360 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



Westchester, there are seventy-live ; in that of East Chester, twenty-six ; but few 

 of these negroes are in the service of those belonging to our Church 5 and theu 

 farther the state of the negroes being servitude and bondage, all the week they 



are held to hard work, but only Sundays excepted, when they fish or fowl or 

 some other way provide for themselves. Their scattered positions up and down 

 the country some distance from the church, but have all the prejudices of the 

 masters conceiving the worse for being taught, and more apt to rebel, (an un- 

 happy instance of which we had fourteen or fifteen years ago, in the City of 

 New York, when and where there was an insurrection of the negroes in which 

 several white people were destroyed, and it was observed, that the Catechumens 

 of that kind or the most instructed of the negroes were the very leaders in that 

 insurrection^) are almost an invincible bar to their Christian instruction. 



''But I had almost forgot one thing, which, however, is of great moment in this 

 case — and it is, that few of them are capable of being instructed. I have now two 

 negroes, since marriage — one of which is a girl about nine years old, whom I have 

 had above twelve months, and have during that time several times attempted to 

 teach her to read, but cannot yet make her know her alphabet ; nor have any 

 endeavours hitherto used with her, which have not been inconsiderable, been 

 sufficient to make her number ten, tho' she was born in this country ; nor can a 

 fellow that is at least twenty, whom I have lately bought, tho' he has been 

 seven years iu this country, count up that number ; but notwithstanding what 

 bath been said, I hope so far to initiate them in the Christian religion as to fit 

 them for baptism. 



"I have, in obedience to our principals, publickly exhorted those that have 

 negroes to instruct them in the principles of the Christian religion, and have 

 offered my assistance therein, but hitherto with little success. I hope I shall 

 succeed better in some future attempt. 



: ' It is, I am sensible, expected that I should acquaint the Honorable Society 

 with my labours and the success of them. I preach one Sunday at Westchester, 

 another at Eastchcster, and this I do twice a day for one half year ; but then dur- 

 ing the season, (i- e.) wheu the da}*s are short and weather cold, and the people 

 are obliged in the morning to attend their cattle, we have divine service but 

 once, and that is about the middle of the day. I catechize the children in the 

 public church at Eastchester, and have moved for it at Westchester ; but have 

 not yet succeeded, the master there not encouraging of it. 



"Since I came here, I have baptized about fifty children, besides two grown- 



persons. The number of our communicants are about thirty. You were pleased 



to tell me that the people of S^taucot, besides the allowance from the Society, 



would do something among and of themselves ; but nothing being hitherto done, 



re if any subscription were by them sent to the Society — and such 1 am 



told was sent — that you would communicate them to me, and in so doing you 



will much oblige, Rev. Sir, your very humble servant, 



THOMAS STANDARD."'; 



a The • negro [>i :t" of April, 1712. "The useful course of Mr. Neau'a labours, (says 



Dr. Hawkins) waa temporarily interrupted in 1712, by an inflnrrection of the negroes in the 



: New Yoik This, though soon put down, created a strong prejudice against the 



schn >l, which th" masters, who were for the most part avr.se to their being Instructed, well 



iow to turn to an account. There was no ground for it, however ; as It appeared on 



: tn 1! ii it on.- ..f all Mr. Neau'a scholars, ami that one unpabtized, had any connexion 



.1 t>\ Ed tOT. 



b Hawks' .MbS., from archives at Fulham, vol. it. pp. 2G to 35. 



