Part 30 (2/2)
”It is objected,--they are so ignorant and unteachable, they cannot be brought to any knowledge in these matters
”_Answer_ This objection seems to have little or no truth in it, with respect to the bulk of theion, is not to be disputed;--they are sunk in it to a sad and la to the negligence of their owners--But that they are so stupid and unteachable, as that they cannot be brought to any coe in these ard to their work, they learn it, and grow dexterous enough in a short time Many of them have learned trades and enuity:--whence it is plain they are not unteachable; do not want natural parts and capacities--Mostin contriving to deceive theood, when it is owned at the sanorance, therefore, if born in the country, must absolutely be the fault of their owners:--and such as are brought here froe to their own future state, as well as to work for their ain--The difference plainly consists in this;--that a good deal of pains is taken to shew thelect it--This sort of instruction their owners take care to give them every day, and look well to it that it be duly followed--But no such pains are taken in the other case--They are generally left to themselves, whether they will serve God, or worshi+p Devils--whether they beco as they live: as if either their souls were not worth the saving, or as if ere under no obligation of giving them any instruction:--which is the true reason why sous, are as entirely ignorant of the principles of religion, as if they had never coood or practical purposes
”I have dwelt the longer upon this head, because it is of the ut us--For there is too much reason to fear, that thewhite people;--the lewdness, drunkenness, quarrelling, abusiveness, swearing, lying, pride, backbiting, overreaching, idleness, and sabbath-breaking, everywhere to be seen aroes to do the like, and help strongly to confirht not only to avoid giving them bad examples, and abstain froood exa us lead the way in our own person, they may more readily be persuaded to follow us in the wholesoht tothe holy scriptures, and the reading and explaining the or instructing theion, a stated duty
”We ought in a particular manner to take care of the children, and instil early principles of piety and religion into their rown up slaves, from confirmed habits of vice, are hard to be reclaimed, the children surely are in our power, and o, with rational hopes that when they are old, they will not depart froe of their education principally upon ourselves, and not leave them entirely to the care of their wicked parents--If the present generation be bad, weones will be rown up to instruct his children; and they again will teach their posterity good things--And I am fully of opinion, that the coeneral in fact as to be ad fronant influence of bad exah soer passions and appetites, or with a greater propensity to soratifications or pursuits than others, yet we do not want convincing instances how effectually they may be restrained, or at least corrected and turned to proper and laudable ends, by the force of an early care, and a suitable education
”To you of the female sex, (whom I have had occasion ation) I would address a feords on this head--You, who by your stations are er sort reat deal of good in this way--I know not when I have been er and ht and conversation of a little negro boy, not above seven years old, who read to me in the new testahout, and all from the instruction of his careful, piousthe blessed fruits of her labours while on earth--This example I would recommend to your serious imitation, and to enforce it shall only re part of the character of Solohter is, that she looketh well to the ways of her household”--Rev Thomas Bacon's _Sermons Addressed to Masters and Servants_, pp 4, 48, 49, 51, 64, 65, 69, 70, 73, 74
PORTIONS OF BENJAMIN FAWCETT's ADDRESS TO THE CHRISTIAN NEGROES IN VIRGINIA ABOUT 1755
”Rejoice and be exceeding glad, that you are delivered either froan Darkness, and Worshi+p of Daeht to place your Dependence upon those other dead Men, wholect and Dishonor of Jesus Christ, the one only Mediator between God and Men Christ, tho'
he was dead, is alive again, and liveth forever-more It is Christ, who is able also to save the he ever liveth to make intercession for them Bless God, with all your Heart, that the Holy Scriptures are put into your Hands, which are able to make you wise unto Salvation, thro' Faith which is in Christ Jesus Read and study the Bible for yourselves; and consider how Papists do all they can to hide it froht should discover the gross Darkness of their false Doctrines and Worshi+p Be particularly thankful to the Ministers of Christ around you, who are faithfully labouring to teach you the Truth as it is in Jesus
”Contrary to these evident Truths and precious Comforts of the Word of God, you may perhaps be tempted very unjustly to renounce your Fidelity and Obedience to your Old Masters, in Hope of finding new ones, hom you may live ested to you, that the French will lish But I beseech you to consider, that your Happiness as Men and Christians exceedingly depends upon your doing all in your Power to support the British Government, and that kind of Christianity which is called the Protestant Religion; and likewise in opposing, with all your Might, the Power of the French, the Delusions of Popish Priests, and all the Rage and Malice of such Indians, as are in the French Interest If the Power of France was to prevail in the Country where you now live, you have Nothing to expect but the s Your Slavery would then, not merely extend to Body, but also to the Soul; not merely run thro' your Days of Labour, but even thro' your Lord's Days Your Bibles would then become like a sealed Book, and your Consciences would be fettered orse than Iron-Chains Therefore be patient, be submissive and obedient, be faithful and true, even when some of your Masters are most unkind This is the only way for you to have Consciences void of Offense towards God and Man This will really be taking the most effectual Measures, to secure for yourselves a Share in the invaluable Blessings and Privileges of the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, which you have already received thro' the Channel of the British Government, and which no other Government upon the Face of the Earth is so calculated to support and preserve
”The Lord Jesus Christ is now saying to you, as he did to Peter, when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren
”Therefore let me entreat you to look upon your Country- Fellow-Captives with you in a strange Land; as for this, that they are not yet, like you, delivered from the Power of Darkness
”Invite them to learn to read, and direct them where they may apply for assistance, especially to those faithful Ministers, who have been your Instructors and Fathers in Christ”--Fawcett's _Address to the Negroes in Virginia_, etc, pp 8, 17, 18, 24, 25
EXTRACT FROM THE APPENDIX OF BENJAMIN FAWCETT'S ”ADDRESS TO THE CHRISTIAN NEGROES IN VIRGINIA”
”The first Account, I everthe Gospel, is in a letter written by Mr Davies, Minister at Hanover in Virginia, to Mr Bellaland, dated June 28, 1751 It appears that the Letter was designed for Publication; and I suppose, was accordingly printed at Boston in New England It is to be seen in vol ii, pages 330-338, of the _Historical Collections_ relating to remarkable Periods of the Success of the Gospel, and e it; Coow: Printed by Foulis in 1754 Mr Davies fills the greatest part of his Letter, with an Account of the declining State of Religion in Virginia, and the remarkable Means used by Providence to revive it, for a few Years before his Settlement there, which was in 1747; not in the character of a Missionary, but that of a dissenting Minister, invited by a particular People, and fixed with theation, that he soon found it necessary to license seven Meeting-Houses, the nearest of which are twelve or fifteen Miles distant from each other, and the extremes about Forty; yet some of his People live twenty, thirty, and a few forty Miles fro-House He computes his Communicants at about three Hundred He then says, 'There is also a Nu my Hearers I have baptized about Forty of them within the last three Years, upon such a Profession of Faith as I then judged credible Some of them, I fear, have apostatized; but others, I trust, will persevere to the End I have had as satisfying Evidences of the sincere Piety of several of them, as ever I had from any Person in my Life; and their artless Simplicity, their passionate Aspirations after Christ, their incessant Endeavors to know and do the Will of God, have chare is so extensive, I cannot take sufficient Pains with them for their Instruction, which often oppresses my Heart'”
At the Close of the above Letter, in the _Historical Collections_ (vol ii, page 338), there is added the following Marginal Note--”May 22, 1754 Mr G Tennent and Mr Davies being at Edinburgh, as Agents for the Trustees of the College of New Jersey, Mr Davies inforust last, there was a hopeful Appearance of a greater Spread of a religious Concern aroes;--And a feeeks before he left Horoes, after they had been catechized for soiven credible Evidences of their sincerely e the Gospel”
After these Gentlemen had finished the Business of their late Mission in this part of the World, Mr Davies gave the following Particulars to his Correspondent in London, in a letter which he wrote in the Spring of the previous Year, six Weeks after his safe return to his Fainia are computed to be about 300,000 Men, the one-half of which Nuroes The Number of those who attend enerally about three Hundred who give a stated Attendance And never have I been so much struck with the Appearance of an asselanced -House, where they usually sit; adorned, for so it had appeared to erly attentive to every Word they hear, and frequently bathed in Tears A considerable Number of them, about a Hundred, have been baptized, after the proper Tiiven credible Evidences, not only of their Acquaintance with the iion, but also a deep Sense of them upon their Minds, attested by a Life of the strictest Piety and Holiness As they are not sufficiently polished to disseood Grace, they express the sentie of sienuine Indications of Sincerity, that it is impossible to suspect their Professions, especially when attended with a truly Christian Life and exemplary Conduct--My worthy Friend, Mr Tod, Minister of the next Congregation, has near the same Number under his Instructions, who, he tells me, discover the same serious Turn of Mind In short, Sir, there are Multitudes of theerly desirous to be instructed, and e theenerally very little Help to learn to read, yet, to reeable Surprise, many of them, by the Dint of Application in their Leisure-Hours, have ibly read a plain Author, and especially their Bibles; and Pity it is that many of them should be without the admitted a Member of your Society [Mr Davies herethe Poor, which was first begun in London in August, 1750] the Negroes ont frequently to co Accounts of their Necessities in this Respect, that I could not help supplying them with Books to the ut them, which my Friends with you sent over, I had Reason to think that I never did an Action in all my Life, that met with so much Gratitude from the Receivers I have already distributed all the Books I brought over, which were proper for thes, the only Time they can spare [they are allowed some short Tilass in his Sue 274] my House is croith Numbers of them, whose very Countenances still carry the air of importunate Petitioners for the same Favors with those who came before them But, alas!
rieved and disappointed--Permit me, Sir, to be an Advocate with you, and, by your Means, with your generous Friends in their Behalf The Books I principally want for them are, Watts' Psalms and Hymns, and Bibles
The two first they cannot be supplied with any other Way than by a Collection, as they are not aive away I aood Nuroes, above all the Human Species that I ever knew, have an Ear for Musick, and a kind of extatic Delight in Psalmody; and there are no Books they learn so soon, or take so much Pleasure in as those used in that heavenly Part of divine Worshi+p
Some Gentlemen in London were pleased to make me a private Present of these Books for their Use, and froerness for er Nureater Inducement to their Industry to learn to read, than the Hope of such a Present; which they would consider, both as a Help, and a Reward for their Diligence”--_Fawcett's Address to the Christian Negroes in Virginia_, etc, pp 33 34 35 36, 37 38
EXTRACT FROM JONATHAN BOUCHER'S ”A VIEW OF THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION”(1763)