{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46378/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46378","id":"gutenberg_46378","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46378","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - American","Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: History - Schools & Universities","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Education -- Connecticut -- History","Indians of North America -- Education -- Early works to 1800","Indians of North America -- Missions","Moor's Indian Charity School"],"text":"A plain and faithful\n\n                               NARRATIVE\n\n                                OF THE\n\n                    Original Design, Rise, Progress\n                           and present State\n\n                                OF THE\n\n                        _Indian_ Charity-School\n\n                      At LEBANON, in CONNECTICUT.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n                       By Eleazar Wheelock, A.M.\n\n                    PASTOR OF A CHURCH IN LEBANON.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n  \"The Liberal deviseth liberal Things, and by liberal Things\n  \"shall he stand.\"                           ISAI. xxxii. 8.\n\n  \"The liberal Soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth\n  \"shall also be watered himself.\"              PROV. xi. 25.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n                               _BOSTON_:\n\n      Printed by RICHARD and SAMUEL DRAPER, in _Newbury_-street.\n\n                             M.DCC.LXIII.\n\n\n\n\nTO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE\n\n_WILLIAM_,\n\nMARQUIS OF LOTHIAN.\n\n\n  _May it please your Lordship_,\n\nThat CHARITY and disinterested CARE for the Souls of Men, which make\nso amiable a Part of your Lordship's Character, and give a Lustre and\nGrace to all those worldly Honours with which God has dignified you,\nand entitle you to the kindest Wishes, and sincerest Prayers of all\nwho love our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and long for the Enlargement of his\nKingdom in the World; do now embolden me to inscribe the following\nNarrative to your Lordship, as a Testimonial of my Gratitude, for that\nrepeated Liberality, whereby you have testified your Approbation of our\nfeeble Attempts in the important Affair here related, and given your\nSanction to the Plan we have been prosecuting.\n\nAnd as you have animated and encouraged our small Beginnings, when we\nhad most need of such Countenance and Assistance; so your Condescention\nand Generosity have made me solicitous how to manifest my Gratitude\nsuitably to a Personage of such Distinction.\n\nBut as your Lordship could propose no other End, besides that\nwhich we were pursuing, when you thus opened your Hand for our\nAssistance therein, while it was yet small and obscure; so I may\nreasonably suppose, nothing I can return will give your Lordship more\nSatisfaction, than a plain, and concise Account of the Progress of it,\nand our still growing and encreasing Prospects of those good Effects,\nwhich will be the only Reward which your Lordship could have in View.\n\nAnd though it be presented to your Lordship in a very plain and\nunfashionable Dress, agreeable to the Country from whence it comes, yet\nI am perswaded your Lordship will not despise it on that Account, since\nthe Dress, plain and unfashionable as it is, does so much excel the\nsavage, and sordid Habit, and Appearance of those miserable Creatures,\nwho have so moved your Lordship's Compassion as to become the Objects\nof your Charity and Beneficence. Nor will Modesty itself under such\nendearing and inviting Expressions of your Lordship's Condescention\nand Goodness, forbid our reposing Confidence in you as our Patron, or\nindulging the animating Expectation of future Benefit by your Smiles on\nthis infant Institution.\n\nMay the Blessing of many, who shall, in the present and succeeding\nGenerations, reap the Benefit of your generous Donations, come upon you.\n\nAnd that God may graciously lengthen out your valuable and important\nLife, to refresh the Bowels of his Saints, and encourage THIS, and\nevery Attempt to make known the Name of CHRIST, \"and manifest the\nSavour of his Knowledge in every Place,\" and late confer upon you a\nCrown of Life with distinguished Honours, is the earnest Prayer of,\n\n  May it please your Lordship,\n\n    Your Lordship's\n\n      much obliged, and\n\n        most obedient\n\n          humble Servant,\n\n            _Eleazar Wheelock_.\n\n      LEBANON, Dec. 16. 1762.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nA\n\nNARRATIVE\n\nOF THE\n\n Original DESIGN, RISE, PROGRESS and PRESENT STATE of the _INDIAN_\n CHARITY-SCHOOL in _Lebanon_.\n\n\nUnderstanding there are Numbers of religious and charitably disposed\nPersons, who only wait to know where their Charities may be bestowed\nin the best Manner for the Advancement of the Kingdom of the great\nRedeemer; and, supposing there may also be in some, evil Surmisings\nabout, and a Disposition to discredit a Cause which they don't love,\nand have no Disposition to promote; I have, to gratify the one, and\nprevent the Mischiefs of the other, thought it my Duty to give the\nPublick a short, plain, and faithful Narrative of the Original Design,\nRise, Progress, and present State of the Charity-School here, called\n_Moor's Indian-Charity School, &c._ And I hope there is need of little\nor nothing more than a plain and faithful Relation of Facts, with the\nGrounds and Reasons of them, to justify the Undertaking, and all the\nPains and Expence there has been, in the Prosecution thereof. And to\nconvince all Persons of Ability, that this School is a proper Object\nof their Charity; and that whatever they shall contribute for the\nFurtherance of it, will be an Offering acceptable to God, and properly\nbestowed for the promoting a Design which the Heart of the great\nRedeemer is infinitely set upon.\n\nThe Considerations first moving me to enter upon the Design of\neducating the Children of our Heathen Natives were such as these; viz.\n\nThe great Obligations lying upon us, as God's Covenant-People, who have\nall we have better than they in a Covenant Way, and consequently are\nunder Covenant-Bonds to improve it in the best Manner for the Honour\nand Glory of our liberal Benefactor. And can such Want of Charity to\nthose poor Creatures, as our Neglect has shewn; and, our Neglect of\nthat which God has so plainly made to be the Matter of our Care and\nDuty; and that which the Heart of the great Redeemer is so set upon, as\nthat he never desired any other Compensation for all the Travail of his\nSoul, can it, I say, be without great Guilt on our Part?\n\nIt has seem'd to me, he must be stupidly indifferent to the Redeemer's\nCause and Interest in the World; and criminally deaf and blind to the\nIntimations of the Favour and Displeasure of God in the Dispensations\nof his Providence, who could not perceive plain Intimations of God's\nDispleasure against us for this Neglect, inscribed in Capitals, on the\nvery Front of divine Dispensations, from Year to Year, in permitting\nthe Savages to be such a sore Scourge to our Land, and make such\nDepredations on our Frontiers, inhumanly butchering and captivating our\nPeople; not only in a Time of War, but when we had good Reason to think\n(if ever we had) that we dwelt safely by them.\n\nAnd there is good Reason to think, that if one half which has been, for\nso many Years past expended in building Forts, manning and supporting\nthem, had been prudently laid out in supporting faithful Missionaries,\nand School-Masters among them, the instructed and civilized Party would\nhave been a far better Defence than all our expensive Fortresses, and\nprevented the laying waste so many Towns and Villages: Witness the\nConsequence of sending Mr. _Sergeant_ to _Stockbridge_, which was in\nthe very Road by which they most usually came upon our People, and by\nwhich there has never been one Attack made upon us since his going\nthere; and this notwithstanding there has been, by all Accounts, less\nAppearance of the saving Effects of the Gospel there than in any other\nPlace, where so much has been expended for many Years past.\n\nAnd not only our Covenant Bonds, by which we owe our all to God, and\nour divine Redeemer--our Pity to their Bodies in their miserable, needy\nState--our Charity to their perishing Souls--and our own Peace, and\nSafety by them, should constrain us to it; but also Gratitude, Duty,\nand Loyalty to our rightful Sovereign. How great the Benefit which\nwould hereby accrue to the Crown of _Great-Britain_, and how much the\nInterests of His Majesty's Dominions, especially in _America_, would be\npromoted hereby, we can hardly conceive.\n\nAnd the Christianizing the Natives of this Land is expressly mentioned\nin the Royal Charter granted to this Colony, as a Motive inducing His\nMajesty to grant that Royal Favour to our Fathers. And since we are\nrisen up in their Stead, and enjoy the inestimable Favour granted to\nthem, on this Consideration; What can excuse our not performing to our\nutmost, that which was engaged by, and reasonably expected from, them?\nBut that which is of greatest Weight, and should powerfully excite and\nperswade us hereto, are the many Commands, strong Motives, precious\nPromises, and tremendous Threatnings, which fill so great a Part of the\nsacred Pages; and are so perfectly calculated to awaken all our Powers,\nto spread the Knowledge of the only true God, and Saviour, and make it\nas extensive and common as possible. It is a Work, in which every one\nin his Place, and according to his Ability, is under sacred Bonds to\nuse his utmost Endeavours. But for Brevity sake, I omit a particular\nMention of them, supposing none have read their Bibles attentively, who\ndo not know, that this is a darling Subject of them; and that enough\nis there spoken by the Mouth of God himself, to obviate and silence\nall the Objections which Sloth, Covetousness, or Love of the World can\nsuggest against it; and to assure them it is not a Course to Penury,\nand outward Want, but to Fulness, and worldly Felicity; while they are\nat the same Time laying up a Treasure to be remitted by CHRIST himself,\na Thousand Fold, when he shall _say to them on his Right-hand, come\nye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you--For I\nwas an hungred, and ye gave me Meat_, &c. If denying Food and Raiment,\nwhen we have them in our Power, to supply the bodily Necessities of\nthe Poor and Needy, does in the Apostle's Account, evidence, that the\nLove of God is wanting in our Hearts; how much more does the Neglect\nof the precious Souls of our Fellow-Creatures, who are perishing for\nlack of Vision, when we have such Fulness to impart, fall below our\nhigh Profession of Love to CHRIST. Can the Objection that there is\nextraordinary Expence and Difficulty in accomplishing it, be esteemed\nweighty enough to excuse and justify our Neglect, in a Case of such\nNecessity and Importance? And especially if we consider, there is not\nso much necessary hereto, as would render the Attempt any Thing like an\nintolerable Burden, or a Burden to be felt, if those who are concerned\ntherein, i. e. the Christian World, were in any Measure united and\nagreed in it. And considering further, that the Advantage thereby to\nthe Crown of _Great-Britain_ (supposing the Success of Endeavours\nshould be only in Proportion as have been, the Successes of feeble\nEndeavours in Times past) would abundantly compensate all the Expence,\nbesides all those temporal and eternal Rewards of such Charity and\nLiberality, which are secured in the many great and precious Promises\nof God.\n\nThese were some of the Considerations which, I think, had some\nInfluence to my making an Attempt in this Affair; though I did not then\nmuch think of any Thing more than only to clear myself, and Family, of\npartaking in the public Guilt of our Land and Nation in such a Neglect\nof them.\n\nAnd as there were few or none who seemed so much to lay the Necessity\nand Importance of the Case to Heart, as to exert themselves in earnest,\nand lead the Way therein, I was naturally put upon Consideration and\nEnquiry what Methods might have the greatest Probability of Success;\nand upon the whole was fully perswaded that this, which I have been\npursuing, had by far the greatest Probability of any that had been\nproposed, viz. by the Mission of their own Sons in Conjunction with\nthe _English_; and that a Number of Girls should also be instructed\nin whatever should be necessary to render them fit, to perform the\nFemale Part, as House-wives, School-mistresses, Tayloresses, &c. and\nto go and be with these Youth, when they shall be hundreds of Miles\ndistant from the _English_ on the Business of their Mission: And\nprevent a Necessity of their turning savage in their Manner of Living,\nfor want of those who may do those Offices for them, and by this means\nsupport the Reputation of their Mission, and also recommend to the\nSavages a more rational and decent Manner of Living, than that which\nthey are in--And thereby, in Time, remedy and remove that great, and\nhitherto insuperable Difficulty, so constantly complained of by all\nour Missionaries among them, as the great Impediment in the Way to the\nSuccess of their Mission, viz. their continual rambling about; which\nthey can't avoid so long as they depend so much upon Fishing, Fowling,\nand Hunting for their Support. And I am more and more perswaded, that I\nhave sufficient and unanswerable Reasons to justify this Plan.\n\n  As,\n\n1. The deep rooted Prejudices they have so generally imbibed against\nthe _English_, that they are selfish, and have secret Designs to\nincroach upon their Lands, or otherwise wrong them in their Interests.\nThis Jealousy seems to have been occasioned, nourished, and confirmed\nby some of their Neighbours, who have got large Tracts of their Lands\nfor a very inconsiderable Part of their true Value, and, it is commonly\nsaid, by taking the Advantage of them when they were intoxicated with\nLiquor. And also, by unrighteous Dealers, who have taken such Advantage\nto buy their Skins and Furrs at less than half Price, &c. And perhaps\nthese Jealousies may be, not a little, increased by a Consciousness\nof their own Perfidy and Inhumanity towards the _English_. And it\nseems there is no Way to avoid the bad Influence and Effects of these\nPrejudices, at present, unless it be by the Mission of their own Sons.\nAnd it is reasonable to suppose their Jealousies are not less, since\nthe late Conquest in this Land, by which they are put into our Power,\nthan they were before.\n\n2. An _Indian_ Missionary may be supported with less than half the\nExpence, that will be necessary to support an _Englishman_, who can't\nconform to their Manner of Living, and who will have no Dependance upon\nthem for any Part of it. And an _Indian_ who speaks their Language, it\nmay reasonably be supposed, will be at least four Times as serviceable\namong them, supposing he be otherwise equally qualified as one who can\ncommunicate to or receive nothing from them, but by an Interpreter: He\nmay improve all Opportunities not only in Public, but, \"when he fits in\nthe House, walks by the Way, when he lies down, and when he rises up:\"\nAnd speak with as much Life and Spirit as the Nature and Importance of\nthe Matter require, which is very much lost when communicated by an\nInterpreter.\n\n3. Indian Missionaries may be supposed better to understand the Tempers\nand Customs of _Indians_, and more readily to conform to them in a\nthousand Things than the _English_ can; and in Things wherein the\nNonconformity of the _English_ may cause Disgust, and be construed as\nthe Fruit of Pride, and an Evidence and Expression of their Scorn and\nDisrespect.\n\n4. The Influence of their own Sons among them will likely be much\ngreater than of any _Englishman_ whatsoever. They will look upon\nsuch an one as one of them, his Interest the same with theirs; and\nwill naturally esteem him as an Honour to their Nation, and be more\nlikely to submit patiently to his Instructions and Reproofs than to\nany _English_ Missionary. This is quite evident in the Case of Mr.\n_Occom_, whose Influence among the _Indians_, even of his own Tribe, is\nmuch greater than any other Man's; and when he shall settle and live\ndecently, and in Fashion, among them, will likely do more to invite\nthem to imitate his Manner of Living, than any _Englishman_.\n\n5. The Acquaintance and Friendship which _Indian_ Boys from different\nand distant Tribes and Places, will contract and cultivate, while\ntogether at School, may, and if they are zealously affected will,\nbe improved much for the Advantage and Furtherance of the Design of\ntheir Mission; while they send to, hear from, or visit one another,\nconfirming the Things which have been spoken. And this without so\nmuch Ceremony to introduce one another, as will be necessary in the\nCase of _English_ Missionaries; and without the Cumber and Expence of\nInterpreters.\n\n6. Indian Missionaries will not disdain to own English ones, who shall\nbe Associates with them, (where the _English_ can be introduced)\nas elder Brethren; nor scorn to be advised or reproved, counselled\nor conducted by them; especially so long as they shall be so much\ndependent upon the _English_ for their Support; which will likely be\ntill God has made them his People; and then, likely, they will not\nstand in such need of _English_ Guides and Counsellors. And they will\nmutually help one another, to recommend the Design to the favourable\nReception and good Liking of the Pagans, remove their Prejudices,\nconciliate their Friendship, and induce them to repose due Confidence\nin the _English_.\n\n7. In this School, Children of different Nations may, and easily will\nlearn one another's Language, and English Youth may learn of them;\nand so save the vast Expence and Trouble of Interpreters; and their\nMinistry be much more acceptable and edifying to the _Indians_. But,\n\n8. There is no such thing as sending _English_ Missionaries, or setting\nup and maintaining _English_ Schools to any good Purpose, in most\nPlaces among them, as their Temper, State and Condition have been and\nstill are. It is possible a School may be maintained to some good\nPurpose, at _Onohoquagee_, where there have been heretofore several\nfaithful Missionaries, by the Blessing of God upon whose Labours the\n_Indians_ are in some Measure civilized, some of them baptized, a\nNumber of them in a Judgment of Charity, real Christians; and where\nthey have a Sachem, who is a Man of Understanding, Virtue, Steadiness,\nand entirely friendly to the Design of propagating the Gospel\namong them, and zealous to promote it. And where the Hon. _Scotch_\nCommissioners, I hear, have sent two Missionaries, and have made some\nAttempt to set up a School. But at _Jeningo_, a little beyond, they\nwill by no means admit an _English_ Missionary to reside among them.\nAnd tho' they were many of them under great Awakenings and Concern,\nby God's Blessing on the Labours of a Christian _Indian_ from these\nParts; yet such was the violent Opposition of Numbers among them, that\nit was thought by no means safe for an _Englishman_ to go among them,\nwith Design to tarry with them. And like to this is the Case with the\nParties of _Indians_, for near an hundred Miles together, on the West\nSide of _Susquehanah_ River. Another School or two may possibly be set\nup with Success among the _Mohawks_, where Mr. _Ogilvie_ and other\nEpiscopal Missionaries have bestowed much Labour, to good Purpose;\nand where they have got into the Way of cultivating their Lands for\na Living, and so have more Ability to support their Children, and\nless Occasion to ramble abroad with them. But even in these Places we\nmay find it more difficult than we imagine before the Trial be made\n(though I would by no means discourage the Trial of every feasible\nMethod for the accomplishing this great Design) but by Acquaintance\nwith the Schools which the Hon. _London_ Commissioners have with pious\nZeal, set up and maintained among the several Tribes in these Parts,\nI am much confirmed in such Sentiments. These Parties live amongst,\nand are encompassed by the _English_, have long had good Preaching,\nand Numbers of them appear to be truly godly. Yet such is the savage\nTemper of many, their want of due Esteem for Learning, and Gratitude to\ntheir Benefactors, and especially their want of Government, that their\nSchool-Masters, tho' skilful and faithful Men, constantly complain\nthey can't keep the Children in any Measure constant at School. Mr.\n_Clelland_ the School-Master at _Mohegan_ has often told me what\nunwearied Pains he has taken by visiting, and discoursing with their\nParents, &c. to remedy this Evil, and after all can't accomplish it.\nThe Children are suffered to neglect their Attendance on Instruction,\nand waste much Time, by which means they don't learn so much in\nseveral Years as they might, and others do in one, who are taken out of\nthe reach of their Parents, and out of the way of _Indian_ Examples,\nand are kept to School under good Government and constant Instruction.\nI the rather mention this Instance, because of the well-known Fidelity\nand Skill of that good Gentleman, and because that Tribe are as much\ncivilized, and as many of them Christianized, as perhaps any Party of\nthem in this Government. And by all I can learn, it is no better in\nthis respect with any other. They are so disaffected towards a good and\nnecessary Government, that as gentle an Exercise of it as may be, and\nanswer the Design of keeping up Order and Regularity in any Measure\namong them, will likely so disgust them as to render the Case worse\nrather than better. Captain _Martin Kellog_ complain'd of this as his\ngreat Discouragement in the School at _Stockbridge_, notwithstanding\nhe understood as well as any Man the Disposition of _Indians_, and had\nthe Advantage of knowing their Language and Customs, having been so\nlong a Captive among them, and was high in their Affection and Esteem;\nyet he was obliged to take the Children home to _Weathersfield_ with\nhim, quite away from their Parents, before he could exercise that\nGovernment which was necessary in order to their profiting at School.\nBut as to most Places, there is no such thing at present as introducing\neither _English_ School-Masters or Missionaries to continue with\nthem; such are their Prejudices in general, and such the malevolent,\nand ungovernable Temper of some, that none but an _Indian_ would dare\nventure his Life among them.\n\nAnd besides all this, they are so extremely poor, and depend so much\nupon Hunting for a Livelihood, that they are in no Capacity to support\ntheir Children at School, if their Disposition for it were ever so good.\n\nMr. _Occom_ informed me by a Letter from the _Oneida_ Country last\nSummer, and the same Account I had also from the young Man which I sent\nthere, that the _Indians_ were almost starved, having nothing to live\nupon but what they got by Fishing, Fowling and Hunting, that he had no\nother Way to come at them, to preach to them, but by following them\nfrom Place to Place in their Hunting. And though the Condition of all\nmay not be quite so indigent as of these, nor the Condition of these at\nall Times quite so bad as it was then, yet it is well known that they\nuniversally depend upon Roving and Hunting mainly for their Support;\nand whoever has heard the constant Complaint of Missionaries, and the\nMatter of their Discouragement, or has only read what the Reverend\nMessi'rs. _Sergeant_ and _D. Brainerd_ have wrote upon this Head, can't\ncharge me with writing without sufficient Evidence, and good Authority,\nif I had no other but theirs.\n\nAnd what are a few Instances, where Schools may possibly be maintained\nto some good Purpose, compared with those Tribes and Nations of them,\nwhere there are no Circumstances at present, but their Misery and\nNecessity, to invite us so much as to make the Trial.\n\nBy the Blessing of God on his late Majesty's Arms, there is now, no\ndoubt, a Door opened for a hundred Missionaries; and (unless we can\nfind such as can speak to them in their own Language) for as many\nInterpreters; and perhaps for ten Times that Number, provided we\ncould find such as are suitable for the Business, and such as may be\nintroduced in a Way agreeable to the Savages, and so as to avoid the\nbad Effects of their Prejudices against the _English_. But,\n\n9. There are very few or no Interpreters, who are suitable and\nwell-accomplished for the Business, to be had. Mr. _Occom_ found great\nDifficulty last Year in his Mission on this Account. And not only the\nCause, but his own Reputation suffered much by the Unfaithfulness of\nthe Man he employed.\n\nI suppose the Interpreters now employed by the Hon. Commissioners\nare the best that are to be had at present. But how many Nations are\nthere for whom there is no Interpreter at all, except, it may be,\nsome ignorant and perhaps vicious Person, who has been their Captive,\nand whom it is utterly unsafe to trust in Matters of such eternal\nConsequence. And how shall this Difficulty be remedied? It seems it\nmust be by one of these two Ways, viz. either their Children must come\nto us, or ours go to them. But who will venture their Children with\nthem, unless with some of the civilized Parties, who have given the\nstrongest Testimonies of their Friendship? If it be said, that all the\nNatives are now at Peace with us: It may be, their Chiefs, and the\nbetter-temper'd Part of them are so. But who does not know that their\nLeagues and Covenants with us are little worth, and like to be so till\nthey become Christians? And that the tender Mercies of many of them\nare Cruelty? Who is so unacquainted with the History of them, as not\nto know, there is Reason to think, there are many among their lawless\nHerds, who would gladly embrace an Opportunity to commit a secret\nMurder on such _English_ Youth?--Even Mr. _Occom_, though an _Indian_,\ndid not think it safe for him, being of another Tribe and Language, and\nin such Connections with the _English_, to go among the numerous Tribe\nof the _Seneca_'s, where he had no Avenger of his Blood for them to\nfear.\n\nWhen, and as soon as the Method proposed by the Rev'd Mess. _Sergeant_\nand _Brainerd_, can be put into Execution, viz. to have Lands\nappropriated to the Use of _Indian_ Schools, and prudent skilful\nFarmers, or Tradesmen, to lead and instruct the Boys, and Mistresses\nto instruct the Girls in such Manufactures as are proper for them,\nat certain Hours, as a Diversion from their School Exercises, and\nthe Children taken quite away from their Parents, and the pernicious\nInfluence of _Indian_ Examples, there may be some good Prospect of\ngreat Advantage by Schools among them.\n\nAnd must it be esteemed a wild Imagination, if it be supposed that\nwell-instructed, sober, religious _Indians_, may with special Advantage\nbe employed as Masters and Mistresses in such Schools; and that\nthe Design will be much recommended to the _Indians_ thereby; and\nthat there may be special Advantage by such, serving as occasional\nInterpreters for Visitors from different Nations from Time to Time;\nand they hereby receive the fullest Conviction of the Sincerity of our\nIntentions, and be confirmed and established in friendly Sentiments of\nus, and encouraged to send their Children, &c.?\n\nI am fully perswaded from the Acquaintance I have had with them, it\nwill be found, whenever the Trial shall be made, to be very difficult\nif not impossible, unless the Arm of the Lord should be revealed in an\neminent Manner, to cure them of such savage and sordid Practices, as\nthey have been inured to from their Mother's Womb, and form their Minds\nand Manners to proper Rules of Virtue, Decency and Humanity, while they\nare daily under the pernicious Influence of their Parents Example, and\ntheir many Vices made familiar thereby.\n\n10. I have found by Experience, there may be a thorough and effectual\nExercise of Government in such a School, and as severe as shall be\nnecessary, without Opposition from, or Offence taken by, any. And who\ndoes not know, that Evils so obstinate as those we may reasonably\nexpert to find common in the Children of Savages, will require that\nwhich is severe? Sure I am, they must find such as have better\nNatures, or something more effectually done to subdue their vicious\nInclinations, than most I have been concerned with, if it be not so.\nAnd moreover, in such a School, there will be the best Opportunity to\nknow who has such a Genius and Disposition, as most invite to bestow\nextraordinary Expence to fit them for special Usefulness.\n\n11. We have the greatest Security we can have, that when they are\neducated and fitted for it, they will be employed in that Business.\nThere is no likelihood at all that they will, though ever so well\nqualified, get into Business, either as School-Masters or Ministers,\namong the _English_; at least till the Credit of their Nations be\nraised many Degrees above what it now is, and consequently they can't\nbe employed as will be honorable for them, or in any Business they\nwill be fit for, but among their own Nation. And it may reasonably be\nsupposed, their Compassion towards their \"Brethren according to the\nFlesh\" will most naturally incline them to, and determine them upon\nsuch an Employment as they were fitted and designed for. And besides\nall this, abundant Experience has taught us, that such a change of\nDiet, and manner of Living as Missionaries must generally come into,\nwill not consist with the Health of many _Englishmen_. And they will\nbe obliged on that Account to leave the Service, though otherwise\nwell disposed to it. Nor can this Difficulty be avoided at present\n(certainly not without great Expence.) But there is no great Danger or\nDifficulty in this Respect as to _Indians_, who will only return to\nwhat they were used to from their Mother's Womb.\n\nAnd there may also be admitted into this School, promising _English_\nYouth of pregnant Parts, and who from the best Principles, and by the\nbest Motives, are inclined to devote themselves to that Service; and\nwho will naturally care for their State.\n\nDivine Skill in Things spiritual, pure and fervent Zeal for the\nSalvation of Souls, shining Examples of Piety and Godliness, by which\nPagans will form their first Notions of Religion, rather than from any\nThing that shall be said to them, are most necessary Qualifications in\na Missionary; and promise more real Good than is to be expected from\nmany Times the Number who have never \"known the Terrors of the Lord,\"\nand have no experimental, and therefore no right Understanding of the\nNature of Conversion and the Way wherein it is wrought. Such were never\nunder the governing Influence of a real Sense of the Truth, Reality,\nGreatness and Importance of eternal Things, and therefore will not be\nlikely to treat them suitable to the Nature and eternal Consequences of\nthem, surely they will not naturally do it. And how sad are like to be\nthe Consequences to those who are watching to see whether the Preacher\nhimself does really believe the Things which he speaks.\n\nIn such a School their Studies may be directed with a special View to\nthe Design of their Mission. Several Parts of Learning, which have no\ngreat Subserviency to it, and which will consume much Time, may be\nless pursued, and others most necessary made their chief Study. And\nthey may not only learn the Pagan Languages, but will naturally get\nan Understanding of their Tempers, and many of their Customs, which\nmust needs be useful to Missionaries. And instead of a delicate Manner\nof Living, they may by Degrees, as their Health will bear, enure\nthemselves to such a Way of Living as will be most convenient for them\nto come into when on their Mission.\n\nAnd if the one half of the _Indian_ Boys thus educated shall prove good\nand useful Men, there will be no Reason to regret our Toil and Expence\nfor the whole. And if God shall deny his Blessing on our Endeavours,\nas to the general Design, it may be these particular Youth may reap\neternal Advantage by what we do for them; and if but one in ten does\nso, we shall have no Cause to think much of the Expence. And if a\nBlessing be denied to all, \"we shall notwithstanding be unto God a\nsweet Savour of Christ in them that perish.\"\n\nAfter the Trial I made of this Nature some Years ago, by the Assistance\nof the Honourable LONDON Commissioners, in the Education of Mr. _Samson\nOccom_, one of the _Mohegan_ Tribe, who has several Years since been\na useful School-Master and successful Preacher of the Gospel to the\n_Indians_ at _Montauk_ on _Long-Island_, where he took the Place of\nthe Rev. Mr. _Horton_, Missionary; and was, under God, instrumental to\ncure them, in a good Measure, of the Wildness they had been led into by\nsome Exhorters from _New-England_, and in a Judgment of Charity was the\nInstrument of saving Good to a Number of them. He was several Years ago\nordained to the sacred Ministry by the Reverend Presbytery of _Suffolk_\nCounty on said Island; and has done well, so far as I have heard,\nas a Missionary to the _Oneida_ Nation, for two Years past. May God\nmercifully preserve him, amidst loud Applauses, from falling into the\nSnare and Condemnation of the Devil!--I say, after seeing the Success\nof this Attempt, I was more encouraged to hope that such a Method might\nbe very successful.\n\nWith these Views of the Case, and from such Motives as have been\nmentioned, above Eight Years ago I wrote to the Reverend _John\nBrainerd_, Missionary in _New-Jersey_, desiring him to send me two\nlikely Boys for this Purpose, of the _Deleware_ Tribe: He accordingly\nsent me _John Pumshire_ in the 14th, and _Jacob Woolley_ in the 11th\nYears of their Age; they arrived here _December 18th. 1754_, and\nbehaved as well as could be reasonably expected; _Pumshire_ made\nuncommon Proficiency in Writing. They continued with me till they\nhad made considerable Progress in the Latin and Greek Tongues; when\n_Pumshire_ began to decline, and by the Advice of Physicians, I sent\nhim back to his Friends, with Orders, if his Health would allow it,\nto return with two more of that Nation, whom Mr. _Brainerd_ had at my\nDesire provided for me. _Pumshire_ set out on his Journey, _November\n14th. 1756_, and got Home, but soon died. And on _April 9th. 1757_,\n_Joseph Woolley_ and _Hezekiah Calvin_ came on the Horse which\n_Pumshire_ rode.\n\nThe Decline and Death of this Youth was an instructive Scene to me, and\nconvinced me more fully of the Necessity of special Care respecting\ntheir Diet; and that more Exercise was necessary for them, especially\nat their first coming to a full Table, and with so keen an Appetite,\nthan was ordinarily necessary for _English_ Youth. And with the\nExercise of such Care, as one who understands the Case, and is willing\nto take the Trouble of it, may use, I am persuaded there is no more\nDanger of their Studies being fatal to them, than to our own Children.\nThere have been several long Fits of Sickness of one and another in\nthis School, with a nervous Fever, Pleurisies, Dysenterys &c. but\nperhaps not more than have been among so large a Number of common\nlabouring People in so long a Time.\n\nSometime after those Boys came, the Affair appearing with an agreeable\nAspect, it being then a Time of profound Peace in this Country, I\nrepresented the Affair to Colonel _Elisha Williams_, Esq; late Rector\nof _Yale-College_, and to the Rev'd Messi'rs _Samuel Moseley_ of\n_Windham_, and _Benjamin Pomeroy_ of _Hebron_, and invited them to join\nme; they readily accepted the Invitation; and a Gentleman learned in\nthe Law supposed there might be such an Incorporation among ourselves\nas might fully answer our Purpose. And Mr. _Joshua Moor_, late of\n_Mansfield_, deceased, appeared to give a small Tenement in this Place,\nfor the Foundation, Use and Support of a Charity-School, for the\nEducation of _Indian_ Youth, &c. But it pleased God to take the good\nColonel from an unthankful World soon after the Covenant was made and\nexecuted, and thus deprived us of the Benefit of his singular Learning,\nPiety and Zeal in the Affair. Notwithstanding, a Subscription was soon\nmade of near _\u00a3_.500 lawful Money, towards a Fund for the Support of\nit at 6 per Cent. But several Gentlemen of the Law, doubting of the\nValidity and Sufficiency of such an Incorporation; several Steps were\ntaken to obtain the Royal Favour of a Charter, but none effectual.\nThe War soon commenced, and the Reports from Day to Day of the Ravages\nmade, and Inhumanities and Butcheries committed by the Savages on all\nQuarters, raised in the Breasts of great Numbers, a Temper so warm,\nand so contrary to Charity, that I seldom thought it prudent so much\nas to mention the Affair. Many advised me to drop it, but it appeared\nto others so probable to be the very Method which God would own, that\nI thought better to scrabble along with it, as well as I could, till\ndivine Providence should change the Scene.\n\nThe Prospects, notwithstanding our outward Troubles, seemed to be\nincreasing: Such was the orderly and good Behaviour of the Boys,\nthrough the Blessing of God on Instruction and Discipline, that Enemies\ncould find but little or nothing that was true wherewith they might\nreproach the Design; and those whose Sentiments were friendly, observed\nwith Pleasure the good Effects of our Endeavours: And the Liberalities,\nespecially of Gentlemen of Character, encouraged me more and more to\nbelieve it to be of God, and that he designed to succeed and prosper\nit, to the Glory of his own great Name; and that I ought in Compliance\nwith such Intimations of Providence from Time to Time, proportionably\nto increase the Number.\n\nI have had two upon my Hands since _December 18th. 1754_, and Four\nsince _April, 1757_, and Five since _April 1759_, and Seven since\n_November, 1760_, and Eleven since _August 1st. 1761_, and after\nthis Manner they have encreased as I could obtain those who appeared\npromising. And for some Time I have had Twenty-five devoted to School\nas constantly as their Health will allow, and they have all along\nbeen so, excepting that in an extraordinary Croud of Business, I have\nsometimes required their Assistance. But there is no great Advantage,\nexcepting to themselves, to be expected from their Labour, nor enough\nto compensate the Trouble of instructing them in it, and the Repair of\nthe Mischiefs they will do, while they are ignorant of all the Affairs\nof Husbandry, and the Use of Tools. The principal Advantage I have ever\nhad in this Respect has been by _David Fowler_ and _Joseph Woolley_,\nand more by _David_ than all the rest: These Lads will likely make good\nFarmers, if they should ever have the Advantage of Experience in it.\n\nThree of this Number are _English_ Youth, one of which is gone for a\nTime to _New-Jersey_ College, for the sake of better Advantage for\nsome Parts of Learning: He has made some Proficiency in the _Mohawk_\nTongue: The other two are fitting for the Business of Missionaries.\nOne of the _Indian_ Lads is _Jacob Woolley_, who is now in his last\nYear at _New-Jersey_ College, and is a good Scholar; he is here\nby the Leave and Order of the President, designing to get some\nAcquaintance with the _Mohawk_ Tongue. Two others are sent here by\nthe Rev. Mr. _Brainera_, and are designed for Trades; the one for a\nBlacksmith (a Trade much wanted among the _Indians_) and is to go\nto his Apprenticeship as soon as a good Place is ready for him; the\nother is designed for a Carpenter and Joiner, and is to go to an\nApprenticeship as soon as he has learned to read and write. Another of\nthe _Indians_ is Son to the Sachem at _Mohegan_, and is Heir-aparent;\nhe is somewhat infirm as to his bodily Health: For his Support last\nYear I have charged nothing more than 10l. lawful Money, granted by the\nHon. _London_ Commissioners. Several of my Scholars are considerably\nwell accomplished for School Masters, and 7 or 8 will likely be well\nfitted for Interpreters in a few Years more. And four of this Number\nare Girls, whom I have hired Women in this Neighbourhood to instruct\nin all the Arts of good Housewifery, they attending the School one Day\nin a Week to be instructed in writing, &c. till they shall be fit for\nan Apprenticeship, to be taught to make Men's and Women's Apparel, &c.\nin order to accompany these Boys, when they shall have Occasion for\nsuch Assistance in the Business of their Mission.[1] And six of them\nare _Mohawks_, obtained pursuant and according to the Direction of the\nHonorable General Assembly of the Province of the _Massachusetts-Bay_,\nand are learning to speak, write, and read _English_: And the most of\nthem make good Proficiency therein.\n\nI have, by the good Providence of God, been favoured with religious,\nfaithful and learned Masters, in general, from the first setting up of\nthis School, at the Expence of about _\u00a3._56 lawful Money per Annum,\ni. e. _\u00a3._3 per Month, with their Board, and all Accommodations,\nand a Horse kept or provided when needed; which I suppose can't be\nesteemed less than the Sum which I mention: And if this seems to any\nto be large, I have only this to say, that I could not have the Choice\nof Masters at less Expence. But the Expence for Tuition will likely\nbe saved for some Time, by the Generosity of a young Gentleman, who\nproposes to keep it _gratis_ a few Months.\n\nThe Method of conducting this School has been, and is designed to be\nafter this Manner, viz. they are obliged to be clean, and decently\ndressed, and be ready to attend Prayers, before Sun-rise in the Fall\nand Winter, and at 6 o'Clock in the Summer. A Portion of Scripture is\nread by several of the Seniors of them: And those who are able answer a\nQuestion in the _Assembly's Catechism_, and have some Questions asked\nthem upon it, and an Answer expounded to them. After Prayers, and a\nshort Time for their Diversion, the School begins with Prayer about\n9, and ends at 12, and again at 2, and ends at 5 o'Clock with Prayer.\nEvening Prayer is attended before the Day-light is gone. Afterwards\nthey apply to their Studies, &c. They attend the publick Worship, and\nhave a Pew devoted to their Use, in the House of God. On Lord's-Day\nMorning, between and after the Meetings, the Master, or some one whom\nthey will submit to, is with them, inspects their Behaviour, hears them\nread, catechises them, discourses to them, &c. And once or twice a Week\nthey hear a Discourse calculated to their Capacities upon the most\nimportant and interesting Subjects. And in general they are orderly and\ngovernable: They appear to be as perfectly easy and contented with\ntheir Situation and Employment as any at a Father's House, I scarcely\nhear a Word of their going Home, so much as for a Visit, for Years\ntogether, except it be when they first come.\n\nAnd the Success of Endeavours hitherto, the general Approbation of\ngreat and good Men, and the Testimonies many have given of it, by\ntheir seasonable Liberality towards its Support, have seemed to me\nsuch evident Tokens of a Divine Hand in Favour of it, and so plain\nIntimations of the Divine Will concerning it, that I have, as I said\nbefore, thought it Duty, notwithstanding all Discouragements, to pursue\nthe Design, and endeavour to keep Pace with the Providences of God in\nFavour of it as to their Number, and trust in Him, \"whose the Earth\nis, and the Fulness thereof,\" for further Supplies. And I have hoped\nthis would be esteemed sufficient to clear me of the Imputation of\nPresumption and Rashness in risquing my own private Interest, as I have\ndone.\n\nThe Honourable LONDON Commissioners hearing of the Design, enquired\ninto it, and encouraged it by an Allowance of 12l. lawful Money,\nby their Vote _November 12. 1756_. And again in the Year 1758 they\nallowed me 20l.--and in _November_ 4th, 1760, granted me an annual\nAllowance of 20l. for my Assistance--and in _October_ 8th, 1761, they\ngranted me 12l. towards the Support of _Isaiah Uncas_, Son of the\nSachem of _Mohegan_, and 10l. more for his Support the following\nYear. In _October 1756_, I received a Legacy of fifty-nine Dollars\nof Mrs. _Ann Bingham_ of _Windham_. In _July 1761_, I received a\ngenerous Donation of Fifty Pounds Sterling from the Right Hon. WILLIAM,\nMarquis of _Lothian_. And in _Nov. 1761_, a Donation of 25l. Sterl.\nfrom Mr. _Hardy_ of _London_--and in _May 1762_, a second Donation of\n50l. Sterl. from that most Honorable and noble Lord, the Marquis of\n_Lothian_; and at the same Time 20l. Sterl. from Mr. _Samuel Savage_,\nMerchant in _London_: And a Collection of Ten Guineas from the Rev.\nDr. _A. Giffords_ in _London_: And 10l. Sterl. more from a Lady in\n_London_, unknown, which is still in the Hands of a Friend, and to be\nremitted with some additional Advantage, and to be accounted for when\nreceived. And also for 7 Years past I have, one Year with another,\nreceived about 11l. lawful Money Annually, Interest of Subscriptions.\nAnd in my Journey to _Portsmouth_ last _June_, I received in private\nDonations 66l. 17s. 7d. 1-4th. lawful Money. I also received for the\nUse of this School, a Bell of about 80 lb. weight, from a Gentleman in\n_London_. In _November 1761_, the Great and General Court or Assembly\nof the Province of _Massachusetts-Bay_, voted, That I should be allowed\nto take under my Care six Children of the _Six Nations_, for Education,\nClothing and Boarding, and be allowed for that Purpose, for each of\nsaid Children, 12l. per Annum for one Year, which Boys I have obtained,\nand they have been for some Time in this School.\n\nThe Honourable SCOTCH Commissioners in and near _Boston_, understanding\nand approving of the Design of sending for _Indian_ Children of remote\nTribes, to be educated here, were the first Body, or Society, who have\nled the Way in making an Attempt for that Purpose. Which because of\nthe Newness and remarkable Success of it, and because it may encourage\nsuch a Design in time to come, I suppose it may not be disagreeable, if\nI am a little particular in my Account of it: While I was in _Boston_\nthey passed a Vote to this purpose, _May 7, 1761_, \"That the Reverend\nMr. _Wheelock_ of _Lebanon_ be desired, to fit out _David Fowler_, an\n_Indian_ Youth, to accompany Mr. _Sampson Occom_, going on a Mission\nto the _Oneidas_, that said _David_ be supported on said Mission for\na Term not exceeding 4 Months; and that he endeavour on his Return to\nbring with him a Number of _Indian_ Boys, not exceeding three, to be\nput under Mr. _Wheelock_'s Care and Instruction, and that 20l. be put\ninto Mr. _Wheelock_'s Hands to carry this Design into Execution; and\nthat when said Sum shall be expended, he advise the Treasurer of it,\nand send his Accounts for Allowance.\"\n\nPursuant to this Vote I cloathed and furnished said _David_ with Horse\nand Money, for his long Tour into the Wilderness, which he set out on\n_June_ 10th, in Company with Mr. _Occom_, by the Way of _New-York_;\nin which Journey he rode above a thousand Miles, and by the Advice,\nDirection and Assistance of Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, obtained three\nBoys of the _Mohawk_ Nation, who were willing to leave their Friends\nand Country and come among Strangers of another Language, and quite\nanother Manner of Living, and where, perhaps, no one of their Nation\nthen living had ever been; and among a People of whom their Nation\nhave been of a long Time inclined to entertain Jealousies. Their Names\nwere _Joseph_, _Negyes_, and _Center_. They arrived here _August_ 1st,\n1761, but had so much Caution in the extraordinary Enterprize, that\nthey brought each of them an Horse from their own Country. Two of\nthem were but little better than naked, and could not speak a Word of\n_English_. The other being of a Family of Distinction among them, was\nconsiderably cloathed, _Indian_-fashion, and could speak a few Words\nof _English_. They let me know, as soon as I could understand them,\nthat Sir WM. JOHNSON had told them they should return and visit their\nFriends in the Fall of the Year. I took speedy Care to _cleanse_ and\ncloath them. They many Ways discovered some Jealousies respecting the\nDesign of their coming; but by Acquaintance and Freedom with other\n_Indians_ in the School, and by constant Care for them and Kindness to\nthem, those Jealousies seemed in a little Time to wear away, and they\nappeared to feel and enjoy themselves as though they had been at home\nin a Father's House. Daily Care was exercised for them, and particular\nCaution that they might in no Instance appear to be, thro' Disrespect,\ndistinguished from any in the School. Such Distinction, or any thing\nwhich they apprehend to be so, I find will at once occasion Jealousies\nand Disaffection. And this seems to be agreeable to a settled Principle\namong themselves, (according to which they are wont to treat their\nCaptives) viz. that those who take the Patronage of Children, not their\nown, shall treat them in all respects as their own.\n\n_Center_'s Countenance, as I thought when he came, discovered that\nhe was not in Health. My Suspicions increased, and the Issue proved\nthey were not groundless. He continued with me till the Fall, when the\nPhysician I employed advised me, that his Disorders threatned his Life,\nand prevailed to such a Degree that he looked upon him to be incurable,\nand that he judged it best to send him back to his Friends, and that\nsoon, or it would be too late to send him at all; and according to\nthis Advice I sent him away with _Negyes_, having furnished them with\nMoney for their Journey into the _Mohawk_ Country, on the 23d Day of\n_October_. _Joseph_ tarried longer to accompany young _Kirtland_,\nwho was learning the _Mohawk_ Language of him, and whom I sent into\nthat Country to obtain six Boys of those Nations, to partake of the\nBenefit of Sir PETER WARREN'S Legacy, according to the Instructions of\nthe General Assembly of the Province of _Massachusetts-Bay_, before\nmentioned.\n\n_Center_ reached home, but died soon after. _Negyes_, I hear, was\ncaptivated by a young Female and married. Mr. _Kirtland_ and _Joseph_\nset out for the _Mohawk_ Country _November_ 4th, and returned\n_November_ 27th, and brought two _Mohawk_ Lads with them, viz. _Moses_\nand _Johannes_, by whom Sir WM. JOHNSON informed me that he expected\nto be able to send the Rest when they came in from hunting. I informed\nthe Hon. Commissioners of the State of the Case, and by a Letter from\nthe Reverend Dr. CHAUNCY, Chairman of their Committee, in the Name of\nthe rest, was desired to let them have in their Pay and under their\nDirection these two who came last with _Joseph_, which I consented to,\nprovided they would remit the necessary Charges which I had been at\nin procuring and cloathing them, and give me as I afterwards charged\nthem for their Support and Tuition, upon which Conditions they took\nthem. I immediately sent to Sir WM. JOHNSON for other six to partake\nof Sir PETER WARREN'S Legacy. These three, viz. _Joseph_, _Moses_ and\n_Johannes_, continued with me in the Pay of the Commissioners till\n_May 27, 1762_, when I offered said Committee my Accompt, the whole\nAmount of which, that is, for cloathing and furnishing _David_ with\nHorse and Money for his Support in his long Journey of several Months,\nthe Expence of the Boy's Journey home above 200 Miles. The Expence of\n_Kirtland_'s Journey (excepting his Horse) into that Country to bring\ndown _Moses_ and _Johannes_. The pasturing the Horses of the first\nthree the time they continued here, in a dry and difficult Season; the\ncloathing all five, and repairing their Cloathing the whole Time they\ntarried; the Boarding and Schooling them, finding Washing, Lodging,\nFirewood, Candles, Books, Paper, &c. I say, the Amount of the Expence\nfor the Five and in the whole Affair for near twelve Months, Errors\nexcepted, was but just 58l. 17s. 7d. 1-4th. Sterling. But in this\nAccompt I charged nothing for several expensive Journeys in this\nGovernment, taken by myself, and another preparatory and necessary to\nthe Design of _David_'s Mission, nor for any Labour, Care or Pains of\nmy own therein from first to last--For their Board, Washing and Lodging\nbut 5s. per Week; the lowest common Price in these Parts was 6s. L. M.\nWhat Cloathing, &c. they had of me, I charged at the lowest Cash-price,\nand what I got for them of our Traders, Shoemakers, Taylors, &c. I\ncharged just as they charged me, without any Advance in one Instance.\nI charged nothing for extraordinary Trouble and Care for _Center_, in\nhis declining State; nor did the Physician charge for what he did for\nhim. And there were other Provisions made to prevent Expence of Money\nin their Journeyings more than is common, for which there was nothing\ncharged, by all which the Accompt was somewhat less than it would\notherwise have been----But then on the other Hand it may be considered,\n\n1. That Provisions of all Sorts were then, and still are, at an higher\nPrice than ever before in these Parts, occasioned by the preceeding\nWars and extreme Drought. When they are reduced to their usual Price,\nthe Expence of educating _Indian_ Youth will be much less.\n\n2. The Circumstances of this Undertaking were extraordinary, and the\nnecessary Expences of it were consequently so, and such as there may\nnever be such Occasion for again. This was the opening a Door which\nnever had been opened for such a Purpose to these Nations; and it was\nthought by many who knew their great Fondness for their Children,\nthat it could not be soon accomplished, i. e. to make either Parents\nor Children willing to comply with an Invitation to come such a vast\nLength, and under such Circumstances as have been mentioned. But the\nReport of _David_ confirmed by the Boys on their Return, has given such\nConviction of the Sincerity and Kindness of our Intentions towards\nthem, as has removed all Objections. And nothing more is now necessary\nto our obtaining as many well-chosen Boys and Girls as we please, but\nto employ some faithful Missionary among them for that Purpose.\n\nI have been the more particular in this Account, because I would remove\nthe unreasonable Prejudices raised against this Method, by partial and\nunfair Accounts, and a Cry of enormous Expences, &c. And to let the\nWorld know there is nothing in it worthy to be objected by one who is\nin earnest to accomplish this great and important Design.\n\nWhat I have done for this School since its Beginning, in many expensive\nJournies; (for none of which have I ever charged any Thing at all);\nin constant Care for their Health, in Endeavours to cure their savage\nDisposition, and form their Minds and Manners to right Rules of\nVirtue and Religion, in extraordinary Care and Trouble for several of\nthem in Sickness, in Expences by Company, not only of _English_ but\n_Indians_ at my House, occasioned thereby; and incidental Charges in\nmany Instances, none are able justly to estimate, or likely so much as\nto think of many of them, but one who is intimately acquainted with\nthe Business: In Consideration for which I have had the Assistance of\nseveral of them a few Times in an extraordinary Croud of Business;\nand of late some Advantage by the School to two of my own Children.\nWhich Reward I suppose impartial Judges will not think to bear a very\nconsiderable Proportion to these Expences which are not charged, and\nwhich in my Judgment is not the one Tenth Part of them.\n\nMR. MOOR'S Grant contains about two Acres of Pasturing, a small House\nand Shop; for the Use of which from the first I have received about\n_\u00a3_. 4 lawful Money, clear of the Charge of Repairing, which is not\nequal to the Money I have paid to Physicians which is not charged.\n\nI have professed to have no View to making an Estate by this Affair:\nWhat the Singleness and Uprightness of my Heart has been before GOD, he\nknows; and also how greatly I stand in need of his Pardon.\n\nMy Accompt with the School has been charged after the following Manner,\nviz. For the whole Expence of Cloathing, Boarding and Tutoring the Boys\nfrom _December_ 18th. 1754, to _November_ 26th. 1760. at the Rate of\n_\u00a3_. 16 lawful Money per Annum, for each; but when their Number was so\nincreased I found it necessary to come nearer to the true Value of it,\nand have since used greater Exactness; but have never charged higher\nthan at the lowest Money Price for what they have had of me, and for\nwhat I have bought for them of our Traders, Shoemakers, Taylors, &c. I\nhave charged just what I have given, and no more. I have charged for\ntheir Tuition, as for _English_ Scholars, i. e. for Latin Scholars, and\nsuch as were savage and needed much Care and Instruction, at 2_s._ L.M.\nper Week, or _\u00a3_. 4 10_s._ per Annum; and for others proportionally.\nThe whole School, one Year with another, has not quite cleared my\nExpence for the Master. Last Year it did a little more; and since the\n27th of _May_ last, it has over-done my Expence for the Master 15_s._\n8_d._ besides the Tuition of the Girls. I have charged for the Girls\nbut 4_d._ per Week, i. e. for one Day's Schooling and Dinner; and the\nwhole Expence for their Education will be but little more than their\nCloathing.\n\nThe total Amount of all my Disbursements in this whole Affair, for near\nEight Years, that is, since _December_ 18. 1754, to _November_ 27.\n1762, charged in the Manner, and after the Rate before-mentioned, is,\n(Errors excepted) _\u00a3_. 566 2_s._ 5_d._ Sterling.--And the total Amount\nof all the Donations before-mentioned, together with smaller ones,\nwhich I suppose needless to mention particularly, received within the\nsaid Term, is, (Errors excepted) _\u00a3_. 509 2_s._ 5_d._ Sterling.\n\nAnd as this School was set up when there was no Scheme devised, or Plan\nlaid, which this could be in Opposition to; so it is not continued\nin Opposition to any other Measures which are proposed or pursued by\nothers.\n\nAnd, blessed be GOD that he has put it into the Hearts of a Number of\nGentlemen of Ability in and near BOSTON, to contribute so liberally\ntowards the Furtherance of the general Design. And is it not a Pity\nthat Christians of all Denominations should not unite their utmost\nEndeavours for the Accomplishment of it; and especially now while the\nDoor is so widely opened for it? And what a Pity is it that any Time\nshould be lost? And how exceeding mean, and infinitely beneath those\nnoble Sentiments, and that generous Love to the Souls of Men, and to\nour KING and Country, which true Religion inspires, will it be to fall\ninto Parties; and on Account of differing Opinions reflecting the most\nprobable Methods for accomplishing the End, to obstruct and hinder one\nanother therein? There is enough for all to do; and the Affair is of\nso great Importance, that it calls for the Trial of every Method that\nhas the least Probability of Success; and different Methods may greatly\nsubserve and assist one another.\n\nWe can none of us boast such Perfection of Understanding and Skill in\nthe Affair as to set up safely for Infallibility. Many Attempts have\nbeen made by wise and good Men; and the Issue has taught them their\nWant of that Knowledge which is got by Experience; and that their pious\nLabour and Expence had been in a great Measure lost for want of it.\n\nAnd I would take this Opportunity to express my Gratitude for those\ngenerous Benefactions whereby this Infant Institution has been\nhitherto supported; and I hope through the Blessing of GOD upon our\nour Endeavours, those pious Benefactors will have Occasion for the\nmost easy and comfortable Reflections, as having made an Offering\nacceptable to GOD, and bestowed it well for the Advancement of the\nKingdom, and Glory of the great REDEEMER: And that the Blessing of many\nof our _American_ Heathens, who shall in the present and succeeding\nGenerations, reap the Benefit thereof, may come upon them: And that\nothers understanding that this School stills lives, under GOD, upon\nthe Charity of good Men, will be moved to open their Hands to minister\nfurther, and necessary Supplies for it.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                                    HEBRON, December 31. 1762.\n\n                        To the PRINTERS.\n\n\n_We having been informed that the Rev'd_ Eleazar Wheelock _of_ Lebanon\n_has lately prepared and sent to your Press_, A Narrative of the\nINDIAN Charity School under his Care; _and being willing to contribute\nto the Furtherance of that truly noble and charitable Undertaking,\nwhich, though new and untried before he entered upon it, appears to us\nto have the greatest Probability of Success, and to afford the most\nencouraging Prospect of spreading the Gospel far and wide among our_\nAmerican _Pagans, of any Method that has yet been attempted: And we\ncan't but hope that a recommendatory Letter, which was some Time since\nsent to a private Friend, signed by a Number of neighbouring Ministers,\nmay serve to satisfy the World, That the charitable Design which that\nGentleman is pursuing, is, in the Judgment of his Neighbours, who are\nwell acquainted with him, and with the Affair of his School, neither\nselfish, nor enthusiastic; nor the Plan proposed so expensive, as may\nbe any reasonable Objection against making a thorough Trial thereof:\nAnd we having consulted several of the Subscribers who join with us (as\nwe believe all wou'd do if they had Opportunity for it) in desiring\nthat said Letter might be published at the End of said Narrative; that\nso far as the Credit and Reputation of the Clergy in this Neighbourhood\nwill influence thereto, all Prejudices may be removed from the Minds\nof Christians of every Denomination, and all be excited to unite their\nEndeavours according to their Ability to encourage and promote so noble\nand important an Undertaking: Wherefore please to give said Letter (a\nCopy whereof you will receive with this) a Place at the Close of said\nNarrative, and you will oblige_\n\n                                 _Your's to serve_,\n\n                                            Benjamin Pomroy,\n\n                                            Elijah Lothrop,\n\n                                            Nathaniel Whitaker.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_COPY of the LETTER._\n\n\n  CHELSEA, in _Norwich, July 10. 1762_.\n\n  SIR,\n\nWe Ministers of the Gospel, and Pastors of Churches hereafter mentioned\nwith our Names, having for a Number of Years past heard of, or seen\nwith Pleasure, the Zeal, Courage and firm Resolution of the Reverend\nELEAZAR WHEELOCK of _Lebanon_, to prosecute to Effect a Design of\nspreading the Gospel among the Natives in the Wilds of our _America_,\nand especially his Perseverance in it, amidst the many peculiar\nDiscouragements he had to encounter during the late Years of the\nWar here, and upon a Plan which appears to us to have the greatest\nProbability of Success, _viz._ by the Mission of their own Sons. And\nas we are verily perswaded, that the Smiles of divine Providence upon\nhis School, and the Success of his Endeavours hitherto, justly may\nand ought to encourage him and all, to believe it to be of GOD, and\nthat which he will own and succeed for the Glory of his own great Name\nin the Enlargement of the Kingdom of our divine Redeemer, as well as\nfor the great Benefit of the Crown of _Great-Britain_, and especially\nof his Majesty's Dominions in _America_; so we apprehend, that the\npresent Openings in Providence ought to invite Christians of every\nDenomination to unite their Endeavours, and lend a helping Hand in\ncarrying on the charitable Design; and we are heartily sorry if Party\nSpirit and Party Differences shall at all obstruct the Progress of it,\nor the old Leaven in this Land ferment upon this Occasion, and give a\nwatchful Adversary Opportunity so to turn the Course of Endeavours into\nanother Channel, as to defeat the Design of spreading the Gospel among\nthe Heathen.\n\nTo prevent which, and encourage Unanimity and Zeal in prosecuting the\nDesign, we look upon it our Duty as Christians, and especially as\nMinisters of the Gospel, to give our Testimony, That, as we verily\nbelieve, a disinterested Regard to the Advancement of the Redeemer's\nKingdom, and the Good of his Majesty's Dominions in _America_ were the\ngoverning Motives which at first induced the Reverend Mr. WHEELOCK to\nenter upon the great Affair, and to risque his own private Interest as\nhe has done since in carrying it on; so we esteem his Plan to be good,\nhis Measures prudently and well-concerted, his Endowments peculiar,\nhis Zeal fervent, his Endeavours indefatigable for the accomplishing\nthis Design; and we know no Man like-minded who will naturally care for\ntheir State. May God prolong his Life, and make him extensively useful\nin the Kingdom of CHRIST!\n\nWe have also some of us at his Desire examined his Accounts, and find\nthat besides giving in all his own Labour and Trouble in the Affair, he\nhas charged for the Support, Schooling, &c. of the Youth, at the lowest\nRate it could be done for, as the Price has been and still is among us;\nand we apprehend the generous Donations already made, has been, and we\nare confident will be laid out in the most prudent Manner, and with the\nbest Advice for the Furtherance of the important Design. And we pray\nGod abundantly to reward the Liberality of any upon this Occasion; and\nwe hope the Generosity, especially of Persons of Distinction and Note,\nwill be a happy Lead and Inducement to still greater Liberalities, and\nthat in Consequence thereof the wide extended Wilderness of _America,\nwill blossom as the Rose, Habitations of Cruelty become Dwelling-Places\nof Righteousness, and the Blessing of Thousands ready to perish come\nupon all those_ whose Love to Christ, and Charity to them, has been\nshown upon this Occasion, which is the hearty Prayer of,\n\n  SIR,\n\n  _Your sincere Friends_\n  _and humble Servants_,\n\n  Ebenezer Rosseter,  _Pastor of the 1st Church in_ Stonington.\n  Joseph Fish,        _Pastor of the 2nd Church in_ Stonington.\n  Nathaniel Whitaker, _Pastor of the Church at_ Chelsea, _in_ Norwich.\n  Benjamin Pomroy,    _Pastor of the 1st Church in_ Hebron.\n  Elijah Lothrop,     _Pastor of the Church of_ Gilead, _in_ Hebron.\n  Nathaniel Eells,    _Pastor of a Church in_ Stonington.\n  Mather Byles,       _Pastor of the 1st Church in_ New-London.\n  Jonathan Barber,    _Pastor of a Church in_ Groton.\n  Matt Graves,        _Missionary at_ New-London.\n  Peter Powers,       _Pastor of the Church at_ Newent, _in_ Norwich.\n  Daniel Kirtland,    _former Pastor of the Ch. at_ Newent, _in_ Norwich.\n  Asher Rosseter,     _Pastor of the 1st Church in_ Preston.\n  Jabez Wight,        _Pastor of the 4th Church in_ Norwich.\n  David Jewett,       _Pastor of the 2nd Church in_ New-London.\n  Benjamin Throop,    _Pastor of a Church in_ Norwich.\n  Samuel Mosely,      _Pastor of a Church in_ Windham.\n  Stephen White,      _Pastor of a Church in_ Windham.\n  Richard Salter,     _Pastor of a Church in_ Mansfield.\n  Timothy Allen,      _Pastor of the Church in_ Ashford.\n  Ephraim Little,     _Pastor of the 1st Church in_ Colchester.\n  Hobart Estabrook,   _Pastor of a Church in_ East-Haddam.\n  Joseph Fowler,      _Pastor of a Church in_ East-Haddam.\n  Benjamin Boardman,  _Pastor of the 4th Ch. of_ Christ _in_ Middletown.\n  John Norton,        _Pastor of the 6th Ch. of_ Christ _in_ Middletown.\n  Benjamin Dunning,   _Pastor of a Ch. of_ Christ _in_ Marlborough.\n\nN. B. The Names of the Subscribers stand in the same Order in which\nthey subscribed, and not according to Seniority; and it is hoped any\nInaccuracies observable in the Draught will be excused, at least not\ncharged upon more than one of the Number, inasmuch as they signed\nseparately, not having the Advantage of a Convention for that Purpose.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n                               THE END.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n                               FOOTNOTE\n\n\n[1] This Part of my Plan seems to be abundantly justified by that\nwhich the Rev Dr _Colman_ of _Boston_, and the Rev Mr. _Sergeant_ of\n_Stockbridge_, have wrote upon this Head. See Mr. _Sergeant_'s Letter\nto the Doctor, printed at _Boston 1743_. Page 15. The Doctor writes\nthus:--\"Another thing suggested by Mr. _Sergeant_, and a most wise and\nnecessary one in the present Case is--his taking in Girls as well as\nBoys, if Providence succeed the Design, and a Fund sufficient to carry\nit on can be procured:----I must needs add on this Head, that this\nProposal is a Matter of absolute Necessity, wherein we are not left at\nLiberty, either as Men or Christians; for there cannot be a Propagation\nof Religion among any People, without an equal Regard to both Sexes;\nnot only because Females are alike precious Souls, form'd for God and\nReligion as much as the Males; but also because the Care for the Souls\nof Children in Families, and more especially in those of low Degree,\nlies chiefly upon the Mothers for the first 7 or 8 Years: Which is an\nObservation or Remark which I had the Honour to make unto my dear and\nhonoured ancient Friend, _Henry Newman_, Esq; Secretary to the Hon.\nand Rev. Society for promoting Christian Knowledge; which when he had\ncommunicated to them they put into Print, and sent it to the Directors\nof the 1764 Schools; (if I have not miscounted) that so a greater\nProportion of Girls might be taken into them to receive a religious\nEducation for the sake of their Posterity, and therein for the more\neffectual answering the very End of their Charity Schools.\"----\n\n\n\n\n                         TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES\n\n\n-Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.\n\n-Archaic spelling has been retained as printed.","title":"A plain and faithful narrative of the original design, rise, progress and present state of the Indian charity-school at Lebanon, in Connecticut","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":11712}