by Daniel Defoe
and never to abandon them or their children, and thewomen to the same with their husbands, had been an effectual lawfulmarriage in the sight of God, and it was a great neglect that it wasnot done.
But I thought to have gotten off with my young priest by telling him,that all that part was done when I was not here; and they had lived somany years with them now, that if it was adultery it was past remedy,they could do nothing in it now.
"Sir," says he, "asking your pardon for such freedom, you are right inthis; that it being done in your absence, you could not be charged withthat part of the crime. But I beseech you, matter not yourself that youare not therefore under an obligation to do your uttermost now to put anend to it. How can you think, but that, let the time past lie on whom itwill, all the guilt for the future will lie entirely upon you? Becauseit is certainly in your power now to put an end to it, and in nobody'spower but yours."
I was so dull still, that I did not take him right, but I imagined thatby putting an end to it he meant that I should part them, and not sufferthem to live together any longer; and I said to him I could not do thatby any means, for that it would put the whole island in confusion. Heseemed surprised that I should so far mistake him. "No, Sir," says he,"I do not mean that you should separate them, but legally andeffectually marry them now. And, Sir, as my way of marrying may not beso easy to reconcile them to, though it will be as effectual even byyour own laws; so your way may be as well before God, and as valid amongmen; I mean by a written contract signed by both man and woman, and byall the witnesses present; which all the laws of Europe would decree tobe valid."
I was amazed to see so much true piety, and so much sincerity of zeal,besides the unusual impartiality in his discourse, as to his own partyor church, and such a true warmth for the preserving people that he hadno knowledge of or relation to; I say, for preserving them fromtransgressing the laws of God; the like of which I had indeed not metwith any where. But recollecting what he had said of marrying them by awritten contract, which I knew would stand too, I returned it back uponhim, and told him I granted all that he had said to be just, and on hispart very kind; that I would discourse with the men upon the point nowwhen I came to them. And I knew no reason why they should scruple to lethim marry them all; which I knew well enough would be granted to be asauthentic and valid in England as if they were married by one of our ownclergymen. What was afterwards done in this matter I shall speak ofby itself.
I then pressed him to tell me what was the second complaint which he hadto make, acknowledging I was very much his debtor for the first, andthanked him heartily for it. He told me he would use the same freedomand plainness in the second, and hoped I would take it as well; and thiswas, that notwithstanding these English subjects of mine, as he calledthem, had lived with these women for almost seven years, and had taughtthem to speak English, and even to read it, and that they were, as heperceived, women of tolerable understanding and capable of instruction;yet they had not, to this hour taught them any thing of the Christianreligion; no not so much as to know that there was a God, or a worship,or in what manner God was to be served; or that their own idolatry, andworshipping they knew not who, was false and absurd.
This, he said, was an unaccountable neglect, and what God wouldcertainly call them to an account for; and perhaps at last take the workout of their hands. He spoke this very affectionately and warmly. "I ampersuaded," says he, "had those men lived in the savage country whencetheir wives came, the savages would have taken more pains to havebrought them to be idolaters, and to worship the devil, than any ofthese men, so far as I can see, has taken with them to teach them theknowledge of the true God. Now, Sir," said he, "though I do notacknowledge your religion, or you mine, yet we should be all glad to seethe devil's servants, and the subjects of his kingdom, taught to knowthe general principles of the Christian religion; that they might atleast hear of God, and of a Redeemer, and of the resurrection, and of afuture state, things which we all believe; they had at least been somuch nearer coming into the bosom of the true church, than they are nowin the public profession of idolatry and devil-worship."
I could hold no longer; I took him in my arms, and embraced him with anexcess of passion. "How far," said I to him, "have I been fromunderstanding the most essential part of a Christian, viz. to love theinterest of the Christian church, and the good of other men's souls! Iscarce have known what belongs to being a Christian."--"O, Sir, do notsay so," replied he; "this thing is not your fault."--"No," said I; "butwhy did I never lay it to heart as well as you?"--"It is not too lateyet," said he; "be not too forward to condemn yourself."--"But what canbe done now?" said I; "you see I am going away."--"Will you give meleave," said he, "to talk with these poor men about it?"--"Yes, with allmy heart," said I, "and I will oblige them to give heed to what you saytoo."--"As to that," said he, "we must leave them to the mercy ofChrist; but it is our business to assist them, encourage them, andinstruct them; and if you will give me leave, and God his blessing, I donot doubt but the poor ignorant souls shall be brought home into thegreat circle of Christianity, if not into the particular faith that weall embrace; and that even while you stay here." Upon this I said, "Ishall not only give you leave, but give you a thousand thanks for it."What followed on this account I shall mention also again in its place.
I now pressed him for the third article in which we were to blame. "Whyreally," says he, "it is of the same nature, and I will proceed (askingyour leave) with the same plainness as before; it is about your poorsavages yonder, who are, as I may say, your conquered subjects. It is amaxim, Sir, that is, or ought to be received among all Christians, ofwhat church, or pretended church soever, viz. that Christian knowledgeought to be propagated by all possible means, and on all possibleoccasions. It is on this principle that our church sends missionariesinto Persia, India, and China; and that our clergy, even of thesuperior sort, willingly engage in the most hazardous voyages, and themost dangerous residence among murderers and barbarians, to teach themthe knowledge of the true God, and to bring them over to embrace theChristian faith. Now, Sir, you have an opportunity here to have six orseven-and-thirty poor savages brought over from idolatry to theknowledge of God, their Maker and Redeemer, that I wonder how you canpass by such an occasion of doing good, which is really worth theexpense of a man's whole life."
I was now struck dumb indeed, and had not one word to say; I had here aspirit of true Christian zeal for God and religion before me, let hisparticular principles be of what kind soever. As for me, I had not somuch as entertained a thought of this in my heart before, and I believeshould not have thought of it; for I looked upon these savages asslaves, and people whom, had we any work for them to do, we would haveused as such, or would have been glad to have transported them to anyother part of the world; for our business was to get rid of them, and wewould all have been satisfied if they had been sent to any country, sothey had never seen their own. But to the case: I say I was confoundedat his discourse, and knew not what answer to make him. He lookedearnestly at me, seeing me in some disorder; "Sir," said he, "I shall bevery sorry, if what I have said gives you any offence."--"No, no," saidI, "I am offended with nobody but myself; but I am perfectly confounded,not only to think that I should never take any notice of this before,but with reflecting what notice I am able to take of it now. You know,Sir," said I, "what circumstances I am in; I am bound to the EastIndies, in a ship freighted by merchants, and to whom it would be aninsufferable piece of injustice to detain their ship here, the men lyingall this while at victuals and wages upon the owners' account. It istrue, I agreed to be allowed twelve days here, and if I stay more Imust pay 32 sterling per diem demurrage; nor can I stay upon demurrageabove eight days more, and I have been here thirteen days already; sothat I am perfectly unable to engage in this work; unless I would suffermyself to be left behind here again; in which case, if this single shipshould miscarry in any part of her voyage, I should be just in the samecondition that I was left in here at first, and from which I have beenso wonderfully delivere
d."
He owned the case was very hard upon me as to my voyage, but laid ithome upon my conscience, whether the blessing of saving seven-and-thirtysouls was not worth my venturing all I had in the world for. I was notso sensible of that as he was, and I returned upon him thus: "Why, Sir,it is a valuable thing indeed to be an instrument in God's hand toconvert seven-and-thirty heathens to the knowledge of Christ: but as youare an ecclesiastic, and are given over to that work, so that it seemsnaturally to fall into the way of your profession, how is it then thatyou do not rather offer yourself to undertake it, than press me to it!"
Upon this he faced about, just before me,
