Virginia House of Burgesses (July 30, 1619) narrative of Speaker of the House, John Pory:
<But, forasmuch as men's affairs do little prosper when God's service is neglected, all the Burgesses took their places in the Quire till prayer was said by Mr. Bucke, the Minister, that it would please God to guide and sanctify all our proceedings to His own glory, and the good of this plantation.
Prayer being ended, to the intent that as we had begun at God Almighty so we might proceed awful and due respect toward his lieutenant…
Be it enacted by this present Assembly that for laying a surer foundation for the conversion of the Indians to Christian religion, each town, city, borough, and particular plantation do obtain unto themselves, by just means, a certain number of the natives’ children to be educated by them in true religion and a civil course of life; of which children the mostly toward boys in wit and graces of nature to be brought up by them in the first elements of literature, so as to be fitted for the college intended for them; that from thence they may be sent to that work of conversion…
All ministers shall duly read Divine service and exercise their ministerial function according to the ecclesiastical laws and orders of the Church of England, and every Sunday in the afternoon shall catechize such as are not yet ripe to come to the Communion. And whosoever of them shall be found negligent or faulty in this kind shall be subjected to the censure of the governor and Council of Estate.> 1619VA001
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
Endnotes:
1619VA001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Virginia Narrative, July 30, 1619, of House of Burgesses, Jamestown, Speaker of the House, John Pory.
This post originally appeared at https://americanminute.com/blogs/todays-american-minute/virginia-house-of-burgesses-july-30-1619