The Dolores star., 1906-01-26
Carried the Gospel
Brave New Eng'anders Bore the Word
Into Wilderness Of South Carolina
Especial Correspondence

Overgrown with moss and rank
weeds. and overhung with live oaks
bea ring the Spanish moss characters
tic Of the south Atlantic coast, the
ruins of a church and a fort mark the
spo. where the first missionary enter
prise undertaken by New England.
outside her own borders. was located.
The ruins are in the county of Dor
chester, s. c., SO named for the small
company of churchmen who sailed
from Boston, Dec. 3, 1895. and founded
a colony in the wilderness, near
Cha rleston.
bow the little body of Jealous Mas
sachusetts people went from the north.
sailed up the Ashley river and hewed
their homes out of the unbroken for
est, beset continually by fears of fam
Inc and the Indians, forms an exceed
ingly interesting chapter in the his
tory of the country.
William Pratt was the son of Thom-
as Pratt OF Weymouth, Mass. In 1850
he married Elizabeth Baker of Dor
chester and about the middle of April.
1880, became member Of the church
there. When, FIVE years later. an ex-
pedition was organized to. carry the
gospel to South Carolina, Mr.. Pratt
Joined it and took prominent part.
Until few years ago. at least.
Joshua Crane of Bridgewater had a
diary which was kept by William
Pratt: and a curious combination Of
almanac and notebook 1t is. Two hum
dred years old, 1t is still in good
state of preservation. and has afforded
the material for biography of its ear
ly owner.
A teacher. Joseph Lord, was chosen
pastor of the missionaries.
"On Dec. the 3. 1895. we, the church
that was, gathered in order to carry
ye gospel ordinances to South Caro-
lima" says the author. "At this time
some of us went in a long bote to go
on bord the Brigantine friendship OF
boston in new England. in order to our
passing to Carolina; but missing ye
vessel at first, we by reason of We
strength of the wind could not come
up with here again, but constrained to
endure ye cold 3 or hours before we
could get at any land. til at length we
soh " lOlClSSlel NcChs anu liOlh
the:e returned to boston in safety
Not Easily Discouraged.
1t may well be imagined of what
sort of stuff these old fellows were
made, when they fioundered around in
Boston harbor in an open boat for four
hours in midwinter. and never once
lost their ardor. They waited two
days, and then made another attempt.
The brigantine had returned to get
her belated passengers, and they set
off in strong gale on one Sunday
evening.
OF the Virginia coast they encoun-
tered tempest, and for several days
1t seemed that South Carolina would
hive to get along without the sturdy
missionaries. They pulled through all
right, though, and accounted for their
safe conduct through the storm by the
efficacy of two days of fasting and
prayer.
OF the voyage from that point the
leader tells in his notebook-with
some quaint spelling which may be
translated:
"On Monday, and so forward, ye
wind often shifted. yet not SO often as
to hinder our going on in our desired
course, though we could not go with
SO much speed as we desired. Thurs
day morning, being We 18th day of ye
month, we came in sight of the land of
Carolina, but were by a disappoint-
ment prevented from getting in that
day; but the next day we got in
through divine goodness, being the
20th day of December.
when we came to ye town our yes
sci fred three guns. and the people to
welcome us to land fired about nine
guns. which was more than the usual,
and when we came to ancor, being in
ye evening, many of ye people being
,rnrfhv pentlamen cama ON hna I'd and