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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Charles Edward Taylor to Richard Hind [Extract]
Taylor, Charles E.
May 17, 1774
Volume 09, Pages 1003-1004

[N. C. Letter Book. S. P. G.]
Extract of letter from Rev. Mr Taylor to the Secretary.

St. George's Parish,
Northampton County, N. C., May 17th, 1774.

Reverend Sir,

I presume you have heard of the calamitous situation this Country has been long involved in for the want of civil Law, of which it has been deprived by the difference of his Majesty's instructions to the sentiments of our Assembly, which has put an entire stagnation to all public business, and falls particularly heavy upon the Clergy who have had no money collected for them for the year past.

We have been much perplexed of late with the sectarists, who some time ago called themselves Anabaptists, but of late have assumed many different denominations, and have great influence over the weak part of the world, by persuading them that they possess a more extraordinary share of divine grace and favor than the rest of mankind accompanied by extraordinary influence of the holy Spirit, and pretend to a familiar intercourse with the Son of God.

Never was the body of the blessed Jesus more torn by the cruelty of the Jews, than his Church is now rent by these people, who take judgment out of his hands, and anathematize every one who conforms to the doctrine of the Church of England, but at last they cannot erase nor break a pillar of that Church against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail.

We have a certain Mr Devereux Jarrat Minister in Dinwiddie County Virginia, who travels about into every parish he thinks proper, in Carolina as well as Virginia, laying aside the service of the Church and making use of extempore prayers and discourses, preaching up free grace, faith without works and other doctrines, very detrimental to a great many weak but well disposed people.

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He has not yet been in my parish neither would I suffer him to preach in it, could I hinder him which I understand he says cannot be done, and that he has authority to preach where he pleases of which I should be glad to be made acquainted.

I have the pleasure to acquaint the Society, that under all these disadvantages there are yet a large number in my parish who despise these Innovators, and continue steadfast in their faith. The number of my communicants are greatly increased to whom I administer the Sacrament twice a year at each Chapel. We have two more churches lately finished and have repaired and enlarged the two others at a considerable expence.

I am yours &c,
C. E. TAYLOR.