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.'

The Rev. Samuel Thomas was sent as Missionary to South Carolina, on the then usual allowance of 50l. a-year, and arrived at Charleston on Christmas-day, 1702.' 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.

his exemplary life, and diligent preaching, and obliging carriage, had the good-will of all men.” 1

Dr. Le Jau succeeded to this mission. After a residence of six months, he thus wrote to the Society :-" The Indians I have conversed with do make us ashamed by their life, conversation, and sense of religion, quite different from ours. Ours consists in words and appearance; their's in reality. I hope they will soon worship Christ. The negroes are generally very bad men, chiefly those that are scholars; I will baptize none but such as lead a Christian life, and of whom I have a good testimony. My parish reaches above thirty miles in length, and near as many in breadth. A vast number of children were not baptized, because the parents had no money. I have taken care to let them know that our Church does not teach us to sell sacraments.

"The number of our communicants is about thirty. In the parish of St. Thomas, where Mr. Hasell lives, we had forty. In the parish of St. Denis, a French settlement, fifty."

It is well known that a belief in witchcraft prevailed very generally at this time in the American settlements. Dr. Le Jau says, 15th April, 1707, "A notorious malefactor, evidently guilty of witchcraft, and who has killed several persons by the devil's help, was lately returned ignoramus by the grand jury. This makes me stand amazed, that the spirit of the devil should be so much respected as to make men call open witchcraft imagination, and no more." 2

He seems to have been a single-hearted, laborious Missionary, devoting all his time to the discharge of his sacred duties, especially to the instruction of the negroes and 2 MS. Letters, vol. iii. p. 141.

1 Appendix to Journal, 95.

E

66

Indians, and the children of all. He appointed one day in the week for catechising publicly in the church, seeing "the indispensable necessity of that duty." This care for their spiritual good was fully appreciated by his parishioners, who, when the church was found too small for his increasing congregation, erected a "beautiful brick fabric," and contributed handsomely to the repairs of the parsonage.1 "I converse," he says, as often as my business can permit, with our free Indians-a good sort of people, and that would be better if they were not spoiled by our bad examples." The following passages give a painful view of the light in which slaves were regarded by their masters: "Several sensible and sober slaves have asked me also to be baptized and married according to the form of our holy Church. I could not comply with their desire without the consent of their masters; but I have exhorted them to perseverance and patience. I also humbly desire to be directed therein: the masters are unwilling, most of them. Many masters can't be persuaded that negroes and Indians are otherwise than beasts, and use them like such." "

In respect to his dealing with dissenters, he says in a really Christian spirit,—“I labour to undeceive our separated brethren that are of a good-will, and of an honest heart: some hearken and consider. God is my witness, I only aim to bring them to Jesus Christ, which is the end of my mission."

In a letter written at the commencement of 1712, in which he gives an account of the dreadful mortality in South Carolina, which had been occasioned by small-pox and fever, he says, "The surgeons are of opinion that the air has been infected these fourteen years. I look upon a more immediate cause-that is, the irreligion and lewdness 2 MS. Letters, vol. iv. 1. 142.

1 Humphreys, p. 85.

of too many persons, but chiefly the barbarous usage of the poor slaves ;" and he then gives instances of the frightful cruelties practised upon them. Again, he says, "It is evident that our traders have promoted bloody wars this last year to get slaves; and one of them bought lately one hundred of those poor souls."

The number of communicants continued to increase till, in 1714, they were seventy English and eight negroes. Dr. Le Jau died in 1717, very generally lamented.

An interval of three years occurred before the vacancy was supplied by Mr. Merry, who remained but a short time, and then returned to England; and it was not till 1724, seven years after the death of Dr. Le Jau, during which the spiritual interests of the mission must have greatly suffered, that the Rev. Mr. Ludlam arrived to take charge of it. Of his labours but scanty records exist. It appears, however, from them, that he devoted much time and care to the education of the negroes; and, at his death, in 1728, he left to the Society, in trust, the whole of his property, amounting to 2,000l. Carolina money, "for erecting and maintaining a school for the instruction of poor children of that parish."

It would be unfair, even in so general an account as the present, to leave unmentioned the name of the Rev. Robert Maule, who went, in 1707, to St. John's parish, on the Western branch of Cooper River. He appears to have been a very faithful and laborious Missionary, riding great distances" up and down among the plantations," to visit his "widely-scattered flock." The result was a visible improvement in the moral character of his people, and a more frequent attendance upon the ordinances of religion. In his, as well as in other missions, much good was effected 1 MS. Letters, vol. vii. p. 396.