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CHAPTER II.
THE DAWN of a NEW DAY
pg. 23
THE new thought at work in the minds of the
American people during the second half of the eighteenth
century, especially after the Seven Years' War, aroused
further interest in the uplift of the groups far down.
By this time the colonists had become more conscious of
their unique position in America, more appreciative of
their worth in the development of the new world, and
more cognizant of the necessity to take care of
themselves by development from within rather than
addition from without. How to rehabilitate the
weakened forces and how to minister to those who had
been neglected became a matter of concern to all
forward-looking men of that time.
The clergy thereafter considered the Negro more
seriously even in those parts where slaves were found in
large numbers. Among those directing attention to
the spiritual needs of the race were Rev.
Thomas Bacon and Rev. Jonathan
Boucher of the Anglican Church. The former
undertook to arouse his people through a series of
sermons addressed to masters and slaves about the year
1750. He said: "We should make this read
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ing and studying the Holy Scriptures and the reading
and explaining of them to our children and servants or
the catechising and instructing them in the principles
of the Christian religion a stated duty. If the
grown up slaves from confirmed habits of vice are hard
to be reclaimed, the children surely are in our power
and may be trained up in the way they should go, with
rational hopes that when they are old, they will not
depart from it." In 1763 Jonathan Boucher
boldly said: "It certainly is not a necessary
circumstance essential to the condition of the
slave that he be not indoctrinated; yet this is the
general and almost universal lot of the slaves."
He said, moreover: "You may unfetter them from the
chains of ignorance, you may emancipate them from the
bondage of sin, the worse slavery to which they could
that are bruised though they still continue to be your
slaves, they shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of
God."
The accomplishment of
the task ........................
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together with a copy of this letter, to the several
Churches under their care.
"The General Assembly have taken every step which they
deemed expedient or wise, to encourage emancipation, and
to reader the state of those who are in slavery as mild
and tolerable as possible.
"Forbearance and peace are frequently inculcated and
enjoined in the New Testament. 'Blessed are the
peace-makers.' 'Let no one do anything through
strife and vainglory.' 'Let such esteem others
better than himself.' The followers of Jesus
ought conscientiously to walk worthy of their vocations,
'with all lowliness, and meekness, with long-suffering,
forbearing one another, endeavoring to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace.' If every
difference of opinion were to keep men at a distance,
they could subsist in no state of society, either civil
or religious. The
General Assembly would impress this upon the minds of
their brethren, and urge them to follow peace, and the
things which make for peace.
"The General Assembly commend our dear friends and
brethren to the grace of God, praying that the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding may
possess their hearts and minds.
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