Oldham, Thomas Wesly

Grahamstown Oct\[r]/ 29\th/ 1821 /
May it please Your Excellency /
An apology, I trust is needles+s for /
troubling your Excellency with this epistle, therefore /
I would offer none, but let the present state of the colony /
plead my excuse. It is certainly to be regretted that /
there are no legal restrictions to support religion, or /
religious institutions, established in this part of the /
District: the Lords’ Day, being scarcely regarded, which /
falls heavily, upon the labouring clas+s of people, the /
interval of relaxation which Sunday affords to the laborous /
part of mankind, contributes greatly to the comfort, and /
satisfaction of their lives, 7+ conduce to their happines+s, 7+ /
civilisation. Whoever reflects how great a majority of /
the human species, these clas+ses compose, will acknow=ledge /
the utility 7+ perceive it to be every mans duty to /
uphold the observance of Sunday. For if the worship /
of God be a duty of religion, public worship is a neces+sary /
institution; for without it, the greater part of mankind /
will exercise no religious worship at all. And public /
worship has been the universal practice of the world. /
in all ages, 7+ under all religions, 7+ such an universal /
consent, is no les+s than the voice of Nature, for it not /
only supports the Belief of a God, in the mind but it /
strikes an awe of him also, which proves a great preven=tative /
to immorality; and public assemblies afford /
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(…)
I submit these remarks, with due /
deference, for your Excellency’s approbation, knowing you will /
feel pleasure, in embracing any opportunity, that may offer /
for diffusing Christian Knowledge, among the present Colonists, /

as well as the rising generation, I remain /
your Excellency’s /
most Humble 7+ most Obedient Servant /
T. Wesley Oldham /