concert! what, for the amusement of the labourers in a cotton factory! Yes; it was truly concert night, and they are blessed with one once a week. How drivelling dost thou look, world in which I have been accustomed to live, when placed in comparison with this community! Here, the labourer of two shillings per week can go to concert every week, and the fastidious souls of a town like Leeds, wallowing in unenjoyed wealth, can scarcely raise one, once in half a year. But here too they are taught music, and, of consequence, enjoy the captivating sweets of sound. The band was military, although they have violins, and consisted of two horns, one trumpet, three bassoons, one serpent, five clarionets, flutes and fifes. "Whilst standing in the buildings appropriated for the schools and amusements, with the magical sight before me, (for at this place almost all is wonderous and astonishing,) and contemplating the enormous expense which must have been incurred to provide these buildings, teachers and every other thing to move this comparatively vast machine, produced from the fluctuating sources of manufacture,-my ideas were enchanted with anticipation in the prospect of that pleasure and profit which might be produced from the combined powers of a number of villages united in a community of interests. Who can say with how little Jabour their wants might be supplied; and who can tell the happiness which would accrue from the want of temptation to covetousness, and all the other deadly evils attendant upon man suffering from want? The temptation to do evil would be removed, and brotherly love be the bond of union. No one with half the senses of a man, but what can see this, in walking through the precincts of New Lanark. There is not a nobleman in England that is giving so much comfort to so many human beings as Mr. Owen is, and the very proudest of them would be astonished and confounded were they to spend one evening in this place." In the education of the children, the thing that is most remarkable, is the general spirit of kindness and affection which is shewn towards them. In this they appear like one well-regulated family united together by ties of the closest affection. We heard no quarrels from the youngest to the eldest, and so strongly impressed are they with the conviction that their interest and duty are the same, and that to be happy themselves it is necessary to make those happy by whom they they are surrounded; that they had no strife but in offices of kindness. With such dispositions, and with their young minds well stored with useful knowledge, it appeared to us that if it should be their destiny to go out to service or to be apprenticed, the families in which they were fixed would find them an acquisition instead of a burthen; and we could not avoid the expression of a wish, that the orphan children in our workhouses had the same advantage of moral and religious instruction, and the same prospect of being happy themselves and useful to the families in which they may be placed. On the return of the deputation to Leeds, the committee of the Leeds Workhouse entered fully into the desires of the delegates upon this subject, and a new code of regulations was adopted for the management of the children, which, I am happy to say, has already proved of essential service to these sons and daughters of poverty; which code I subjoin to these remarks. JOHN CAWOOD. Education and Employment of the Children. 1. That the boys and girls be kept in a state of separation from the adult part of the inhabitants of the House. 2. That a separate room be devoted solely to the girls, and fitted up for their school-room and sitting-room. 3. Every day in the week (Sunday excepted) the girls shall be employed in learning to read and write, from half-past eight o'clock in the morning till twelve o'clock at noon, under the superintendence and instruction of a proper master; that from twelve to half-past one they shall have dinner, with the remaining time for recreation. And that from half-past one to six o'clock, they shall be employed in knitting, sewing, &c., under the su perintendence and instruction of a Mr. Cooper on the Disposition of Negroes to embrace Christianity. 297 suitable mistress. And that, in order to accustom them to domestic service, two of the senior girls, in rotation, shall be kept in the kitchen for one month at a time, and be then employed in such work as the mistress of the house shall direct. 4. The boys shall be employed in the card-room from eight o'clock in the morning until twelve at noon; that, from twelve to half-past one, they shall have their dinners, with the remaining time for recreation; and from half-past one until six in the evening, they shall be instructed (in a room solely appropriated for that purpose) in reading and writing by the school master. 5. In these arrangements the greatest frugality should be united to the most persevering endeavours, to render these orphan children useful members of society. This cannot be more effectually accomplished than by removing from their observation every thing that is likely to give them bad habits, and placing before them every thing which is calculated to inspire them with good ones. These recommendations duly followed, will in time make these children of poverty rather sought after as apprentices in the town, than despised and considered a tax; and instead of rising into manhood and relying upon a parish all the days of their future life for a portion of their support, they will feel an ambition and a capacity to maintain themselves. a place of worship large enough to accommodate all the slaves belonging to the property; but this design was abandoned, on its being found that the overseer could permit us to employ the boiling-house (the house in which the cane juice is boiled into syrup) during that part of the year in which alone we had any opportunity of meeting for religious purposes. This edifice answered our purpose sufficiently well, as long as the undertaking was regarded simply in the light of an experiment: but had it been determined to render it permanent, a more convenient place would have been found necessary. The Negroes usually quit the field, for dinner, about one o'clock, to which they never return till the end of two hours; but it was understood, between the overseer and myself, that on the days on which they should have liberty to attend me in the boiling-house, they should not retire till nearly two, so that the estate might be put to as little inconvenience as possible. This being the case, they were never ready for me before four, and sometimes not even till five in the afternoon; a circumstance which, however, I never regretted, not deeming it necessary, or even desirable, to detain them above two hours at a time. But had they been disposed to submit to a little extra exertion, they most certainly might, notwithstanding this, have been with me by three, or very soon after; but they had no idea of devoting the sinallest portion of their own time to the work of spiritual improvement. So far, indeed, from this, it was found to be a matter of some little difficulty to secure their attendance, even in their master's time. And, before the attempt was made, some individuals, well acquainted with the Negro character, be that it would be found necessary to employ coercive measures with them in this as well as in other cases: yet the inhuman and unchristian idea of driving the poor creatures to a place of worship by force, could not be endured for a moment. It was, therefore, determined, without hesitation, not to resort to it, but to meet them on the following terms; which, it will be perceived, reduced the business, in a great measure, to a matter of their own free choice. As our sabbaths, as we sometimes termed them, came round, they were informed by the overseer that they were at liberty to spend the afternoon with me in the boiling-house, if they felt disposed to do so; but, if otherwise, they must return to the field and work their usual hours. Immediately, therefore, on seeing what the nature of our plan was, they agreed to throw down their hoes and prepare for me. Not, I believe, that they felt any particular anxiety respecting matters of religion; but because they knew, full well, that in paying a little attention to these things, they should be exposed to far less bodily labour than would fall to their share, were they to remain in the field under the scorching rays of a tropical sun. In this manner my sable audience was collected; and, I doubt not, that it might have been kept up, on similar principles, for any length of time, had such a measure been deemed desirable. It is true, that on most, if not on every occasion, a few individuals were found guilty of absenting themselves, who ought to have attended. Yet this evil never existed to any very great extent; and, most probably, it would never have been heard of at all, had we adhered with perfect strictness to the plan on which we professed to act; but we were fearful of pressing the matter too far, and particularly anxious to leave as much to the will of the Negroes as the nature of the case could be imagined to admit of. Yet I now acknowledge, on looking back upon the business, that I think we should have done better had we been more particular in putting the laws in force against those individuals by whom they were too frequently violated. At the same time, I must distinctly maintain, that our experience abundantly proved the possibility of raising and keeping up a congregation amongst the slaves without the aid of the lash. And this we always regarded as a point of some importance, because it seems clearly to remove a common and a very plausible objection to the moral reformamation of these degraded, unhappy people; viz. that nothing short of means which all object to, would ever be found sufficiently efficacious to induce them to attend, with proper punctuality, the lectures of a religious instructor. The experiment, it was affirmed, had been tried on the south side of the island by a clergyman of the Church of England, but without producing the desired effect; the Negroes withdrawing their attendance after the first few meetings, although the hours of instruction were taken from those of labour. But it does not appear that any efficient measures were employed to secure their attendance on the gratuitous labours of this benevolent individual, and, therefore, their conduct towards him was nothing more than might have been expected. I believe the Georgia Negroes would never have attended me in the manner they did, had it not been for the alternative which was placed before them. They are all excessively fond of novelty, but totally destitute of perseverance where they are not urged on by "fear and force," and consequently nothing regular can be expected from them, for any length of time, when compliance depends entirely on their own will. The fact is, they are mere babes in understanding, quite ignorant of the importance of knowledge to a rational being, and seem, without any exception, to take it for certain, that the whole of Christianity is comprised in the ceremony of baptism. After this it will, perhaps, be asked, what good could a mere preacher expect to result from his exertions amongst such a people as the negroeslaves? To which I reply, not so much as he would naturally wish, and most probably promise himself; yet, under proper patronage, he would be able to accomplish something. But as things now are, nothing is achieved.* I allude to the condition of the slaves on sugar estates in general. On the properties of several gentlemen, endeavours have long been, and are still, making for the religious improvement of the slaves, but, I am fearful, with but trifling success. The Moravian brethren, whom scarcely any difficulties can discourage, still continue to sow the seed in hope, on the sterile soil of Jamaica. And I was informed by one of their missionaries, who has spent many years in the in this island is now in a flourishing conWest Indies, that one of their settlements dition. The brethren have long been tried in Jamaica, and they seem to have gained the respect of all parties. Letter from Mr. My plan was, when I met them in the boiling-house, to read a short portion of Scripture, and to make such remarks upon it, as appeared to me to be calculated to strike the minds and suit the circumstances of my hearers. And they generally listened with apparent attention, during the whole of the discourse. The service always commenced and concluded with prayer. We had no singing; that being a part of worship we could not engage in for want of singing abilities. A few white people would frequently take a seat with the rest, and I have sometimes flattered myself that our meeting together was not wholly in vain. The Negroes always dressed themselves for the occasion: not in finery, but in decent, clean apparel. This, however, I am aware, many of them would not have done had I not insisted upon it in the most particular manner. To say the least, their bodies were refreshed, and it was pleasing to see them drawn off from the toils of the day, and join in the worship_of the common Parent of our race. But such is the difficulty of getting the erop off a sugar estate in Jamaica, that it is found to be impossible to allow them any opportunities of this kind during six months in the year, without putting the whole concern to very great inconvenience. The question is, whether the good which might be obtained would be equal to the expense and hazard of the undertaking. I think not, unless the people could have the afternoon in as well as out of crop in other words, unless the crop could be made to give way to religion, and not religion to the crop. Besides, it cannot, surely, be expected that any Christian minister would consent to consume his time amongst a people to whom he should have not more than twelve opportunities of preaching in a year. He would, no doubt, at times find a few other occasions of usefulness; such as burying the dead, visiting the sick, and holding conversations with the Negroes in private, and in endeavouring to instruct the young. To the latter class I devoted a considerable portion of my time during a part of the period I passed in Jamaica; and I should never have relaxed my exertions with the young, had I not clearly perceived that my plans of proceeding went directly to sap the foundations of the existing order of things. I taught the children to read, and treated them in all respects like rational beings; whereas the govern ment under which they are doomed to live and move, contemplates them in the light of mere animals. I think I may assert, without fear of contradiction, that to hold a people in slavery, it is necessary to keep them in ignorance. The Negroes feel, but they do not see their chains, and therefore it is that they are contented to drag them. Let them once be enabled to read for themselves the sublime truth, that "God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth," and is it conceivable that, with such views of human nature, they should be contented to regard themselves as the lawful property of the whites? But I am treading on tender ground, and will, therefore, drop the subject for the present. T. COOPER. I Springfield, Clarke County, Ohio, REV. AND DEAR SIR, MAKE no apology for addressing you from this remote part of the world, because I know that any letter, the subject of which is connected with the religious improvements of the human mind, will not be considered by you as unworthy of notice or perusal. After a variety of changes and trials I may, perhaps, consider myself as permanently settled, if any settlement may be called permanent in this uncertain and precarious tenure of existence. I have, therefore, considered it my duty to pay some attention to what was passing about me, in and among the various religious sects which prevail in this improving State of the Union; and whenever I take a view of the deplorable ignorance which pervades every class of professing Christians in this country, I take shame to myself for the little value I set upon my former great privileges in connexion with what I believe the most enlightened societies of professing Christians upon earth. Sir, these privileges, to be duly appreciated, must be lost, at least for a time; for I do believe that the great mass of the Unitarian public do not sufficiently estimate the real, the ines timable value of just notions of the benign attributes of the Deity, of religion without superstition, of devotion without enthusiasm. We may hear, Sir, and we may read of the gross darkness that covers some parts of the earth, and of the mental blindness and silly extravagancies of which many are accused who profess the Christian name; but I am much afraid these representations, in general, make but little permanent impression upon the public mind. To be fully felt, they must be witnessed. I know that Bible Societies and Missionary Societies have been the fashion for some years past in the religious world; but, alas! in the present almost universal depravity of Christian principles, there is so much to unlearn, that it should almost seem a certain portion of mental superiority was necessary to shake off the fetters of prejudice, and discover the plain, unobtrusive truths of the gospel amongst the rubbish and rust that envelope them. The principal religious sects in this State are the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists, Christian Brethren or New Lights, and the Baptists. There are also Shakers, Dunkers, Universalists, Seceders, Rational Brethren, Covenanters, Antiburgers, Swedenborgians, Moravians, Dutch Lutherans, and two sects of Seceders both from the Methodists and Baptists. The Presbyterians, as in the Eastern States, are highly orthodox and intolerant; happily in this State they are not numerous. The Episcopalians are still fewer in number, but much more liberal in their sentiments, which I believe is also the case throughout the Union. The Methodists are very numerous, and appear to be increasing very fast, notwithstanding the great secessions from them, chiefly on account of their arbitrary church government, which, like the tyranny of the Presbyterian Synods, ill accords with the spirit of republicanism. The Christian Brethren, or New Lights, who are very numerous in this part of the State and also in Kentucky and Indiana, are exhibiting to the world a curious exhibition of a liberal creed, which appears to have no influence upon its believers or defenders, united with gross enthusiasm and blind superstition. Their tenets are Arian: they have open communion, and reject most of the offensive dogmas of Calvinism; yet, for want of a regular, well-educated ministry, they are most deplorably ignorant, and guilty of all manner of extravagancies at their frequent meetings, particularly their campmeetings, when they vie with the Methodists in noise and rant and jerk and gesticulations. At their meetings there are many speakers in succession seldom any text taken. Women frequently take the lead, particularly in washing feet, which is frequent among them without any decency of demeanour. They arose, 20 years since, in Kentucky, among the Baptists. Benedict's History of the American Baptist Churches, gives a particular account of their origin. They pay no ministers, therefore have but few men of talent amongst them. A Mr. Stone is the only writer I have heard of amongst them; he has lately published a very smart defence of their tenets, in reply to the attacks of the Methodists. I intend, at some future time, to draw up a more detailed account of these people, either for your Reformer or your Repository. The Baptists are numerous in Ohio, but do not appear increasing; their ministers in general, except a few at the principal towns, are extremely illiterate. The Shakers have a very great establishment or commonwealth at Union Town in this State: I do not now recollect what Dr. Evans says of them, but they have many join them from political rather than religious motives, who want a good home. The economy of their whole establishment is admirably conducted, and they are of great service to this part of the country. They are only 40 miles from hence: I intend soon to pay them a visit to know the particulars of their management, &c. The Swedenborgians are extremely active and zealous in propagating their tenets here, and boast of very great success; Cincinnati may be considered their headquarters. The Rational Brethren are quite a new sect, at Middleton in this State. They neither sing nor pray at their meetings; in fact they are Deists, and are endeavouring to establish a commonwealth like the Shakers, only they reject not sexual intercourse. Amongst all sects there is such a lack of good practical preachers, that the ignorance and enthusiasm of the hearers is not |