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The Directors of the [London] Missionary Society, having conferred with their missionary, Mr [John] Wray, express their opinions on the regulations for preaching in Demerara [Guyana]. The regulations are: (1) Meetings for religious instruction on Sundays only between 5am and 9pm; (2) On weekdays meetings only during daylight hours, excepting when permission given by the European enslaver. Beyond these regulations there should be no interference by the Colonial Government or magistrates when missionaries are preaching to enslaved people.
Directors thank their lordships for assistance and for 'the sake of peace and conciliation' will ignore the 'jealousy and prejudices of the planters'. However, Wray suggests second restriction is impracticable. One day (i.e. Sunday) not sufficient 'for the instruction of untutored Negroes' as they do not have time (due to their hours of work) to make daytime meetings. Wray also points out the difficulty of preaching on the estates. Many estates are close together so collective worship would make sense. Furthermore, they also preach to enslaved persons owned by merchants, etc, in the Town of Demerara and they cannot receive instruction unless they are allowed to attend chapel. His wife is also important to the mission but unable to travel to each estate to assist with the enslaved women and their children. Wray's view is that the mission should be abandoned under such restrictions. Wray adds that enslaved persons from different estates mix during their work without any problem and one enslaver even allows enslaved persons from different estates to 'drum and dance a great part of the night' but does not allow enslaved labourers to receive religious instruction. Wray believes that such meetings have a greater danger of disorder then religious meetings. Directors suggest all complaints regarding Wray should be thoroughly investigated but not by those who are 'prejudiced and hostile' in Demerara.
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