Rev. James Maury about 1759 reports on his administration of communion to what appears to have been a racially mixed gathering. ... and there's probably relevant stuff in John Van Horne's edition of Associates of James Bray. On Jan 5, 2016 2:07 PM, "Terry L. Meyers" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I’ve been intrigued for some time by an account given by William > Dawson (2nd President of W&M) of Lenten instruction he offered in 1744. As > I read what he wrote to donors in London, he seems to describe a single > class attended by a variety of people: > > I employed our Youth; every night last Lent, in reading audibly, > distinctly, and solemnly of this excellent Work [The Knowledge and Practice > of Christianity Made Easy to the Meanest Capacities; or, An Essay towards > an Instruction of the Indians; London, 1740], as the Understandings of the > Hearers, in general were able to receive, and their memories to retain. > For beside the Scholars [W&M students, presumably the youngsters in the > Grammar School], there were near 40 white Servants, Indians, and Negroes, > who constantly attended. And as many of these as can conveniently be > present, daily report unto the House of GOD. > > Though Dawson’s language seems pretty clear, some I’ve talked to > think it unlikely such an integrated gathering would have occurred in the > Williamsburg of that era. > > Are there accounts of other gatherings, similar or dissimilar, > that might help shape one reading or the other? > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Terry L. Meyers, Chancellor Professor of English, College of William and > Mary, Williamsburg Virginia 23187 757-221-3932 > > http://wmpeople.wm.edu/site/page/tlmeye/ < > http://wmpeople.wm.edu/site/page/tlmeye/> > > http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/_ecology.html < > http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/_ecology.html> > ———————————————————————————————————————————————————— > > > > > Have we got a college? Have we got a football team?.... Well, we > can't afford both. Tomorrow we start tearing down the college. > --Groucho Marx, in "Horse Feathers." > > > ______________________________________ > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html