio or ,st4       
,cecilia's day4 ,mr4 ,davies afterwards 
adds1 that two ,sabbaths before1 he had 
the pleasure of seeing forty of them    
around the table of the ,lord1 all of   
whom made a credible profession of      
,christianity1 and several of them with 
unusual evidence of sincerity2 and that 

he believed there were more than a      
thousand negroes who attended upon his  
ministry at the different places where  
he alternately officiated4--,gillies'   
,historical ,collections1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4  
#ccd2 ,appendix to the ,historical      
,collections1 p4 #bi1 #cg1 #dj1 #db4    
,the labours of the ,rev4 ,robert ,henry
 seem to have been blessed much to the  
negroes in ,virginia4 ,the centre of his
 operations was ,cub-,creek1 in         
,charlotte county4  ,mr4 ,henry was     
succeeded by ,rev4 ,drury ,lacy of      
precious memory4 ,we have seen a letter 
dated ,july #adth1 #ahcd1 which says1   
,during ,mr4 ,lacy's ministrations at   
,cub-,creek1 there were about #bjj black
 members added1 and there were #fj      
belonging to ,mrs4 ,coles alone4        
,several black elders were appointed and
 set apart to superintend those black   
members4  ,mr4 ,lacy was succeeded by   
,rev4 ,john ,h4 ,rice1 ,d4,d4 ,he1 says 
the same letter1 did but little in that 
cause1 as it began to decline as soon as

 ,mr4 ,lacy ceased his labours in       
,charlotte4 ,yet the old records of the 
,general ,assembly1 and of the ,general 
,assembly's ,board of ,missions show    
that his labour was not in vain in the  
,lord4 ,in #ahjg ,hanover ,presbytery   
addressed a circular to the churches    
under their care1 solemnly exhorting    
them not to neglect their duty to their 
servants4#a       #a ,virginia          
,magazine1 ,vol4 ,,iii4 p4 #aei4  ,about
 the time of the labours of ,mr4 ,henry 
at ,cub-,creek1 the ,rev4 ,henry        
,patillo1 pastor of ,grassy ,creek and  
,nutbush churches in ,granville county1 
,north ,carolina was labouring          
successfully among the same class of    
people4 ,but we are unable to give      
particulars4 ,of one thing however we   
are well certified1 and that is that the
 good effects of his labours have not   
ceased to be felt extensively to this   
day4  ,dr4 ,semple's history of the     
,baptists in ,virginia1 contains many   
evidences that from the earliest        

beginnings of that branch of ,christ's  
church in the ,south1 the salvation of  
the negroes has not been forgotten or   
slighted in their ministrations4 ,indeed
 the vast numbers connected with their  
churches show that they have laboured   
much among them4  ,very soon after the  
,methodists began to preach in the      
,united ,states1 the negroes claimed    
much of their attention4 ,as early as   
the year #ahjd1 the ,methodists had in  
the ,united ,states #bc1eca coloured    
members1 of whom most were slaves4      
,since that time their numbers have been
 almost incredibly increased4 ,for      
besides their regular system of         
itineracy1 they have for some years had 
very flourishing ,plantation ,missions1 
especially in ,south ,carolina and      
,georgia4 ,the testimony in favour of   
their labours is not to be found merely 
in their own official reports1 veritable
 as no doubt they are2 but in the       
increasing desire of planters of all    
denominations and of no denomination of 

,christians to have their slaves        
instructed by them4 ,the ,hon4 ,c4 ,c4  
,pinckney in the address previously     
referred to1 says3 ,on a plantation in  
,georgia1 where in addition to superior 
management1 the religious instruction of
 the blacks is systematically pursued1  
the crops are invariably the best in the
 neighborhood4 ,the neatness and order  
which the whole establishment exhibits1 
prove that the prosperity of the master1
 and the best interests of the negro are
 not incompatible4 ,the same state      
furnishes another instance of this      
position4 ,the people of an absentee's  
plantation1 were proverbially1 bad from 
the abuse and mismanagement of an       
overseer1 7the proprietors residing in  
,england and the attorneys in           
,carolina47 ,the latter dismissed the   
overseer as soon as his misconduct was  
discovered1 and employed another who was
 a pious man2 he not only instructed the
 negroes himself to the best of his     
abilities1 but accompanied them every   

,sunday to a ,methodist church in the   
neighborhood4 ,at the end of five years 
their character was entirely changed1   
and has so continued ever since4 ,after 
nearly fifteen years more1 the surviving
 attorney is now in treaty for the      
purchase of these very negroes1 whom he 
formerly considered as a band of        
outlaws4 ,other examples in favour of   
this plan have occurred in ,carolina4   
,in one instance a gentleman invited a  
missionary to attend his plantation4    
,after some time1 two black preachers1  
who had previously acquired popularity  
fell into disrepute1 and were neglected 
by their former congregation4 ,these    
statements are derived from             
unquestionable sources4 ,the last case  
presents a view of the subject1 which   
may have weight with those who think    
other motives insufficient4  ,the late  
,bishop ,dehon of ,south ,carolina1     
turned his attention somewhat to this   
people and not without success4  ,we    
have spoken thus far of the labours of  

the dead only4 ,did time permit1        
interesting details of the labours of   
many living men might be given4 ,it has 
been clearly ascertained that in        
,virginia1 ,north ,carolina1 ,south     
,carolina1 ,georgia1 and in all the     
,southern ,states1 there are many who   
are fired with love to the souls of the 
dying negroes1 and are1 with various    
success labouring for their salvation4  
,it will appear by statements already   
made1 and yet to be made1 that all      
denominations of ,christians are fairly 
pledged to this work1 so that they      
cannot consistently retreat from it4    
,in making the foregoing statements     
nothing more than an introduction to a  
great subject was intended4 ,that great 
subject is our duty respecting the      
eternal well being of negroes4 ,a friend
 once inquired respecting ,president    
,davies' practice as to the baptism of  
slave children4 ,we know not what that  
excellent man's practice was2 but we are
 happy in stating that the highest court

 in the ,presbyterian church has        
determined in a manner1 that is thought 
satisfactory1 all questions on this     
point4 ,thus in the minutes of the      
,synod of ,new ,york and ,philadelphia  
for the year #aghf1 p4 #dac1 it is said3
 ,the following case of conscience from 
,donnegal ,presbytery was overtured1    
viz43 whether ,christian masters or     
mistresses ought in duty to have such   
children baptized1 as are under their   
care1 though born of parents not in     
communion of any church8 ,upon this     
overture1 the ,synod are of opinion1    
that ,christian masters and mistresses  
whose religious profession and conduct  
are such1 as to give them a right to the
 ordinance of baptism for their own     
children1 may1 and ought to dedicate the
 children of their household to ,god1 in
 that ordinance1 when they have no      
scruple of conscience to the contrary4  
,on the next page 7#dad7 of the same    
record1 it is said that ,it was         
overtured1 whether ,christian slaves    

having children at the entire discretion
 of unchristian masters1 and not having 
it in their power to instruct them in   
religion1 are bound to have them        
baptised2 and whether a christian       
minister in this predicament ought to   
baptize them8 ,the ,synod determined in 
the affirmative4  ,again on the #cae    
page of vol4 iii41 containing the       
minutes of the ,general ,assembly for   
#ahaf1 is this entry3  ,the committee to
 which was referred the following       
question1 viz43 ,ought baptism on the   
promise of the master1 to be            
administered to the children of slaves1 
reported1 and their report being amended
 was adopted1 and is as follows1 viz43  
#ast1 ,that it is the duty of masters   
who are members of the church1 to       
present the children of parents in      
servitude1 to the ordinance of baptism1 
provided they are in a situation to     
train them up in the nurture and        
admonition of the ,lord1 thus securing  
them the rich advantages which the      

gospel promises4  #bnd1 ,that it is the 
duty of ,christian ministers to         
inculcate this doctrine2 and to baptize 
all children of this description when   
presented to them by their masters4  ,it
 is proper here to state that among the 
most serious obstacles to the spread of 
the gospel among this people1 the use of
 ardent spirits has long held and does  
still hold a prominent place4 ,we once  
heard a slave-holder say that if        
,abolitionists had stirred up as much   
rebellion and caused as much bloodshed  
among the negroes as the retailers of   
ardent spirits had done1 there would    
long ere this have been a civil war4    
,nat ,turner's insurrection broke out in
 the region that formerly manufactured  
vast quantities of apple-brandy4 ,his   
followers are known to have been highly 
stimulated with this liquid fire4       
,indeed1 we know a clergyman who for    
many years has resided and travelled    
extensively in the ,south1 and who      
testifies that among scores of negroes  

under sentence of death whom he has     
visited1 he remembers but two1 who were 
not led to commit the crimes that       
brought them to such a sentence by some 
sort of influence arising from strong   
drink2 and in most cases by drinking    
just before they committed the crime4   
,it gives us pleasure to state that the 
sound principles of the ,temperance     
reformation are so few1 so plain1 and so
 simple1 that they are of easy          
application to this kind of population4 
,many recent experiments in the ,south  
prove the truth of this assertion1 and  
exhibit most blessed effects arising    
from the introduction of this           
reformation among them4 ,let the friends
 of morality and religion persevere4    
,drunkenness is the enemy of the black  
and the white4 ,it destroys both soul   
and body1 in time and eternity4  ,we    
have in possession a number of printed  
documents written by good men residing  
in the ,south on the subject of the     
religious instruction of the negroes4   

,one of them is the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,richard 
,furman's exposition of the views of the
 ,baptists relative to the colored      
population of the ,united ,states1 in a 
communication to the ,governor of ,south
 ,carolina1 and published at his        
recommendation4 ,in this document1 it is
 stated that the result of his inquiry  
and reasoning leads among others to the 
following conclusions3  ,that ,masters  
having the disposal of the persons1     
time1 and labour of their servants1 and 
being the heads of families1 are bound1 
on principles of moral and religious    
duty to give these servants religious   
instruction2 or at least to afford them 
opportunities1 under proper regulations1
 to obtain it2 and to grant religious   
privileges to those who desire them1 and
 furnish proper evidence of their       
sincerity and uprightness4 ,due care    
being taken at the same time that they  
receive their instructions from right   
sources1 where they will not be in      
danger of having their minds corrupted  

by sentiments unfriendly to the domestic
 and civil peace of the community4 ,page
 #ae4  ,the second document is styled   
,practical considerations founded on the
 ,scriptures relative to the slave      
population of ,south ,carolina1         
respectfully dedicated to the ,south    
,carolina ,association1 by a ,south     
,carolinian1 understood to be the ,rev4 
,dr4 ,dalcho of the ,protestant         
,episcopal ,church in ,charleston4 ,the 
concluding sentence is in these words3  
,if we are the owners of slaves1 our    
duty to ,god1 to our country1 and to    
ourselves1 all urge the necessity of    
affording them instruction in the gospel
 of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,saviour of the 
souls of men4 pp4 #cg1 #ch4  ,another of
 these documents1 whose author is the   
,rev4 ,chas4 ,colcock ,jones1 ,d4,d41   
establishes these principles3 ,that the 
negroes need the gospel3 ,that ,god has 
put it in our power to give them the    
gospel3 ,that we are bound by humanity1 
consistency1 by the spirit of our       

religion1 and by the express command of 
,god to give them the gospel3 ,that we  
cannot be excused from this work by     
pleading that they already and          
sufficiently have the light of life3    
,nor by pleading that they are incapable
 of receiving it3 ,nor by pleading the  
little success that has been had in this
 department3 ,nor by pleading the great 
and peculiar difficulties of the case4  
,the next documents are the twelve      
,annual ,reports of the ,missionary to  
the negroes in ,liberty ,county1        
,georgia1 presented to the ,association 
from year to year1 and published by     
order of the ,association4 ,these are   
the most practical and therefore to us  
the most useful documents in the        
collection4 ,passing by the practical   
matters1 we present but one sentence    
taken from the report of #ahcc4 ,the    
religious instruction of servants is as 
much a duty as that of children4 ,you   
are labouring therefore to discharge a  
duty2 and are to account for the manner 

in which you discharge it at the bar of 
,god4 p4 #ae4  ,the next document is3   
,report of the committee to whom was    
referred the subject of the ,religious  
instruction of the colored population1  
of the ,synod of ,south ,carolina and   
,georgia1 at its sessions in ,columbia1 
,south ,carolina1 ,december #eth-#ith1  
#ahcc1 and published by order of the    
,synod4 ,this able document thus        
enumerates the benefits which will flow 
from the religious instruction of the   
negroes1 and clearly shows that it will 
be to our interest4 ,it specifies these 
things3 ,there will be a better         
understanding of the relation of master 
and servant and of their reciprocal     
duties3 ,the pecuniary interests of the 
masters will be advanced as a necessary 
consequence3 ,the religious instruction 
of the negroes will contribute to       
safety3 ,another benefit is1 we shall   
thus promote our own morality and       
religion3 ,much unpleasant discipline   
will be saved to the churches3 ,the last

 benefit mentioned is one that we thus  
convey to the servants instrumentally3  
,it is the salvation of their souls4    
,another document is the ,pastoral      
letter of the ,rt4 ,rev4 ,wm4 ,meade1   
,assistant ,bishop of ,virginia1 to the 
ministers1 members1 and friends1 of the 
,protestant ,episcopal ,church1 in the  
,diocese of ,virginia1 on the duty of   
affording religious instruction to those
 in bondage1 and published at the       
request of the ,convention of ,virginia4
 ,this manly and ,christian publication 
shows it to be our duty to seek the     
salvation of these people because3 ,the 
providence of ,god in sending these     
people among us in a state of dependence
 points out to us this duty3 ,the word  
of ,god is particular and emphatic on   
this subject3 ,the benevolence and mercy
 of the gospel require this of us3      
,consistency requires this of us4 ,the  
conclusion urges the performance of this
 duty from success already had in the   
work4 ,in the ,appendix are to be found 

some letters and documents of great     
worth on this great subject4  ,but ,dr4 
,jones seems to be in this department   
more abundant in labours than any other 
man4 ,we have now his excellent and     
practical pamphlet on the religious     
instruction of slaves4 ,we are glad to  
see it sent forth by our ,board of      
,publication1 and in its present form   
too4 ,we trust it will have an extensive
 circulation4 ,no man will fail to be   
better informed who reads it with care4 
,it can for a few cents be transmitted  
by mail to any part of the ,united      
,states4 ,our advice concerning it is   
given in four words3 buy1 read1         
circulate1 practice it4  ,the statistics
 of the negro race in the slave-holding 
,states of this nation are of the most  
interesting kind4 ,their increase is    
prodigious4 ,we cannot go into this     
matter now1 farther than to say that the
 next census will probably show that the
 number of negroes and mulattoes in the 
,united ,states is more than four       

millions4 ,what an object for ,christian
 love and wisdom and effort6 ,who will  
not pray for the salvation of these     
people8  ,from what has been already    
said1 our minds are fully satisfied of  
the correctness of the following        
positions3  ,i4 ,it is the duty of      
,christians generally1 and of           
,presbyterians particularly1 earnestly  
to seek the salvation of all the        
destitute1 and especially of the negroes
 of this country1 by such methods as the
 laws of ,god require1 and in conformity
 with every proper law of the land1     
relating to these people4 ,a good police
 is nowhere adverse to the spread of the
 gospel4  ,,ii4 ,on account of the      
incalculable benefits resulting to the  
teacher of the plan of salvation1 and to
 him who is taught as well as to masters
 and the community generally1 it is     
expedient to do this thing and that     
speedily4  ,,iii4 ,it is entirely safe  
to do this4 ,no facts can be established
 to the contrary1 and many can be       

established in support of this          
assertion4  ,,iv4 ,it is very unsafe not
 to do it1 because all men will have    
some notions of religion1 and if they be
 not correct notions1 they will be      
erroneous1 wild1 fanatical1             
superstitious1 or in some way highly    
dangerous4 ,on this subject we present a
 short extract from a discourse         
published by the late ,dr4 ,rice1 in the
 year #ahbe1 on the subject of the      
injury done to religion by ignorant     
teachers4 ,in that discourse the writer 
speaking of fanaticism says3  ,these    
remarks have a bearing on a particular  
part of our population1 which ,i think  
it my duty to state in such terms that  
the intelligent will understand me4 ,and
 that this subject may present itself   
with greater force it ought to be       
observed1 that there is always a        
predisposition to superstition1 where   
there are no settled religious          
principles4 ,this state of the human    
mind1 may be regarded as a              

predisposition to fanaticism where there
 is a general prevalence of ignorance   
and rudeness4 ,now it is well known that
 there is a large and increasing part of
 our population whose ignorance is      
almost absolute4 ,their spiritual       
interests have been very generally      
neglected2 and attempts to afford them  
religious instruction have often been   
frowned upon by men of power and        
influence4 ,but have they thus been able
 to suppress the workings of the        
religious principle8 ,that is           
impossible4 ,it would be as easy to     
exclude the light of the sun by a leaf  
of the statute book4 ,what then has been
 the result of this very general        
negligence8 ,why1 thousands of this race
 have a set of religious opinions of    
their own in many very important        
respects at variance with the religion  
of the ,new ,testament4 ,they have long 
shown a most observable preference for  
those meetings1 by whomsoever conducted1
 where there is most noise and          

vociferation1 most to strike on the     
senses1 and least to afford instruction4
 ,while some among them are1 no doubt1  
true ,christians1 many unquestionably   
are rank fanatics4 ,they are chiefly    
under the influence of ignorant         
spiritual guides4 ,it is most obvious to
 the careful observer that they are     
withdrawing more and more from those    
ministrations1 where they can learn the 
true character of ,christianity2 and    
insist with increasing pertinacity1 on  
holding meetings in their own way1 and  
having preachers of their own colour4   
,the profession of religion among them  
is becoming perceptibly less beneficial3
 so that in some neighborhoods1 this    
very thing generates suspicion of the   
professor1 rather than confidence in his
 integrity4 ,the preachers among them1  
although extremely ignorant1 7often     
unable to read a verse in the ,bible or 
a line in their ,hymn book7 are         
frequently shrewd1 cunning men4 ,they   
see what influence misdirected religious

 feeling gives them over their brethren 
and they take advantage of it4 ,many of 
them feel their importance1 and assume  
the post of men of great consequence4   
,this thing is growing in the ,southern 
country4 ,and while efforts to afford   
these people salutary instruction have  
been repressed or abandoned1 a spirit of
 fanaticism has been spreading which    
threatens the most alarming             
consequences4 ,without pretending to be 
a prophet1 ,i venture to predict1 that  
if ever that horrid event should take   
place1 which is anticipated and greatly 
dreaded by many among us1 some          
crisp-haired prophet1 some pretender to 
inspiration1 will be the ringleader as  
well as the instigator of the plot4 ,by 
feigning communications from heaven1 he 
will rouse the fanaticism of his        
brethren1 and they will be prepared for 
any work however desolating or          
murderous4 ,the opinion has already been
 started among them1 that men may make  
such progress in religion1 that nothing 

they can do will be sinful1 even should 
it be the murder of those whom they are 
now required to serve and obey6 ,the    
present state of the country presents a 
prospect truly alarming2 and when the   
rapid growth of our population both     
black and white is considered1 it       
requires a man of a stout heart indeed1 
to view the scene without dismay4 ,it is
 appalling1 when such a mighty power as 
that afforded by the religious          
principle1 is wielded by ignorant and   
fanatical men4 ,shall we1 then1 let this
 matter alone8--,evan4 and ,lit4        
,magazine1 ,vol4 #h1 pp4 #fjc and #fjd4 
,how literally this prediction was      
fulfilled in the ,southampton           
insurrection1 many remember4 ,a         
crisp-haired fanatic led it on4  ,v4    
,not only the general course of         
legislation1 but also the general tenor 
of ,providence unite in declaring that  
the great body of teachers for this     
people must for the present at least be 
white men4 ,it is truly marvellous that 

although ,dartmouth ,college was endowed
 chiefly as a school1 in which to train 
up ,indians for useful stations1 yet did
 that institution never1 so far as is   
known1 furnish more than one or two     
useful and successful preachers of the  
gospel from among that people4 ,as early
 as the year #afic1 the ,earl of        
,burlington and the ,bishop of ,london1 
for the time being1 who had been        
constituted by the great ,mr4 ,boyle    
trustees of the fund he left for the    
advancement of ,christianity among      
infidels1 directed the proceeds to be   
paid to the president of ,william and   
,mary ,college in ,virginia for the     
education and instruction of a certain  
number of ,indian children4 ,this       
charity was continued for more than     
eighty years2 yet did it never raise up 
a missionary to the ,indians4 ,in like  
manner efforts have been made for the   
last century to train up useful         
ministers and missionaries of the negro 
race for this country4 ,as early as the 

year #agdd the venerable ,dr4 ,styles   
and the ,rev4 ,samuel ,hopkins undertook
 the education of two apparently        
promising negroes with a view to the    
ministry2 but it was finally a failure4 
,dr4 ,john ,b4 ,smith also laboured for 
the same object but never really served 
the church in this way4 ,many other     
efforts have been made1 but generally1  
though we are happy to say not          
universally1 they have been unproductive
 of any solid or extensive good4 ,if    
valuable ministers1 therefore1 are to be
 raised up from this people1 in our     
country and in sufficient numbers1 it   
must probably be at least for some time 
to come1 from amongst white men4  ,,vi4 
,if ,protestants do not attempt and     
execute this work1 ,jesuits will        
undertake and execute a most undesirable
 work among them4 ,not only the spirit  
and genius of popery1 but also the      
developments of policy made in the      
,leopold ,reports1 put this matter      
beyond all doubt4 ,the danger and       

annoyance of such influences may be     
learned not only from the doctrines of  
,romanism and the general history of its
 acts in every nation1 where it has     
prevailed1 but also in particular acts  
in reference to missions4 ,thus in ,st4 
,vincents in the ,west ,indies the      
,methodist ,missionaries attempted to   
begin a school among the native ,caribs1
 and the legislature of the islands gave
 an estate for the support of the       
institution2 but the ,catholic priests  
of ,martinico infused suspicions into   
the minds of the poor people1 that the  
missionaries were employed by the ,king 
of ,england1 and by this means raised   
their jealousy to such a pitch1 that it 
was found necessary to withdraw from    
among them4  ,among the negroes1        
however1 the ,methodists were more      
successful1 and in a short time         
collected such numbers of them in their 
societies as amply recompensed them for 
the failure of their labours among the  
,caribs4 ,in #agic the ,legislative     

,assembly of ,st4 ,vincents1 which had  
at first patronized the ,methodist      
,missionaries1 passed a very rigorous   
act against them1 prohibiting them from 
preaching to the negroes under the      
severest penalties4 ,for the first      
transgression1 it was enacted that the  
offender should be punished by a fine of
 #aj2 for the second1 by such corporeal 
punishment as the court should think    
proper to inflict1 and likewise by      
banishment2 and if the person should    
return from banishment1 by death6  ,the 
emissaries of the ,pope have shown their
 real feelings in reference to          
evangelical missions1 in their attempts 
on the ,sandwich ,islands and in their  
bitterness after their failure1 as also 
in their more recent and cruel conduct  
in ,otaheite4  ,in the prosecution of   
the work1 it must not be forgotten3     
#ast4 ,that all that shall be done must 
be with the consent and under the       
sanction of proprietors of estates and  
of slave-holders generally1 where the   

negroes are slaves4  #bnd4 ,that the    
friends of religion should labour to    
obtain unity of views1 sentiments1 and  
purposes amongst all the ministers and  
churches in our bounds2 especially where
 this population is large4  #c;d4 ,there
 must be exercised in the whole matter a
 sound discretion1 and a careful        
examination of every step4  #dth4 ,also 
unblenching intrepidity1 and ,christian 
firmness4  #eth4 ,untiring perseverance 
and unceasing effort4  #fth4 ,that long 
patience1 which the husbandman hath when
 he waiteth for the precious fruits of  
the earth4  #gth4 ,undoubted love to    
,god and to all men4  #hth4 ,correct    
statistical information of the number of
 black members in our churches1 and     
hearers in our congregations1 should be 
obtained and published4  #ith4 ,a hearty
 and steady engagedness of private      
members in all our churches in continual
 and becoming labours for the salvation 
of those immediately dependant upon     
them1 should be urged4  #ajth4 ,some    

years ago 7in #ahcc7 there was a        
proposal to organize a general ,board or
 ,missionary ,society in the ,south1 for
 the special purpose of conducting this 
work4 ,at the time we were in favour of 
such an organization4 ,but it failed    
from some cause4 ,in the present state  
of our church1 the ,board of ,missions1 
7,domestic17 acting as it does through  
the ,presbyteries1 and by their advice1 
is perhaps fully adequate to the work4  
,we see not why they may not do it all1 
if the churches will but furnish the    
means1 and if proper men can be found4  
,we have spoken of a general ,board4    
,local ,associations are and will       
continue to be in many respects useful  
and important4 ,let such be formed1 on  
correct principles wherever it may be   
useful4 ,a form of a constitution for   
such an association auxiliary to the    
,board of ,domestic ,missions           
constitutes a valuable part of the      
,appendix to the pamphlet under review4 
,a friend of ours1 who has long felt an 

interest1 and who has through a course  
of years conducted an extensive         
correspondence on this subject1 has     
shown us a large number of letters      
obtained by him for public use from     
clergymen of high standing in several   
different denominations1 from lawyers1  
physicians1 judges1 members of          
,congress1 intelligent planters1        
officers of public institutions1 and    
others residing in ,virginia and ,texas1
 and ,states lying between them4 ,we    
find in these letters from men residing 
far apart a remarkable agreement both in
 feeling and in judgment4  ,we propose  
to conclude this article by quoting a   
few sentences on topics1 which we deem  
of great importance4  ,one says1 ,from  
my own experience ,i should say there is
 but one obstacle to success1 and that  
is a belief among the slaves1 that all  
scriptural passages which bear upon     
their peculiar situation1 have been     
interpolated by white men4 ,how far this
 notion prevails ,i cannot say1 but ,i  

am sure it does to a great extent4      
,another says1 ,i cannot conceive how   
any one1 who acknowledges the           
obligations of ,christian duty can      
decline affording ,christian instruction
 to his slaves4 ,that this duty of      
instruction may be safely performed1    
seems to me manifest from the very      
precepts of ,christianity4 ,the whole   
tenor of the ,bible inculcates nothing  
but what1 if practised1 must contribute 
to the common advantage of the parties  
master and servant4 ,the chief source of
 danger from the negro race consists in 
keeping them ignorant of the principles 
of ,christianity4 ,my experience in this
 matter has been sufficient to satisfy  
me that there is no yeomanry in the     
world1 who would make a better return   
for the labour of moral instruction1 so 
far as the great leading principles of  
,christianity are concerned4  ,another  
says1 ,sermons to coloured people ought 
to be studied and well prepared4 ,the   
preacher must by all prudent means      

enlist public favour4 ,the negroes must 
be treated with kindness and respect4   
,in giving catechetical instruction1    
their ignorance and blunders must not be
 allowed to expose them before their    
fellows1 but must be covered4 ,their    
feelings must not be wounded4  ,another 
says1 ,we must guard against the danger 
of so presenting the subject of religion
 to the minds of the negroes as to make 
the operation of their senses and       
imagination a substitute for the        
exercise of the right affections of the 
heart4 ,such a method of instruction    
should be adopted as would make a lawful
 and judicious use of the senses and    
imagination2 and therefore sermons      
addressed to them should abound with    
illustrations taken from common life2 a 
course justified by the parables of our 
,saviour4  ,another says1 ,undoubtedly  
,christians ought to engage in this     
great work without delay4 ,nothing can  
be gained by postponement4 ,the moral   
wretchedness of our coloured neighbours 

demands immediate relief2 and every     
principle of humanity and religion urges
 us to afford it4 ,preaching intended   
for this class of persons should be on  
important subjects1 as simple as        
possible1 familiar1 attractive and      
solemn4  ,another says1 ,i think that   
our white population is prepared for    
this work2 and ,i know that many of the 
negroes are perishing for lack of       
knowledge4 ,all our churches are doing a
 little for these too long neglected    
immortals2 but the efforts used bear no 
just proportion to their numbers and    
necessities4  ,another says1 ,our       
,convention appointed a committee to    
prepare1 or collect and publish a series
 of tracts for the benefit of the       
slaves1 which may be read to them1 or by
 such of them as can read4 ,i trust the 
scenes1 which are enacting in some parts
 of the north1 will convince all our    
citizens that our first duty is to      
instruct them in the principles of      
religion1 and not seek to inspire them  

with lofty notions1 which will only     
rouse up against them the worst feelings
 of the whites4  ,two others relate at  
length how they overcame reluctance in  
their negroes to attend upon religious  
instruction4 ,they gave them a part of  
,saturday for doing those things1 which 
they had formerly done on the ,lord's   
day1 as going to a market1 c4 ,they also
 gave them two or three hours1 when     
preaching could be had during the week4 
,they thus showed that they were willing
 to lose1 7if loss it was7 a portion of 
their time for their spiritual good4    
,this course soon removed all outward   
opposition4  ,another says1 ,ministers  
ought not only to preach a great deal   
more than formerly to servants1 but also
 preach a great deal to white people    
about the instruction of servants1 so as
 to convince the whole church and the   
servants that we are in earnest in this 
business and intend to persevere4       
,another says1 ,may ,i entreat you to be
 zealous1 as you value the welfare of   

your country1 the prosperity of our     
church1 your own reputation as a        
minister of the gospel1 and the         
approbation of our ,lord and ,saviour   
,jesus ,christ4 ,i am assured that      
nothing under ,god1 will ever give      
motion to our ,southern ,zion in this   
most momentous of all causes of         
,christian benevolence before us1 but   
the united1 determined and protracted   
effort of ,god's ministers4  ,another   
says1 ,under present circumstances it is
 evident that they who engage in the    
delicate business of instructing our    
slaves1 must confine themselves to the  
method of oral communication4 ,but this 
limitation should not produce the       
slightest discouragement4 ,written      
documents bore but a small part in the  
early propagation of ,christianity4     
,until the present age1 indeed the mass 
of the people have received by far the  
greater part of their religious         
knowledge and impressions from the mouth
 of the living teacher4 ,even now       

perhaps the majority in our own country 
have their religious principles and     
character formed mainly by oral         
instruction4  ,respecting the method    
best adapted to the negroes1 experience 
must decide4 ,a few remarks will develop
 the general principles on which ,i     
would act if called to this high and    
holy duty4  #ast4 ,to study to make the 
instructions given both pleasant and    
profitable to the instructed4 ,the whole
 carcass of modern technical            
theology--its metaphysics--its subtle   
distinctions--its mystical dogmas--its  
sectarian polemics--its technical       
phrases1 c4 c4--should be cast away by  
him who goes to this simple and ignorant
 people as a ,christian teacher4 ,he    
should know nothing among them but the  
plain facts1 and practical precepts1 and
 the devotional sentiments of the       
,bible2 and these he should set forth in
 the most simple1 intelligible1 and     
animated language1 abounding in         
illustrations drawn from objects        

familiar to his auditors4 ,but let him  
avoid negroism and vulgarity of all     
sorts--they would detract from his      
respectability1 and be offensive to the 
understanding1 and native taste of the  
negroes themselves1 who are ignorant    
indeed1 and to a degree stupid--but they
 are not fools4  #b;d4 ,to study        
maturely1 and to digest in a lucid      
order1 a systematic course of           
instruction--not the technical system of
 the schools--but a system of plain1    
practical truth1 adapted to the peculiar
 state of the people to be              
instructed--illustrating1 inculcating1  
repeating fundamental truths1 and       
scriptural maxims1 till they are well   
understood3 aiming first to lay the     
foundation of a rational faith and an   
intelligent conviction--before the      
feelings and fancies of a blind         
enthusiasm are stirred up4 ,it is       
peculiarly dangerous1 to set fire to the
 combustible heap of crude and fanatical
 fancies that occupy the brain of an    

ignorant person1 such as are most of the
 uninstructed negroes4 ,it is no hard   
thing to guide a well instructed mind1  
in which reason and conscience have     
their due influence--but what can be    
done with a full blown enthusiast1 or a 
furious fanatic1 who is maddened by the 
chimeras of a diseased fancy8 ,they will
 disdain sober instruction and set up   
for themselves4 ,they will be your      
rivals1 and have the advantage of you   
too1 when once the flame of blind       
enthusiasm is kindled in the            
congregation4  #c;d4 ,to avoid cramming 
an unprepared mind with too much at     
once4 ,a few ideas at one time should be
 clearly expressed and deeply impressed4
 ,do not hurry matters2 but let the weak
 stomach digest one bit1 before another 
is administered2 relieve the wearied    
attention1 and quicken pure devotional  
feeling1 by sweet hymns and simple      
fervent prayers1 and short affectionate 
exhortations4  #dth4 ,to combine various
 modes of instruction2 now a short      

sermon1 methodically exhibiting a single
 point of truth or duty2 now a suitable 
passage of scripture with a pithy       
commentary2 now a catechetical exercise1
 either on the last sermon or by        
lecturing at the time1 propounding a    
point clearly1 and then examining the   
auditor to see if he remember and       
understand4 ,this will quicken          
attention1 fix what is understood1 and  
detect what is wanting4  ,to carry on   
this course1 meet them twice on ,sabbath
 and once in the week if possible4 ,but 
do not claim too much of their ,sunday  
leisure1 or they will shun you4  #eth4  
,to gain their confidence and love1     
sympathize with their innocent feelings1
 talk to them privately1 preserve a mild
 dignity without contemning their       
ignorance and degradation4 ,have all    
patience with them4  #fth4 ,do nothing  
without the master's consent4 ,teach    
them what ,paul directed slaves to do   
and be2 but beware of pressing these    
duties too strongly and frequently1 lest

 you beget the fatal suspicion that you 
are but executing a selfish scheme of   
the white man to make them better       
slaves1 rather than to make them        
,christ's freemen4 ,if they suspect     
this1 you labour in vain4  ,another     
says1 ,on the modes of communicating a  
saving knowledge of ,divine ,truth to   
the coloured population1 best suited to 
their genius1 habits1 and condition1 we 
must remember that oral instruction is  
the kind of instruction alone that is   
universally allowed in slaveholding     
,states4 ,hence the question with us    
will be1 in what mode can oral          
instruction be best communicated8  ,i   
answer1 #ast4 ,nothing can take the     
place of competent1 qualified ministers 
or missionaries2 men exclusively devoted
 to the work1 who shall make it their   
lifetime labour and study1 to whom      
adequate support must be given4 ,the    
church is as much bound to furnish and  
support such missionaries1 as           
missionaries to any other heathen people

 in the world4  #b;d4 ,their labours    
must be at churches or convenient       
stations on the ,sabbath2 and from      
plantation to plantation during the     
week4 ,plantation meetings are scarcely 
exceeded in utility by ,sabbath or any  
other kind of meetings1 and therefore   
should be vigorously prosecuted4 ,as a  
general rule none should attend but     
residents on the estates where they are 
held4  #c;d4 ,in addition to the        
preaching of the gospel1 classes of     
instruction should be formed1 embracing 
in the first division1 adults2 and in   
the second1 children and youth4 ,special
 instruction should also be given to    
those who are members of the church1 and
 those who are applying for admission4  
,let hasty admissions be avoided4  #dth4
 ,the manner of communicating           
instruction should be plain and         
familiar2 fully within their            
comprehension2 without coarseness or    
levity2 and with fervour4 ,in the       
earlier stages of instruction1 the      

catechetical method may be resorted to  
with success1 your subjects being of the
 simplest kind2 as you advance and your 
people acquire habits of attention and  
reflection and improve in knowledge1    
your subjects may be more elevated4     
#eth4 ,the matter of preaching1 at least
 for no very inconsiderable a time1 may 
be chiefly1 narratives1 biographies1    
striking works of ,god1 miracles1       
parables4 ,didactic discourses1 at least
 at first1 are far from being           
interesting to them4 ,vary the exercises
 of worship by singing1 and sing        
standing4 ,let portions of scripture be 
committed to memory1 as well as psalms1 
hymns and spiritual songs1 to take the  
place of the foolish and irreverent ones
 that are often in use among them4 ,the 
besetting sins of this people ought to  
be exposed continually4 ,here give line 
upon line1 and precept upon precept1    
until conscience is enlightened4 ,give  
encouragement in preaching1 address them
 as men1 men whom you love1 men whom you

 believe to be capable of improvement1  
and who1 you make no doubt1 will        
improve4  #fth4 ,of the classes of      
instruction1 ,i would say that they are 
of incalculable benefit4 ,all that can  
be said in favour of ,sabbath schools1  
and ,bible classes1 can be said in      
favour of these classes3 properly       
conducted1 they are nothing less or     
more1 than ,sabbath schools1 and ,bible 
classes for coloured persons4 ,our main 
hope of permanently improving this      
people lies just where it does with     
every other people3 in the instruction  
of children and youth4 ,be beforehand   
with their parents1 who can only1 in the
 vast majority of cases1 inculcate evil 
both by word and deed2 and if it were   
practicable1 an entire separation of    
children and adults 7as is attempted by 
our missionaries at some of the stations
 by boarding schools and the like17     
would be the best thing that could be   
done4 ,every effort therefore should be 
made to draw out and attach children and

 youth to the schools opened on the     
,sabbath1 at stations1 and to schools   
opened in plantations4 ,wherever these  
schools are opened1 if the missionary   
cannot be supported by good teachers1   
let him instruct the whole school1 on   
the infant school plan himself4 ,his    
instructions too should not be short1   
and imperfect1 but embrace some regular 
system of ,christian doctrine and       
practice2 so that after a reasonable    
time1 when the course is completed1 a   
connected and intelligent view of       
,christianity will have been            
communicated4 ,connected with such a    
regular course of instruction1 may be   
the use of scripture cards1 and the     
like2 teaching them to sing hymns1 c4   
,every thing ,i may say depends upon the
 teacher4 ,if he is an interesting man1 
he will behold increased interest and   
rapid improvement in his classes4  ,with
 adult classes the improvement will     
generally be slower and the interest    
perhaps less and not so easily kept up4 

,let the same general course of         
instruction be pursued with them1 for   
literally they are but grown up         
children4  #gth4 ,i must not omit to    
mention1 that these efforts of regularly
 appointed missionaries1 must be        
seconded by pastors of churches1 and    
when they can1 let them have in their   
own churches1 coloured schools1 under   
the superintendance of elders and       
laymen4 ,is it not wonderful that our   
churches have so long remained          
indifferent to this most interesting    
field of labour8 ,one-half or two-thirds
 of our members have nothing to do4 ,and
 why is it so8 ,because they will not   
labour for the coloured population4 ,let
 pastors awake and bring the subject    
strongly and repeatedly before their    
people4  #hth4 ,the ,missionary must be 
supported by ,christian owners2 they    
must labour to improve the servants at  
home2 having regular schools for the    
children and meetings for the           
instruction of adults4 ,they should     

encourage their people to attend public 
worship1 especially should they send the
 children to ,sabbath school2 otherwise 
such schools1 let the missionary or     
teacher do what he may1 will decline in 
all ordinary cases4  #ith4 ,let owners  
also pay special attention to their     
plantation regulations2 all these should
 be founded on ,christian principle4    
,discipline1 labour1 houses1 food1      
clothing1 should all be attended to2    
lest in works we deny our profession4   
,this is fundamental4  #ajth4 ,while    
strict subordination is maintained on   
plantations1 the general police of      
counties should be rigidly adhered to1  
and if possible the coloured population 
protected from ardent spirits4 ,the plan
 now hinted at1 or one very similar1    
will perhaps be found best suited to    
their genius1 habits1 and condition4    
,but we must close4 ,if our readers feel
 half the interest in this subject1     
which its importance demands1 they will 
thank us for these views1 even if they  

should not concur in every suggestion   
made4 ,let every man stand in his lot1  
and put on the whole armour of ,god4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,transcriber's ,notes3  ,the transcriber
 made these changes to the text to      
correct obvious errors3    #a4 p4  #g1  
misssionaries -- missionaries   #b4 p4  
#g1 predjudiced -- prejudiced   #c4 p4  
#h1 know by the name -- known by the    
name   #d4 p4  #i1 thanfulness          
--thankfulness   #e4 p4 #ah1 ,diocess --
 ,diocese   #f4 p4 #ba1 proceeds to to  
be paid -- proceeds to be paid   #g4 p4 
#bb1 penalities -- penalties   #h4 p4   
#be1 develope -- develop   #i4 p4 #be1  
metaphics -- metaphysics  #aj4 p4 #bg1  
advoided -- avoided  ,end of            
,transcriber's ,notes