Delmarva Heritage Series, by Dr. William H. Wroten, Jr.
Thomas Bacon On Negro Education
Salisbury Times - May 8, 1958
Several
months ago, while doing research at the Maryland Historical Society
and the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, the author came across an
article written by a former librarian of the Enoch Pratt Library and
one of the foremost students of her history that Maryland has
produced, the late Bernard C. Steiner.
A
quotation from Steiner's article in The Independent, August 24,
1899, reads, "A century and a half ago, in one of the parishes of
the Anglican Church situated on the broad Choptank River in the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, a true and sincere friend of the Negro
lived and labored. His work died with him, but his plans and his
endeavors were so much in advance of the times as to be worthy of
remembrance. He was so far ahead of others that when men of later
days followed in the same path, they found no trace of his
footsteps, and his mane is almost forgotten." This man so highly
praised was the Rev. Thomas Bacon, who arrived at the important
colonial commercial port of Oxford in October, 1745. Bacon,
although not a young man, decided after his ordination to offer his
services to the church in the colonies. He was a man of many
talents and interests but today's column is concerned only with his
interest and activities among the Negroes.
THE
PARISH of St. Peter's, of which Oxford was the principal town, was
served by an old and feeble minister, and Bacon was engaged as his
curate. When the aged minister died a few months later in March,
1746, Bacon became his successor. For the next 12 years St. Peter's
Parish was under the charge of this remarkable man.
Bacon had
been serving the parish but a few years when he wrote to his
parishioners that since his appointment he had seriously and
carefully examined the state of religion in the parish, and found a
great many poor Negro slaves, belonging to Christian masters, living
in as profound ignorance of what Christianity really was as if they
had remained in the midst of their heathen countries.
His first
attempts to deal with the problem consisted of conversations with
people he met on the road, at his home or that of a neighbor. But
he realized that the occasions, and the little Sunday evening
meetings at his own house, were not affecting an answer to the
Negro's religious needs. Therefore, he took the opportunity to
preach to the Negroes of the parish special sermons, which also were
well received by the white congregation. The text was Ephesians 6:8
- "Knowing whatsoever good thing any man doeth the same shall he
receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." These sermons
were even published, for Bacon wished to encourage other clergymen
to take similar action in their parishes. But according to Steiner
he had few imitators.
BACON WAS
NOT to be classed as an abolitionist, for he was himself an owner of
slaves, and he did not see that it was sinful: but he would make
such an institution truly patriarchal. An intelligent and devout
Christian, he referred to the Negroes as his "dear black brothers
and sisters," who had a share in Christ's atonement. To God they
owed such things as love, prayer, fear, and reverence, for God had
given his own son that they too might be saved. Thus, if they were
to receive God's freedom hereafter they had to strive to be good and
serve Him in this life on earth.
Another
duly mentioned in these sermons concerned the Negro's relationship
to the masters placed over them by God, and to whom they owed
implicit obedience except when evil deeds were required. The slaves
were to serve their masters cheerfully, reverently, and with
humility. But to themselves, the slaves owed duties of learning
about God, using their leisure time profitably, and striving to gain
God's blessing. If they would but follow such advice, according to
bacon, they would gain a great and final reward. "God Himself, who
hath made you what you are...hath promised you as large a share in the
kingdom of Heaven as the greatest man alive, if you will but behave
yourself aright."
THE REV.
BACON did not view the Negro's position as a one sided affair; he
did not limit his sermons to instructing slaves in their duties to
the masters. As the Negro slave was in a sense a part of the family
and absolutely under the master's power and direction, the
slave-owner had a Christian duty also. Bacon preached a series of
four sermons to the congregation, using text of Colossians 4:1 -
"Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal,
knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven."
The four
sermons, which were considered sincere, tactful, affectionate, and
practical by Steiner, concerned (1) the nature of obligation, (2)
advantages arising from a due compliance of this obligation, (3)
common excuses and objections to the obligation, and (4) the best
manner of performing this obligation so as to discharge consciences
and bring about the greatest probability of success.
IN THESE
SERMONS, the Rev. Bacon laid stress on the unity and interdependence
of mankind, especially from the point of view of domestic relations.
According to this great minister, the servants stood in nearest
relationship to the masters after his own family, for they were a
part of the household and the ones whose services enabled the
masters to enjoy the "gifts of Providence in ease and plenty," and
who, therefore, should be given a just and equal return. "This
nature and plain, unassisted reason might teach us. But when we
further consider it as a positive command of Almighty God, who is
our, as well as their, Master in heaven, it must needs receive a
vast additional force and convince us that our want of love and
gratitude to these poor serviceable creatures must be attended with
the highest danger: the danger of bringing the wrath and
indignation of our heavenly Master upon our heads; that great
Master, to who we are as much accountable as they are, and, indeed,
far more than they can be, because more is committed to our charge."
These
sermons were reprinted at Winchester, Va., in 1817. But in 1817 the
anti-slavery feeling of the South was changing and certain passages
were omitted, especially the one about the duty of the owners to
have their slaves baptized and appearing for them in person at the
font or providing sufficient godfathers and godmothers for them in
baptism.
SOMETIME
within the next few years the Rev. Bacon began to expand his views
concerning obligations to Negroes so as to include education.
Talbot County, at that time, had only one school and poor families
could not afford to sent their children, Bacon presented the idea
(which he put into practice) of a free manual training school that
would not bar children because of sex, race, or condition of
servitude.
Bacon
must have had the support of the vestry of St. Peter's Parish for
that body in 1750 approved the spending of money for the creation of
a Charity Working School. Bacon, himself, also must have been hard
at work for by Fall he had collected over $400 and a subscription
list was being circulated to raise more funds.
IN THE
MIDDLE of October, 1750, Bacon, in a sermon on behalf of the school,
explained the project to the people gathered at the White Marsh
Church. The primary purpose of the school was to educate the poor
children, keep them from ignorance, idleness, vice, immorality, and
"enable them to be more useful to themselves and the community they
belong to." Bacon went on to say that there was a need in every
parish, for the maintenance and education of orphans, other poor
children, and Negores.
Under
Bacon's plan a teacher was to be employed from England to instruct
as many Negroes and whites as directed by the school trustees, the
number of such students depending upon the money available. The
course of study would consist of reading, writing, arithmetic, and
instructions in "the knowledge and practice of Christian religion."
In addition to all these, manual training was not to be neglected,
for "to their learning shall be added such labor as they are capable
of, that they may be insured to industry, as well as trained up in
the principles of piety and virtue, at a time when their tender
minds may be supposed the most susceptible of good impressions and
least tinctured with the prevailing indolence and vices of the
country in general."
Although
at the end of this formal schooling the white students would become
apprentices of sort, the Negro children for the most part would
remain slaves of their respective masters.
THE REV.
THOMAS Bacon did not by any means stand alone in pushing for the
reality of his project: giving him encouragement and financial
assistance was Lord Baltimore, who not only gave a large
contribution but also gave Bacon "the sinecure of his private
chaplain ship." Bishop Wilson, under whom Bacon had studied,
collected approximately F100 from individuals in England and sent
along the rather interesting suggestion that the money be used to
buy a Negro boy and girl, who after being educated at the school be
employed as servants of the institution. Even concerts were given
at the College Hall in Williamsburg, Va., and in several Maryland
towns for the benefit of this new school.
In
conclusion, to quote again Bernard C. Steiner, the real author of
this column, "No monument marks his (Bacon's) grave, and his work
was forgotten: but if other clergymen had been stirred up by his
example to like action, the slavery question would have had a far
different history."
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