Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-10-02
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF THE
NEGROES.

We have been favoured with an inter-
esting pamphlet, recently issued from the
press Of Mr.. b. JENKINS, No. 100 Hayne
street, containing proceedings, Of the
Meeting in Charleston, s. c., May l3
is, lS45, on the religious Instruction
Of the Negroes, and an Address 10 the
Public" Many OF our most distinguished
and influential citizens, 10th among the
Ialty and the clergy, took part in the pro-
ceedngs of the meeting, and thersbenev.
client labors will, we earnestly trust, give
such direction TO the public mind on the
subject as will prove fruitful of good, tenn
porai and spiritual, to both the slave and
the master. Numerous letters from dll-
ferent parts Of the State and other slave
holding States form large portion of the
pamphlet, shelving the practical working
and wholesale effects of religious lnstruc.
ton, when properly end judiciously inn
parted to our negro peasantry. The re.
suits have been highly salutary and en-
couraging as respects labour, discipline,
honesty and the marriage tie, among this
class of our population. AS one OF the
writers expresses ii, "reiglouS, training
eevates their moral character and makes
them more faithful in all the relations of
| life." The great means oil success III
this work OF Christian love, seems to be
the carrying of religion home to the plan
ton, and not only having the gospel prea-
ched there, but establishing the pastoral
relation between the slaves and some good
missionary or minister of Gods word ma
king of each plantation religious or pa.
rochial family. AS auxllaries the weight
of testimony is decidedly in favour ofcol-
CURED exhorters or Uaichmen, appoin ted
by pastoral orchurch authority, who con-
duet plantation prayers, exhort, give III
struction to inquirers, and aid and coun-
sci to church members ia their Christian
walk and warn, and reprove, and report
cases of delinquency. CatecheticaI in,
slructon is, perhaps, even oil more lmpor-
lance than preaching, and the Catechlsm
of the Rev. CHARLES CoLcocK JONES,
who has devoted himself with true Chris
tan zeal to the work, is extensively and
most bene6cialy used. All denomlna-
lions of Christians are now actively la.
bouriug in this field, bot the Methods'S,
the pioneers Of Christianity, seem as we. to
have been most successful, A deep res
possibility rests on the South in this mat
ter,-every saveholding master having
necessarily imp sed on him cure OF
souls-and we trust that responsibility
is about to be nobly redeemed, under
a smiling Providence, and 20 the conIu.
sion of our fanatic slanderers and revilers.
The day, we hope, is not far distant,
when every plantation which is populous
enough to warrant, or cluster of planta-
tons, where they are too thnly peopl d
to act independently, throughout the
State, will have its parochial minister,
whose office Will he not only t. preach
the gospel to our slaves--;o the Heathen
in our midst but to miugle with them IN
our daily walk and avocations, regula-
Ting their religious and moral conduct,
/ ard prompting them like St. Paul and st.
Peter OF old 10 The faithful discharge of
duty, to both their humanand divine mas
trrs, m This life, that they may secure a
heavenly lnh-ri,ance in the life 10 come.
Let every planter in the State IN imita.
ton of one of the correspondents OF the
meeting, agree to tax himself 90 cents the
head for his slaves, to have the gospel sta.
teddy preached and p,rocbaliy admins
tered among them. II will oe treasure
lard up IN Haven, where neither moth
nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves break in
and steal --Charieaoa Courier.