Rules
For the Society of
Negroes, 1693
By
COTTON MATHER
NEW YORK
1888
Rules
For the Society of
Negroes, 1693
By
COTTON MATHER
NEW YORK
1888
The original publication of the "Rules," etc.,
now reproduced, was a broadside sheet, which, so far
as I know, has been entirely unknown to Mather
Collectors and others interested in Americana for
many years past. I now print a few copies in order
to preserve so interesting a memorial of Cotton
Mather's work—in which, it will be observed, there
is no touch of antislavery sentiment, which was
indeed almost unknown at that period, anywhere.
I have found in one of the author's manuscript
diaries, October, 1693, preserved in the library of
the Massachusetts Historical Society, the following
account of this production:
"Besides ye other praying and pious meetings,
which I have been continually serving, in or Neigh-
borhood, a little after this Period, a company of poor
Negroes, of their own Accord, addressed mee, for
my Countenance to a Design wch they had, of erect-
ing such a Meeting for y' Welfare of their miserable
Nation, that were Servants among us. I allowed
their design and went one Evening & prayed &■
preached [on Ps. 68, 31], wth them: and gave them
the following orders, wch I insert duly for y' curio-
sitie ofye occasion."
GEORGE H. MOORE.
Lenox Library:
July: 1888.
RULES
For the Society of
NEGROES. 1693.
WE the Miferable Children of
Adam, and of Noah, thankfully
Admiring and Accepting the
Free-Grace of GOD, that Offers to Save
us from our Miferies, by the Lord Jesus
Chrift, freely Refolve, with His Help, to be-
come the Servants of that Glorious LORD.
And that we may be Affisted in the
Service of our Heavenly Mafter, we now
Join together in a SOCIETY, wherein the
fallowing RULES are to be obferved.
I. It fhall be our Endeavour, to Meet in
the Evening after the Sabbath ' and
Pray together by Turns, one to Be-
6 Rules for the Society of
gin, and another to Conclude the
Meeting ; And between the two
Prayers, a Pfalm shall be Sung, and
a Sermon Repeated.
II. Our coming to the Meeting, fhall never
be without the Leave of fuch as have
Power over us : And we will be Care-
ful, that our Meeting may Begin and
Conclude between the Hours of Seven
and Nine; and that we may not be
unfeafonably'Abfent from the Fami-
lies whereto we pertain.
III. As we will, with the Help of God, at
all Times avoid all Wicked Company,
fo we will Receive none into our Meet-
ing, but fuch as have fenlibly Reformed
their Lives from all manner of Wick-
ednefs. And therefore, None fhall be
Admitted, without the Knowledge and
Confent of the Minifter of God in this
Place; unto whom we will alfo carry
every Perfon, that feeks for Admijfion
among us; to be by Him Examined,
Inftructed and Exhorted.
Negroes. 1693. 7
IV. We will, as often as may be, Obtain
fome Wife and Good Man, of the
Fnglijh in the Neighbourhoud, and
efpecially the Officers of the Church,
to look in upon us, and by their Pref-
ence and Counfil, do what they think
fitting for us.
V. If any of our Number, fall into the Sin
of Drunkenefs, or Swearing, or Curf-
ing, or Lying, or Stealing, or noto-
rious Difobedience or Unfaithfulnefs
unto their Mailers, we will Admonijh
him of his Mifcarriage, and Forbid his
coming to the Meeting, for at leaft one
Fortnight • And except he then come
with great Signs and Hopes of his Re-
pentance, we will utterly Exclude him,
with Blotting his Name out of our
Lift.
VI. If any of our Society Defile himfelf
with Fornication, we will give him our
Admonition / and fo, debar him from
the Meeting, at leaft half a Year :
Nor lhall he Return to it, ever anv
8 Rules for the Society of
more, without Exemplary Teftimonies
of his becoming a New Creature.
VII. We will, as we have Opportunity, fet
our felves to do all the Good we can,
to the other Negro-Servants in the
Town ; And if any of them fhould, at
unfit Hours, be Abroad, much more,
if any of them fhould Run away from
their Mafters, we will afford them no
Shelter: But we will do what in us
lies, that they may be difcovered, and
puniftied. And if any of us, are found
Faulty, in this Matter, they fhall be
no longer of us.
VIII. None of our Society fhall be Abfent
from our Meeting, without giving a
Reafon of the Abfence; and if it be
found, that any have pretended unto
their Owners, that they came unto the
Meeting, when they were otherwife and
elfewhere Employ'd, we will faithfully
Inform their Owners, and alfo do what
we can to Reclaim fuch Perfon from all
fuch Evil Courfes for the Future.
Negroes. 1693. 9
IX. It fhall be expected from every one in
the Society, that he learn the Cate-
chifm • And therefore, it fhall be one
of our ufual Exercifes, for one of us,
to ask the Queftions, and for all the
reft in their Order, to say the Anfwers
in the Catechifm / Either, The New-
Englijh Catechifm, or the Affemblies
Catechifm, or the Catechifm in the
Negro Chrijlianized.