Diplomatic Transcription
A Memorial relating to the state of the Church of England in the Province of South Carolina
Offered humbly to the consideration of the Hon[ou]r[a]bl[e] society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign parts
by their humble & Faithfull Missionary Sam[ue]l Thomas.
The first & chief Parish in South Carolina is Charles-Town which is a large Parish, & hath a very hon[oura]ble maintenance for the Minister. but it being at p[re]sent under the Pastoral care of Mr Marston who hath been there for five years. I forbeare to say anything of its Inhabitants or their sentiments as to Religion
The next Parish to Charles-Town is Goose-Creek. one of the most populous of our Country Parishes, containing (as neare as I can Guess) ab[ou]t 120 Families. in w[hi]ch Parish live many persons of considerable note for figure & estate in the Province, many of w[hi]ch are concerned in the Governm[en]t as members of the Councill and Assembly: most of those Inhabitants are of the profession of the Church of England, excepting ab[ou]t five Famil[i]es of French Protestants who are
Calvini Calvinists, and three Families of Presbiterians and two Anabaptists
here is a small Church for some years erected by some few of the cheife Inhabitants, in w[hi]ch they had Divine service & sermons and Sacraments as often as they could procure a Minister to Officiate
I officiated there constantly once a quarter at w[hi]ch times I allwayes administerd the B[lessed] Sacrament of the Lords Supper. the number of communicants were ab[ou]t 30 of which one was a Christian negro man.
This Church at Goose-Creek was very well frequented as often as any of our ministers officiated there
The number of heathen slaves in this Parish I suppose to be ab[ou]t 200 twenty of w[hi]ch I observe to come constantly to church and these, & several others of them well understand the English Tongue & can read:
The next Parish to Goose-Creek is that upon the Western-branch of Cooper River: in this Parish there are two general Settlem[en]ts one called by the Name of Wat boe, and the other called Wampee, this parish contains ab[ou]t 70 Families, there was no Church in this Parish during my stay in Carolina, but there \is/ a Church now building in this and in every other Parish by order of the Governm[en]t who have by an act of Assembly appropriated several Sum[m]s for this End: in this Parish I officiated one Lords Day in the Month and one week day in the moonth, in some of the Planters Houses, or in the Sumer under some green Tree in an airy
xx place made convenient for Minister and People
There are in this Parish a[ou]bt forty Families of the profession of the Church of England, and 30 Famil[i]es who Dissent from the Church: these are more generally Anabaptists, and they have a Preacher of that sort among them one Lords Day in three, my congregation have consisted of ab[ou]t 80 p[er]sons or some times neare one Hundered, the Dissenters ferquently making a very considerable part thereof. they coming to our Churches when their \own/ Ministers did not Preach
The number of Communicants with the Church of England were 20: the number of heathen Slaves in this Parish are ab[ou]t 180 three only of w[hi]ch are Christians
The next Parish to this is scituated upon the Eastern branch of Cooper River, w[hi]ch Parish I by Order of the Hon[oura]\ble/ Governour had the care of, and did constantly officiate in 3 Lords Dayes in 4 throughout the Yeare and 2 week days in a Mo
anth the number of Inhabitants in this parish are ab[ou]t 100 Families, 80 of w[hi]ch are of the profession of the Church of England & ab[ou]t 20 Dissenters from the Church, 17 of Presbyterians and 2 Anabaptists and one Quaker,
The number of those who attended constantly upon the Lords Dayes service were generaly 100 and upon those \day’s/ upon w[hi]ch the Lords Supper was administered 140 the number of Com[m]unicants in this Parish were forty five, the number of heathen Slaves 200 of \w[hi]ch/ 20 have by my Encouragm[en]t learned to read. and I hope by Gods Grace will with many others be fitted for Baptism & the Lords Supper upon my return, here is one Church already Erected (since my arrival) by the peculiar direction & Religious care of Sr Nath[aniel] Johnson and at the charge of the Parish
The next Parish to this is scituated upon a River called Wandoe, and contain a[ou]bt 100 Famil[i]es sixty of w[hi]ch are of the profession of the Church of England, & ab[ou]t 40 Dissenters from the Church w[hi]ch are Presbyterians, here ha’s been a smal church for some time erected. but the people ha’s never had a constant Minister: the congregation when there is a Minister to officiate consist of ab[ou]t 70: The Lords Supper has never been administ
ered here: the number of slaves
may be about 100, not one of them Christian or preparing for it
The next Parish to this is scituated upon Ashby River and contains ab[ou]t 190 Families
in this Parish there never hath been a Minister settled so th[a]t at p[re]sent but few of the people are in the Intrest of the Church of England: here are in this Parish many Presbyterians and Anabaptists, and but ab[ou]t 30 Famillies of the Profession of the Church of England: here has been no church, nor has the Lords supper ever been administered here: the number of slaves may be ab[ou]t 150: but one of them a Christian, w[hi]ch I instructed & Baptizd:
The last Parish in Carolina is scituated upon a River called Stone, it is very large and extensive, being the only Parish in th[a]t County: w[hi]ch we call Colleton county, in the Southern parts of this Parish are settled ab[ou]t 60 Famili[es]
of Dissenters Presbyterians and Anabaptists but in the Northern p[ar]ts thereof neare Charlestown are ab[ou]t 40 Families who profess themselves of the Church of England, here is no Church, nor Minister: the Lords Supper hath never been administered here: in this Parish are ab[ou]t 150 Slaves not any of them Christian
I crave leave further to acquaint this Hon[ou]r[a]bl[e] society that the Province of South Carolina is but very lately divided into
X parishes by Act of Assembly procured by the Religious care of our present excellent Governour Sr N[athaniel] Johnson and th[a]t it is Intirely owing to him & the present members of the Councill and Assembly that there are any sallarys settled upon Ministers of the Church of England, for there being so many dissenters in the Province (many of w[hi]ch have allwayes been in the Governm[en]t) it was a work of no small difficulty to get an act \to/ pass in favour of the Church of England Clergy, especially
ally for their having a Publick Sallary w[hi]ch those who dissent from us violently oppose in those parts of the World:
The p[re]sent Governm[en]t of South Carolina hath given us a very high Instance of their zeal and affection for the Church of England as by Law established, in w[ha]t they have at present done for the encouragm[en]t of the Publick Worship of God according to our most excellent Church, for the p[re]sent War having oblig’d us to be at very g[rea]t charges in fortifying our Town and in providing Stores of Amunition to prevent our being surprized by the enemie these with some other occasional charges had so emtied the Treasury that it was a indeed a work of allmost Insuperable difficulty to get a Fund appropriated to the service of the Church
South Carolina is but an Infant Collony and their treasury at best but small out of w[hi]ch they have at p[re]sent appropriated 2000 pounds to the service of the Church for the Building six churches & as many Parsonage Houses \& buying Glebe Lands/ so th[a]t for every particular Parish the Publick disburse three hundred thirty three pounds, and 50£ annually for all the six Parishes and considering their p[re]sent circumstances is very extraordinary, and perhaps such instances of zeal can hardly be paralleled in those parts of the World
I now begg leave to offer some breife remarkes upon this acc[oun]t of the state of the Church in South Caro[lina] to the consideration of this Hon[ou]r[a]ble society:
1 First by this acc[oun]t it is sadly evident how destitute our Brethern of the Church of England in South Carolin[a] are of spiritual Guides and Publick ordinances, and in how much danger they are of famishing in Grace for want of the word & sacram[en]ts, or to be ledd
t aside to Error while destitute of the Publick Ministry to confirm them in the truth, for as circumstances are at p[re]sent in this our Province, not one p[er]son in 20
among \among/ those who profess themselves of the Church of England can have (ordinarily the benefit of the Word & Sacram[en]ts from a Church of England Minister) the Dissenters have at p[re]sent 4 Ministers among
x them besides one Anabaptist Preacher lately gon into Carolin[a] from Biddeford in the West of England, and I am informed that 3 or 4 Dissenting Ministers are going for Carolina in the Spring, all which (I humbly conceive) makes it highly needfull that our Church of England members be provided with Pious & painfull Divines, such as will Live exemplarily & Preach practically & constantly, and Catechise frequently, that so their people may not be tempted to put themselves under the conduct of those who differ from us, as we have greate reason to believe they will if they see themselves Neglected
2 I further remark to this Hon[oura]ble society that altho the Province of Carolina hath done very much for the encouragm[en]t of Church of England Ministers
considering their p[re]sent circumstances, yet is the the provision w[hi]ch they have made but mean in it self and such as will scarse support a Minister & his Family if there. much less will it be any Motive to Clergymen to leave England and to submit to the
Fateagues \fatigues/ of a long and hazardous
a voyage while they are in any tollerable circumstance here in England. for the Sallary w[hi]ch the County allows is but 50£ per annum in Carolina mony w[hi]ch makes but ab[ou]t 33 pounds Sterling, and the Parishes
being not being populous their perquisites will not amount to any thing considerable: it is therefore humbly begged that this Venerable Society would out of their most Christian Charity & noble bounty think of making some augmentation to these Sallaryes, or of continuing an annual assistance to these ministers w[hi]ch they in their great wisdom and goodness shall think most fit, and I can’t but Inform this Hon[ou]r[a]ble board that the Governm[en]t of Carolina hath assured me th[a]t as soon as it possible to be done & their circumstances will admit they will themselves by an Aditional Act make such further provision as shall capacitate their Clergy to Live comfortably without any assistance from England I have before observed that the Governm[en]t of Carolina has been at great pains & cost in building Houses for their Ministers and in setting out Glebes in every Parish, I therefore humbly propose to this Hon[oura]bl[e] society
That if they would think fit to advance any sums to stock the same Glebes with negros, (w[hi]ch might be a stock unalienable) it would save the society much mony in allowing pensions to their Missionaries & would be a very considerable augmentation to the value of their Livings, it is certain the p[re]sent Maintenance (tho very liberal considering the circumstances of the Province) is not sufficient to encourage any p[er]son to settle there with a Family
3 I further remark to this Hon[ou]r[a]ble society who I well know delight in doing \good/ & will rejoyce to hear th[a]t the Church & Kingdom of Xt are enlarged th[a]t from the acc[oun]t that hath been Given there seem’s to be a prospect of bringing many of the Indian & Negro slaves to the Knowledg & practice of Christianity, I have here p[re]sumed to give an acc[oun]t of one Thousand slaves belonging to our English in Carolina many of w[hi]ch are well affected to Christianity so far as they know of it, and are desirous of Christian Knowledg and seem to be willing \to/ prepare
ing themselves for it in learning to read for w[hi]ch they redeem time from their labour, many of them can read in the Bible distinctly and g[rea]t numbers of them were learning when I left the Province, and that w[hi]ch I have often reflected uppon with pleasur is:
That
mamong many of our ignorant slaves there is a g[rea]t freedom from Immorallity, so th[a]t in som Plantations of fifty or sixty slaves we find not a Drunkard nor a profane swearer among them, w[hi]ch aversion to vice I hope may be some preparation for Christian vertues, when they shall know their duty & obligations thereunto and the means of attaining them, now if every one of these Parishes be so happy as to have a prudent pious & zealous Minister settled in it, they might very easily redeem time from their studys
they might ver for the Instruction of these poor slaves and I verily believe & hope by Gods Blessing many of these might be brought into
f the Folds of Christ were we so happy as to have men of true Piety zeal & prudence sent upon this Evangelical Design
There is but one remark more w[hi]ch I shall tro\u/ble this Venerable Body with, and th[a]t is the different tempers w[hi]ch a Minister in the Province of Carolina will find in the people belonging to his charge, for here in every Parish are many professing Christianity & many Heathens, among our English Inhabitants are many of considerable Learning: good Judgm[en]t and acute parts, & many very ignorant & mean in their attainments, againe there are som truly Religious & Conscientious, and other’s haters of Religion & practical Godliness: yet further there are some who are heartily in the Intrests of the church of England and
there are other understand & approve its constitutions, and there are others who are not positively determined as to their choice who have not actually put themselves under the conduct either of our Ministers nor of those who differ from us, and there are lastly more than a few th[a]t do dissent from us & joyn in Communion with the Presbyterians Independants & Anabaptists, of all w[hi]ch there are considerable Numbers in the Country: and the
I humbly remark to this venerable society th[a]t hereby
xx they may be the more sensible of the Necessity there is of theire Missionaryes being duly qualified to treate with all possible advantage with person’s of this differing temper & profession: I humbly say th[a]t I found by experience that by a diligent application in the duty’s of my Function and with the Blessing of God upon my Endeavours the Labours of my ministry have been effectual upon those under my charge, I count It no smal happiness that I have been engaged in this Christian employment under the encouragm[en]t of this venerable society, and I now return to offer not only my own thanks for their generous allowance, but also the thankes of the whole Province who are very sensible of the obligations they owe to this Hon[ou]r[a]bl[e] society, and indeed during the whole time of my Mission I have had such frequent & Blessed opportunityes of doing good and such real love & respect from my people th[a]t I purpose with all speed to return thither with my Wife & children, and tho the Maintenance already settled be but small for the provision of a Family, & the transporting my Family will be a very great charge & burthen, yet I doubt not but Gods Providence will support me comfortably, and I humbly recom[m]end my p[re]sent circumstances to the consideration of this truly honourable & charitable society, not presuming to make any particular request after they have so liberally encouraged my past services, but with hearty prayer’s for \all/ possible success to their most noble & Xtian paine I subscribe my self with profound respect & gratitude their Faithfull and humble Missionary, Samuel Thomas
The chief & first Parish in South Carolina w[hi]ch is a large is Charles-Town (which is a large Parish,
A Postscript
There is one thing more w[hi]ch I think it my duty to observe to this Hon[ou]r[a]ble Society, and it is a relation I received from a Master of a ship belonging to new England, who acquainted me th[a]t the last year there went out Batchelours of Arts near twenty young men from their Colledg, all or most of whom he assured me would gladly have accepted Episcopal Ordination if we had been so happy as to have had a Bishop in America from whom they might have received it, but being discouraged at the troble & charge of coming for England they accepted of Authoritys from the Dissenting Ministers and are all dissperced in that way
Mr Thomas Memorial