Wilberforce's statement respecting the almost universal destitution of religious and moral instruction among the Slaves. In the year 1788, the following questions were put to the different local authorities in the West Indies, namely, "Are Negro Slaves, or their children, in general baptised? What religious institutions are there for the benefit of the Negro Slaves in the West Indies?" The answer of Jamaica to the first is," No-very rarely;" to the second, "We know of none such in Jamaica." And yet a law had then existed for ninety-two years requiring both. From all the other islands, excepting Antigua, the answer is substantially the same. The religious instruction of the Slaves is admitted to have been utterly neglected, except by some Catholic priests in the ceded islands, and by the Moravian Missionaries in Antigua. Such was the state of things in 1788. What was it thirty years later, namely, in 1817? In that year Earl Bathurst addressed a circular letter to the Governors of the West-India colonies, requiring certain returns, with a view of ascertaining the progress made by the clergy in the religious instruction of the slave population. The answers of the clergy of the island of Antigua may be considered as comprehended in the candid statement of the Rev. W. Chaderton, who admitted, that no attempts had been made by him to convert the Slaves; and that he was even precluded from "all possibility of affording them any sufficient instruc, tion." The obstacles he enumerates are, "the want of room in churches" -"the state of the grossest ignorance" in which the Slaves are"their minds totally destitute of all cultivation "-" the Liturgy would be wholly unintelligible to them," and the sermons of regular clergymen as "unedifying as if they were preached in a foreign tongue." Besides, the hands of the clergy, he ❝ we stated, were already full. The free people, including the Whites, were quite enough to employ them. "If this class of people (the Slaves) are to be instructed by the Established clergy, we must first undergo a thorough metamorphosis ;" must acquire new methods of thinking, of reasoning, and of expressing ourselves." And "we must go in continual and painful pursuit of reasonable opportunities to address these people." He pronounced it, therefore, absolutely impossible for "the Established clergy, at present existing in the West Indies, to pay any effectual attention to the Slaves." "To admonish us, therefore, to engage in this cause, is only stimulating us to unnatural and unreasonable exertions, which must prove fruitless and abortive." ever Now, we are not contending, neither are we denying, that any or all of Mr. Chaderton's apologies for the Established clergy were valid apologies. The single object for which we produce them is to shew, that in 1818, in his view of the case,-and he will be allowed to be a competent witness,-nothing, literally nothing, had as yet been done by the Established clergy for the religious instruction of the Slaves. They may have baptised some of them; but they had not, according to Mr. Chaderton, as yet made any serious attempt to instruct them. He even thought it impossible that they should do so. The statements of the clergy of Barbadoes were similar in their effect. The writers chiefly took credit to themselves for having no sectaries in the island; but as to efforts on their parts to instruct the Slaves, even the few who had been baptised, they did not pretend to have made any. Some of them, with Mr. Chaderton, gave reasons why the Slaves *The difficulty of finding opportunities be understood by a reference to the stateto address the Slaves may, in some degree, ment of the Rev. Cooper on that subject, in the pamphlet called "Negro Slavery." occasional. When I remonstrate, they reply, that if they come to church they must starve, as Sunday is the only day they have to cultivate their gardens. The plea is so reasonable that I cannot oppose it; but I heartily wish their masters would deprive them of it by allowing them one day in each week to labour for themselves." were not instructed. One clergyman, the Rev. Joseph Hutchins, who was more explicit than the rest, declared that there was in his parish no Slave who was a member of the Church of England; and he evidently regarded the work of instructing the Slaves as yet to be commenced." Nothing can be done successfully," he says, "for promot-"If they have not time for instruc ing religion among the Slaves, without the general concurrence, approbation, and co-operation of their owners. All attempts of the most zealous and active clergyman of the Church of England would be ineffectual, if unsupported by the laity and the ruling powers of the island." The Rev. Maynard goes further, and says, that he had refused to baptize many Slaves who applied to him for baptism, not only because they were unqualified, but because "they had not the remotest prospect of being better instructed in their duty." In Demerara, containing 80,000 inhabitants, there was only one clergyman of the Church of England and one of the Dutch Church; but the Governor did not intimate that any attempt had been made by either of them to instruct the Slaves. The whole tenor of his letter implies the contrary. In Dominica, which is divided into ten parishes, there was neither church nor parsonage house, and only one clergyman. He of course did not affect to have instructed the Slaves: he had baptised indeed about 1000 of them, chiefly children, in about eight years, the fees for each of whom amounted to 18s. The returns from Grenada are more explicit than from most of the other islands. In that island and Carriacou there were eight parishes, three incumbents, one church, and no parsonage-house. The Rev. W. Nash of Carriacou states, that he had baptised many of the Slaves in infancy; and he therefore "supposes" them to be members of the Church of England. "Their attendance at church, however," he says, "is very tion, ignorance is unavoidable." "To human beings," he adds, "whose moral feelings and intellectual faculties have been suspended for ages unknown, and at length almost annihilated by an execrable system of oppression, under which, in order to endure existence, it was necessary to suppress every generous sentiment, to stifle every tender emotion, to forget they were men, every consideration that the horror of their situation can suggest, and the benevolence of the Christian religion inspire, is certainly due;" and he does not doubt that means may be found to facilitate the conversion of the Negroes," implying of course that such means had not yet been found. The Rev. Benjamin Webster and the Rev. F. Macmahon of Grenada admit, that very few of the Slaves attended Divine Service. "Sunday is the general public market-day in the different parishes throughout the island, and almost the only one on which Slaves have an opportunity of bartering the produce of the provision grounds allotted to them by their masters for other commodities." "These markets are generally at their height during the performance of Divine Service; and, being holden on the Sabbath-day, little attention or respect is shewn by Slaves to the religious duties of the day." In St. Kitt's one of its five cler gymen appears to have taken some pains in instructing the slave popu lation. The Rev. W. Davis was in the habit of delivering to his Negro congregation a discourse suited to their capacities; and the plan, he stated, had been attended with advantage. The others said nothing on the subject of instruction: they had, it is true, baptised a number of Slaves, receiving a fee of two dollars for each; but they spoke even of these as being probably adherents of the Methodists. The clergymen of Nevis were equally unable to distinguish the members of the Methodist societies from the members of the Established Church. One of them, however, feelingly lamented "the insuperable obstacles that exist, under the present system, to any beneficial result from the labours of the clergy for the advancement of religion among the Slaves; though at the same time he humbly trusts they will not be found to have left unperformed any part of their ministry which circumstances have permitted them to fulfil." "It is evidently superfluous," he adds, "for Earl Bathurst to exhort to a more active discharge of their duty those who, however zealous in the cause, know, to their heart-felt regret, that their labours will be unavailing." The Governor of Tobago made no report of any attempt to instruct the Negroes. He stated, however, that the established custom of Sunday markets was a wanton and injurious profanation of the Sabbath, and that its limitation (why not its abolition?) would "tend more to wards the cause of morality and religion than any thing hitherto attempted in this colony." From Tortola and Trinidad the returns were equally unsatisfactory. In Jamaica there are twenty-one parishes, containing on the average a population of upwards of 16,000 Slaves, besides Whites and free persons. Of the Slaves, in the course of the years 1816 and 1817, many had been baptised. We cannot find, however, that much instruction had been given them. Indeed, considering the size of the parishes, it was obviously impossible. The Rev. Henry Jenkins, of St. James, said, he had attempted to instruct the Slaves in the country, many of whom lived at a great distance, as far as a short visit would permit; but he added very candidly, "All this will not have the desired effect," unless "the master, or some other person in his absence, take the trouble of instructing them from time to time, or a certain number of Catechists be appointed." The Rectors of two-thirds of the parishes either said nothing at all respecting instruction, or expressed themselves so vaguely as to convey no distinct information on the subject. The Rector of Clarendon, the Rev. J. P. Williams, observed," As rector of a parish containing a population of 18,000 souls, and extending over a district of many miles, I have time but little more than sufficient to discharge the common functions of my office." "I have yet endeavoured to do all I could. Within the last thirteen months I have twice made known, to the principal proprietors and attorneys in this parish, my readiness to attend on such properties, for the religious instruction of the Slaves, as they would permit me to visit; but I have not been able to obtain the consent of more than two of them. Happy, however, am I in saying, that I trust I have been able to do some little good-the number of Slaves who attend Divine Service on Sundays having of late increased, and still continuing to increase." He did not say how many attended.-The Rector of St. Thomas in the East stated, that in his parish, containing 26,000 Slaves, the number of those whom he considered as meinbers of the Church of England was TEN.-The Rector of St. Ann's had offered to attend and catechise the Slaves; but did not say with what success.-The Rector of St. Andrews had made efforts to instruct the Slaves. He began a course of instruction at his church in February 1816; but the attendance had not been encouraging. He also endeavoured to obtain leave to preach upon the plantations; but he found that this plan was regarded as an innovation of questionable utility, and he thought it wise to desist. It is evident, from all that has gone before, that, down to the time when the above returns were made to Parliament, little had been done, in the way of instructing the Slaves, by the Clergy of the Church of England. We meet indeed with traces of the pious and efficacious zeal of the Missionaries; but, as for the Clergy, many of them frankly confess that they had not attempted to instruct the Slaves of their parishes; while those who made the attempt admit its failure. Still, however, we find that several clergymen of Jamaica spoke of the number of converts they had recently and rapidly made. Thousands of Slaves had been baptised by them, and received into the bosom of the church. And, without doubt, if the mere administration of the baptismal rite could be regarded as a proof of conversion, their statements would have been well founded. On the 4th of July 1817, the Rector of St. Mary's thus writes:-" During fourteen years of my incumbency, from 1801 to 1815, the number of Slaves baptised could hardly be estimated at 100 persons annually. Towards the end of last year (1816) a great anxiety was manifested, and which at present continues, for baptism both by the Slaves and their proprietors. No compulsion I believe has been exercised by the master; all has been voluntary on the part of the slave; the Negroes having freely thrown away their African superstition and prejudice. The population of my parish may be 24,000 Slaves. I can assume to say, 5000 have already been baptised. Preparatory measures for the speedy baptism of the whole are now adopting. Much, I apprehend, will be accomplished by the middle of September. I therefore solicit to be allowed until October to transmit my general return. The fee is now established by law at 2s. 6d. * for each Slave, and is paid in my parish by the proprietory. Some very few exceptions cannot be contemplated as otherwise. I am desirous of discharging my duty most fervently. I am not indifferent, yet profess but little. I deem some partial tuition should be granted to the Negro population" (baptism first-some PARTIAL tuition afterwards)" to impose on their minds the necessity of a rational conduct, also their moral and religious duties. I am assured this important subject now deeply engages the attention of many just and benevolent planters." Another Rector stated, that "since the passing of the Curates' Bill he had baptised, upon an average, fifty or sixty every Sunday;" and a third wrote in June 1817, that within the preceding year he had baptised 3000; though he acknowledged that "none of them can be deemed members of the Established Church farther than their having been received into it by baptism." A fourth Rector spoke of the ceremony of baptising the Slaves in church, "as affording him at least one opportunity of urging their Christian duties on the Slaves baptised." But These mighty efforts, it will be seen, were for the most part subsequent to the Curates' Act of 1816. Had the curates, whom it was the object of that law to provide, actually arrived in the island, it might have been supposed that the numerous baptisms of 1817 were the effect of that reinforcement. not a single Curate had yet arrived ; and we are left in doubt, therefore, whether to attribute them to the apprehensions excited by the Registry Bill in the minds of the masters, or to the influence of that clause in the Act which entitles the officiating clergyman to a fee on each baptism, or to the conjoined In a single year, therefore, this clergyman would receive nearly 30007. in fees for the baptism of Slaves, effect of both causes. But what ever may be the solution of this problem, the whole body of the evidence furnished by the WestIndia Clergy themselves completely bears Mr. Wilberforce out in his positions with respect to the generally prevalent destitution of religious instruction among the Slaves. Mr. Wilberforce could only speak from the evidence before him; and that evidence was clear and decisive. But, says Mr. Bridges, "I have proved this accusation to be unfounded." And here is his proof: "During my residence in this parish (Manchester) I have actually baptised 9413 Negro Slaves, many of whom attend church, some have learned the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments; and a few are so far advanced as to be now disseminating their little stock of religious knowledge on the estates to which they are attached. I believe all my fellow-labourers here have been at least as assiduous as myself, and some more successful." That is to say, some, instead of baptising, as Mr. Bridges had done, a little more than half the Slaves in his parish in perhaps two years, had, we presume, baptised the whole of them, like the worthy Rector of St. Mary's, in half that time. We could have wished that Mr. Bridges had been as specific respecting the number of Slaves who attend church, have learned the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments, and act as Evangelists with their little stock of religious knowledge, as he is respecting the number baptised. But let us look at this subject in another point of view, and one which will be found to have a general application. Mr. Bridges had been recently presented to the parish of Manchester, the duties of which he probably had to perform singly; for, notwithstanding the Curates' Act, it does not appear that he had a Curate. Its population of White and free inhabitants, considering its large extent, was probably sufficient to occupy the care of a single incumbent; to say nothing of its 16,000 Slaves. In a short space of time, however, (how short is not specified,) Mr. Bridges had actually baptised 9413 Slaves. His immediate predecessor, Mr. Hill, in his letter of June 1817, called the Slaves in that parish "the heathen." Now, if we assume, that of these "heathen" 9413 had been actually converted to Christianity by Mr. Bridges, or that they had been taught enough of Christianity to understand the baptismal engagement, we have here a greater miracle than the world has yet witnessed, especially when we consider all the peculiar difficulties of the case as they are detailed by many of the clergymen whose testimony is given above. And if they were not converted to Christianity, or if they did not even understand the nature of the engagement into which they entered, are we wrong in regarding this transaction, of which Mr. Bridges boasts, and to which he refers as a proof that Mr. Wilberforce's assertion respecting the almost universal destitution of religious instruction among the Slaves is unfounded-are we wrong in regarding this scene as a prostitution of the solemn ordinance of baptism? Let any man of feeling and conscience read the Baptismal Service, and then say whether he could have the face or the heart to go through with it, unless he were satisfied that the persons he was baptising understood its nature and obligations. When Mr. Bridges sprinkled these 9413 Negroes with water, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," he of course made them declare, as in the presence of God, that they renounced "the devil and all his works,' "the carnal desires of the flesh," &c.; that they believed all the articles of the Christian creed; and that they would "obediently keep God's holy commandments, and walk in the same all the days of |