e. At first he went from house to house, but
afterwards arranged for some of the slaves to attend him. He succeeded,
however, in obtaining gratifying results. He was commended to the Society
by Rev. Mr. Vesey in 1706 as a "constant communicant of our church, and a
most zealous and prudent servant of Christ, in proselyting the miserable
Negroes and Indians among them to the Christian Religion, whereby he does
great service to God and his church."[33] Further confidence in him was
attested by an act of the Society in preparing at his request "a Bill to
be offered to Parliament for the more effectual Conversion of the Negro
and other Servants in the Plantations, to compell Owners of Slaves to
cause children to be baptized within 3 months after their birth and to
permit them when come to years of discretion to be instructed in the
Christian Religion on our Lord's day by the Missionaries under whose
ministry they live."[34]

Neau's school suffered greatly in 1712 because of the prejudice engendered
by the declaration that instruction was the main cause of the Negro riot
in that city. For some days Neau dared not show himself, so bitter was the
feeling of the masters. Upon being assured, however, that only one Negro
connected with the school had participated in the affair and that the most
criminal belonged to the masters who were openly opposed to educating
them, the institution was permitted to continue its endeavors, and the
Governor extended to it his protection and recommended that masters have
their slaves instructed.[35] Yet Neau had still to complain thereafter of
the struggle and opposition of the generality of the inhabitants, who were
strongly prejudiced with a horrid motive thinking that Christian knowledge
"would be a means to make the slave more cunning and apter to
wickedness."[36] Not so long thereafter, however, the support of the best
people and officials of the community made his task easier. Neau could say
in 1714 that "if the slaves and domestics in New York were not instructed
it was not his fault."[37] The Governor, the Council, Mayor, the Recorder
and the Chief Justice informed the Society that Neau had performed his
work "to the great advancement of religion in general and the particular
benefit of the free Indians, Negro slaves, and other Heathens in those
parts, with indefatigable zeal and application."[38]

Neau died in 1722. His work was carried on by Mr. Huddlestone, Rev. Mr.
Whitmore, Rev. Mr. C