eland (50 miles distance from Mr. Baker's dwelling
place), to instruct his and another gentlemen's slaves, on two large
sugar estates, into the word of God, producing to me at the same time
the letters and invitations he received. I gave him brother George
Vineyard, one our exhorters, and old experienced professor (who has been
called by grace upwards of eighteen years) to assist him; he also is a
native of America, and this gentleman Mr. Hilton, has provided a House,
and maintainance, a salary, and land for him to cultivate for his
benefit upon his own estate, and brother Baker declared to me, that he
has in the church there, fourteen hundred justified believers, and about
three thousand followers, many under conviction for sin. The distance
brother Baker is at from me is 136 miles, he has undergone a great deal
of persecution and severe trials for the preaching of the gospel, but
our Lord has delivered him safe out of all--Myself and brethren were at
Mr. Liele's Chapel a few weeks ago at the funeral of one of his elders,
he is well, and we were friendly together. All our brethren unite with
me in giving their most Christian love to you, and all the dear beloved
brethren in your church in the best bonds, and beg, both yourself and
them, will be pleased to remember the Ethiopian Baptists in their
prayers, and I remain dear Sir, and brother,

Your poor unworthy brother, in the Lord Jesus Christ,

(Signed) Thomas Nicholas Swigle.

P.S. These sugar estates, in the parish where Brother Baker resides,
are very large and extensive; and they have three to four hundred slaves
on each property.

--_Baptist Annual Register_, 1800-1802, pages 1144-1146.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The Rev. Mr. George Whitefield's intimate friend.

[2] The Editor of the Baptist Annual Register said that he had not the
honor of a correspondence with this respectable minister but that his
name stood thus in the Georgia Association of 1788. At "Kioka, Abraham
Marshall, 22 baptized, 230" members in all.

[3] The character of Mr. Jonathan Clarke, according to the writer, might
be learned at May and Hill's, merchants, Church-row, Fenchurch-street.

[4] It was committed to the care of the Editor of the Baptist Annual
Register.

[5] The Rev. Mr. Johnson was well known in London; he sailed for America
in the fall of 1790; and laboured in the _Orphan House_ at Savannah,
built by Mr. Whitefield, and assigned in trust to the countess of
Huntingdon. On M