Quakers in North Carolina, 1703

i8BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUAKERS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1703. [The following extracts give an outside view of the Friends in North Carolina in 1703. They are from reports made to the Church of England "Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts," of which the first agent in America was the well-known George Keith, who had given Friends in America and England so much trouble in the closing years of the 18th century. They are taken from the "Collections of the Protestant Episcopal Historical Society for the year 1851," pages 182-185. The first extract is referred to on page 7.—Editor.] "Mr. Henderson Walker to the Lord Bishop of London. North Carolina, 21st October, 1703. May it please your Lordship : ........ My Lord, we have been settled neer fifty years in this place, and I may justly say most part of twenty-one years on my own knowledge without Priest or Altar, and before that time, according to all that appears to me, much worse. George Fox some years ago came into these parts, and by strange infatuations did infuse the Quakers' Principles into some small number of the people, which did and hath continued to grow ever since very numerous by reason of their yearly sending in men to encourage and exhort them to their wicked principles; and here was none to dispute nor to oppose them in carrying on their pernicious principles for many years, till God of his infinite goodness was pleased to inspire the Rev. Dr. Bray some time about four years ago to send in some books of his own particular pious gift of the explanation of the Church Catechism , with some other small books to be disposed of and lent as we thought fit, did in some measure put a stop to their growth ; and about a year after did send to us a library of books for the benefit of this place, given by the honorable the Corporation for the establishing of the Christian religion, by one Mr. Daniel Bret, a minister appointed for this place. He for about half a year behaved himself in a modest manner, but after that in a most horrid manner; broke out in such an extravagant course that I am ashamed to express his carriage, it being in so high QUAKERS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 170319 nattire. It hath been a great trouble and grief to us who have a great veneration for the Church that the first minister that was sent to us should prove so ill as to give the Dissenters so much occasion to charge us with him ........ My Lord, I humbly beg leave to inform you that we have an Assembly to sit the 3rd November next, and there is one half of the Burgesses that are chosen are Quakers and have declared their designs of making void the act for establishing the Church; if your Lordship out of your good and pious care of us doth not put a stop to their growth, we shall the most part, especially the children born here, become heathens. I humbly entreat your Lordship to send some worthy good man amongst us to regain the Flock, and so perfect us in our duty to God, and establish us by his Doctrine, life and conversation in the fundamentalls of our Christian profession that we in our time and those as come hereafter, may bless God that he has raised up so noble a pillar as your Lordship to regain those who are going astray, and put a stop to the pernicious growing Principles of the Quakers ........ My Lord, Your most humble and obedien servant, Henderson Walker." AN ACCOUNT OF MR. BLAIR'S MISSION TO NORTH CAROLINA. " ........ I landed in Virginia 14th January, 1703. As soon as I could conveniently travel, I waited on the Governor [Francis Nicholson] and immediately after made the best of my way into the country where I was bound. I arrived amongst the Inhabitants after a tedious and troublesome journey on the 24th. I was then obliged to buy a couple of Horses, which cost me fourteen pounds, one of which was for a guide, because there is no possibility for a...