Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts 101could be more successful converting African slaves, Neau
requested that the church assign him to serve the black pop-
ulation. Th e fi rst SPG missionary to specifi cally reach out to
enslaved Africans, Neau spent much of this time convinc-
ing white masters to release their slaves for weekly Chris-
tian education. In classes Neau read from the Bible, taught
slaves to read, led prayers, encouraged the memorization of
creeds and psalms, and prepared individuals for baptism.
Prompted by resistance and concern from slave masters
that baptism would endanger slavery, Neau sponsored a
1706 New York law asserting that baptism did not change
the civil status of slaves. A slave revolt in 1712 and continu-
ing suspicion from slave masters complicated Neau’s eff orts
at reaching blacks in New York, though he was consistently
impressed by the willing, studious, and pious attitudes of
his black students above all others.
Hearing about Neau’s eff orts, dozens of SPG mis-
sionaries began to seek out Africans for conversion. In the
South, particularly South Carolina, missionaries met with
limited success. Th ough dedicated to converting Africans,
many SPG missionaries were still hesitant to baptize blacks
or teach them to read and struggled fi ercely with slave
masters who were cruel and refused to send their slaves
to classes. Th roughout the colonies, missionaries over-
whelmingly described antagonisms with slaveholders as
the major impediment to wholesale conversion since they
found slaves to be most amenable to instruction. To rem-
edy this problem, the SPG supported legislation to make
the Christianization and baptism of slaves compulsory.
Despite obstacles, by 1717, South Carolina missionary Dr.
Le Jau reported weekly meetings with 30 to 40 slaves and
boasted that large numbers of whites were convinced that
Christianity encouraged obedience and submission among
their slaves.
By 1730, SPG funds had become limited and mission
work was largely relegated to individual parish priests who
continued to convert blacks on a much smaller scale. Neau’s
center in New York remained the Society’s primary vehicle
for black education and expanded its operations in 1743 to
include a day school. Th e school educated about 40 chil-
dren a year and off ered night classes for adults. Society ef-
forts waned throughout the second half of the 18th century
and came to an end during the Revolutionary War when
SPG missionaries, British loyalists, were driven out of the
country and targeted because of their affi liations with the
Church of England.and set fashion trends that transcended the islands they
inhabited.
See also: Atlantic Slave Trade; Gorée Island; Senegambia
Dawn MilesBibliography
Brooks, George E. “Th e Signares of Saint-Louis and Gorée: Women
Entrepreneurs in Eighteenth Century Senegal.” In Women
in Africa: Studies in Social and Economic Change, edited by
Nancy J. Hafk in and Edna G. Bay, 19–44. Stanford, CA: Stan-
ford University Press, 1976.
Hargraves, John D. “Assimilation in Eighteenth-Century Senegal.”
Th e Journal of African History 6 (1965):177–84.
Searing, James F. West African Slavery and Atlantic Commerce: Th e
Senegal River Valley, 1 700– 1 860. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press, 1993.
Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel in Foreign Parts
King William III established the Society for the Propaga-
tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) in response to
concerns from his advisors over the religious welfare of
colonists living in America. Th e 1701 SPG charter called
on teachers and priests to enter the mission fi eld and tend
to the health of the Anglican church in America. Months
later the mission was expanded to include Africans and
Native Americans. For this, the SPG stands out as one of
the fi rst major Christian institutions that dedicated its ef-
forts and resources to evangelizing enslaved Africans.
In 18th-century North America, SPG policies toward
Africans were controversial; many whites believed Chris-
tian education and baptism would disrupt slavery. Th ose
who objected to the Christianization of slaves were con-
cerned about the threat of literacy, the development of slave
religious institutions, and the possibility that Christianity
might endorse liberty. It was the position of the SPG that
Christianization did not undermine the system of slavery,
but helped to create obedient slaves who understood that
the reward for hard work and deference came in the aft er-
life. Although the policies of the SPG were not intended to
liberate slaves or advocate abolition, missionaries gener-
ally encouraged masters to treat slaves with paternalistic
kindness.
In 1703, the SPG appointed Elias Neau to missionize
among the Native Americans in New York. Believing he