ial duty to do all that in me lies to
promote the conversion and salvation of the poor heathens here, and
more especially of the Negro and Indian slaves in my own parish,
which I hope I can truly say I have been sincerely and earnestly
endeavoring ever since I was a minister here where there are many
Negro and Indian slaves in a most pitifull deplorable and perishing
condition tho' little pitied by many of their masters and their
conversion and salvation little desired and endeavored by them. If
the masters were but good Christians themselves and would but
concurre with the ministers, we should then have good hopes of the
conversion and salvation at least of some of their Negro and Indian
slaves. But too many of them rather oppose than concurr with us and
are angry with us, I am sure I may say with me for endeavouring as
much as I doe the conversion of their slaves.... I cannot but honour
Madame Haigue.... In my parish a very considerable number of Negroes
... were very loose and wicked and little inclined to Christianity
before her coming among them I can't but honor her so much ... as to
acquaint the Society with the extraordinary pains this gentle woman
and one Madm. Edwards, that came with her, have taken to instruct
those negroes in the principles of the Christian Religion and to
instruct and reform them; And the wonderful successe they have met
with, in about a half a year's time in this great and good work. Upon
these gentle women's desiring me to come and examine these negroes
... I went and among other things I asked them, Who Christ was. They
readily answered. He is the Son of God and Saviour of the world and
told me that they embraced Him with all their hearts as such, and I
desired them to rehearse the Apostles' Creed, and the Ten
Commandments and the Lord's Prayer, which they did very distinctly
and perfectly. 14 of them gave me so great satisfaction, and were so
very desirous to be baptized, that I thought it my duty to baptize
them and therefore I baptized these 14 last Lord's Day. And I doubt
not but these gentlewomen will prepare the rest of them for Baptism
in a short Time." _Journal_, Vol. II, Oct. 6, 1713; A. Mss., Vol.
VIII, pp. 356-7; Pascoe, "Digest of Records of S.P.G.," p. 15.

[7] _Journal_, II, 328; XIV, 48; XX, 132-133; XVI, 165-166