USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Narragansett > A history of the Episcopal Church in Narragansett, Rhode Island, including a history of other Episcopal churches in the state, Volume III > Part 5
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More Eaftward ftill, and beyond the Bay of Fundy, is the L' Acadian Country called Nova Scotia. This Country was erected into a Colony of Scotch by King James the Firft, their Countryman. It was ceded to the French Crown by his Grandfon Charles the Second, and they called it L' Acadia. In Queen Ann's war, General Francis Nicholfon,841 at the Head of fome New-England Troops, difciplined by English Officers, the French Fort in Port-Royal, and with that Garrifon the whole Province, became a Conqueft. The French Planters transferred their Allegiance, but retained their Religion, and are at this Day called the Neutral French; but, by their behaviour in the late War, one may fee that they are not fo fond of English Liberty, as of what we are too much ufed to call French Tyranny. Port-Royal, in honour of Queen Ann, changed its Name into Annapolis Royal, and is ever fince her War an English Garrifon. Eaftward of Annapolis, and in the fame Province, is the new Town of Halifax, which has made fo much Noife in the publick Prints: It con- fifts of about 5000 Inhabitants, befides the Troops. It muft be fupported well from England for at least twenty Years to come, before it can become independent, or be able to defend and provide for itfelf. If it is a Barrier fettled in earneft, it may in Time make Amends for the Lofs of Louisbourg, taken by your Countryman, the brave Admiral Warren; but if it is intended no more than to amufe, and be neglected, it will not ftand long before French Forces, when there is a Rupture with that Crown. But this is a delicate Point, and requires to be touched tenderly.
Newfoundland, a large Ifland in the Atlantic, is the next American English Settlement. It was formerly granted to the Duke of Hamilton, and Herbert Earl of Pembroke, in Partner- fhip; but they have neglected to fettle and improve it. There
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are, however, feveral large Settlements of Fifhermen; and, on the South Shore of this Ifland, the Society maintain two Miffionaries among them. A Captain of the War-Ship, ita- tioned there, is the Governor, during his Stay; and, when there is no Man of War, the Captain of the firft English Ship that comes to Anchor is Chief Commander.
Thus have I, in a very curfory and incorrect Manner, run over the English Plantations, without obferving, however, the thoufandth Part of what deferves Notice. I write now, from Memory, though in the Style of Truth; and flatter myfelf, from the Candour fo peculiar to the Cary's, that you will overlook the Faults of this indigefted Letter: And, if any un- guarded or fevere Expreffions have dropped from my Pen, you will fecure me from Cenfure, by making a generous Ufe of my Freedom.
To return to New-England: As the Jews had their Naza- reth, the New-Englanders have their Ireland; but, as what is always due to too national a Spirit, they are as much defpifed in the other English Plantations, as any Teague is by them. This country might be made greatly ferviceable to the Mo- ther-Country by proper Management ; but falfe, I had almost faid fatal Policy, has overlooked both the civil and religious Interefts of English America. Indeed, the Society for Propaga- tion, &c. has done Wonders; but nothing lefs than Royal and National Attention is equal to the Thing. If our Accounts from Home may be depended upon, Religion runs low, and Ireland is like to regain its ancient Name of Infula Sanctorum, compared with the greater Ifland. The Revolution, which happened before you or I were born, might be thought a wife and neceffary Meafure; But, we fee, it has been followed with fome bad Confequences; to get free from Popery, we have run into Infidelity and Scepticifm, and, like Roman Mariners, Incidimus in Scyllam, cupientes vitare Charibdem .- Except the little Revival Religion had in Queen Ann's Reign, the Church has gained no Ground, but in America, fince that Period. This puts me in Mind of Pope, upon Criticifm: After fpeaking of King James's Reign, and pafling to the next, he fays,
The following Licence of a foreign Reign
Did all the Dregs of bold Socinus drain.
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Then firft the Belgian Morals were extoll'd, We their Religion had, and they our Gold: Then unbelieving Pricits reform'd the Nation, And taught more pleafant Methods of Salvation.
But Mr. Pope was a Papift, and fo retained little Reverence for the Revolution; but he was an Erafmian one, and there- fore the better to be borne with. If I fhould ever be fettled in Europe, and have a little Leifure, I would employ my Pen in a fmall Hiftory of the English Plantations;903 but, if that is not my Fate, I may leave, perhaps, but can't with fafety give, the Publick what may be helpful to an abler Hand. The Share of Satisfaction which a Man of my Age can promife himfelf in this World, is fmall, and hardly worth Attention; and yet I fhould be glad, were it God's Will, to end my Days nearer to where I began them than I now am. I have great Reafon to thank God, that I was afflicted and abufed by a falfe Charge in my Youth,904 as that opened me a Way into the Chriftian Priesthood in the moft excellent of all Churches. As I never was a Father in any Form, and have none but a Wife to take care of, I fhall do all I can to make myfelf a Friend of the Mammon I fhall leave; and nothing would give me greater Pleafure, than to forefee that my Books and Picture were depofited, the firft in the parochial Library at Dungiven, and the laft in your Honour's Hall .* I herewith
* Dr. MacSparran in his will, which was executed before his last visit to England, bequeathed the documents and manuscripts, which he had col- lected, to his wife, to be sold by her. This induces the belief that he thought them valuable. He survived her. He mentions, in his America Dissected, that he contemplated publishing an extended history of the colonies, es- pecially of New England. It is in tradition, that he had written a history of the Narragansett country, and both were looked for with great interest before his death. His decease being sudden, these manuscripts were ex- pected to be found among his papers, but they were not. It was conjec- tured that he either carried them with him to Europe, or that they were sent to some friend there, and now remain unpublished; or if published, no copies were sent to this country, as he had deceased and his friends were unknown. Not more than two or three copies of his America Dissected are known to be extant,905 that was published in Dublin before his last visit. The one published in the Appendix is printed from the copy presented by him to his niece [Mrs. Lodowick Updike].
The pictures spoken of remain in this country. Mrs. Frederic Allen, of Gardiner in Maine, the daughter of the late Oliver Whipple, and grand- daughter of the late Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, of Boston, in a letter states that "the pictures of Dr. MacSparran and wife 96 (who was Dr. Gardi- ner's sister) are now in our family. That of Dr. MacSparran is a bust ; he
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fend you a Sermon, occafioned by the Enthufiafms fo rife here, and fome Diforders arifen in neighbouring Churches,
is in his gown and bands. It was painted by Smibert.907 In a recent work on American Antiquities, there is a note saying, that soon after Bishop Berkeley and Smibert arrived in this country, they went to Dr. MacSpar- ran's, where they remained some time. It was there, probably, he painted the pictures we now have. My great-aunt, Mrs. MacSparran, died in England in 1755. I have heard from my mother that the Doctor's visit to England was to be ordained Bishop ; but while there, a great excitement occurred at home, with regard to receiving an English Bishop, which, together with the death of his wife, led him to return, saying, 'that he had rather dwell in the hearts of his parishioners, than wear all the Bishop's gowns in the world.'" [The portrait of Dr. MacSparran is now (1907) in the possession of Bowdoin College ; that of his wife in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.]
The great object of the Dean and Smibert was to see the North Ameri- can Indians. Dr. Barton says : "The portrait painter, Mr. Smibert, who accompanied Dr. Berkeley, then Dean of Derry, afterwards Bishop of Cloyne, from Italy to America, in 1728, was employed by the Grand Duke of Florence 908 to paint two or three Siberian Tartars presented to the Duke by the Czar of Russia. Mr. Smibert, on his landing at Narra- gansett with Dr. Berkeley, instantly recognized the Indians to be the same people as the Siberian Tartars, whose pictures he had painted."
Smibert has been confirmed in this opinion by Dr. Wolff, the great traveller, in the Eastern nations, in search of the Lost Tribes. One of his objects in visiting this country a few years since was to see the North American Indians, for the same purpose. Respecting them he says : "It will naturally be asked, what. I think of that extraordinary question lately so much mooted in Europe and America, and so much connected with my own researches (the discovery of the Lost Tribes), 'Whether the Indians sprang from the Ten Tribes of the Dispersion ?' With respect to ancient tradition, the rule of Vincentius Lirinensis, though not infallible, is one of the best criteria : 'What always has been believed, by all, and every- where.' This is not traceable in the Indians. They have not at all times, and in all places, and all conjointly affirmed, ' We are the Ten Lost Tribes of the Dispersion.' On the contrary, they know nothing of any such tra- dition. I trace no remarkable affinities in their language to lead to such a conclusion. I am sure all nations will be found connected with the Jewish, as the great centre of spiritual worship, all rights will be found, in their uses and abuses, to maintain somewhat of the great principles inculcated in the Jewish law; but I am not prepared, from such grounds, the result of a common origin from the first parents, to affirm them all to be neces- sarily descendants from the Lost Tribes, because, in sooth, no other hypo- thesis suits the reigning taste. People who have a preconceived favourite system try to maintain it ad ultimum, and think they see it realized, when nothing of the kind in reality exists. Worthy people in America desired me to travel about with them, in order that I might convince the Indians of theirextraction from the Jews ; but this was putting the argument the wrong way. I wanted the Indians to convince me of their origin, and not to aid in deluding them into this notion, as I perceived many well-intentioned people did. I came among the Mohican tribes near New York, and asked them, 'Whose descendants are you ?' They replied, ' We are of Israel.' I asked,
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where Laymen had been admitted to officiate; with one to my Cozen Tom Limrick, and another to William Stevenfon, of Knockan, to whom I beg Leave to write under your Cover. As I can't expect fo great a Stoop, from a Gentleman in your exalted Situation of Life, as the Honour of a Letter, let me, however, beg the Favour of being remembered to my Relations, as they occafionally wait on you. I hear you are bleffed with a Number of Children. May God make you a mutual Bleffing to each other! May He give Health and Long-Life, and a late Tranflation to that glorious Kingdom above, where I hope to meet you, though denied that Happi- nefs below. I falute your Lady with my moft reverent Re- fpects, Mr. Phanning, and any-one you think may be glad to hear of me. I beg Pardon for the Puzzle I have put you to, by reading this long, very long Letter; and am,
Your Honour's
Moft obedient, humble Servant, JAMES MACSPARRAN.
P.S. In coafting the country, I've faid nothing of the cli- mate. You are to know then, that, as the English American Main-land Dominions extend from 32 to 45 Degrees of North Latitude, the Weather muft, in fome Meafure, be as we are nearer to, or farther from, the Sun. In general, the Air is infinitely more clear and ferene than in England or Ireland; and our Nearnefs to the Sun occafions more frequent and loud Claps of Thunder, and fharper Lightning, than you have. It is no unufual Thing for Houfes, and Stacks of Hay, and Grain, to be Burnt; and Men and Cattle are often killed by the fharp Lightning. In New England, the Tranfitions
'Who told you so?' and expected to learn much ancient tradition. To my great surprise they said, 'Mr. and Mrs. Simmons, of Scotland.' I asked, ' What did your ancestors tell you about it?' 'Our ancestors told us that we were born under the earth, and a woman among us looking out of the earth was taken hold of by a spirit, and that spirit led us to the surface of the earth; and there we lived in peace until the white men came, by whom we were subdued.'
"Many of their customs, besides words in their language, and their phy- siognomy rather seem to betray a Tartar race. Thus, for instance, they have the word Kelaun, great, which is also used in the same sense at Bok- hara. They have nine as a favourite number, which the Tartars also have. The Turcomans also play on a flute, in a melancholy strain, around the tent of their beloved mistress, and the Indians adopt a similar fashion."
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from Heat to Cold are fhort and fudden, and the extremes of both very fenfible: We are fometimes frying, and at others freezing; and as Men often die at their Labour in the Field by Heat, fo fome in Winter are froze to Death with the Cold. Laft Winter, in February, which begins the Spring with you, I rode 30 Miles upon one continued Glaze of Ice upon the Land, to aflift a neighbouring Clergyman, who was fick. With a Horfe well caulk'd and frofted, 'tis fine Travelling for one that can fometimes 'light and run, to bring the Blood into his Feet, and increafe the checked Circulation. As from my Lands I can see the Atlantic Ocean, I have feen it froze as far as the human Eye could reach; and 'tis common, in a beautiful Lake of falt Water that fronts my Farm, to have the Ice Three Feet thick every Winter. Ten or eleven Years ago, we had a hard Winter, which occafioned my preaching a Sermon, that was printed, wherein I defcribed, as well as I could, the Severity of the Weather. I either fent, or intended to fend you, one of thofe Difcourfes: I am fure, I did one, to Colonel William Stewart, then of New Providence. Though I am 900 Miles to the Southward, and you Fifteen De- grees to the Northward of me, yet will it freeze Fifteen Times fo much in a Night here as I ever obferved it to do in Ulfter. But I muft not indulge my Inclination to gratify you with Accounts of this New World; but break off with begging Leave to affure you, that I am,
With the moft perfect Sincerity, And profound Veneration, Your Honour's Most obedient, humble Servant,
J. M. S.
I fhould be glad to be remembered, in a very particular Manner, to my old Friend and Companion, Mr. Chrifto- pher Taaffe, his good Wife, and Family.
LETTER II. To the REVEREND PAUL LIMRICK.
NARRAGANSET, New England, Nov. 10, 1752, N. S.
Dear Cousin and Rev. Sir,
TOURS of the 13th of April, which I received laft Month, gave me a Mixture of Joy and Sorrow. I re- joiced to hear you, your Brothers, and Sitter, were alive; but feel an Affliction for you on account of the Mifbehaviour of your Son and the Misfortunes of Mr. White, from which I hope, as you do, that he will emerge, and fhall direct this Letter to his Care. I once faw Scarfon, whom I confidered as fhallow; and pitied my dear Frank, who deferved a better Fate. I cannot feel as a Father, having never been one in any Shape: but if the Word of God be true, their Yearnings mutt be very tender; and I pray God to fupport you, and Mrs. Limrick, under the Burden of Grief brought on you by the Heat and Headinefs of an unexperienced Youth. He cannot be unmarried, 'tis true; but he may mourn his difo- bedient Rafhnefs, and reform; and then, Sir, I hope your Af- fections will return, and your fatherly Afliftance bear a Pro- portion to his Merit and Wants. Papifts are Chriftians, and to be preferred to many Proteftant Heretics I could name to you.
My Brother and his Wife died a Year ago laft Summer, at a fhort Diftance of Time from one another; but I have had no Letter from any of his Children, but his eldeft Daugh- ter, who came too late to fee either of them alive, and is meditating a Return home. I affifted him to the Amount of much more than he brought with him; and I fancy his Chil- dren, with Industry and proper Management, may live inde- pendent. I was againft his coming this Way, and was in Eng- land when he landed in Pennsylvania; but on my Return, I enabled him to make a good Purchafe, and ever fince I have left them to fhift for themfelves, as I was left myfelf .*
I have been engaged in a Law-Suit about Glebe-Land twenty-eight Years, and the Independent Teacher has at laft
* See the letter of James MacSparran, 542 of Eric, a descendant of Dr. Mac- Sparran's deceased brother, in a previous note (pp. 17, 18).
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obtained a Decree in Council in his Favour; fo that I am forced to fit down by the Lofs of at leaft 600/. Sterling; but I thank God I am not exhaufted : I hope the Merit of even this Lofs will turn out in my Favour when I go to England. Laft Poft brought me a Letter from the Bifhop of London, confoling me on the Lofs of a Caufe fo juft on the Church's Side; wherein his Lordfhip is pleafed to fay, that he hopes my Lofs may be made up, and whatever Service he can do me, I may depend on bis Affitance. If I can but obtain my Wife's Con- fent, or her Company rather, along with me, and can get in fome Money I have out on Bonds, I believe I fhall go to Eng- land next Spring; but as for my Lands, Stock, and Slaves, I thall not fell them, left I fhould be difappointed of a Provi- fion in one of your two Iflands. As the Shadow lengthens as the Sun grows low, fo, as Years increafe, my Longings after Europe increafe alfo. My Labours and Toils are inexpreffible, and Age makes them ftill more intolerable.
Vagrant, illiterate Preachers fwarm where I am; and the native Novanglian Clergy of our Church, againft the Opin- ion of the European Millionaries, have introduced a Cuftom of young Scholars going about and reading Prayers, &c. where there are Vacancies, on purpofe that they may ftep into them when they can get Orders; yea, they have fo reprefented the Neceflity and Advantage of the Thing, that the very Society connive at, if not encourage it. This occafioned my preaching, and afterwards printing, the inclofed Difcourfe, on which I fhall be glad to have your Sentiments. I have fent three of them to the North, to Col. Cary, coufin Tom Limrick, and William Stevenfon, of Knockan. And as this was a bold Step, I have fent one to the Bifhop of London, and other Members of the Society; and I hope, inftead of procur- ing me a Reproof, it will open their own Eyes, and make them guard better againft Irregularities, which, when they happen to be coëval with any Church, are hard to be re- formed.
As AbSalom fet him up a Pillar to keep his Name in Re- membrance, and I have no other Way to have mine pre- ferved in my native Country but my fending my Diplomas of my Mafter's and Doctor's Degrees (I with my Picture were alfo with you) I have inclofed Copies of them. Will
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you be fo good, Sir, as to find a Way to have them regif- tered, by the Clerk, in the Parifh Regifter of Dungiven. I do not offer at this from any Motive of Vanity; but, being a Pilgrim on Earth, and not knowing but my Carcafe may fall in a ftrange Land, it would be pleafing to me, that my Rela- tions, in Time to come, might be able to fpeak of me with Authority. Forgive this Whim in one that loves you well, and who, if ever he is fettled in Europe, and has a little more Leifure than he can have here, intends to preferve his own Memory, as well as many other Things more neceffary to be known, by publifhing a Hiftory of British America, efpecially that Part of it called New-England.
I long to falute you and your Lady, the Daughter of my good Friend Doctor Gourney, to whofe Memory I owe, and indeed pay, a very grateful Remembrance. I know you would be pleafed with the Perfon and Accomplifhments of my Con- fort; but how you would fancy a full-bodied, fat Fellow, like old Archibald, of the Hafs,"1º I can't tell, till I try. God grant we may once more fee one another!
Our Attention here has been for fome Time taken up with the News of Meafures on Foot to unite Ireland to England, as Scotland is. I pray. God they may never take Effect; for if they do, farewell Liberty. You are greater Slaves already than our Negroes; and an Union of that Kind would make you more Underlings than you are now. The Accounts of the open Irreligion of the greater Ifland, inclines me to im- agine that Ireland is on the Brink of obtaining (as, if thefe Accounts are true, it deferves) its ancient Name of Infula Sanctorum : But if ever you come into a clofer Connection with the more eaftern Ifland, Corruption will increafe, Ped- lars be promoted to Power, but the Clergy and landed Inter- eft will fink into Difefteem. I fuppofe thofe that are fent to rule with you, like thofe who fometimes are fent here, imagine fleecing to be a better Bufinefs than feeding the Flock. I wifh all Men well, and hope, notwithftanding unpromifing Ap- pearances, that the Times will mend, the Church be careffed, and true vital Religion gain Ground. In thefe Parts, it muft be owned, that in thefe laft thirty Years, and with little or no temporal Encouragement, but the contrary, our Church has taken an amazing Spread; and though we have ftill more of
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the Form than the Power of Godlinefs, yet there are vaft Numbers of Converts of Confcience coming daily into the Churches here.
My Wife begs the Acceptance of her beft Withes for you, Mrs. Limrick, and Family, and all Friends; and I hope, dear Sir, you will believe I am fincere when I affure you, that I am, with great Refpect, Your affectionate Coufin, Brother,
And very humble Servant, JAMES MACSPARRAN.
LETTER III. To MR. WILLIAM STEVENSON.
Narraganfet, Colony of Rhode Island, in New England, Aug. 21, 1752.
SIR,
I HEARD fome Time ago of your Life and Welfare, and write you this, under Colonel Cary's Cover, to let you know that I am yet alive, and retain my old Reverence for your Friendfhip, and with you well with the warmeft Affec- tions. I have fent you a Sermon of mine, which, though you may not like, yet I doubt not you will read for the Sake of the Author. I with you fo extremely well, that it would re- joice me to hear you made yourfelf Matter of the Contro- verfy between the Church and the Diffenters. Believe me, Prejudice of Education is too ftrong for any but mafterly Minds; and were it not thus, the Separation our Fathers made had been long ere now healed up by their Sons. I do not mean by this, to difpofe you to think me ftiff, or rigid, or un- charitable; but if we agree in Subitance and Fundamentals, why fhould we keep out of a national Church for Matters confeffedly indifferent? Were I near you, I would lend you Books that have weighed much with me; and after you had read them, fhould you continue to think as you were taught to do, I fhould ftill love you as a Brother, and as indeed I always did. - But no more of this.
My Brother and his Wife died a Year ago laft June; I hope he left his Family independent, and able to do for themfelves. I am fure I helped him with a liberal Hand. I have Leave to go for England for ten or twelve Months, to go to the Bath for better Health; if I can bring Matters to bear to get to England, my next puth would be to be feated in Ireland; but, alas! I have no Friends to depend on for Preferment, or even fo competent a Provifion there as I have here. I am in the Hands of a good God, who has the Hearts of Men at com- mand; and if he fees that I can ferve the Intereft of Christ's Church, either in the Ufe of the English or Irifb Language, which you know I can write and read, and upon Occafion could preach in, he will raife me up Friends, and reitore me
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to my native Land, or near it: If not, his Will be done. You and I are fo far advanced, that it behoves us to double our Diligence, and make our Calling and Election fure; which, that we may be found both doing, fo as to meet in a happy Eternity, is the ardent Prayer of, SIR, Your affectionate Friend, And very humble Servant, JAMES MACSPARRAN.
P.S. My Service to all enquiring Friends; and Letters directed to the Rev. James Macfparran, Doctor in Divinity, in Narraganfet, New England, will reach me.
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SENATUS ACADEMIÆE GLASGUENSIS CHRISTIANO LECTORI SALUTEM
V FIXIT apud nos ingenuus et probus adolefcens Jacobum Macfparran, qui poftquam philofophia et cloquentia ftu- diis, ita gnaviter incubuiffet, ut non minimos in iifdem progref- fus fecerit, feliciter tandem peracto curriculi fui fpatio, honora- rium quod literatis et ftudiofis a nobis deferri folet MAGISTERII TI- TULAM merito confecutus eft. Adeo ut ingenii, virtutis atque eru- ditionis teftimonium difcedenti negari non poffimus. Id enim a nobis poftulat cum officii nottri ratio tum probi adolefcentis meri- tum. Proinde bonos omnes et literarum ftudiofos etiam atque etiam oratos volumus, ut qua humaniorum difciplinarum candidato, qua morum candori, qua denique veræ religioni benevolenter debetur eam alumno huic noftro et fuo in Chrifto Jefu fratri libenter pre- ftent. In quorum fidem literis hifce communi academia figillo mu- nitis, nomina noftra fubfcripfimus. Datum Glafgux, 5to die Mar- tii, an. æræ Chrift. MDCCIX.
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