rtant 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 ad