Page images
PDF
EPUB

ported it with: for it was certainly true, that though they had no clergyman on the spot, yet a formal contract on both fides, made before witneffes, and confirmed by any token, which they had all agreed to be bound by, though it had been but the breaking a ftick between them, engaging the men to own these women for their wives upon all occafions, and never to abandon them or their children, and the women to the fame with their husbands, had been an effectual lawful marriage in the fight of God; and it was a great neglect that it was not done.

But I thought to have gotten off with my young priest, by telling him, that all that part was done when I was not here; and they had lived fo many years with them now, that if it was adultery, it was past remedy; they could do nothing in it now.

Sir, says he, asking your pardon for fuch freedom, you are right in this; that it being done in your aba fence, you could not be charged with that part of the crime. But I beseech you, flatter not yourself, that you are not therefore under an obligation to do your uttermost now to put an end to it:'How can you think, but that, let the time paft lie on whom it will, all the guilt, for the future, will lie entirely upon you? Because it is certainly in your power now to put an end to it; and in nobody's power but your's.

I was fo dull still, that I did not take him right; but I imagined, that, by putting an end to it, he meant, that I fhould part them, and not fuffer them to live together any longer; and I faid to him, I could not do that by any means, for that it would put the whole island in confufion. He feemed fur

VOL. II.

L

prised

prised that I fhould fo far mistake him. No, Sir, fays he, I do not mean that you should separate them, but legally and effectually marry them now: And, Sir, as my way of marrying may not be so easy to reconcile them to, though it will be as effectual, even by your own laws; fo your way may be as well before GOD, and as valid among men; I mean, by a written contract, figned by both man and woman, and by all the witnesses present; which all the laws of Europe would decree to be valid.

I was amazed to fee fo much true piety, and fo much fincerity of zeal, befides the unufual impartiality in his difcourfe, as to his own party or church, and fuch a true warmth for the preferving people that he had no knowledge of, or relation to; I fay, for preferving them from tranfgreffing the laws of GOD; the like of which, I had, indeed, not met with any where. But recollecting what he had faid of marrying them by a written contract, which I knew would ftand too, I returned it back upon him, and told him, I granted all that he had faid to be just, and, on his part, very kind; that I would difcourse with the men upon the point now, when I came to them. And I knew no reason why they fhould fcruple to let him marry them all; which I knew well enough would be granted to be as authentic and valid in England, as if they were married by one of our own clergymen. What was afterwards done in this matter, I fhall fpeak of by itself.

I then preffed him to tell me, what was the fecond complaint which he had to make; acknowledging, that I was very much his debtor for the first; and

[blocks in formation]

thanked him heartily for it. He told me he would ufe the fame freedom and plainnefs in the fecond; and hoped I would take it as well: and this was, that notwithstanding thefe English fubjects of mine, as he called them, had lived with these women for almoft feven years, and had taught them to speak English; and even to read it; and that they were, as he perceived, women of tolerable understanding, and capable of inftruction; yet they had not to this hour taught them any thing of the Christian religion; no, not fo much as to know that there was a GOD, or a worship, or in what manner GOD was to be ferved; or that their own idolatry, and worshipping they knew not who, was falfe and abfurd.

This, he faid, was an unaccountable neglect, and what God would certainly call them to an account for; and, perhaps, at laft take the work out of their hands. He spoke this very affectionately and warmly. I am perfuaded, fays he, had thofe men lived in the favage country, whence their wives came, the favages would have taken more pains to have brought them to be idolators, and to worship the devil, than any of these men, fo far as I can fee, has taken with them, to teach them the knowledge of the true God. Now, Sir, faid he, though I do not acknowledge your religion, or you mine, yet we should be all glad to fee the devil's fervants, and the fubjects of his kingdom, taught to know the general principles of the Christian religion; that they might at least hear of GOD, and of a Redeemer, and of the resurrection, and of a future ftate, things which we all believe; they had at leaft been fo much nearer coming

[blocks in formation]

into the bofom of the true church, than they are now, in the public profeffion of idolatry, and devilworship.

I could hold no longer; I took him in my arms, and embraced him with an excefs of paffion: How far, faid I to him, have I been from understanding the most effential part of a Chriftian, viz. to love the interest of the Christian church, and the good of other men's fouls! I fcarce have known what belongs to being a Chriftian. O, Sir, do not say so, replied he; this thing is not your fault. No, faid I, but why did I never lay it to heart as well as you? It is not too late yet, faid he; be not too forward to condemn yourself. But what can be done now? faid I; you fee I am going away. Will you give me leave, said he, to talk with these poor men about it? Yes, with all my heart, faid I; and I will oblige them to give heed to what you say too. As to that, said he, we must leave them to the mercy of Chrift; but it is our business to affift them, encourage them, and instruct them; and, if you will give me leave, and GOD his bleffing, I do not doubt but the poor ignorant fouls fhall be brought home into the great circle of Christianity, if not into the particular faith that we all embrace; and that even while you stay here. Upon this I faid, I fhall not only give you leave, but give you a thousand thanks for it. What followed on this account I fhall mention also again in its place.

I now preffed him for the third article in which we were to blame: Why really, fays he, it is of the fame nature, and I will proceed (asking your leave)

with the fame plainnefs as before: It is about your poor favages yonder, who are (as I may fay) your conquered fubjects. It is a maxim, Sir, that is, or ought to be received among all Christians, of what church, or pretended church foever, viz. that Christian knowledge ought to be propagated by all poffible means, and on all poffible occafions. It is on this principle that our church fends miffionaries into Perfia, India, and China; and that our clergy, even of the fuperior fort, willingly engage in the most hazardous voyages, and the most dangerous refidence, among murderers and barbarians, to teach them the knowledge of the true GOD, and to bring them over to embrace the Chriftian faith. Now, Sir, you have an opportunity here, to have fix or seven-and-thirty poor favages brought over from idolatry to the knowledge of GOD, their Maker and Redeemer, that I wonder how you can pass by fuch an occafion of doing good; which is really worth the expence of a man's whole life.

I was now ftruck dumb indeed, and had not one word to fay I had here a fpirit of true Christian zeal for GoD and religion before me, let his particular principles be of what kind foever: As for me, I had not fo much as entertained a thought of this in my heart before; and, I believe, fhould not have thought of it; for I looked upon these favages as flaves, and people, whom, had we any work for them to do, we would have used as fuch, or would have been glad to have transported them to any other part of the world; for our bufinefs was to get rid of them; and we would all have been fatisfied, if they had been fent to any country, fo they had never seen their own. But, to the cafe: I fay, I was confounded

L 3

« PreviousContinue »