MARCH 24. (Sunday.)
Every Sunday since my return from Kingston I have read
prayers to such of the negroes as chose to attend, preparatory to
the intended visitations of the minister, Dr. Pope. About
twenty or thirty of the most respectable among them generally
attended and behaved with great attention and propriety. I
read the Litany, and made them repeat the responses. I explained the
Commandments and the
Lord's Prayer to them
teaching them to say each sentence of the latter after me, as I
read it slowly, in hopes of impressing it upon their memory.
Then came " the good Samaritan," or some such apologue; and,
lastly, I related to them a portion of the life of Christ, and explained to
them the object of his
death and sufferings. The
latter part of my service always seemed to interest them greatly ;
but, indeed, they behaved throughout with much attention.
Unluckily, the head driver, who was one of the most zealous of,
my disciples, never could repeat the responses of the Litany
without an appeal to myself, and always made a point of saying
—" Good Lord, deliver us; yes, sir! " and made me a low bow.
Like my friend the Moravian, at Mesopotamia, I cannot boast
of any increased audience; and if the negroes will not come to
hear massa, I have little hope of their giving up their time to
hear Dr. Pope, who inspires them with no; interest, and can
exert no authority. Indeed, I am afraid that I am indebted for
the chief part of my present auditory to my quality of massa
rather than that of priest; and when I ask any of them why they
did not come to prayers on the preceding Sunday, their excuse
is always coupled with an assurance that they wished very much
to come, " because they wish to do
anything to oblige massa."
