66

1

"At Amboy, in East Jersey," he says, they have contributed about 200l. towards building a church, and greatly desire a minister. A subscription of like amount, and for the same purpose, was raised at Burlington." Mr. Keith adds, "There is a mighty cry and desire, almost in all places where we have travelled, to have ministers of the Church of England sent to them in these northern parts of America; so that it may be said, the harvest is great, but the labourers few. . . . If they come not timely, the whole country will be overrun with Presbyterians, Anabaptists, and Quakers."

He, again and again, in subsequent letters,2 urges this point, both upon the Bishop of London and the Society. With a view to meet such pressing demands, and to provide a sufficient number of duly qualified clergy, the Society, at a general meeting, held January 15, 1702, resolved, "That all the Bishops of the realm, who are members of the Society, should be earnestly desired to recommend it to their Archdeacons and their officials, that public notice may be given in their next archidiaconal visitations, that such clergymen as have a mind to be employed in this Apostolical work, and can bring sufficient testimonials that they are duly qualified for it, may give in their names to their respective Bishops, to be communicated by them to the Society, in order to sending them to such places as have most need, and where they may, therefore, by God's blessing and assistance, do most good. And if any shall be sent to places where there is not a sufficient maintenance already settled, the Society will take care, that they may have not only a competent subsistence, but all the encouragement that is due to those who devote themselves to the service of Almighty God and our Saviour, by propagating

1 MS. Letters, vol. i. 87.

2 Ibid. 98 and 103.

and promoting his Gospel in the truth and purity of it, according to the doctrine, discipline, and worship established in the Church of England." The Society, at the same time, took the utmost care to select for missionary duty such clergymen only as were found to possess the various qualifications for its due discharge. With a view, therefore, to guard itself as much as possible against being imposed upon by unworthy candidates, the following paper was drawn up and circulated:

:

"The Society erected by royal charter for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, taking into serious consideration the absolute necessity there is, that those clergymen who shall be sent abroad should be duly qualified for the work to which they are appointed, desire that all persons who shall recommend any to that purpose, will testify their knowledge as to the following particulars, viz.

"1. The age of the person. 2. His condition of life, whether single or married. 3. His temper. 4. His prudence. 5. His learning. 6. His sober and pious conversation. 7. His zeal for the Christian religion, and diligence in his holy calling. 8. His affection to the present government; and 9. His conformity to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England.

"And the said Society do request and earnestly beseech all persons concerned, that they recommend no man out of favour or affection, or any other worldly consideration; but with a sincere regard to the honour of Almighty God and our blessed Saviour, as they tender the interest of the Christian religion, and the good of men's souls."

Very full instructions also were given to the Missionaries for their guidance, both during their voyage, and after their arrival in the colony; and so well, for the most part, do they seem to have been selected, that Lord Cornbury,3

1 An Account of the Society, p. 30.

2 Ibid. 1706, p. 21. 3 See the Royal Instructions to Lord Cornbury, Appendix C.

governor of New York, and a great upholder of the Church within his jurisdiction, said, in a letter dated Nov. 22, 1705, "For those places where Ministers are settled, as New York, Jamaica,' Hampstead, West Chester, and Rye, I must do the gentlemen who are settled there the justice to say, that they have behaved themselves with great zeal, exemplary piety, and unwearied diligence in discharge of their duty in their several parishes, in which, I hope, the Church will, by their diligence, be increased more and more every day." In like manner, Colonel Heathcote, writing to the Secretary of the Society from the same colony, on the 9th November, 1705, says, "I must do all the gentlemen that justice, whom you have sent to this province, as to declare that a better clergy were never in any place, there being not one amongst them that has the least stain or blemish as to his life or conversation."

3

1 A town so called in Long Island.

2 MS. Letters, vol. ii. 131.

3 Ibid. 117.

CHAPTER III.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

Original Settlement-Charter-Code of Laws-First Church-Rev. A. Williamson-Rev. S. Marshall-Rev. S. Thomas-Dr. Le Jau-WitchcraftSlaves-Small-pox - Rev. Mr. Merry-Rev. Mr. Ludlam-Rev. Robert Maule Mr. Maule's Death and Character-Rev. Gideon Johnstone, Commissary-His Death-Indian War-Liberality of the Society - Rev. Alexander Garden-Rev. Thomas Hasell- Rev. Lewis Jones-Rev. William Guy-Rev. Charles Martyn-Rev. Robert Baron-Rev. James - Harrison-Mr. Garden's Resignation and Character-Ecclesiastical Discipline Whitfield-Services of the Society in the North American Colonies.

THE Provinces of South and North Carolina, originally united in one colony, were granted by Charles II., in 1662, to certain noblemen, who professed themselves to be impelled by a desire to enlarge his Majesty's dominions, and by "zeal for the propagation of the Christian faith in a country not yet cultivated or planted, and only inhabited by some barbarous people, who had no knowledge of God." A charter was accordingly given to the petitioners, among whom the most distinguished were the Duke of Albemarle and the Earl of Clarendon. A code of laws for the government of the Colony, under the title of "the Fundamental Constitutions of South Carolina," was drawn up by the celebrated John Locke, but it was never adopted by the colonists, who, becoming dissatisfied with the proprietary government, placed themselves, in 1719, under the protection of the King. The first settlement at Charleston, so called in

honour of King Charles II., was formed 1672-and the first church, a wooden one, was built there about 1682. Already a clergyman, the Rev. Atkin Williamson, had arrived in the colony, where he continued his ministry up to an advanced age. He was succeeded, in 1696, by the Rev. Samuel Marshall, an amiable and learned man, who had been induced to go to Carolina by Burkitt, the commentator on the New Testament. So satisfied were the people with the conduct and zealous exertions of Mr. Marshall, that they settled upon him a salary of 150%. He was, however, carried off by a malignant fever, in 1699, three years after his arrival.1

The Rev. Samuel Thomas was sent as Missionary to South Carolina, on the then usual allowance of 50%. a-year, and arrived at Charleston on Christmas-day, 1702.2 During his passage, he "read prayers twice every day, and preached and catechised twice every Lord's day." He was prevented prosecuting his mission to the Yammonsee Indians, by a war in which they were then engaged with the Spaniards; but describes the settlers at Gooscreek, which was the centre of his district, as ready to profit by his ministry, and well affected to the Church of England. Though the number of his communicants was at first but five, they soon increased to thirty-two; and he took great pains to instruct the negroes.

Mr. Thomas seems, during his short life, to have acquired the esteem of all classes in the province; for, in announcing his death, which occurred in December, 1706, the governor and council spoke of it as a "very great loss to the province, he being a person of great piety and virtue, and by

1 Dalcho's Historical Account of the Church in South Carolina, p. 32. 2 MS. Letters, vol. i. 86.