The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-16
RHoDEIsL AND REPUBLICAN
MEMOIR OF RIIODE-ISLAND.
I7Oi.

"About this time he represented also very earn
estly TO the society, the want of missionary at a
town called Providence, about 30 miles distant from
Newport, place very considerable for the number
of its inhabitants Through the want of instruction,
the people were become quite rude, and void of all
knowledge in religion; yet they were of good and
teachable disposition. He visited this place. and
preached here to the greatest number of people that
he ever had together since he came to America.
lie writes thus: "Therc is great prospect of set
ting a church here; and if the society will send a
missionary to people so much in want, and yet SO
desrous of receiving the gospel perhaps this might
prove of the greatest acts of charity they have
done yet" little while after he writes thus
81 have preached there again, and the number of
people is increased, that house there could
hold them, so that | was obliged to preach in the
open fields The people now going about to
get subscriptions to build a church. If the society
knew the necessity there is of missionary here,
they would Immediately send In the mean
time, shall give them all the assistance | can"
The society upon this letter, appointed in the next
year Q723) the Rev. Mr.. Pigot Missionary there.
Besides the faithful discharge of his duty at his own
station, Mr.. Honeyman hath been farther instrument
tai in gathering several congregations at Narragan-
sett, Twcrton, FIeetown and the above mentioned
place, Providence. In the year 1924, accounts came
that he had baptiscd so within the past years,
of which 10 were grown PERSONS three of them Ne
groes, two indians, and swo mulattocs; and ,llat
there were properly belonging to his church. at New
port, above so COMMITMENTS, who live in that
place, exclusive of strangers the church people
IL
seats in the old church, and many more offered to
join themselves to the church communion. Mr..
Honeyman proposed to the church members, the
building of church, and subscribed himself
ESQ. The people heartily concurred ; and he soon
after obtained q thousand pounds subscriptions for
that purpose but 1t was estimated the building
would cost twice much, in that country money:
however, sufficient raised and in the
year I72G, tire Church was completed, and Mr..
Honeyman preached in it. The body Of the church
is 20 feet long, and t6 feet wide, hat! two tiers
of windows is full of pews, and hath galleries all
round to the cast end II is owned by people there
to be the most beautiful timber structure in Amcri-
ca. The old church is given the people of the
Heishboring town Of Warwick, who had no church
of their own. There are quakcrs and two sorts OF
anabaptists in Newport, yet the members of the
church of England increase daily: and though
there not four alive of the FIRST promoters of the
church worship in this place. yet there is above
four times the number of all the first This last
church is generally full. Newport is the chief
town in the island, is the place Of residence of the
Governor, is good compact town, large enough to
make considerable village in England Mr. Hon
mic bor ,,l
under his care also, Freetown, Tverton, and Little
Compton.
Having just mentioned Providence, where MIR.
lioneyman had gathered Il congregation, ard Mr..
Pigot was appointed missionary it may be proper
to give next an account of the mission there The
people, described above, were negligent of all re-
ligon till about the year 1922 the very best were
such as called thcmseye baptists, or quakcrs, but
it feared many Gortonians or Deists
This township is 20 miles square, and the present
number of inhabitants is about 1000. Out of all
these, there was a small number, who in the year
l722, seriously rejecting that irreligous state
wherein they lived; resolved to endeavor to build a
church, get a minister, and live like Christians
They began TO gather contributions among them
selves; they got ESQ, they solicited their friends
about them; they got Goo from Rhodc-lsland
fiO0 from Boston, aud 600 from other places
with this sum, and about GOO more which they
borrowed, they raised on ST. Barnabas day, l722, a
TIMBER building for church, being G2 feet in crgh
III In Breadth, and 26 high. The chief contributor
was Colonel Joseph whipple. who gave El00. The
Rev. Mr. lIoncyman gave cIO, and Nj. Mackspar-
ran, another oil the society's missionaries gave So
The people live dispersed this large township
they arc industrious, employed chiefly in husbandry