regard
to the early history of this flock. We make the following extracts
from letters of his, published in London, England, in connection with
other foreign correspondence, during the period from 1790 to 1793:

Brother Palmer,[12] who was pastor at some distance from Silver
Bluff, came and preached to a large congregation at a mill of Mr.
Galphin's; he was a very powerful preacher.... Brother Palmer
came again and wished us to beg Master to let him preach to us;
and he came frequently.... There were eight of us now, who had
found the great blessing and mercy from the Lord, and my wife was
one of them, and Brother Jesse Galphin.... Brother Palmer
appointed Saturday evening to hear what the Lord had done for us,
and next day, he baptized us in the mill stream.... Brother
Palmer formed us into a church, and gave us the Lord's Supper at
Silver Bluff.... Then I began to exhort in the Church, and
learned to sing hymns.... Afterwards the church advised with
Brother Palmer about my speaking to them, and keeping them
together.... So I was appointed to the office of an elder, and
received instruction from Brother Palmer how to conduct myself. I
proceeded in this way till the American War was coming on, when
the Ministers were not allowed to come amongst us, lest they
should furnish us with too much knowledge.... I continued
preaching at Silver Bluff, till the church, constituted with
eight, increased to thirty or more, and 'till the British came to
the city of Savannah and took it.[13]

The first clear conception of time, which we get from these extracts,
in regard to the origin of the Silver Bluff Church, is where David
George speaks of being left in sole charge, as Liele and Palmer might
no longer visit Silver Bluff, lest in so doing, they should impart to
the slaves of the settlement a knowledge, which, in the then
prevailing conditions, would result in their personal freedom, and,
consequently, in great financial loss to their masters. This
undoubtedly was not later than November, 1775, when the Earl of
Dunmore issued on American soil a proclamation of emancipation, in
which the black slaves and the white indentured bondmen were alike
promised freedom, provided they espoused the cause of England, in its
struggle with the colonists. How well these slaves understood and
appreciated the proffered boon, may be inferred fro