!

Savannah, once or twice a week, as it was most con-
venient to me, and on the Sabbath-day evenings.
This gave great offence, and the Rev. Mr. Zubly,
the Presbyterian minister, did not a little oppose
it. I applied for the use of the old Lutheran
church which stood unoccupied, and offered any
moderate rent the proprietors should require for
the use of it, but it was refused merely because I
preached to, and aimed at instructing the negroes.
All were up in arms against me; many threat-
ened me if I presumed to come into their planta-
tion. A motion was made in the council to con-
sider me as a nuisance to the province, and as such
to silence me; but they could not carry the mo-
tion. However, time and circumspection retrieved
my reputation in some degree. The house I
lodged in abounded with boarders, particularly
at the sitting of the assembly. I generally endea-
voured to be affable, but not forward; conversant,
but not loquacious; short in my sittings after meals,
and constant in my study. I was generally in-
dulged with much liberty in family prayer, morn-
ings and evenings, and frequently dropped a short
pertinent hint from one or a few verses out of the
portion I read. This gained attention, and by
degrees I acquired credit, being mostly reproach-
ed by persons who knew least of me.
The con-
versation of which I was the subject, usually con-
cluded to this effect: "It is a pity he thinks of
being employed in a work that will bring him so
little credit, while he has a capacity to be an ac-
ceptable minister to the white people, where one
is wanting."

*

It may appear that this representation of myself

savours of pride, but I can appeal to Him who alone knoweth the heart, that I only mention it to his praise. If I review any part of my outward conduct with satisfaction, I review the defects of all my duties before God with shame. However I might satisfy others, I was dissatisfied enough with myself. Strict morality will not compensate the want of spirituality, and of this I found my self deficient,—may not the deficiency be laid to my charge!

It was not long before I was introduced to my immediate charge, that is, the negroes upon the late Rev. Mr. Zububuhler's plantation, among whom I was to reside, as soon as the house was put in proper condition for my residence. The greatest number of these negroes were fresh purchased. They had conceived some kind of idea concerning me, but could not distinguish between their minister and their owner; therefore, when I was first introduced among them, they came up in a body, and in their way, showed me the greatest mark of their respect; at the same time they made very heavy complaints that they were severely beaten, overburdened with work, kept very short of food, and that they and their children were very bare of clothes. They said, if I would be a good master, they would be good negroes. I gave them to understand that I had no right in them, that I should be their sincere friend and minister, and would do every thing in my power to make them happy.

The following Lord's day, I went up for the first time to introduce divine worship among them; but it is impossible to describe the scene,

nor can any person, a stranger to it, conceive of it. Mr. Bolton, my host, bore me company to give me countenance, and to assist me to sing. Two or three overseers from the neighbouring plantations, with the person in the same capacity on the spot, men of a similar cast with the Smithfield drovers, were all the white people I had present. Some negroes from the neighbouring plantations came, and I opened with as plain an exhortation as I possibly could, but felt it was like shooting darts against a stone wall. I prayed, read the lessons for the day, and used a very small part of the liturgy, namely, the confession, the Lord's prayer, and the creed, but the greatest part of my poor congregation were either asleep, or making some of their figures upon the wainscot, or playing with their fingers, or eating potatoes, or talking with each other. This was very discouraging, but I thought I must get through it as well as I could. My intended plan was, if I had settled with them, to have attempted to make them rational, in order to make them capable of understanding my addresses, and to have began with them as with children, teaching them the alphabet. I hoped to have succeeded; and to carry my point, especially with the children, and that I might expe dite the work, I intended to have procured negroes, by qualifying of whom, I might have been assisted in promoting general instruction. But knowing I must come home for ordination, and my house not being ready for me, I could only design the plan without putting it forward till after my return,

There were several in Savannah, whom I had learnt to read a little, and on three plantations beside my own, I taught Dr. Watts' first câtechism and psalmody with some degree of success. My black congregations on two of the plantations, (Mr. Jonathan Briand, being a dissenter from the episcopal church, objected to the use of a form of prayer,) could with a degree of readiness repeat with me the Lord's prayer, the creed, and the magnificat.

Once a week I preached to a small congregation, about twelve miles from Savannah; and on my own plantation I was soon joined by ten or twelve white people, to whom I accommodated my discourse, after I had done with the negroes. But so strong were the prejudices of the people in general against me, for being what they called a negro-parson, that I believe if I had been an angel of light, I should not have been esteemed*.

Upon my first coming into the province, I was

* What a view is here incidentally given us of the degraded and despised state of this class of our fellow-creatures, if prejudice and pride will forsooth allow us to call them so. Torn from their native country-oppressed by merciless exactions— treated like beasts that perish-fed and valued only for the purposes of labour and drudgery-a man turned into ridicule and V scorn for wishing to teach them the Gospel-their possessors afraid lest one ray of light should enter their minds, and make them feel they were men!—Who can but lament that our country should so long have "Traded in the persons of men." Who can but rejoice that the voice of justice and humanity was at last heard-who can but be grateful to those who " Through evil and good report" persevered till their discouraged efforts were crowned with success?

.

informed it would prove to my advantage, if I
could be on good terms with Mr. Frink, the rec-
tor of Savannah, and I was desired to seek inti-
macy with him, though he should treat me rough-
ly, and even repulse me.

1 therefore paid him the compliment of asking
his permission to speak publicly to the negroes
in town; he gave it in a faint manner; and find-
ing that a recommendatory letter from him to
the Bishop would be requisite for my obtaining
ordination, I sought such an acquaintance with
him as my friends judged necessary. On New-
year's Day, I sent him a very neatly bound volume.
of Mr. Hawies's sermons, for a New-year's gift,
with a letter, intimating that my sentiments
might be gathered from the work, and that it con-
tained a just plan of the doctrines I intended to
preach. He received them politely, gave me ac-
cess to him, engaged me to bury the dead for
him when he was indisposed, and I believe would
have been glad to have served me, if previous to
my embarkation from England, he had not laid
the foundation of my disappointment, as will ap
pear in the sequel.

I visited the Orphan-house as often as possible, and was in perfect love and harmony with the family. Death made a sad inroad among them in a very little time; but the affliction was completed by the death of Mr. Whitefield. He had left Georgia to go on his northern tour, the latter end of April; and while his return was anticipated, and supposed to be near, his removal was announced. It was opened to me by Mr. Habersham, who was much affected with it. It may be supposed I