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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Orr to Philip Bearcroft
Orr, William
September 30, 1742
Volume 04, Pages 608-609

[From North Carolina Letter Book of S. P. G.]

St. Pauls Parish So. Carolina Sept 30, 1742.

Revd Sir, [to the Secretary]

Since my last I have baptized 2 adults, one convert from Quakerism, and the other a convert from the sect of the Anabaptists. I have also

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baptized 12 children as appears by the Not. Paroch, which I have enclosed.

As to the number of Inhabitants there is little alteration since my last, except some few dead, and some moved out of the Parish, and there are as many children since born. as keep the number near equal. My congregation at the Church is not large, but at the chappel I have generally about a hundred persons. I am very much concerned when I consider the number of my communicants, but I hope by God's blessing on my endeavours both in publick & private, soon to have an increase. And tho' I have had a very bad state of health this summer, occasioned I believe in a great measure, by the vast fatigue I had in the discharge of my duty being obliged to reside a great distance from both church & chapel, yet I have always performed the duties of my office when in any measure well. I hope to the edification and improvement of the people under my charge.

As yet there is nothing done by the Parish or assembly towards the repairs of the Parsonage House, the want of which has been, and is a very great disadvantage to me. I received 1 Doz. of Books of the Rev. Mr. Garden to wit, an instruction for the Indians, written by the Bishop of Sodor and Mann; which I have distributed amongst those of my Parishioners; who I judge will make the best use of them : and I doubt not but they will be of very great use and service towards the good end intended by them. For tho' we have but a few Indians; and those few unsettled in this Parish, yet we have near 4000 Negroes in it, very few of whom know any thing of Christianity at all.

If the Society thought proper to send me some few of Mr. Wall's abridgment of the history of Infant Baptism and the best answer to Barclay's Apology (if cheap, and to be had on easy terms) to be distributed amongst the people I believe they might be of great use. For as this country was at first settled in a great measure by Baptists & Quakers, so their descendants (tho' they come to church now and then) yet they still retain, and are more or less under the influence of their Father's Principles.

I am Revd Sir, your most, &c.,
WILLIAM ORR.