Page:Eleventh annual report of the Association for the Religious Instruction of the Negroes, in Liberty County, Georgia.djvu/20

 Jontsville, Walthourville, (two) Hinesville, Gravel-Hill and Hutchison. I estimate the seats in these several churched for the accommodation of the negroes at 2,000. From November to May, we have between five and six places of worship opened on the Sabbath, with an average ttendance of 8 or 900. From May to November, we have the same number of places opened for worship on the Sabbath, and three other places are opened for reading and prayer by the white male members of the churches, and they conduct colored Sabbath Schools arid give instruction to the negroes: the average attendance may now rise to 1,200 or 1,300.At least one third are children. This class of attendants, we may consider aff entire gain since we commenced our work among them, and a gain of twice the number of adults and youth. Our churches are opened in different parts of the District on different Sabbaths, so as to accommodate and bring the Gospel within reach of the whole population. It would be impossible to locate two, or even three churches, so as to put them in convenient reach of the whole population either white of black, as the people are spread over so large a territory. The distances to the churches would be too great for many. Having the churches thus located, although we have not above one sixth in Winter, and one fourth in Summer, of the negroes present on the Sabbath, yet as the churches are opened in succession, in the course of one, two and three, weeks, all who choose to avail themselves of the blessings of the means of grace, have the opportunity of doing so.

In the great duty of attending the public worship of God, our Negroes, are very like mankind in other parts of the Christian world. Some are extremely regular: others irregular, and others again never perform that duty at all. The neglect of public worship on their part, notwithstanding the improvement in past years, and which I think through the influence of Sabbath Schools, is still going on, has been matter of great concern to me, for which I have sought out reasons and have endeavoured also to find a remedy. The distance at which many live from the places of worships prevents them from coming very frequently, while others are detained by age and infirmity Some fall an easy prey to indolence. They are more disposed to lounge away the Sabbath at home, than make an effort to prepare for worship and walk a short distance to it. Through waste and improvidence they neglect their own clothing and