WHEREAS the Enormity of our Sins, the Neglect of the Divine Service and Worship of God, and from our gross Sensualities and Immoralities, God Almighty has been pleased to correct Britain and these Colonies, by a heavy and dangerous War, by which we are in imminent Danger of losing the invaluable Blessing of our holy Religion, Liberties and Possessions: And whereas he has justly corrected these Colonies, by raising a Spirit in our Indian Neighbours, to invade, massacre, and make Prisoners, the British Inhabitants of these Colonies, upon their visible Neglect of the original native Inhabitants, by neither attempting to civilize, nor convert them to our holy Religion, and therefore God Almighty has left us, more immediately to be punished by them, at the Instigation of our cruel and inveterate Enemies the French, who, from their Principles, endeavour to extirpate the Protestant Religion wherever they have Power; and have not only in these Provinces, but in Europe, formed a formidable Popish League, to extirpate and ruin the Protestant Interest of Europe: And whereas it appears, that after a short Correction of the Protestants in Germany, God Almighty has most wonderfully manifested himself in Defence of the Protestant Cause in Germany, and has apparently headed their Armies, by inspiring them with an invincible Courage, and conducting their Councils, and at the same Time dispiriting their Popish Enemies, and turning all their Councils into Foolishness, so that it manifestly appears that God will not desert the holy Protestant Religion, provided we, with humble Hearts, sincerely repent of our gross Sensualities and Immoralities, and our shameful Neglect of his Divine Service and Worship, and serve him and his Christ with our whole Hearts, and not with only a Lip-Service, and external Worship. 

Let us therefore, with sincere Hearts, fall down before him, and suplicate him, through the Merits and Satisfaction of his dear Son Christ Jesus, our only Mediator and Redeemer, to forgive us our Sins, upon our sincere Resolution of Amendment; and that he will avert those Judgments hanging over us, accept of the Punishments already poured out upon us, and leave us no longer to be corrected by our Enemies, but that he will restore us to his Favour, go out and lead our Armies, Fleets and Councils, and inspire us with Courage to defend our holy Religion, and Civil Liberties; and to return him the utmost Praise for manifesting himself so eminently in Defence of the Protestant Interest, and Civil Liberties of Europe; with a lively Hope and Faith, that if we repent and amend, that he will also manifest himself as the God and Protector of the Protestant Cause, and Liberties of Britain and these Colonies, and implore a Blessing on his Majesty's Arms and Councils. 

As therefore a Day of public Fasting and Humiliation is, at this critical Time, most highly necessary, I have, by the Advice of his Majesty's honourable Council, thought fit to issue this my Proclamation, and do hereby appoint Wednesday the Seventh of June next, to be kept holy by all Ranks of People within this Province, as a Day of Fasting and Supplication; and also to give Thanks to Almighty God, and our blessed Saviour Christ Jesus, for having hitherto preserved this Province in Peace, in the Midst of surrounding impending Dangers, and on Account of the Manifestation of his Providence, so remarkable in protecting the Protestant Interest, and Civil Liberties of Europe, from the united Popish Powers; hoping also that he will declare himself the Protector of the Protestant Interest in America, lead our Armies and Councils, and give a Blessing to the Arms of his most gracious Majesty by Sea and Land; and that he may support our religious and civil Liberties, and may vanquish and overcome our insatiable and inveterate Enemies. 

I therefore strictly command and require, that Public Service be had in all Churches and Chappels within this Province, and that it be kept holy, from all manual Labour, and that this Proclamation be publickly read, either on that Day, or some convenient Sunday before it, to give Notice to all Persons within this Province, to pay a Regard and Obedience to it. 

GIVEN under my Hand and the Seal of the said Province, at Newbern, the Twenty-ninth Day of April, in the Thirty-First Year of his Majesty's Reign, and in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-eight.