AN ADDRESS To the Principal INHABITANTS of the BRITISH NORTH-AMERICAN Colonies. On Occasion of the PEACE.
SIRS, As the long-desired Time is at length arrived, when the Blessings of Peace are happily restored, and his Majesty's American Dominions inlarged and secured; give me leave (so far as relates to my particular Profession) to lay before you some Observations, which may tend to the continued Security of the Colonies which you inhabit; as well as to the proper Improvement and Progress of true Christianity, in the several Districts of British America.
The general Truths, relative to these important Subjects, are delivered in the following Discourse. The Observations which I beg Leave to offer in this Address, are such as more particularly relate to yourselves. And as you are the first great Barrier, on which your Mother-Country must depend for the Security of her Colonies, every Consideration which can add new Motives to your well-directed Zeal, though they more immediately affect Yourselves, yet in the End they must touch the Interests of our common Country.
As true Christianity cannot be either propagated or established, but on the Principles of Christian Liberty; let me first, with all due Respect and Freedom lay before you the peculiar Reasons, on which You, above all the Inhabitants of the Earth, ought to be zealous in establishing the generous Principles of religious Freedom.
In the following Discourse you will see a general Sketch of the gradual Decline of religious Liberty, from that Perfection which it justly boasted in the first Ages of Christianity. This Decline ended in it's total Extinction; which was in Time followed by its imperfect Revival, in the Days of LUTHER. In Europe, the Consequence of these Events hath been, that the several Sects of Christians dissenting from the established Religion of their respective Countries, arose in small Numbers of Men: Hence, although mutual Dislike hath been too general among the several Denominations of Christians; yet the nascent Sects have been but seldom of Force to controul the leading Spirit of the national Religion; which hath generally been of Power to [Page iv] overbear them by its legal Establishment. Thus, both the public Peace, and many good Effects of Religion (though even in some Degree intolerant) have been in Part maintained, though the true Spirit of religious Freedom hath been but little attended to. The Religion of the Country though imperfect, hath still been able to co-operate with the Wisdom of the State; and hence, at least a cansistent System of Policy hath arisen.
But on the Continent of British AMERICA, the Matter hath been quite otherwise. For here, the several Colonies, though united under one common King and Country, were from their very first Establishment inhabited by Christians of various Denominations, divided in Principle and Opinion; some of them driven from their Country by this very Want of Religious Freedom; and all of them but too much tainted with the same intolerant Spirit which they so justly condemned in others; on an Equality with Respect to Property and Power; and too generally possessed, I fear, with such a mutual Dislike and Jealousy, as must ever retard many public Measures which may respect the common Good of All; unless the genuine Spirit of Christian Liberty shall at length unite them in the perfect Bonds of Charity and mutual Love. Hence, then, arises a peculiar Argument, on which the Inhabitants of the American Colonies should zealously adopt the generous Principles of Religious Freedom; because that uncharitable Disunion and Dislike, which, in the European Countries, may not affect the public Measures, must inevitably, in the American Colonies, where the contending religious Interests are nearly equal, be attended with Consequences which are bad; may possibly be attended with Consequences that are fatal.
Hence then arises a powerful Argument for your putting on the Spirit of Moderation, and the Adoption of religious Liberty; without which, even the temporal Interests of the Colonies must be often obstructed; without which, the distant and out-lying Parts of the British Settlements must be doomed to live in Ignorance and Error; and without which the native Indians must either continue in their present deplorable State of Idolatry, Cruelty and Vice; or must become your most dangerous Enemies, by the Adoption of the Principles of Popery.
And this naturally leads me to lay before you the peculiar Circumstances which attend your Situation with respect to the Popish Settlements which lie contiguous to the Protestant [Page v] ones; and to point out the Dangers that may and must arise from that Quarter, unless a true Spirit of Christian Liberty and Zeal unite and animate you to the effectual Civilization and Conversion of your native Indian Allies.
And here, you will first pardon me, if I observe, that though a narrow, intolerant, and persecuting Spirit hath too frequently been found among the several Protestant Churches; yet this false Zeal is not attended with the same Eagerness for the Conversion of others, as is found in the Roman Church. The Reason of this Difference lies here: That the Principle of Intolerance and Persecution arises in the Church of Rome from a consistent Principle and Belief, that there is no Salvation beyond the Pale of their Communion. This Principle no Protestant holds: and therefore the false Zeal of a persecuting or intolerant Protestant hath not the same Foundation, nor is therefore attended with the same steady Consequences, with that which is built on the Popish Faith. The persecuting Zeal of the Papist is founded in Principle; and therefore urges on to Conversion from a Motive of Charity: The persecuting Zeal of a Protestant is only founded in Passion; and therefore goes no farther than as it is urged by the Motive of Dislike† Hence the Popish Colonies will always out-do the Protestant, in the Conversion of Idolators; unless these last be strongly united by the Principles of Christian Liberty, and animated by a generous Zeal for the real Welfare of Mankind.
In Support of these Truths, I have formerly appealed to the State of Popery and Protestantism on the Continent of America. ‘There the different Genius of these two Systems operates with Universality and Power. The Papists are zealous, watchful and assiduous; the Protestants are cold, indifferent and neglectful. The Spaniards, in Course of Time, will have converted one half of the vast southern Continent, and murdered the other. The French joyn Policy to Zeal; or rather, make Zeal subservient to Policy. They reason, they persuade, they cajole, they terrify the poor Indian Nations; and by every Means of Truth and Falsehood, draw them over to their Party. The Conduct of the English is the Reverse [Page vi] of all this. Doubtless, many of our Missionaries are worthy Men: But it must be acknowledged, as the natural Effect and Defect of the Protestant System, that they are not generally impelled by Zeal, but compelled by Necessity, to visit these remote and inhospitable Regions. In the mean Time, the Inhabitants of our Colonies are, like ourselves, too generally given up to Views of Gain and Pleasure: Thus Popery advances with dreadful Strides, while Protestantism lies immersed in Indolence and Sleep*.’
Lest this should be regarded as an aggravated Representation; give me leave to subjoin a strong Confirmation of the whole, contained in a Letter from an Officer in North-America, directed to Mr. Davis, Bookseller, in Holbourne; and dated December 1758.
"I Have read two Volumes, intituled, an Estimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times; and as I think I have received Improvement by them. I offer the Author my grateful Acknowledgments. But this is not the chief Motive which leads me to trouble you with this Letter. In Vol. II. Part II. Section 4. this Writer seems to me to have developed this Subject with so much Penetration, and sound Reasoning, and thrown so alarming a Light upon it, that if it has not, or should not rouse the Attention of his Countrymen in general, and of those in particular who superintend the public Welfare, it will be a melancholy Demonstration, that he hath not coloured his Picture up to the Life. As my Absence from my native Country for some Years has deprived me of the Opportunity of knowing many Facts this Writer asserts, though from a Credibility of his Evidence, and a Variety of Circumstances, my Faith is not a wavering one; so my Residence and Situation in this Part of the World hath enabled me to strengthen the Proof of his Subject in the above Section; I mean with regard to the Growth and Influence of Popery over the North American Indians: and it is the Knowledge of this Fact, and the very important Consequences of it, which prevailed upon me to offer to this excellent Author, additional Evidence to the Truth and Weight of his Reasoning. Throughout North America the English have but one Chapel, and but one Missionary amongst the Indians. The former is seldom opened, and the Zeal of [Page vii] the latter seems confined to his Pension or Salary, from the Society in London. The French have many Indian Chapels, and a great Number of very able and zealous Missionaries. Our Indian Interest hath been for Years decresing—The French increasing. Though on our Side the Want of a religious Attention to the Indians, or in other Words, of a religiously-politic Conduct towards them, has not been the only Instance of our Misconduct: yet I believe it hath been the most fatal Instance. To the religiously-politic Measures of the French towards the Indians, is the Increase of their Interest among them almost owing. Without a Superiority of Indian Interest, the French could neither have extended nor maintained those Encroachments in this Part of the World, which occasioned the present War. A considerable Number of the Indians are attached to the Interest of the French by the Ties of Religion only; and this to such a Degree, that they are themselves Missionaries amongst other Indians. These Papist Indians have catched the persecuting and intolerant Spirit of Popery, and wage War against the English upon the inveterate Principles of that blood-shedding Persuasion, which is kept up and heightened by the infernal Applause of their Priests. The superstitious and diabolical Spirit of Popery, by the unrighteous Acts and indefatigable Zeal of their Missionaries, is extending itself amongst the Indians in general, and is, I fear, too powerful for any merely political Conduct of ours towards those People to resist. Without a superior Indian Interest to the French, the British Colonies, though they were environed by the ancient Wall of China, and their numerous Troops, may possibly be penetrated and subdued by these American Taters‡; and the Event, under the Influence of French Ambition and Popish persecuting Principles, would be infinitely more fatal. The Start Popery hath got over the Indians, and its peculiar Advantages, especially with respect to these Savages, over the utmost Efforts of Protestantism, renders it very dubious, whether a religiously-politic Conduct in the English towards those People will be able to throw the Ballance of Indian Interest into our Scale. Hence a Question arises, Whether any Thing less than an absolute Conquest of the French in North-America can secure the British Dominions there? Some Papers have been transmitted to England, which may probably be offered to the Perusal of the Public. [Page viii] Most of these Strictures, with some others, would have had Place in those Papers, but the Author thought they did not come within his Plan: if Leisure and other Circumstances should conspire, those may make a Part of some future Publication. But as that is at present a Matter of great Uncertainty, the Writer of this Letter was desirous of contributing his Testimony to the particular Part of Dr. Brown's Estimate as above referred to." I am, Sir, &c.
As this Gentleman hints at some further Publications on this important Subject, it were much to be wished, that he would fulfil his salutary Purpose; and if this Address should be so fortunate as to reach his Notice, whether in Europe or America, I beg Leave to call upon him, in the Name of his Country, to do this public Service; which may tend still farther to open the Eyes of every Briton, on a Subject upon which the future Security of our North-American Colonies, and therefore of Great-Britain herself will depend.
In the mean Time, till more enlarged Evidences may arise, it happens to be in my Power to corroborate this Gentleman's Observations, by the concurrent Testimony of Captain Schomberg, another Officer, now in England.
It appears, by authentic Letters which I have seen in this Gentleman's Possession, that, at the Beginning of the late War, the French had established an able Missionary, Monsieur MAILLARD, in Acadia, with the Title of Grand Vicar. This Person, after making himself Master of the Language, and assimilating his Manners to those of the Natives, preached the Roman Catholic Faith among them; and by removing his Habitation from one Place to another, performed Mass and administered the Sacrament to more than ten Tribes of Indians, whom by these Means he had gained absolutely over to his Command. His Influence among them was so great, that in Reality he stood in the Place of his Master, the French King: a Circumstance which is sufficiently confirmed by the following Fact; that Captain Schomberg (then Lieutenant in the 40th Regiment) having been sent into Acadia by General Whitmore, and understanding the Language of the Country, gained Mr. Maillard to the Interests of Great-Britain; and solely through his Influence and Authority brought over these numerous Tribes of Savages, from being the Enemies, to be the Friends of our Country*.
[Page ix] From these incontestable Facts, then, it appears, what a zealous and active Enemy you have to oppose, in the Papist Missionaries who have been long and powerfully dispersed among the Indian Tribes; and who, you may depend upon it, will continue their unweary'd Endeavours, to bring them over to the Principles of the Roman Church.
Let me now conclude with another Circumstance of Danger, which must not be omitted here. Before the Commencement of the late War, the Principles and Ministers of Popery, though near, yet were not mixed with the Colonies of Great-Britain. But by the Terms of Capitulation, both at Quebec and Montreal, the Roman Catholic Religion is tolerated in the several Settlements conquered from the Crown of France. The Consequence of this must be, a frequent Intercourse and Communication of Protestants with Bapists; a Circumstance so pregnant with Danger, supposing Zeal on the one Part, and Remissness on the other, that I think it were needless to enlarge upon it, in order to rouze you into Caution.
What, then, is the proper Part for the Inhabitants of our Colonies to act, under Circumstances so delicate and important? Extirpation, or even Persecution, the Principles of our Excellent Religion, as well as the Humanity of our Manners, and the good Faith of our Politics, do absolutely fobid: Nothing therefore is left for you to do, but to combat false Zeal with Zeal which is according to Knowledge: to be united and firm in maintaining, in communicating, in establishing the great and essential Principles of Christianity, throwing off the Sin which may so easily beset you, that of too great Eagerness and unchristian Contention, about those secondary and incidental Differences of Opinion which seem to divide you into various Sects, while you all rejoyce in one common Day, which the glorious Light of the Gospel hath spread over the British Dominions.
These salutary, great, and glorious Purposes, the Establishment of Colleges in America can alone thoroughly effect. [Page x] For in the first Place, the frequent Communication and Intercourse, which this Establishment will naturally create among Protestants of every Denomination in America, will of Course tend to wear off that mutual Dislike, which often arises, and is always increased, by that Distance and Reserve which different Sects of Religion commonly maintain towards each other. By these Means you will often find your Principles the same, where you before thought they had differed: By these Means, you will often find you have wished each other well, when both Parties suspected the contrary.
And lastly, the strong and powerful Establishment of American Colleges can alone effectually produce the second great End above explained; I mean the counter-working the Designs of Popery, and the Civilization and Conversion of the savage Indians. While Things remain in their present Situation, there is no Probability that ever a sufficient Number of able and zealous Labourers will inlist in this discouraging Vineyard. Men bred up in the distant and alluring Climate of Great-Britain, will never be fond of quitting their native Country, in quest of unknown and unprofitable Service: But when Seminaries shall be established on the Spot, for this important Purpose; the youthful Minds, there formed to this End, will take their bent accordingly: They will be early taught to regard this as their peculiar Province and Destination; and hence, with due Encouragements given, will proceed with Zeal to their appointed Task; and in the End, where the rank Weeds of Violence and Idolatry now abound, will plant and reap a noble Harvest of true Religion and Virtue.
Please to accept these Observations, as a sincere though imperfect Testimony of that Respect with which