Some Of The Religious Opinions Of The Negroes, Though Blended With The
Weakest Credulity And Superstition, Are Not Unworthy Of Attention.
I have
conversed with all ranks and conditions, upon the subject of their faith,
and can pronounce, without the smallest shadow of doubt, that the belief
of one God, and of a future state of reward and punishment, is entire and
universal among them.
It is remarkable, however, that, except on the
appearance of a new moon, as before related, the Pagan natives do not
think it necessary to offer up prayers and supplications to the Almighty.
They represent the Deity, indeed, as the Creator and Preserver of all
things; but in general they consider him as a Being so remote, and of so
exalted a nature, that it is idle to imagine the feeble supplications of
wretched mortals can reverse the decrees, and change the purposes of
unerring Wisdom. If they are asked, for what reason then do they offer up
a prayer on the appearance of the new moon? the answer is, that custom
has made it necessary; they do it, because their fathers did it before
them. Such is the blindness of unassisted nature! The concerns of this
world, they believe, are committed by the Almighty to the superintendence
and direction of subordinate spirits, over whom they suppose that certain
magical ceremonies have great influence. A white fowl suspended to the
branch of a particular tree, a snake's head, or a few handfuls of fruit,
are offerings which ignorance and superstition frequently present, to
deprecate the wrath, or to conciliate the favour of these tutelary
agents.
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