250
SETTLEMENT AT ST. JOHN'S.
miles from the capital. The number baptized at St. John's, in 1789, was 507; while at Grace Hill, 217 were admitted into the church by that ceremony. By this time, five preachers were settled in Antigua ; and in the course of the two following years, the society enrolled 7400 members. At the present period, 1842, the number may be estimated at 11,000. Their settlement at St. John's is situated in Spring Gardens, at the extreme north end of the town, and looks the very picture of neatness and domestic comfort. The present chapel, erected in 1773, is a plain building—devoid of any great architectural beauty, it is true, but interesting from its very simplicity, and from being built by the negroes in times of slavery. The rapid increase of their numbers, already mentioned, rendered it necessary to provide a larger place of worship ; which fact being mentioned to their negro converts, they immediately commenced procuring some of the materials, by each bringing a few stones with them, when they came to their evening meetings in the week. Those of them who were masons and carpenters worked with the greatest energy " in their free hours, after their daily tasks were done ; and those who could not assist in the labour provided victuals for the workmen." Since that period, the chapel has had many enlargements and alterations, made to it. The dwellings of the preachers are gathered around it; and their neat, cheerful-looking burying-ground, in which grows many a beautiful tree, bounds the settlement to the east. Everything about them looks green, and fresh, and lovely; and their wives, in their neat caps, and Quaker-like style of dress, and the often very pretty, but quiet contour of their features, appear in perfect harmony with the other parts of the picture. I must say, I like the Moravians : they seem to have so much open-heartedness about them—such patriarchal simplicity of manners. Among themselves they are ever kind and courteous, forming, as it were, one large family of affectionate brothers and sisters. They have done much good among the black race, for whose welfare the