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ject of this proposed miſſon, from an African, Phillis Wheatley, dated Boſton, February 9, 1774.
ʻ I have received a paper, by which I underſtand there are two Negro men, who are deſirous of returning to their native country, to preach the goſpel. What I can do in influencing my chriſtian friends and acquaintance to promote this laudable deſign, ſhall not be wanting. My heart expanded with ſympathetic joy to ſee, at a diſtant time, the thick cloud of ignorance diſperſing from the face of my benighted country. Europe and America have long been fed with the heavenly proviſion : And I fear they loath it ; while Africa is periſhing with a ſpiritual famine. O that they could partake of the crumbs, which fall from the table of theſe diſtinguiſhed children of the kingdom !
ʻ I hope that which the divine, royal Pſalmiſt ſays by inſpiration, is now on the point of being accompliſhed, viz. ʻEthiopia ſhall ſoon ſtretch forth her hands unto God.’
The two men abovementioned have been at ſchool, and under inſtruction moſt of the time ſince the date of the above propoſal. They have ſpent one winter at Princeton, under the care of Dr. Witherſpoon, preſident of the college there. And they have made ſuch proficiency, and are in ſuch a meaſure qualified for the miſſion propoſed, that they would enter upon it directly, were there opportunity to ſend them to Africa, (which there is not at preſent, by reason of the ſtate of our public affairs) and had we money ſufficient to furniſh them for this purpoſe.
Since this deſign has been on foot, means have been uſed to get intelligence of John Quamine's family, by writing to Philip Quaque, a black, and native of Guinea, who is miſſionary from the ſociety in London for propagating the goſpel in foreign parts, and reſides at Cape Coaſt Caſtle ; relating to him the manner of his being brought from Guinea ; and ſending his deſcription of his father's family, and informing that he was now free, and had thoughts of returning to his native country, &c. In anſwer to which he writes as follows.
