Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume 1 (of 2): A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present dayLanaghan, Mrs.
History
Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume 1 (of 2): A full account of the colony and its inhabitants from the time of the Caribs to the present day
Lanaghan, Mrs.
Antigua -- Description and travel; Antigua -- History
Their settlement at St. John’s is situated in Spring Gardens, at
the extreme north end of the town, and looks the very picture of
neatness and domestic comfort. The present chapel, erected in
1773, is a plain building—devoid of any great architectural
beauty, it is true, but interesting from its very simplicity, and
from being built by the negroes in times of slavery. The rapid
increase of their numbers, already mentioned, rendered it
necessary to provide a larger place of worship; which fact being
mentioned to their negro converts, they immediately commenced
procuring some of the materials, by each bringing a few stones
with them, when they came to their evening meetings in the week.
Those of them who were masons and carpenters worked with the
greatest energy “in their free hours, after their daily tasks
were done; and those who could not assist in the labour provided
victuals for the workmen.” Since that period, the chapel has had
many enlargements and alterations made to it. The dwellings of
the preachers are gathered around it; and their neat,
cheerful-looking burying-ground, in which grows many a beautiful
tree, bounds the settlement to the east. Everything about them
looks green, and fresh, and lovely; and their wives, in their
neat caps, and Quaker-like style of dress, and the often very
pretty, but quiet contour of their features, appear in perfect
harmony with the other parts of the picture. I must say, I like
the Moravians: they seem to have so much open-heartedness about
them—such patriarchal simplicity of manners. Among themselves
they are ever kind and courteous, forming, as it were, one large
family of affectionate brothers and sisters. They have done much
good among the black race, for whose welfare the mission was
particularly intended; and many happy deaths among them attest
the truth. Besides their settlement in St. John’s, they have
several in other parts of the island; namely, at Grace Hill,
Grace Bay, Newfield, Cedar Hall, Lebanon, Gracefield, and Five
Islands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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