468 History of Methodism 



soon after for men. In 1556 Sir John Hawkins sailed 

 with two ships to Africa, and having captured a suffi- 

 cient number of negroes, proceeded to the West Indies 

 and sold them. From Barbadoes, Sir John Yeamans, 

 in 1671, introduced African slaves into South Caro- 

 lina. Thus the institution of negro slavery is coeval 

 with the first plantations on Ashley River, and so 

 rapidly was the race multiplied by importations that 

 in a few years the blacks were to the whites in the 

 proportion of twenty-two to twelve. Every one of the 

 colonies received slaves from Africa within its borders, 

 but South Carolina alone was from its cradle essen- 

 tially a planting State with slave labor. The Ameri- 

 can Methodists, as early as 1780, began to legislate on 

 the subject of negro slavery by the adoption of the 

 following minute : 



Question 16. Ought this Conference to require those traveling 

 preachers who hold slaves to give promises to set them free? 



Answer. Yes. 



Ques. 17. Does this Conference acknowledge that slavery is con- 

 trary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and hurtful to society; 

 contrary to the dictates of conscience and pure religion, and doing 

 that which we would not others should do to us and ours? Do we 

 pass our disapprobation on all our friends who keep slaves and 

 advise their freedom? 



Ans. Yes. 



Ques. 25. Ought not the assistant to meet the colored people him- 

 self, and appoint as helpers in his absence proper white persons, and 

 not suffer them to stay late and meet by themselves? 



Ans. Yes. 



In 1783 the following: 



Ques. 10. What shall be done with our local preachers who hold 

 slaves contrary to the laws which authorize their freedom in any 

 of the United States? 



Ans. We will try them another year. In the mean time let every 

 assistant deal faithfully and plainly with every one and report to the 

 next Conference. It may then be necessary to suspend them. 



