  Oglethorpe remains in England—Trustees make Regulations—Oglethorpe, desirous of providing for the conversion of the Indians, applies to Bishop Wilson to prepare a Book of Religious Instruction for them—Trustees seek for Missionaries—Engage John and Charles Wesley. Oglethorpe remained in England to attend to his duties as a member of Parliament, and to suggest to the Trustees measures for the furtherance of the settlement of Georgia. In consequence of the information which he could give from his personal observation, and that which he had received from others, respecting the state of the colony, and what would be expedient for its advancement in good order and prosperity, the Trustees prepared a regulation, which was enacted by the government into a law, "for maintaining peace with the Indians." This included the provisions and immunities of the act of the General Assembly of South Carolina in 1731; and, of course, was accordant with the relations and mutual interests of both Provinces. There was, also, passed a law for a like salutary purpose for preventing trouble with the Indians, as well as preserving the health and morals of the people already settled or that might be settled in their new colony, from the pernicious effects of spirituous liquors, entitled "An act to prevent the importation and use of rum and brandies into the Province of Georgia, or any kind of ardent spirits or strong waters whatsoever." A writer of the day makes this remark, "At the same time the Trustees endeavored to supply the stores with strong beer from England, molasses for brewing beer, and with Madeira wines; which the people might purchase at reasonable rates, which would be more refreshing and wholesome for them."[1] [Footnote 1: Account, showing the Progress of the Colony of Georgia in America, from its first establishment: published by Order of the Trustees. Lond. 1741; page 16, under the year 1734.] An unchecked indulgence in ardent spirits has ever been followed by lamentable effects. It demoralizes the conduct, destroys health, prevents usefulness, and ruins reputation. It breaks up domestic peace, wastes property, leads to impoverished circumstances, and entails wretchedness upon the members of the family of which the head was the victim. The prohibition, therefore, if it led to the disuse of the dangerous potation, would have been the present removal, and prevented the subsequent extension, of one of the greatest evils which has corrupted the social condition. To these prudent and salutary regulations followed a statute entitled "An act for rendering the Province of Georgia more defencible, by prohibiting the importation of black slaves, or negroes, into the same." For this enactment, besides the consideration stated in the title, the following reasons are assigned: 1. On account of the cost of purchase, which, the settlers themselves being too poor to defray, must be met by the Trustees; on whom it would be a tax greater than they had funds to pay, or believed that they could obtain. 2. Because of the additional expense of their after maintenance, which must be provided, in addition to that already incurred for the support of those by whom they were to be employed. And 3. because the Trustees were desirous that the settlers should acquire the habits of labor and industry, of economy and thrift, by personal application.[1] [Footnote 1: See their reasons at large in the publication entitled Impartial Inquiry into the State and Utility of the Province of Georgia, Lond. 1741; or in Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, Vol. I. pages 166-173, and McCALL'S History, Vol. I. p. 25, &c.] It is remarked by Mr. Burke, that "These regulations, though well intended, and indeed meant to bring about very excellent purposes, yet might at first, as it did afterwards, appear, that they were made without sufficiently consulting the nature of the country, or the disposition of the people which they regarded."[1] [Footnote 1: European Settlements in America, Vol. II. p. 266.] Governor Belcher, of Massachusetts, in a letter to Lord Egmont, observes, "I have read Mr. Oglethorpe's state of the new colony of Georgia once and again; and by its harbors, rivers, soil and productions, do not doubt that it must in time make a fine addition to the British Empire in America; and I still insist upon it that the prohibitory regulations of the Trustees are essential to its healthy and prosperous condition; and the alteration of the Constitution to the advantage of females must give great encouragement to first undertakers or settlers, as your Lordship observes."[1] [Footnote 1: Letter Book, in the archives of the Massachusetts The visit of the Indians was made subservient to the favorite purpose of Oglethorpe, by rousing attention to the improvement of the race in knowledge and religion. At their earliest interviews with him, they had expressed a wish that their children might be taught to speak and read the English language, and they themselves instructed in the principles of Christianity. From their intercourse with the Carolinians for many years, they had been made sensible of the superiority which such attainments conferred, even where that intercourse had been, as it mostly was, with the traders; but no missionary had been sent, as in our times, to form them to civilization, and "teach them which be the first principles of the oracles of God." Oglethorpe felt extremely desirous of obtaining for them these advantages; and expressed to the trustees his belief that they would readily avail themselves of an opportunity for their attainment. In furtherance of this most important object, he applied to the Reverend Dr. Wilson, Bishop of Sodor and Man, to prepare a manual of instruction for them. The good Bishop complied with his request with great readiness; and the work was printed at the expense of "the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts." The volume was dedicated to the Trustees; and, in the preface, the author states that it "was undertaken in consequence of a short but entertaining conversation, which he, and some others, had with the honorable and worthy General Oglethorpe, concerning the condition, temper, and genius of the Indians in the neighborhood of Georgia, and those parts of America; who, as he assured us, are a tractable people, and more capable of being civilized and of receiving the truths of religion than we are generally made to believe, if some hindrances were removed, and proper measures taken to awaken in them a sense of their true interest, and of their unhappy condition, while they continue in their present state." "And, indeed, that most worthy gentleman's great and generous concern for both the present and future interest of these nations, and his earnest desire and endeavors, so well known, to civilize them first, and make them more capable of instruction in the ways of religion and civil government, and his hearty wishes that something might be done to forward such good purposes, prevailed with the author, however indifferently qualified for such a work, to set about the following essay for propagating the Gospel amongst the Indians and negroes."[1] [Footnote 1: The title of the book is, "The Knowledge and Practice of Christianity made easy to the meanest capacity; or, an Essay towards an Instruction for the Indians." London, 1740. 12mo. A tenth edition was printed in 1764; and a translation in French, at Geneva, in 1744.] On receiving a copy of this work, when it was printed, five years afterwards, from the Reverend Dr. Thomas Wilson, son of the Bishop, Oglethorpe addressed to him the following letter:[1] [Footnote 1: Not finding an English copy I have translated this from the French version.] Frederica, in Georgia, April 24, 1741. SIR,I have received, with not less pleasure than profit, the book sent to me by you, which was composed by your father. This work breathes so strongly the spirit of primitive piety; its style is so clear and simple; its plan is so easy for minds even the most limited, and at the same time so well adapted to make them understand the most profound mysteries, that it is a true representation of the religion in which it instructs its reader. Had our Methodists, instead of their lofty imaginations, been taught enough of the language of the Indians to be able to translate this book; or had they been sufficiently instructed to permit them to read it with advantage, I doubt not that we should immediately see surprising results from it; but God will accomplish his good work by the means which he will judge proper to employ. I have written to Mr. Varelst to buy, to the amount of five pounds sterling, copies of your father's work, and to send them to me. "Have the kindness to commend me to the prayers of a Divine so worthy and pious; and be assured that I am, "Your affectionate friend, and very humble and obedient servant, "JAMES OGLETHORPE."The Trustees were now desirous of obtaining proper persons to go to Georgia to teach, and endeavor to convert, the Indians; and to officiate as chaplains to the colonists at Savannah, and at the new town about to be built on the island of St. Simons. They fixed their eyes upon Mr. John Wesley and some of his associates, as very proper for such a mission. The amiable and excellent Dr. John Burton,[1] one of the Board, who was well acquainted with Wesley, having learned that he was in London, went thither himself, in order to accompany him to Oglethorpe, with whom, indeed, he was already acquainted by family attentions as well as public fame. The matter was proposed to Wesley, and strongly urged by such arguments as they thought most likely to dispose his mind to accept the proposal.[2] Several influential friends concurred in advising him to go; and, as even his mother encouraged it, he yielded his compliance. His brother Charles agreed to accompany him, as did Benjamin Ingham, a member of their association at Oxford, and Charles Delamotte, son of a merchant in London. [Footnote 1: When the settling of Georgia was in agitation, in 1732, Dr. Burton was solicited by the excellent Dr. Bray, and other Episcopal Clergymen,[A] to give his assistance in promoting that undertaking. Accordingly he preached a Sermon in its recommendation before the Society for conducting it; and his Discourse was afterwards published, with an Appendix concerning the State of the Colony. BENTHAM, de vita et moribus Johannis Burtoni. 8vo. London, 1771, page 12.] [Footnote A: Rev. Dr. HALES, Dr. BERRIMAN, and others.] [Footnote 2: Life of the Rev. JOHN WESLEY and of the Rev. CHARLES In consequence of this engagement of the Wesleys, the General deemed it highly proper to visit their venerable and excellent parents at Epworth, not only to confirm their consent, but to communicate to them such information as should interest them strongly in every measure which aimed at the instruction, civilization, and christianizing of the natives of Georgia, from whom he and the new settlers had met so kind a reception. A reference to this, gives me the opportunity of introducing a letter from that aged minister, the Reverend Samuel Wesley, written rather more than a year before, in which he mentions the progress which he had made in a work that he was about to publish, and acknowledges the obligations which he was under to the General for kindnesses shown to himself and sons.[1] [Footnote 1: This letter is not in the "Memoirs of the Wesley Family," published by Dr. Adam Clarke in 1822; having been recently discovered.] Epworth, July 6, 1734. Honored sir, May I be admitted, while such crowds of our nobility and gentry are pouring in their congratulations, to press with my poor mite of thanks into the presence of one who so well deserves the title of UNIVERSAL BENEFACTOR OF MANKIND. It is not only your valuable favors on many accounts to my son, late of Westminster, and myself, when I was not a little pressed in the world, nor your more extensive charity to the poor prisoners; it is not these only that so much demand my warmest acknowledgments, as your disinterested and immovable attachment to your country, and your raising a new Colony, or rather a little world of your own in the midst of wild woods and uncultivated deserts, where men may live free and happy, if they are not hindered by their own stupidity and folly, in spite of the unkindness of their brother mortals. I owe you, sir, besides this, some account of my little affairs since the beginning of your expedition. Notwithstanding my own and my son's violent illness, which held me half a year, and him above twelve months, I have made a shift to get more than three parts in four of my Dissertations on Job printed off, and both the paper, printing, and maps, hitherto, paid for. My son John at Oxford, now that his elder brother has gone to Tiverton, takes care of the remainder of the impression at London, and I have an ingenious artist here with me in my house at Epworth who is graving and working off the remaining maps and figures for me; so that I hope, if the printer does not hinder me, I shall have the whole ready by next spring, and, by God's leave, I shall be in London myself to deliver the books perfect. I print five hundred copies, as in my proposals; whereof I have about three hundred already subscribed for; and, among my subscribers, fifteen or sixteen English Bishops, with some of Ireland. "If you will please herewith to accept the tender of my most sincere respect and gratitude, you will thereby confer one further obligation, honored sir, on "Your most obedient and humble servant, "SAMUEL WESLEY.""To James Oglethorpe, Esq." It appears, from a list of subscriptions annexed to Mr. Wesley's Dissertations on the Book of Job, that General Oglethorpe took seven copies of the work on large paper, which would amount to at least twenty pounds. The elder son of the Rector, also, paid a tribute of respect to the General; and this in harmonious and polished verses; in which, however, he indulged, too freely, the poetic license in highly wrought description of the settlement of Georgia, and of the climate and productions of the region.[1] [Footnote 1: GEORGIA, a Poem; TOMO CHICHI, an Ode; and a copy of Verses on Mr. Oglethorpe's Second Voyage to Georgia. These were beautifully printed, in a large type, on nineteen folio pages. They were ascribed to SAMUEL WESLEY, as their author, in the tract entitled "True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of Georgia," by P. Telfair and others. Charlestown, S.C. 1741, page xi. of the Preface.] As our narrative is brought near to the period when the General is about to return thither, it may be pertinent to introduce a short extract, in which the poet addresses the new settlers, eagerly expecting his arrival. "See once again, see on your shores descend |
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