The Journal of Negro History, Volume 1, January 1916Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 1, January 1916
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
Concerning the church at Savannah, the late Rev. Mr. Joseph Cook, of the
Euhaw, upper Indian land, thus writes: "From the enclosed you will see
how it became a church, and what they have suffered, which is extremely
affecting, but they now begin to rise from obscurity and to appear
great. I have some acquaintance with their pastor, and have heard him
preach; his _gifts are small_, but he is _clear in the grand doctrines_
of the Gospel.--I believe him to be _truly pious_ and he has been the
instrument of doing more good among the poor slaves than all the learned
doctors in America."
The friends of our adorable Redeemer will, no doubt, rejoice to find
that this large body of Christians negroes, under the patronage of some
of the most respectable persons in their city, "have opened a
subscription for the erecting of a place of worship in the city of
Savannah, for the society of black people of the Baptist denomination--
the property to be vested in the hands of seven or more persons in trust
for the church and congregation."
Their case[4] is sent to England, recommended by
J. JOHNSON,[5] Minister of the Union Church.
JOHN HAMILTON.
EBENEZER HILLS.
JOSEPH WATTS.
D. MOSES VALLOTTON.
JOHN MILLENE.
ABRAHAM LEGGETT.
Since the preceding account has been in the press, other letters have been
received, of which the following is an extract.
Kingston, Jamaica, May 18, 1792.
_Rev. and Dear Sir_,
In answer to yours I wrote December 18 last, and as I have not received
a line from you since, I send this, not knowing but the other was
miscarried. Mr. Green has called upon me, and very kindly offered his
service to deliver a letter from me into your hands; he also advised me
to send you a copy of our church covenant, which I have done: being a
collection of some of the principal texts of scripture which we observe,
both in America and this country, for the direction of our practice. It
is read once a month here on sacrament meetings, that our members may
examine if they live according to all those laws which they profess,
covenanted and agreed to; by this means our church is kept in scriptural
subjection. As I observe in my last the chiefest part of our society are
poor illiterate slaves, some living on sugar estates, some on mountains,
pens, and other settlements, that have no learning, no not to know so
much as a letter in the book; but the reading this covenant once a
month, when all are met together from the different parts of the island,
keeps them in mind of the commandments of God. And by shewing the same
to the gentlemen of the legislature, and the justices, and magistrates,
when I applied for a sanction, it gave them general satisfaction; and
wherever a negro servant is to be admitted, their owners, after the
perusal of it, are better satisfied. We are this day raising the roof on
the walls of our meeting house; the height of the walls from the
foundation is seventeen feet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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