| 1791 |
| The record shows that in October , 1791... "I preached to
a small congregation the evening being rainy but few attended -- between one and two
hundred. Thursday 10 went over the Potomac and preached in Oxenhill [sic] in a small
preaching house which has been built by a number of religious black people. I had
considerable satisfaction among them. I preached at 12 o'clock again at night. The dear
black people seem to be alive to God having their hearts placed on things above. I lodged
at Mr. Beans -- none of the family, caught black people, are in the ways of religion, but
they are a friendly, kind people. I had much satisfaction with them. 0 that God may give
them His grace." |
|
|
"I preached to a
congregation of black people, at Oxenhill [sic] on the Potomac opposite
Alexandria from
Matthew 5:5. Some years ago a few of these black people obtained their
freedom and embraced
religion, loved our society, built us a meeting house, and began to exhort the people of
their color to flee from the wrath, to come. God has blessed the labor in an
extraordinary manner. Their society is very numerous and very orderly and to their great
credit with pleasure I assert that I never found a white class so regular in giving in
their quarter age. As these poor people are, and the greater part are slaves, of whom never
request anything. But they will inquire when the quarterly meetings are from time to time,
and by the last time a preacher comes round before the quarterly meeting, they will have
$5 in silver tied up for him. As they are so numerous, the circuit preacher cannot meet
them all. There are two leading characters among them, that fill their station with
dignity. They not only have their class meetings but also their days of examination in
order to find out anything that may be amiss among them; and if they can settle it among
themselves, they will; if not, as the elders of Israel brought matters which they
conceived were of too great importance for them to decide on before Moses, so would these
people bring matters of the greatest moment before the preacher." |
