September 2, 2025 • 13 mins
Discover a rich tapestry of voices in Black Experience in America, 18th-20th Century. This collection features a diverse range of non-fiction, fiction, poetry, drama, and speeches sourced from Project Gutenberg, highlighting works by and about African Americans. From the poignant epistolary exchanges of late 18th-century black Baptist preachers to the powerful testimonies of ex-slaves from the 1930s, this anthology offers a profound exploration of the African American journey through time. (Summary by BellonaTimes)
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Section thirteen of Black Experience in America eighteenth to twentieth century.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Titled by author recording by Buddha
(00:21):
Black Experience in America eighteenth to twentieth century by various
Section thirteen Sketches of the Black Baptist Church at Savannah
in Georgia and of their minister, Andrew Bryan, extracted from
several letters from the Journal of Negro History, Volume one,
(00:42):
January nineteen sixteen. Author various release date October fifth, two
thousand four E book number one three six four two, Savannah,
July nineteenth, seventeen ninety, et cetera. Dear brother, with pleasure,
(01:02):
I receive your favor of the twentieth ultimon more, particularly
as I trust the correspondence may be of use to
Brother Andrew's church concerning the origin of which I have
taken from him the following account. Our brother Andrew was
one of the black hearers of George Lyle, of whom
an account was given before and was hopefully converted by
(01:23):
his preaching. From chapter three of Saint John's Gospel and
the clause of verse seven, ye must be born again.
Prior to the departure of George Lyle for Jamaica, he
came up from Tybee River, where departing vessels frequently lay
ready for sea, and baptized our brother Andrew with a
wench of the name Hagar, both belonging to Jonathan Bryan Esquire.
(01:46):
These were the last performances of our brother George Lyle
in this quarter. About eight or nine months after his departure,
Andrew began to exhort his black hearers with a few whites.
Edward Davis Esquire indulged him and his hearers to erect
a rough building on his land at Yamacrats in the
suburbs of Savannah, for a place of worship of which
(02:08):
they have been very artfully dispossessed. In this their beginning
of worship, they had frequent interruptions from the whites, as
it was at a time that a number of blacks
had absconded and some had been taken away by the British.
This was a plausible excuse for their wickedness in their interruptions.
The whites grew more and more inveterate, taking numbers of
(02:31):
them before magistrates. They were imprisoned and whipped. Sampson, a
brother of Andrew, belonging to the same master, was convicted
about a year after him, and continued with him in
all their persecutions, and does until now. These, with many others,
were twice imprisoned, and about fifty were severely whipped, particularly Andrew,
(02:54):
who was cut and bled abundantly while he was under
their lashes. Brother Hamilton's as he held up his hand
and told his persecutors that he rejoiced not only to
be whipped, but would freely suffer death for the cause
of Jesus Christ. The Chief Justice, Henry Osborne Esquire, James
Habersham Esquire, and David Montague Esquire were their examinants and
(03:19):
released them. Their kind master also interceded for them and
was much affected and grieved at their punishment. Brother Hamilton
was also an advocate for them, and further says that
at one of their examinations, George Walton Esquire spoke freely
in favor of the sufferers, saying that such treatment would
(03:39):
be condemned even among barbarians. The Chief Justice Osborne then
gave them liberty to continue their worship between sunrising and sunset,
and their indulgent master told the magistrate that he would
give them the liberty of his own house or his
barn at a place called Brampton, about three miles from town,
(04:00):
that they should not be interrupted in their worship. In
consequence hereof, they made use of their master's barn, where
they had a number of hearers with little or no
interruption for about two years. During the time of worship
at Brampton, Brother Thomas Burton, an elderly Baptist preacher, paid
them a visit, examined and baptized about eighteen blacks. At
(04:24):
another period, while there, they received a visit from our
brother Abraham Marshall, who examined and baptized about forty and
gave them two certificates under his hand, copies of which follow.
This is to certify that upon examination into the experiences
and characters of a number of Ethiopians and adjacent to Savannah,
(04:46):
it appears that God has brought them out of darkness
into the light of the Gospel and given them fellowship
one with another. Believing it is the will of Christ,
we have constituted them a church of Jesus Christ to
keep up his works, worship and ordinances. Signed a Marshall BDM,
January nineteenth, seventeen eighty eight. This is to certify that
(05:11):
the Ethiopian Church of Jesus Christ at Savannah have called
their beloved Andrew to the work of the ministry. We
have examined into his qualifications, and, believing it to be
the will of the Great Head of the Church, we
have appointed him to preach the Gospel and to administer
the ordinances as God in his providence may call. Signed
(05:33):
a Marshall VDM, January twentieth, seventeen eighty eight. After the
death of their master, his son, Doctor William Bryan, generously
continued them the use of the barn for worship until
the estate was divided among the family. Our brother Andrew,
(05:53):
by consent of parties, purchased his freedom, bought a lot
at Yamacras, and built a residence near the dwelling house
which their master had given Samson liberty to build on
his lot, and which have ever been made use of
for worship. But by the division of their master's estate,
the lot wherein Samson had built a house to live in,
(06:13):
and which until this time continues to be used for
worship by Andrew, fell into the hands of an attorney
who married a daughter of the deceased mister Bryan, and
receives no less than twelve pounds a year for it.
Samson serves as a clerk, but frequently exhorts in the
absence of his brother, who has appointments in different places
to worship. Brother Andrew's account of his number in full
(06:37):
communion is two hundred and twenty five, and about three
hundred and fifty have been received as converted followers, many
of whom have not permissioned from their owners to be baptized.
The whole number is judged to be about five hundred
and seventy five from the towns being taken to this
present July. I have consulted Brother Hamilton, who thinks they
(06:58):
have need of a few Bibles, the Baptist Confession of Faith,
the Catechism, Wilson on Baptism, some of Bryan's works, or
any other that your wisdom may think useful to an
illiterate people. They all join in prayer for you and
yours and beg your intercession at the Throne of Grace
for them, as well as for the small number of
(07:19):
whites that dwell there, and among them, I hope you
will not forget your poor, unworthy brother, and believe me
with sincere affections and brotherly love your in the bonds
of the Gospel, Signed Jonathan Clark. Concerning the church at Savannah,
the late Reverend mister Joseph Cook of the Eeha, Upper
(07:40):
Indian Land, thus writes, from the enclosed you will see
how it became a church, and what they have suffered,
which is extremely affecting. But they now begin to rise
from obscurity and to appear great. I have some acquaintance
with their pastor, and have heard in preach. His gifts
(08:01):
are small, but he is clear in the grand doctrines
of the Gospel. I believe him to be truly pious,
and he has been the instrument of doing more good
among the poor slaves than all the learned doctors in America.
The friends of our adorable Redeemer will no doubt rejoice
to find that this large body of Christian negroes, under
(08:22):
the patronage of some of the most respectable persons in
their city, have opened a subscription for the erecting of
a place of worship in the City of Savannah for
the Society of Black People of the Baptist denomination. The
property to be vested in the hands of seven or
more persons in trust for the church and congregation. Their
case is sent to England, recommended by J. Johnson, Minister
(08:46):
of the Union Church, John Hamilton, Ebenezer Hills, Joseph Watts,
d Moses Vallaton, John Milne, Abraham Leggett. Since the preceding
account has been in the press, other letters have been received,
of which the following is an extract. Kingston, Jamaica, May eighteenth,
(09:11):
seventeen ninety two. Reverend and dear Sir, In answer to yours,
I wrote December eighteenth last, and as I have not
received a line from you since I send this, not
knowing but the other was miscarried, mister Green has called
upon me and very kindly offered his service to deliver
(09:32):
a letter from me into your hands. He also advised
me to send you a copy of our Church Covenant,
which I have done, being a collection of some of
the principal texts of scripture which we observe both in
America and this country for the direction of our practice.
It is read once a month here on sacrament meetings
that our members may examine if they live according to
(09:55):
all those laws which they profess covenanted and agreed to.
By this means, our church is kept in scriptural subjection.
As I observe in my last the chiefest part of
our society are poor, illiterate slaves, some living on sugar estates,
some on mountains, pens and other settlements that have no learning.
(10:18):
Know not to know so much as a letter in
the book. But the reading this Covenant once a month,
when all are met together from the different parts of
the island, keeps them in mind of the commandments of God.
And by shewing the same to the gentlemen of the
legislature and the justices and magistrates. When I applied for
a sanction, it gave them general satisfaction. And wherever a
(10:42):
negro servant is to be admitted, their owners, after the
pursual of it, are better satisfied. We are this day
raising the roof on the walls of our meeting house.
The height of the walls from the foundation is seventeen feet.
I have a right to praise God and glorify Him
for the manifold blessings I have received and do still
(11:03):
receive from Him. I have full liberty from Spanish Town,
the capital of this country, to preach the Gospel throughout
the island. The Lord is blessing the work everywhere, and
believers are added daily to the church. My tongue is
not able to express the goodness of the Lord. As
our meeting house is out of town, about a mile
(11:25):
and a half, I have a steeple on it to
have a bell to give notice to our people, and
more particularly to the owners of slaves that are in
our society, that they may know the hour on which
we meet, and be satisfied that our servants return in
due time. For which reason I shall be greatly obliged
to you to send me out as soon as possible,
(11:46):
a bell that can be heard about two miles distance.
With the price I have won at present, but it
is rather small. The slaves may then be permitted to
come and return in due time, For at present we
meet the very irregular. In respect to ours, I remain
with the utmost regards, love and esteem, Reverend Sir, Yours,
(12:09):
et CETERA George Lyle copy of a recommendatory letter of
Hannah Williams, a Negro woman in London. It is all
in print, except for the part of which now appears
in italics. Kingston, Jamaica. We that are of the Baptist religion,
being separated from all churches, excepting that they are of
(12:31):
the same faith and order after Jesus Christ, according to
the scriptures, do certify that our beloved sister Hannah Williams,
during the time she was a member of the church
at Savannah until the evacuation, did walk as a faithful,
well behaved Christian. And to recommend her to join any
church of the same faith and order, given under my
(12:54):
hand this twenty first day of December, in the year
of Our Lord, seventeen ninety one. One George Lyle, Baptist
Annual Register, seventeen ninety to seventeen ninety three, pages three
thirty nine to three forty four, end of section thirteen.
Recording by Buddha. End of Black Experience in America eighteenth
(13:18):
to twentieth century by various
Section thirteen of Black Experience in America eighteenth to twentieth century.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Titled by author recording by Buddha
(00:21):
Black Experience in America eighteenth to twentieth century by various
Section thirteen Sketches of the Black Baptist Church at Savannah
in Georgia and of their minister, Andrew Bryan, extracted from
several letters from the Journal of Negro History, Volume one,
(00:42):
January nineteen sixteen. Author various release date October fifth, two
thousand four E book number one three six four two, Savannah,
July nineteenth, seventeen ninety, et cetera. Dear brother, with pleasure,
(01:02):
I receive your favor of the twentieth ultimon more, particularly
as I trust the correspondence may be of use to
Brother Andrew's church concerning the origin of which I have
taken from him the following account. Our brother Andrew was
one of the black hearers of George Lyle, of whom
an account was given before and was hopefully converted by
(01:23):
his preaching. From chapter three of Saint John's Gospel and
the clause of verse seven, ye must be born again.
Prior to the departure of George Lyle for Jamaica, he
came up from Tybee River, where departing vessels frequently lay
ready for sea, and baptized our brother Andrew with a
wench of the name Hagar, both belonging to Jonathan Bryan Esquire.
(01:46):
These were the last performances of our brother George Lyle
in this quarter. About eight or nine months after his departure,
Andrew began to exhort his black hearers with a few whites.
Edward Davis Esquire indulged him and his hearers to erect
a rough building on his land at Yamacrats in the
suburbs of Savannah, for a place of worship of which
(02:08):
they have been very artfully dispossessed. In this their beginning
of worship, they had frequent interruptions from the whites, as
it was at a time that a number of blacks
had absconded and some had been taken away by the British.
This was a plausible excuse for their wickedness in their interruptions.
The whites grew more and more inveterate, taking numbers of
(02:31):
them before magistrates. They were imprisoned and whipped. Sampson, a
brother of Andrew, belonging to the same master, was convicted
about a year after him, and continued with him in
all their persecutions, and does until now. These, with many others,
were twice imprisoned, and about fifty were severely whipped, particularly Andrew,
(02:54):
who was cut and bled abundantly while he was under
their lashes. Brother Hamilton's as he held up his hand
and told his persecutors that he rejoiced not only to
be whipped, but would freely suffer death for the cause
of Jesus Christ. The Chief Justice, Henry Osborne Esquire, James
Habersham Esquire, and David Montague Esquire were their examinants and
(03:19):
released them. Their kind master also interceded for them and
was much affected and grieved at their punishment. Brother Hamilton
was also an advocate for them, and further says that
at one of their examinations, George Walton Esquire spoke freely
in favor of the sufferers, saying that such treatment would
(03:39):
be condemned even among barbarians. The Chief Justice Osborne then
gave them liberty to continue their worship between sunrising and sunset,
and their indulgent master told the magistrate that he would
give them the liberty of his own house or his
barn at a place called Brampton, about three miles from town,
(04:00):
that they should not be interrupted in their worship. In
consequence hereof, they made use of their master's barn, where
they had a number of hearers with little or no
interruption for about two years. During the time of worship
at Brampton, Brother Thomas Burton, an elderly Baptist preacher, paid
them a visit, examined and baptized about eighteen blacks. At
(04:24):
another period, while there, they received a visit from our
brother Abraham Marshall, who examined and baptized about forty and
gave them two certificates under his hand, copies of which follow.
This is to certify that upon examination into the experiences
and characters of a number of Ethiopians and adjacent to Savannah,
(04:46):
it appears that God has brought them out of darkness
into the light of the Gospel and given them fellowship
one with another. Believing it is the will of Christ,
we have constituted them a church of Jesus Christ to
keep up his works, worship and ordinances. Signed a Marshall BDM,
January nineteenth, seventeen eighty eight. This is to certify that
(05:11):
the Ethiopian Church of Jesus Christ at Savannah have called
their beloved Andrew to the work of the ministry. We
have examined into his qualifications, and, believing it to be
the will of the Great Head of the Church, we
have appointed him to preach the Gospel and to administer
the ordinances as God in his providence may call. Signed
(05:33):
a Marshall VDM, January twentieth, seventeen eighty eight. After the
death of their master, his son, Doctor William Bryan, generously
continued them the use of the barn for worship until
the estate was divided among the family. Our brother Andrew,
(05:53):
by consent of parties, purchased his freedom, bought a lot
at Yamacras, and built a residence near the dwelling house
which their master had given Samson liberty to build on
his lot, and which have ever been made use of
for worship. But by the division of their master's estate,
the lot wherein Samson had built a house to live in,
(06:13):
and which until this time continues to be used for
worship by Andrew, fell into the hands of an attorney
who married a daughter of the deceased mister Bryan, and
receives no less than twelve pounds a year for it.
Samson serves as a clerk, but frequently exhorts in the
absence of his brother, who has appointments in different places
to worship. Brother Andrew's account of his number in full
(06:37):
communion is two hundred and twenty five, and about three
hundred and fifty have been received as converted followers, many
of whom have not permissioned from their owners to be baptized.
The whole number is judged to be about five hundred
and seventy five from the towns being taken to this
present July. I have consulted Brother Hamilton, who thinks they
(06:58):
have need of a few Bibles, the Baptist Confession of Faith,
the Catechism, Wilson on Baptism, some of Bryan's works, or
any other that your wisdom may think useful to an
illiterate people. They all join in prayer for you and
yours and beg your intercession at the Throne of Grace
for them, as well as for the small number of
(07:19):
whites that dwell there, and among them, I hope you
will not forget your poor, unworthy brother, and believe me
with sincere affections and brotherly love your in the bonds
of the Gospel, Signed Jonathan Clark. Concerning the church at Savannah,
the late Reverend mister Joseph Cook of the Eeha, Upper
(07:40):
Indian Land, thus writes, from the enclosed you will see
how it became a church, and what they have suffered,
which is extremely affecting. But they now begin to rise
from obscurity and to appear great. I have some acquaintance
with their pastor, and have heard in preach. His gifts
(08:01):
are small, but he is clear in the grand doctrines
of the Gospel. I believe him to be truly pious,
and he has been the instrument of doing more good
among the poor slaves than all the learned doctors in America.
The friends of our adorable Redeemer will no doubt rejoice
to find that this large body of Christian negroes, under
(08:22):
the patronage of some of the most respectable persons in
their city, have opened a subscription for the erecting of
a place of worship in the City of Savannah for
the Society of Black People of the Baptist denomination. The
property to be vested in the hands of seven or
more persons in trust for the church and congregation. Their
case is sent to England, recommended by J. Johnson, Minister
(08:46):
of the Union Church, John Hamilton, Ebenezer Hills, Joseph Watts,
d Moses Vallaton, John Milne, Abraham Leggett. Since the preceding
account has been in the press, other letters have been received,
of which the following is an extract. Kingston, Jamaica, May eighteenth,
(09:11):
seventeen ninety two. Reverend and dear Sir, In answer to yours,
I wrote December eighteenth last, and as I have not
received a line from you since I send this, not
knowing but the other was miscarried, mister Green has called
upon me and very kindly offered his service to deliver
(09:32):
a letter from me into your hands. He also advised
me to send you a copy of our Church Covenant,
which I have done, being a collection of some of
the principal texts of scripture which we observe both in
America and this country for the direction of our practice.
It is read once a month here on sacrament meetings
that our members may examine if they live according to
(09:55):
all those laws which they profess covenanted and agreed to.
By this means, our church is kept in scriptural subjection.
As I observe in my last the chiefest part of
our society are poor, illiterate slaves, some living on sugar estates,
some on mountains, pens and other settlements that have no learning.
(10:18):
Know not to know so much as a letter in
the book. But the reading this Covenant once a month,
when all are met together from the different parts of
the island, keeps them in mind of the commandments of God.
And by shewing the same to the gentlemen of the
legislature and the justices and magistrates. When I applied for
a sanction, it gave them general satisfaction. And wherever a
(10:42):
negro servant is to be admitted, their owners, after the
pursual of it, are better satisfied. We are this day
raising the roof on the walls of our meeting house.
The height of the walls from the foundation is seventeen feet.
I have a right to praise God and glorify Him
for the manifold blessings I have received and do still
(11:03):
receive from Him. I have full liberty from Spanish Town,
the capital of this country, to preach the Gospel throughout
the island. The Lord is blessing the work everywhere, and
believers are added daily to the church. My tongue is
not able to express the goodness of the Lord. As
our meeting house is out of town, about a mile
(11:25):
and a half, I have a steeple on it to
have a bell to give notice to our people, and
more particularly to the owners of slaves that are in
our society, that they may know the hour on which
we meet, and be satisfied that our servants return in
due time. For which reason I shall be greatly obliged
to you to send me out as soon as possible,
(11:46):
a bell that can be heard about two miles distance.
With the price I have won at present, but it
is rather small. The slaves may then be permitted to
come and return in due time, For at present we
meet the very irregular. In respect to ours, I remain
with the utmost regards, love and esteem, Reverend Sir, Yours,
(12:09):
et CETERA George Lyle copy of a recommendatory letter of
Hannah Williams, a Negro woman in London. It is all
in print, except for the part of which now appears
in italics. Kingston, Jamaica. We that are of the Baptist religion,
being separated from all churches, excepting that they are of
(12:31):
the same faith and order after Jesus Christ, according to
the scriptures, do certify that our beloved sister Hannah Williams,
during the time she was a member of the church
at Savannah until the evacuation, did walk as a faithful,
well behaved Christian. And to recommend her to join any
church of the same faith and order, given under my
(12:54):
hand this twenty first day of December, in the year
of Our Lord, seventeen ninety one. One George Lyle, Baptist
Annual Register, seventeen ninety to seventeen ninety three, pages three
thirty nine to three forty four, end of section thirteen.
Recording by Buddha. End of Black Experience in America eighteenth
(13:18):
to twentieth century by various
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