INTRODUCTION.
I SHOULD have concluded what I had at present to offer, upon the affairs
respecting my mission, with the preceding account of the money
collected and expended for the religious interests of the Indians,
but that I have not long since received from the reverend president of
the correspondents, the copy of a letter directed to him from the Honourable
Society for propagating Christian Knowledge, dated at Edinburgh, March
21, 1745. Wherein I find it is expressly enjoined upon their missionaries,
"That they give an exact account of the methods they make use of
for instructing themselves in the Indians' language, and what progress
they have already made in it. What methods they are now taking to instruct
the Indians in the principles of our holy religion. And particularly
that they set forth in their Journals what difficulties they have already
met with, and the methods they make use of for surmounting the same."
As to the two former of these particulars, I trust that what I
have already noted in my Journals from time to time, might have been in
a good measure satisfactory to the Honourable Society, had these Journals
arrived safely and seasonably, which I am sensible they
have not in general done, by reason of their falling into the hands of
the enemy, although I have been at the pains of sending two copies of
every Journal, for more than two years past, lest one might miscarry in
the passage. But with relation to the latter of these particulars,
I have purposely omitted saying any thing considerable, and that for these
two reasons. First, because I could not oftentimes give any tolerable
account of the difficulties I met with in my work, without speaking
somewhat particularly of the causes of them, and the circumstances
conducing to them, which would necessarily have rendered my Journals very
tedious. Besides, some of the causes of my difficulties I thought more
fit to be concealed than divulged. And, secondly, because I thought
a frequent mentioning of the difficulties attending my work, might appear
as an unbecoming complaint under my burden; or as if I would rather be
thought to be endowed with a singular measure of self-denial, constancy,
and holy resolution, to meet and confront so many difficulties, and yet
to hold on and go forward amidst them all. But since the Honourable Society
are pleased to require a more exact and particular account
of these thing, I shall cheerfully endeavour something for their satisfaction
in relation to each of these particulars: although in regard of the latter
I am ready to say, Infandum--jubes renovare dolorem.
SECT. I.
Method of learning the Indian language.
THE most successful method I have taken for instructing myself
in any of the Indian languages, is, to translate English discourses by
the help of an interpreter or two, into their language as near verbatim
as the sense will admit of, and to observe strictly how they use words,
and what construction they will bear in various cases; and thus to gain
some acquaintance with the root from whence particular words proceed,
and to see how they are thence varied and diversified. But here occurs
a very great difficulty; for the interpreters being unlearned, and unacquainted
with the rules of language, it is impossible sometimes to know by them
what part of speech some particular word is of, whether noun, verb,
or participle; for they seem to use participles sometimes
where we should use nouns, and sometimes where we should use verbs
in the English language.
But I have, notwithstanding many difficulties, gained some acquaintance
with the grounds of the Delaware language, and have learned most of the
defects in it; so that I know what English words can, and what
cannot, be translated into it. I have also gained some acquaintance with
the particular phraseologies, as well as peculiarities of their
language, one of which I cannot but mention. Their language does not admit
of their speaking any word denoting relation, such as, father, son, &c.
absolutely; that is, without prefixing a pronoun-passive to it,
such as my, thy, his, &c. Hence they cannot be
baptized in their own language in the name of the Father, and the
Son, &c.; but they may be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and
his Father, &c. I have gained so much knowledge of their language,
that I can understand a considerable part of what they say, when they
discourse upon divine things, and am frequently able to correct my interpreter,
if he mistakes my sense. But I can do nothing to any purpose at speaking
the language myself.
And as an apology for this defect, I must renew, or rather enlarge, my
former complaint, viz. That "while so much of my time is necessarily
consumed in journeying," while I am obliged to ride four thousand
miles a year, (as I have done in the year past,) "I can have little
left for any of my necessary studies, and consequently for the study of
the Indian languages." And this, I may venture to say, is the great,
if not the only, reason why the Delaware language is not familiar to me
before this time. And it is impossible I should ever be able to speak
it without close application, which, at present, I see no prospect of
having time for. To preach and catechise frequently; to converse privately
with persons that need so much instruction and direction as these poor
Indians do; to take care of all their secular affairs, as if they
were a company of children; to ride abroad frequently in order to procure
collections for the support of the school, and for their help and
benefit in other respects; to hear and decide all the petty differences
that arise among any of them; and to have the constant oversight and management
of all their affairs of every kind, must needs engross most of my time,
and leave me little for application to the study of the Indian languages.
And when I add to this, the time that is necessarily consumed upon in
my Journals, I must say I have little to spare for other business. I have
not (as was observed before) sent to the Honourable Society less than
two copies of every Journal, for more than two years past; most of which,
I suppose, have been taken by the French in their passage. And a third
copy I have constantly kept by me, lest the others should miscarry. This
has caused me not a little labour, and so straitened me for time, when
I have been at liberty from other business, and had opportunity to sit
down to write, which is but rare, that I have been obliged to write twelve
and thirteen hours in a day; till my spirits have been extremely wasted,
and my life almost spent, to get these writings accomplished. And after
all; after diligent application to the various parts of my work, and after
the most industrious improvement of time I am capable of, both early and
late, I cannot oftentimes possibly gain two hours in a week for reading
or any other studies, unless just for what appears of absolute necessity
for the present. And frequently when I attempt to redeem time,
by sparing it out of my sleeping hours, I am by that means thrown under
bodily indisposition, and rendered fit for nothing.--This is truly my
present state, and is like to be so, for aught I can see, unless I could
procure an assistant in my work, or quit my present business.
But although I have not made that proficiency I could wish to have done,
in learning the Indian languages; yet I have used all endeavours to instruct
them in English tongue, which perhaps will be more advantageous to the
christian interest among them, than if I should preach in their own language;
for that is very defective, (as I shall hereafter observe,) so that many
things cannot be communicated to them without introducing English terms.
Besides, they can have no books translated into their language,
without great difficulty and expense; and if still accustomed to their
own language only, they would have no advantage of hearing other ministers
occasionally, or in my absence. So that my having a perfect acquaintance
with the Indian language would be of no great importance with regard to
this congregation of Indians in New Jersey, although it might be of great
service to me in treating with the Indians elsewhere.
SECT. II.
Method of instructing the Indians.
THE method I am taking to instruct the Indians in the principles of our
holy religion, are, to preach, or open and improve some particular points
of doctrine; to expound particular paragraphs, or sometimes whole chapters,
of God's word to them; to give historical relations from Scripture of
the most material and remarkable occurrences relating to the church of
God from the beginning; and frequency to catechise them upon the principles
of Christianity. The latter of these methods of instructing I manage in
a twofold manner. I sometimes catechise systematically, proposing
questions agreeable to the Reverend Assembly's Shorter Catechism.
This I have carried to a considerable length. At other times I catechise
upon any important subject that I think difficult to them. Sometimes when
I have discoursed upon some particular point, and made it as plain and
familiar to them as I can, I then catechise them upon the most material
branches of my discourse, to see whether they had a thorough understanding
of it. But as I have catechised chiefly in a systematical form,
I shall here give some specimen of the method I make use of in it, as
well as of the propriety and justness of my people's answers to the questions
proposed to them.
Questions upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at death.
Q. I have shown you, that the children of God receive a great many
good things from Christ while they live, now have they any more to receive
when they come to die?--A. Yes.
Q. Are the children of God then made perfectly free from sin?--Yes.
Q. Do you think they will never more be troubled with vain, foolish,
and wicked thoughts?--A. No, never at all.
Q. Will not they then be like the good angels I have so often told
you of?--A. Yes.
Q. And do you call this a great mercy to be freed from all
sin?--A. Yes.
Q. Do all God's children count it so?--A. Yes, all of them.
Q. Do you think this is what they would ask for above all things,
if God should say to them, Ask what you will, and it shall be done for
you?--A. O yes, be sure, this is what they want.
Q. You say the souls of God's people at death are made perfectly
free from sin, where do they go then?--A. They go and live with
Jesus Christ.
Q. Does Christ show them more respect and honour, and make them
more happy1 than we can possibly think of
in this world?-A. Yes.
Q. Do they go immediately to live with Christ in heaven,
as soon as their bodies are dead? or do they tarry somewhere else a while?--A.
They go immediately to Christ.
Q. Does Christ take any care of the bodies of his people when they
are dead, and their souls gone to heaven, or does he forget them?--A.
He takes care of them.
These questions were all answered with surprising readiness, and without
once missing, as I remember. And in answering several of them which respected
deliverance from sin, they were much affected, and melted with the hopes
of that happy state.
Questions upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at the resurrection.
Q. You see I have already shown you what good things Christ gives
his good people while they live, and when they come to die; now, will
he raise their bodies, and the bodies of others, to life again at the
last day?--A. Yes, they shall all be raised.
Q. Shall they then have the same bodies they now have?-A.
Yes.
Q. Will their bodies then be weak, will they feel cold, hunger,
thirst, and weariness, as they now do?--A. No, none of these things.
Q. Will their bodies ever die any more after they are raised to
life?--A. No.
Q. Will their souls and bodies be joined together again?--A.
Yes.
Q. Will God's people be more happy then, than they were while their
bodies were asleep?--A. Yes.
Q. Will Christ then own these to be his people before all the world?--A.
Yes.
Q. But God's people find so much sin in themselves, that they are
often ashamed of themselves, and will not Christ be ashamed to own such
for his friends at that day?--A. No, he never will be ashamed of
them.
Q. Will Christ then show all the world, that he has put away these
people's sins,2 and that he looks upon them
as if they had never sinned at all?--A. Yes.
Q. Will he look upon them as if they had never sinned, for the
sake of any good things they have done themselves, or for the sake of
his righteousness accounted to them as if it was theirs?--A. For
the sake of his righteousness counted to them, not for their own goodness.
Q. Will God's children then be as happy as they can desire to be?--Yes.
Q. The children of God while in this world, can but now and then
draw near to him, and they are ready to think they can never have enough
of God and Christ, but will they have enough there, as much as they can
desire?--A. O yes, enough, enough.
Q. Will the children of God love him then as much as they desire,
will they find nothing to hinder their love from going to him?--A.
Nothing at all, they shall love him as much as they desire.
Q. Will they never be weary of God and Christ, and the pleasures
of heaven, so as we are weary of our friends and enjoyments here, after
we have been pleased with them awhile?--A. No, never.
Q. Could God's people be happy if they knew God loved them, and
yet felt at the same time that they could not love and honour him?--A.
No, no.
Q. Will this then make God's people perfectly happy, to love God
above all, to honour him continually, and to feel his love to them?--A.
Yes.
Q. And will this happiness last for ever?--A. Yes, for ever,
for ever.
These questions, like the former, were answered without hesitation or
missing, as I remember, in any one instance.
Questions upon the duty which God requires of men.
Q. Has God let us know any thing of his will, or what he would
have us to do to please him?--A. Yes.
Q. And does he require us to do his will, and to please him?--A.
Yes.
Q. Is it right that God should require this of us, has he any business
to command us as a father does his children?--A. Yes.
Q. Why is it right that God should command us to do what he pleases?--A.
Because he made us, and gives us all our good things.
Q. Does God require us to do any thing that will hurt us, and take
away our comfort and happiness?--A. No.
Q. But God requires sinners to repent and be sorry for their sins,
and to have their hearts broken; now, does not this hurt them, and take
away their comfort, to be made sorry, and to have their hearts broken?--A.
No, it does them good.
Q. Did God teach man his will at first by writing it down in a
book, or did he put it into his heart, and teach him without a book what
was right?--A. He put it into his heart, and made him know what
he should do.
Q. Has God since that time writ down his will in a book?--A.
Yes.
Q. Has God written his whole will in his book; has he there told
us all that he would have us believe and do?--A. Yes.
Q. What need was there of this book, if God at first put his will
into the heart of man, and made him feel what he should do?--A.
There was need of it, because we have sinned, and made our hearts blind.
Q. And has God writ down the same things in his book, that he at
first put into the heart of man?--A. Yes.
In this manner I endeavour to adapt my instructions to the capacities
of my people; although they may perhaps seem strange to others who have
never experienced the difficulty of the work. And these I have given an
account of, are the methods I am from time to time pursuing, in order
to instruct them in the principles of Christianity. And I think I may
say, it is my great concern that these instructions be given them in such
a manner, that they may not only be doctrinally taught,
but duly affected thereby, that divine truths may come to them,
"not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost," and
be received "not as the word of man."
SECT. III.
Difficulties attending the Christianizing of the Indians--First difficulty,
the rooted aversion to Christianity that generally prevails among them.
I SHALL now attempt something with relation to the last particular required
by the Honourable Society in their letter, viz. To give some account
of the "difficulties I have already met with in my work, and the
methods I make use of for surmounting the same." And, in the first
instance, first, I have met with great difficulty in my work among
these Indians, "from the rooted aversion to Christianity that generally
prevails among them." They are not only brutishly stupid and ignorant
of divine things, but many of them are obstinately set against Christianity,
and seem to abhor even the Christian name.
This aversion to Christianity arises partly from a view of the "immorality
and vicious behaviour of many who are called Christians." They observe
that horrid wickedness in nominal Christians, which the light of nature
condemns in themselves: and not having distinguishing views of things,
are ready to look upon all the white people alike, and to condemn
them alike, for the abominable practices of some.--Hence
when I have attempted to treat with them about Christianity, they have
frequently objected the scandalous practices of Christians. They have
observed to me, that the white people lie, defraud, steal, and
drink worse than the Indians; that they have taught the Indians these
things, especially the latter of them; who before the coming of the English,
knew of no such thing as strong drink: that the English have, by these
means, made them quarrel and kill one another; and, in a word, brought
them to the practice of all those vices that now prevail among them. So
that they are now vastly more vicious, as well as much more miserable,
than they were before the coming of the white people into the country.--These,
and such like objections, they frequently make against Christianity, which
are not easily answered to their satisfaction; many of them being facts
too notoriously true.
The only way I have to take in order to surmount this difficulty,
is to distinguish between nominal and real Christians; and
to show them, that the ill conduct of many of the former proceeds
not from their being Christians, but from their being Christians only
in name, not in heart, &c. To which it has sometimes
been objected, that if all those who will cheat the Indians are Christians
only in name, there are but few left in the country to be Christians
in heart. This, and many other of the remarks they pass upon the
white people, and their miscarriages, I am forced to own, and cannot but
grant, that many nominal Christians are more abominably wicked
than the Indians. But then I attempt to show them, that there are some
who feel the power of Christianity, and that these are not so. I ask them,
when they ever saw me guilty of the vices they complain of, and charge
Christians in general with? But still the great difficulty is, that the
people who live back in the country nearest to them, and the traders
that go among them, are generally of the most irreligious and vicious
sort; and the conduct of one or two persons, be it never so exemplary,
is not sufficient to counterbalance the vicious behaviour of so many of
the same denomination, and so to recommend Christianity to pagans.
Another thing that serves to make them more averse to Christianity, is
a "fear of being enslaved." They are, perhaps, some of the most
jealous people living, and extremely averse to a state of servitude, and
hence are always afraid of some design forming against them. Besides,
they seem to have no sentiments of generosity, benevolence, and goodness;
that if any thing be proposed to them, as being for their good, they am
ready rather to suspect, that there is at bottom some design forming against
them, than that such proposals flow from good-will to them, and a desire
of their welfare. And hence, when I have attempted to recommend Christianity
to their acceptance, they have sometimes objected, that the white people
have come among them, have cheated them out of their lands, driven them
back to the mountains, from the pleasant places they used to enjoy by
the sea-side &c.; that therefore they have no reason to think the
white people are now seeking their welfare; but rather that they have
sent me out to draw them together, under a pretence of kindness to them,
that they may have an opportunity to make slaves of them, as they do of
the poor negroes, or else to ship them on board their vessels, and make
them fight with their enemies, &c. Thus they have oftentimes construed
all the kindness I could show them, and the hardships I have endured in
order to treat with them about Christianity. "He never would (say
they) take all this pains to do us good, he must have some wicked design
to hurt us some way or other." And to give them assurance of the
contrary, is not an easy matter, while there are so many who (agreeable
to their apprehension) are only "seeking their own," not the
good of others.
To remove this difficulty I inform them, that I am not sent out among
them by those persons in these provinces, who they suppose have
cheated them out of their lands; but by pious people at a great distance,
who never had an inch of their lands, nor ever thought of doing them any
hurt, &c.
But here will arise so many frivolous and impertinent questions, that
it would tire one's patience, and wear out one's spirits to hear them;
such as, "But why did not these good people send you to teach
us before, while we had our lands own by the sea-side, &c. If they
had sent you then, we should likely have heard you, and turned Christians."
The poor creatures still imagining, that I should be much beholden to
them, in case they would hearken to Christianity; and insinuating, that
this was a favour they could not now be so good as to show me, seeing
they had received so many injuries from the white people.
Another spring of aversion to Christianity in the Indians, is, "their
strong attachment to their own religious notions, (if they may be called
religious,) and the early prejudices they have imbibed in favour of their
own frantic and ridiculous kind of worship." What their notions of
God are, in their pagan state, is hard precisely to determine. I have
taken much pains to inquire of my christian people, whether they, before
their acquaintance with Christianity, imagined there was a plurality
of great invisible powers, or whether they supposed but one such
being, and worshipped him in a variety of forms and shapes: but cannot
learn any thing of them so distinct as to be fully satisfying upon the
point. Their notions in that state were so prodigiously dark and confused,
that they seemed not to know what they thought themselves. But so far
as I can learn, they had a notion of a plurality of invisible deities,
and paid some kind of homage to them promiscuously, under a great variety
of forms and shapes. And it is certain, that those who yet remain pagans
pay some kind of superstitious reverence to beasts, birds, fishes, and
even reptiles; that is, some to one kind of animal, and some to another.
They do not indeed suppose a divine power essential to, or inhering
in, these creatures, but that some invisible beings--I cannot learn that
it is always one such being only, but divers; not distinguished
from each other by certain names, but only notionally--communicate to
those animals a great power (either one or other of them, just
as it happens, or perhaps sometimes all of them,) and so make these creatures
the immediate authors of good to certain persons. Whence such a creature
becomes sacred to the persons to whom he is supposed to be the
immediate author of good, and through him they must worship the invisible
powers, though to others he is no more than another creature. And perhaps
another animal is looked upon to be the immediate author of good to another,
and consequently he must worship the invisible powers in that
animal. And I have known a pagan burn fine tobacco for incense, in order
to appease the anger of that invisible power which he supposed presided
over rattle-snakes, because one of these animals was killed by
an other Indian near his house.
But after the strictest inquiry respecting their notions of the Deity,
I find, that in ancient times, before the coming of the white people,
some supposed there were four invisible powers, who presided over
the four corners of the earth. Others imagined the sun to be the
only deity, and that all things were made by him. Others, at the
same time, have a confused notion of a certain body or fountain
of deity, somewhat like the anima mundi, so frequently mentioned
by the more learned ancient heathens, diffusing itself to various animals,
and even to inanimate things, making them the immediate authors of good
to certain persons, as before observed, with respect to various
supposed deities. But after the coming of the white people, they seemed
to suppose there were three deities, and three only, because they saw
people of three different kinds of complexion, viz. English, Negroes,
and themselves.
It is a notion pretty generally prevailing among them, that it was not
the same God made them, who made us; but that they were made after
the white people: which further shows, that they imagine a plurality of
divine powers. And I fancy they suppose their god gained some special
skill by seeing the white people made, and so made them better:
for it is certain they look upon themselves, and their methods of living,
(which, they say, their god expressly prescribed for them,) vastly preferable
to the white people, and their methods. And hence will frequently sit
and laugh at them, as being good for nothing else but to plough and fatigue
themselves with hard labour; while they enjoy the satisfaction
of stretching themselves on the ground, and sleeping as much as they please;
and have no other trouble but now and then to chase the deer, which is
often attended with pleasure rather than pain. Hence, by the way, many
of them look upon it as disgraceful for them to become Christians, as
it would be esteemed among Christians for any to become pagans. And now
although they suppose our religion will do well enough for us, because
prescribed by our God, yet it is no ways proper for them, because
not of the same make and original. This they have sometimes offered as
a reason why they did not incline to hearken to Christianity.
They seem to have some confused notion about a future state of existence,
and many of them imagine that the chichung, (i.e. the shadow,)
or what survives the body, will at death go southward, and in an
unknown but curious place, will enjoy some kind of happiness, such as,
hunting, feasting, dancing, and the like. And what they suppose will contribute
much to their happiness in that state, is that they shall never be weary
of those entertainments. It seems by this notion of their going southward
to obtain happiness, as if they had their course into these parts of the
world from some very cold climate, and found the further they went southward
the more comfortable they were; and thence concluded, that perfect felicity
was to be found further towards the same point.
They seem to have some faint and glimmering notion about rewards
and punishments, or at least happiness and misery,
in a future state, that is, some that I have conversed with, though others
seem to know of no such thing. Those that suppose this, seem to imagine
that most will be happy, and that those who are not so, will be punished
only with privation, being only excluded the walls of that good
world where happy souls shall dwell.
These rewards and punishments they suppose to depend entirely upon their
conduct with relation to the duties of the second table, i.e.
their behaviour towards mankind, and seem, so far as I can see, not to
imagine that they have any reference to their religious notions
or practices, or any thing that relates to the worship of God. I remember
I once consulted a very ancient but intelligent Indian upon this point,
for my own satisfaction; and asked him whether the Indians of old times
had supposed there was any thing of the man that would survive the body?
He replied, Yes. I asked him, where they supposed its abode would be?
He replied, "It would go southward." I asked him further, whether
it would be happy there? He answered, after a considerable pause, "that
the souls of good folks would be happy, and the souls of bad
folks miserable." I then asked him, who he called bad folks?
His answer (as I remember) was, "Those who lie, steal, quarrel with
their neighbours, are unkind to their friends, and especially to aged
parents, and, in a word, such as are a plague to mankind." These
were his bad folks; but not a word was said about their neglect
of divine worship, and their badness in that respect.
They have indeed some kind of religious worship, are frequently offering
sacrifices to some supposed invisible powers, and are very ready
to impute their calamities in the present world, to the neglect
of these sacrifices; but there is no appearance of reverence and devotion
in the homage they pay them; and what they do of this nature, seems to
be one only to appease the supposed anger of their deities, to engage
them to be placable to themselves, and do them no hurt, or at most, only
to invite these powers to succeed them in those enterprises they
are engaged in respecting the present life. So that in offering
these sacrifices, they seem to have no reference to a future state, but
only to present comfort. And this is the account my interpreter always
gives me of this matter. "They sacrifice (says he) that they may
have success in hunting and other affairs, and that sickness and other
calamities may not befall them, which they fear in the present world,
in case of neglect; but they do not suppose God will ever punish them
in the coming world for neglecting to sacrifice," &c.
And indeed they seem to imagine, that those whom they call bad folks,
are excluded from the company of good people in that state, not so much
because God remembers, and is determined to punish them for their sins
of any kind, either immediately against himself or their neighbour, as
because they would be a plague to society, and would render others
unhappy if admitted to dwell with them. So that they are excluded rather
of necessity, than by God acting as a righteous judge.
They give much heed to dreams, because they suppose these invisible
powers give them directions at such times about certain affairs, and sometimes
inform them what animal they would choose to be worshipped in.
They are likewise much attached to the traditions and fabulous notions
of their fathers, who have informed them of divers miracles that were
anciently wrought among the Indians, which they firmly believe, and thence
look upon their ancestors to have been the best of men. They also mention
some wonderful things which, they say, have happened since the memory
of some who are now living. One I remember affirmed to me, that himself
had once been dead four days, that most of his friends in that time were
gathered together to his funeral, and that he should have been buried,
but that some of his relations at a great distance, who were sent for
upon that occasion, were not arrived, before whose coming he came to life
again. In this time, he says, he went to the place where the sun rises,
(imagining the earth to be plain,) and directly over that place, at a
great height in the air, he was admitted, he says, into a great house,
which he supposes was several miles in length, and saw many wonderful
things, too tedious as well as ridiculous to mention. Another person,
a woman, whom I have not seen, but been credibly informed of by the Indians,
declares, that she was dead several days, that her soul went southward,
and feasted and danced with the happy spirits, and that she found all
things exactly agreeable to the Indian notions of a future state.
These superstitious notions and traditions, and this kind of ridiculous
worship I have mentioned, they are extremely attached to, and the prejudice
they have imbibed in favour of these things, renders them not a little
averse to the doctrines of Christianity. Some of them have told me, when
I have endeavoured to instruct them, "that their fathers had taught
them already, and that they did not want to learn now."
It will be too tedious to give any considerable account of the methods
I make use of for surmounting this difficulty. I will just say, I endeavour,
as much as possible, to show them the inconsistency of their own
notions, and so to confound them out of their own mouths. But I must also
say, I have sometimes been almost nonplussed with them, and scarce knew
what to answer them: but never have been more perplexed with them, than
when they have pretended to yield to me as knowing more than they, and
consequently have asked me numbers of impertinent, and yet difficult questions,
as, "How the Indians came first into this part of the world, away
from all the white people, if what I said was true," viz.
that the same God made them who made us? "How the Indians became
black, if they had the same original parents with the white
people?" And numbers more of the like nature.--These things, I must
say, have been not a little difficult and discouraging, especially when
withal some of the Indians have appeared angry and malicious against Christianity.
What further contributes to their aversion to Christianity is, the influence
that their powows (conjurers or diviners) have upon
them. These are a sort of persons who are supposed to have a power of
foretelling future events, or recovering the sick, at least
oftentimes, and of charming, enchanting, or poisoning
persons to death by their magic divinations. And their spirit,
in its various operations, seems to be a Satanical imitation of the spirit
of prophecy that the church in early ages was favoured with. Some of these
diviners are endowed with the spirit in infancy;--others in adult age.--It
seems not to depend upon their own will, nor to be acquired by any endeavours
of the person who is the subject of it, although it is supposed to be
given to children sometimes in consequence of some means the parents use
with them for that purpose; one of which is to make the child swallow
a small living frog, after having performed some superstitious rites and
ceremonies upon it. They are not under the influence of this spirit always
alike,--but it comes upon them at times. And those who are endowed with
it, are accounted singularly favoured.
I have laboured to gain some acquaintance with this affair of their conjuration,
and have for that end consulted and queried with the man mentioned in
my Journal of May 9, who, since his conversion to Christianity, has endeavoured
to give me the best intelligence he could of this matter. But it seems
to be such a mystery of iniquity, that I cannot well understand
it, and do not know oftentimes what ideas to affix to the terms he makes
use of; and, so far as I can learn, he himself has not any clear notions
of the thing, now his spirit of divination is gone from him. However,
the manner in which he says he obtained this spirit of divination was
this; he was admitted into the presence of a great man, who informed
him, that he loved, pitied, and desired to do him good. It was not in
this world that he saw the great man, but in a world above at a
vast distance from this. The great man, he says, was clothed with the
day; yea, with the brightest day he ever saw; a day of many years, yea,
of everlasting continuance! this whole world, he says, was drawn upon
him, so that in him, the earth, and all things in it, might be
seen. I asked him, if rocks, mountains, and seas were drawn upon, or appeared
in him? He replied, that every thing that was beautiful and lovely in
the earth was upon him, and might be seen by looking on him, as well as
if one was on the earth to take a view of them there. By the side of the
great man, he says, stood his shadow or spirit; for he used (chichung)
the word they commonly use to express that of the man which survives the
body, which word properly signifies a shadow. This shadow, he says,
was as lovely as the man himself, and filled all places, and was
most agreeable as well as wonderful to him.--Here, he says, he tarried
some time, and was unspeakably entertained and delighted with a view of
the great man, of his shadow or spirit, and of all things in him.
And what is most of all astonishing, he imagines all this to have passed
before he was born. He never had been, he says, in this world at that
time. And what confirms him in the belief of this, is, that the great
man told him, that he must come down to earth, be born of such
a woman, meet with such and such things, and in particular,
that he should once in his life be guilty of murder. At this he
was displeased, and told the great man, he would never murder. But the
great man replied, "I have said it, and it shall be so." Which
has accordingly happened. At this time, he says, the great man asked him
what he would choose in life. He replied, First to be a hunter,
and afterwards to be a powow or diviner. Whereupon the great
man told him, he should have what he desired, and that his shadow
should go along with him down to earth, and be with him for ever. There
was, he says, all this time no words spoken between them. The conference
was not carried on by any human language, but they had a kind of
mental intelligence of each other's thoughts, dispositions, and proposals.
After this, he says, he saw the great man no more; but supposes he now
came down to earth to be born, but the spirit or shadow of the great man
still attended him, and ever after continued to appear to him in dreams
and other ways, until he felt the power of God's word upon his heart;
since which it has entirely left him.
This spirit, he says, used sometimes to direct him in dreams to go to
such a place and hunt, assuring him he should there meet with success,
which accordingly proved so. And when he had been there some time, the
spirit would order him to another place. So that he had success in hunting,
according to the great man's promise made to him at the time of his choosing
this employment.
There were some times when this spirit came upon him in a special
manner, and he was full of what he saw in the great man; and then, he
says, he was all light, and not only light himself, but
it was light all around him, so that he could see through men,
and knew the thoughts of their hearts, &c. These depths of Satan
I leave to others to fathom or to dive into as they please, and do not
pretend, for my own part, to know what ideas to affix to such terms, and
cannot well guess what conceptions of things these creatures have at these
times when they call themselves all light. But my interpreter tells
me, that he heard one of them tell a certain Indian the secret thoughts
of his heart, which he had never divulged. The case was this, the Indian
was bitten with a snake, and was in extreme pain with the bite. Whereupon
the diviner (who was applied to for his recovery) told him, that
at such a time he had promised, that the next deer he killed, he
would sacrifice it to some great power, but had broken his promise.
And now, said he, that great power has ordered this snake to bite you
for your neglect. The Indian confessed it was so, but said he had never
told any body of it. But as Satan, no doubt, excited the Indian
to make that promise, it was no wonder he should be able to communicate
the matter to the conjurer.
These things serve to fix them down in their idolatry, and to make
them believe there is no safety to be expected, but by their continuing
to offer such sacrifices. And the influence that these powows
have upon them, either through the esteem or fear they have of them, is
no small hinderance to their embracing Christianity.
To remove this difficulty, have laboured to show the Indians, that these
diviners have no power to recover the sick, when the God whom Christians
serve, has determined them for death; and that the supposed great power
who influences these diviners has himself no power in this case:
and that if they seem to recover any by their magic charms, they
are only such as the God I preached to them, had determined should recover,
and who would have recovered without their conjurations, &c. And when
I have apprehended them afraid of embracing Christianity, lest they should
be enchanted and poisoned, I have endeavoured to relieve their minds of
this fear, by asking them, Why their powows did not enchant and
poison me, seeing they had as much reason to hate me for preaching to
and desiring them to become Christians, as they could have to hate them
in case they should actually become such? And that they might have an
evidence of the power and goodness of God engaged for the protection of
Christians, I ventured to bid a challenge to all their powows and
great powers to do their worst on me first of all, and thus laboured
to tread down their influence.
Many things further might be offered upon this head, but thus much may
suffice for a representation of their aversion to and prejudice against
Christianity, the springs of it, and the difficulties thence arising.
SECT. IV.
Second difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. To convey divine
truths to their understanding, and to gain their assent.
ANOTHER great difficulty I have met with in my attempts to christianize
the Indians, has been to "convey divine truths to their understandings,
and to gain their assent to them as such."
In the first place, I laboured under a very great disadvantage for want
of an interpreter, who had a good degree of doctrinal as well as
experimental knowledge of divine things: in both which respects
my present interpreter was very defective when I first employed him, as
I noted in the account I before gave of him. And it was sometimes extremely
discouraging to me, when I could not make him understand what I designed
to communicate; when truths of the last importance appeared foolishness
to him for want of a spiritual understanding and relish of them; and
when he addressed the Indians in a lifeless indifferent manner, without
any heart-engagement or fervency; and especially when he appeared heartless
and irresolute about making attempts for the conversion of the Indians
to Christianity, as he frequently did. For although he had a desire that
they should conform to christian manners, (as I elsewhere observed,) yet
being abundantly acquainted with their strong attachments to their own
superstitious notions, and the difficulty of bringing them off, and having
no sense of divine power and grace, nor dependence upon an Almighty arm
for the accomplishment of this work, he used to be discouraged, and tell
me, "It signifies nothing for us to try, they will never turn,"
&c. So that he was a distressing weight and burden to me. And here
I should have sunk, scores of times, but that God in a remarkable manner
supported me; sometimes by giving me full satisfaction that he himself
had called me to this work, and thence a secret hope that sometime or
other I might meet with success in it; or if not, that "my judgment
should notwithstanding be with the Lord, and my work with my God."
Sometimes by giving me a sense of his almighty power, and that "his
hand was not shortened." Sometimes by affording me a fresh and lively
view of some remarkable freedom and assistance I had been repeatedly favoured
with in prayer for the ingathering of these heathens some years before,
even before I was a missionary, and a refreshing sense of the stability
and faithfulness of the divine promises, and that the prayer of faith
should not fail. Thus I was supported under these trials, and the method
God was pleased to take for the removal of this difficulty, (respecting
my interpreter,) I have sufficiently represented elsewhere.
Another thing that rendered it very difficult to convey divine truths
to the understandings of the Indians, was the defect of their language,
the want of terms to express and convey ideas of spiritual things. There
are no words in the Indian language to answer our English words, "Lord,
Saviour, salvation, sinner, justice, condemnation, faith, repentance,
justification, adoption, sanctification, grace, glory, heaven," with
scores of the like importance.
The only methods I can make use of for surmounting this difficulty, are,
either to describe the things at large designed by these terms, as, if
I was speaking of regeneration, to call it the "heart's being changed"
by God's Spirit, or the "heart's being made good." Or else I
must introduce the English terms into their language, and fix the precise
meaning of them, that they may know what I intend whenever I use them.
But what renders it much more difficult to convey divine truths to the
understandings of these Indians, is, that "there seems to be no foundation
in their minds to begin upon;" I mean no truths that may be taken
for granted, as being already known, while I am attempting to instil others.
And divine truths having such a necessary connexion with, and dependence
upon, each other, I find it extremely difficult in my first addresses
to pagans to begin and discourse of them in their proper order and connexion,
without having reference to truths not yet known,--without taking for
granted such things as need first to be taught and proved. There is no
point of christian doctrine but what they are either wholly ignorant of,
or extremely confused in their notion about. And therefore it is necessary
they should be instructed in every truth, even in those that are the most
easy and obvious to the understanding, and which a person educated under
gospel-light would be ready to pass over in silence, as not imagining
that any rational creature could be ignorant of.
The method I have usually taken in my first addresses to pagans, has been
to introduce myself by saying, that I was come among them with a desire
and design of teaching them some things which I presumed they did not
know, and which I trusted would be for their comfort and, happiness if
known; desiring they would give their attention, and hoping they might
meet with satisfaction in my discourse. And thence have proceeded to observe,
that there are two things belonging to every man, which I call the soul
and body. These I endeavour to distinguish from each other, by
observing to them, that there is something in them that is capable of
joy and pleasure, when their bodies are sick and much pained: and,
on the contrary, that they find something within them that is fearful,
sorrowful, ashamed, &c. and consequently very uneasy, when their bodies
are in perfect health. I then observed to them, that this which rejoices
in them (perhaps at the sight of some friend who has been long absent)
when their bodies are sick and in pain,--this which is sorrowful, frighted,
ashamed, &c. and consequently uneasy, when their bodies are perfectly
at ease,--this I call the soul. And although it cannot be
seen like the other part of the man, viz. the body, yet it is as
real as their thoughts, desires, &c. which are likewise things that
cannot be seen.
I then further observe, that this part of the man which thinks, rejoices,
grieves, &c. will live after the body is dead. For the proof of this,
I produce the opinion of their fathers, who (as I am told by very aged
Indians now living) always supposed there was something of the man that
would survive the body. And if I can, for the proof of any thing I assert,
say, as St. Paul to the Athenians, "As certain also of your own sages
have said," it is sufficient. And having established this point,
I next observe, that what I have to say to them, respects the conscious
part of the man; and that with relation to its state after the death of
the body; and that I am not come to treat with them about the things that
concern the present world.
This method I am obliged to take, because they will otherwise entirely
mistake the design of my preaching, and suppose the business I am upon,
is something that relates to the present world, having never been called
together by the white people upon any other occasion, but only to be treated
with about the sale of lands, or some other secular business. And I find
it almost impossible to prevent their imagining that I am engaged in the
same, or such like affairs, and to beat it into them, that my concern
is to treat with them about their invisible part, and that with
relation to its future state.
But having thus opened the way, by distinguishing between soul and body,
and showing the immortality of the former, and that my business is to
treat with them in order to their happiness in a future state; I proceed
to discourse of the being and perfections of God, particularly of his
"eternity, unity, self-sufficiency, infinite wisdom, and almighty
power." It is necessary, in the first place, to teach them, that
God is from everlasting, and so distinguished from all creatures;
though it is very difficult to communicate any thing of that nature to
them, they having no terms in their language to signify an eternity a
parte ante. It is likewise necessary to discourse of the divine unity,
in order to confute the notions they seem to have of a plurality
of gods. The divine all-sufficiency must also necessarily be mentioned,
in order to prevent their imagining that God was unhappy while alone,
before the formation of his creatures. And something respecting the divine
wisdom and power seems necessary to be insisted upon, in
order to make way for discoursing of God's works.
Having offered some things upon the divine perfections mentioned, I proceed
to open the work of creation in general, and in particular God's
creation of man in a state of uprightness and happiness, placing them
in a garden of pleasure; the means and manner of their apostacy from that
state, and loss of that happiness. But before I can give a relation of
their fall from God, I am obliged to make a large digression, in order
to give an account of the original and circumstances of their tempter,
his capacity of assuming the shape of a serpent, from his being a spirit
without a body, &c. Whence I go on to show, the ruins of our
fallen state, the mental blindness and vicious dispositions our
first parents then contracted to themselves, and propagated to all their
posterity; the numerous calamities brought upon them and theirs by this
apostacy from God, and the exposedness of the whole human race to eternal
perdition. And thence labour to show them the necessity of an almighty
Saviour to deliver us from this deplorable state, as well as of a divine
revelation to instruct us in, and direct us agreeable to, the will
of God.
And thus the way, by such an introductory discourse, is prepared for opening
the gospel-scheme of salvation through the great Redeemer, and for treating
of those doctrines that immediately relate to the soul's renovation by
the divine Spirit, and preparation for a state of everlasting blessedness.
In giving such a relation of things to pagans, it is not a little difficult,
as observed before, to deliver truths in their proper order, without interfering,
and without taking for granted things not as yet known; to discourse of
them in a familiar manner suited to the capacities of heathens; to illustrate
them by easy and natural similitudes; to obviate or answer the objections
they are disposed to make against the several particulars of it, as well
as to take notice of and confute their contrary notions.
What has sometimes been very discouraging in my first discourses to them,
is, that when I have distinguished between the present and future
state, and shown them that it was my business to treat of those things
that concern the life to come, they have mocked, and looked upon these
things of no importance; have scarce had a curiosity to hear, and perhaps
walked off before I had half done my discourse. And in such a case no
impressions can be made upon their minds to gain their attention. They
are not awed by hearing of the anger of God engaged against sinners, of
everlasting punishment as the portion of gospel-neglecters. They are not
allured by hearing of the blessedness of those who embrace and obey the
gospel. So that to gain their attention to my discourses, has often been
as difficult as to give them a just notion of the design of them, or to
open truths in their proper order.
Another difficulty naturally falling under the head I am now upon, is,
that "it is next to impossible to bring them to a rational conviction
that they are sinners by nature, and that their hearts are corrupt and
sinful," unless one could charge them with some gross acts of immorality,
such as the light of nature condemns. If they can be charged with
behaviour contrary to the commands of the second table,--with manifest
abuses of their neighbour, they will generally own such actions to be
wrong; but then they seem as if they thought only the actions were
sinful, and not their hearts. But if they cannot be charged with
such scandalous actions, they seem to have no consciousness of sin and
guilt at all, as I had occasion to observe in my Journal of March 24.
So that it is very difficult to convince them rationally of that which
is readily acknowledged (though, alas! rarely felt) in the christian world,
viz. "That we are all sinners."
The method I take to convince them "we are sinners by nature,"
is, to lead them to an observation of their little children, how
they will appear in a rage, fight and strike their mothers, before they
are able to speak or walk, while they are so young that it is plain they
are incapable of learning such practices. And the light of nature in the
Indians condemning such behaviour in children towards their parents, they
must own these tempers and actions to be wrong and sinful. And the children
having never learned these things, they must have been in their natures,
and consequently they must be allowed to be "by nature the children
of wrath." The same I observe to them with respect to the sin of
lying, which their children seem much inclined to. They tell lies
without being taught so to do, from their own natural inclination,
as well as against restraints, and after corrections for that vice,
which proves them sinners by nature, &c.
And further, in order to show them their hearts are all corrupted
and sinful, I observe to them, that this may be the case, and they
not be sensible of it through the blindness of their minds. That
it is no evidence they are not sinful, because they do not know
and feel it. I then mention all the vices I know the Indians to be guilty
of, and so make use of these sinful streams to convince them the
fountain is corrupt. And this is the end for which I mention their
wicked practices to them, not because I expect to bring them to an effectual
reformation merely by inveighing against their immoralities; but hoping
they may hereby be convinced of the corruption of their hearts, and awakened
to a sense of the depravity and misery of their fallen state.
And for the same purpose, viz. "to convince them they are
sinners," I sometimes open to them the great command of "loving
God with all the heart, strength, and mind;" show them the reasonableness
of loving him who has made, preserved, and dealt bountifully with
us: and then labour to show them their utter neglect in this regard, and
that they have been so far from loving God in this manner, that,
on the contrary, he has not been "in all their thoughts."
These, and such like, are the means I have made use of in order to remove
this difficulty; but if it be asked after all, "How it was surmounted?"
I must answer, God himself was pleased to do it with regard to a number
of these Indians, by taking his work into his own hand, and making
them feel at heart, that they were both sinful and miserable. And
in the day of God's power, whatever was spoken to them from God's
word, served to convince them they were sinners, (even the
most melting invitations of the gospel,) and to fill them with
solicitude to obtain a deliverance from that deplorable state.
Further, it is extremely difficult to give them any just notion of the
undertaking of Christ in behalf of sinners; of his obeying and suffering
in their room and stead, in order to atone for their sins,
and procure their salvation; and of their being justified by his righteousness
imputed to them.--They are in general wholly unacquainted with
civil laws and proceedings, and know of no such thing as one person
being substituted as a surety in the room of another, nor
have any kind of notion of civil judicatures, of persons being
arraigned, tried, judged, condemned, or acquitted. And hence it is very
difficult to treat with them upon any thing of this nature, or that bears
any relation to legal procedures. And although they cannot but
have some dealings with the white people, in order to procure clothing
and other necessaries of life, yet it is scarce ever known that any one
pays a penny for another, but each one stands for himself. Yet
this is a thing that may be supposed, though seldom practised among them,
and they may be made to understand, that if a friend of theirs pay a debt
for them, it is right that upon that consideration they themselves should
be discharged.
And this is the only way I can take in order to give them a proper notion
of the undertaking and satisfaction of Christ in behalf
of sinners. But here naturally arise two questions. First, "What
need there was of Christ's obeying and suffering for us; why God would
not look upon us to be good creatures (to use my common phrase for justification)
on account of our own good deeds?" In answer to which I sometimes
observe, that a child being never so orderly and obedient to its parents
to-day, does by no means satisfy for its contrary behaviour yesterday;
and that if it be loving and obedient at some times only, and at
other times cross and disobedient, it never can be looked upon
a good child for its own doings, since it ought to have behaved in an
obedient manner always. This simile strikes their minds in an easy
and forcible manner, and serves, in a measure, to illustrate the point.
For the light of nature, as before hinted, teaches them, that their
children ought to be obedient to them, and that at all times; and
some of them are very severe with them for the contrary behaviour. This
I apply in the plainest manner to our behaviour towards God; and so show
them, that it is impossible for us, since we have sinned against God,
to be justified before him by our own doings, since present and future
goodness, although perfect and constant, could never satisfy
for past misconduct.
A second question, is, "If our debt was so great, and if we
all deserved to suffer, how one person's suffering was sufficient to answer
for the whole?" Here I have no better way to illustrate the infinite
value of Christ's obedience and sufferings, arising from the dignity and
excellency of his person, than to show them the superior value
of gold to that of baser metals, and that a small quantity of this
will discharge a greater debt, than a vast quantity of the common copper
pence. But after all, it is extremely difficult to treat with them
upon this great doctrine of "justification by imputed righteousness."
I scarce know how to conclude this head, so many things occurring that
might properly be added here; but what has been mentioned, may serve for
a specimen of the difficulty of conveying divine truths to the understandings
of these Indians, and of gaining their assent to them as such.
SECT. V.
A third difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. Their inconvenient
situations, savage manners, and unhappy method of living.
THEIR "inconvenient situations, savage manners, and unhappy method
of living," have been an unspeakable difficulty and discouragement
to me in my work.--They generally live in the wilderness, and some
that I have visited, at great distances from the English settlements.
This has obliged me to travel much, oftentimes over hideous rocks, mountains,
and swamps, and frequently to lie out in the open woods, which deprived
me of the common comforts of life, and greatly impaired my health.
When I have got among them in the wilderness, I have often met with great
difficulty in my attempts to discourse to them.--I have sometimes spent
hours with them in attempting to answer their objections, and remove their
jealousies, before I could prevail upon them to give me a hearing
upon Christianity. I have been often obliged to preach in their houses
in cold and windy weather, when they have been full of smoke and cinders,
as well as unspeakably filthy; which has many times thrown me into violent
sick head-aches.
While I have been preaching, their children have frequently cried to such
a degree, that I could scarcely be heard, and their pagan mothers would
take no manner of care to quiet them. At the same time, perhaps, some
have been laughing and mocking at divine truths. Others playing with their
dogs, whittleing sticks, and the like. And this, in many of them, not
from spite and prejudice, but for want of better manners.
A view of these things has been not a little sinking and discouraging
to me. It has sometimes so far prevailed upon me as to render me entirely
dispirited and wholly unable to go on with my work; and given me such
a melancholy turn of mind, that I have many times thought I could never
more address an Indian upon religious matters.
The solitary manner in which I have generally been obliged to live, on
account of their inconvenient situation, has been not a little pressing.
I have spent the greater part of my time, for more than three years past,
entirely alone, as to any agreeable society; and a very considerable part
of it in houses by myself, without having the company of any human creature.
Sometimes I have scarcely seen an Englishman for a month or six weeks
together; and have had my spirits so depressed with melancholy views of
the tempers and conduct of pagans, when I have been for some time confined
with them, that I have felt as if banished from all the people of God.
I have likewise been wholly alone in my work, there being no other missionary
among the Indians in either of these provinces. And other ministers
neither knowing the peculiar difficulties, nor most advantageous
methods of performing my work, have been capable to afford me little assistance
or support in any respect.--A feeling of the great disadvantages of being
alone in this work, has discovered to me the wisdom and goodness of the
great Head of the church, in sending forth his disciples two and two,
in order to proclaim the sacred mysteries of his kingdom; and has made
me long for a colleague to be a partner of my cares, hopes,
and fears, as well as labours amongst the Indians; and excited to use
some means in order to procure such an assistant, although I have not
as yet been so happy as to meet with success in that respect.
I have not only met with great difficulty in travelling to, and for some
time residing among, the Indians far remote in the wilderness, but also
in living with them, in one place and another, more statedly. I have been
obliged to remove my residence from place to place; having procured, and
after some poor fashion, furnished, three houses for living among them,
in the space of about three years past. One at Kaunaumeek, about
twenty miles distant from the city of Albany; one at the Forks of Delaware,
in Pennsylvania; and one at Crossweeksung, in New Jersey. And the
Indians in the latter of these provinces, with whom I have lately spent
most of my time, being not long since removed from the place where they
lived last winter, (the reason of which I mentioned in my Journal of March
24, and May 4,) I have now no house at all of my own, but am obliged to
lodge with an English family at a considerable distance from them, to
the great disadvantage of my work among them; they being like children
that continually need advice and direction, as well as incitement
to their worldly business.--The houses I have formerly lived in are at
great distances from each other; the two nearest of them being more than
seventy miles apart, and neither of them within fifteen
miles of the place where the Indians now live.
The Indians are a very poor and indigent people, and so destitute of the
comforts of life, at some seasons of the year especially, that it is impossible
for a person who has any pity to them, and concern for the christian interest,
to live among them without considerable expense, especially in time of
sickness. If any thing be bestowed on one, (as in some cases it is peculiarly
necessary, in order to remove their pagan jealousies, and engage their
friendship to Christianity,) others, be there never so many of them, expect
the same treatment. And while they retain their pagan tempers, they discover
little gratitude, amidst all the kindnesses they receive. If they make
any presents, they expect double satisfaction. And Christianity itself
does not at once cure them of these ungrateful tempers.
They are in general unspeakably indolent and slothful. They have been
bred up in idleness, and know little about cultivating land, or indeed
of engaging vigorously in any other business. So that I am obliged to
instruct them in, as well as press them to, the performance
of their work, and take the oversight of all their secular business. They
have little or no ambition or resolution. Not one in a thousand of them
has the spirit of a man. And it is next to impossible to make them sensible
of the duty and importance of being active, diligent, and industrious
in the management of their worldly business; and to excite in them any
spirit and promptitude of that nature. When I have laboured to the utmost
of my ability to show them of what importance it would be to the Christian
interest among them, as well as to their worldly comfort, for them to
be laborious and prudent in their business, and to furnish themselves
with the comforts of life; how this would incline the pagans to come among
them, and so put them under the means of salvation--how it would encourage
religious persons of the white people to help them, as well as stop the
mouths of others that were disposed to cavil against them; how they might
by this means pay others their just dues, and so prevent trouble from
coming upon themselves, and reproach upon their christian profession--they
have indeed assented to all I said, but been little moved,
and consequently have acted like themselves, or at least too much
so. Though it must be acknowledged, that those who appear to have a sense
of divine things, are considerably amended in this respect, and it is
to be hoped, that time will make a yet greater alteration upon them for
the better.
The concern I have had for the settling of these Indians in New Jersey
in a compact form, in order to their being a christian congregation, in
a capacity of enjoying the means of grace; the care of managing their
worldly business in order to this end, and to their having a comfortable
livelihood; have been more pressing to my mind, and cost me more labour
and fatigue, for several months past, than all my other work among them.
Their "wandering to and fro in order to procure the necessaries of
life," is another difficulty that attends my work. This has often
deprived me of opportunities to discourse to them; and it has thrown them
in the way of temptation; either among pagans further remote where they
have gone to hunt, who have laughed at them for hearkening to Christianity;
or, among white people more horribly wicked, who have often made them
drunk, and then got their commodities--such as skins, baskets, brooms,
shovels, and the like, with which they designed to have bought corn, and
other necessaries of life, for themselves and families--for, it may be,
nothing but a little strong liquor, and then sent them home empty. So
that for the labour perhaps of several weeks, they have got nothing but
the satisfaction of being drunk once; and have not only lost their labour,
but, which is infinitely worse, the impressions of some divine subjects
that were made upon their minds before.--But I forbear enlarging upon
this head. The few hints I have given may be sufficient to give thinking
persons some apprehensions of the difficulties attending my work, on account
of the inconvenient situations and savage manners of the
Indians, as well as of their unhappy method of living.
SECT. VI.
Fourth difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. The designs of evil-minded
persons to hinder the work.
THE last difficulty I shall mention, as having attended my work, is "what
has proceeded from the attempts that some ill-minded persons have designedly
made, to hinder the propagation of the gospel, and a work of divine grace,
among the Indians."--The Indians are not only of themselves prejudiced
against Christianity, on the various accounts I have already mentioned,
but, as if this was not enough, there are some in all parts of the country
where I have preached to them, who have taken pains industriously to bind
them down in pagan darkness; "neglecting to enter into the kingdom
of God themselves, and labouring to hinder others."
After the beginning of the religious concern among the Indians in New
Jersey, some endeavoured to prejudice them against me and the truths I
taught them, by the most sneaking, unmanly, and false suggestions of things
that had no manner of foundation but in their own brains. Some particulars
of this kind I formerly took notice of in one of the remarks made upon
my Journal concluded the 20th of November last; and might have added more,
and of another nature, had not modesty forbidden me to mention what was
too obscene. But, through the mercy of God, they were never able, by all
their abominable insinuations, flouting jeers, and downright lies, to
create in the Indians those jealousies they desired to possess them with,
and so were never suffered to hinder the work of grace among them.--But
when they saw they could not prejudice the Indians against me, nor hinder
them from receiving the gospel, they then noised it through the country,
that I was undoubtedly a Roman catholic, and that I was gathering
together, and training up, the Indians in order to serve a popish interest,
that I should quickly head them, and cut people's throats.
What they pretended gave them reason for this opinion, was, that they
understood I had a commission from Scotland. Whereupon they could with
great assurance say, "All Scotland is turned to the Pretender,
and this is but a popish plot to make a party for him here," &c.
And some, I am informed, actually went to the civil authority with
complaints against me, but only laboured under this unhappiness, that
when they came, they had nothing to complain of, and could give no colour
of reason why they attempted any such thing, or desired the civil authority
to take cognizance of me, having not a word to allege against my preaching
or practice, only they surmised that because the Indians
appeared so very loving and orderly, they had a design of
imposing upon people by that means, and so of getting a better advantage
to cut their throats. And what temper they would have had the Indians
appear with, in order to have given no occasion, nor have left
any room for such a suspicion, I cannot tell. I presume if they had appeared
with the contrary temper, it would quickly have been observed of
them, that "they were now grown surly," and in all probability
were preparing to "cut people's throats."--From a view
of these things, I have had occasion to admire the wisdom and goodness
of God in providing so full and authentic a commission for
the undertaking and carrying on of this work, without which, notwithstanding
the charitableness of the design, it had probably met with molestation.
The Indians who have been my hearers in New Jersey, have likewise been
sued for debt, and threatened with imprisonment, more since I came among
them, as they inform me, than in seven years before. The reason
of this, I suppose, was, they left frequenting those tippling houses
where they used to consume most of what they gained by hunting and other
means. And these persons, seeing that the hope of future gain was lost,
were resolved to make sure of what they could. And perhaps some of them
put the Indians to trouble, purely out of spite at their embracing Christianity.
This conduct of theirs has been very distressing to me; for I was sensible,
that if they did imprison any one that embraced or hearkened to
Christianity, the news of it would quickly spread among the pagans, hundreds
of miles distant, who would immediately conclude I had involved them in
this difficulty; and thence be filled with prejudice against Christianity,
and strengthened in their jealousy, that the whole of my design among
them, was to insnare and enslave them. And I knew that some of the Indians
upon Susquehannah had made this objection against hearing me preach,
viz. That they understood a number of Indians in Maryland, some
hundreds of miles distant, who had been uncommonly free with the English,
were after a while put in jail, sold, &c. Whereupon they concluded,
it was best for them to keep at a distance, and have nothing to do with
Christians.--The method I took in order to remove this difficulty, was,
to press the Indians with all possible speed to pay their debts,
and to exhort those of them that had skins or money, and
were themselves in a good measure free of debt, to help others that were
oppressed. And frequently upon such occasions I have paid money out of
my own pocket, which I have not as yet received again.
These are some of the difficulties I have met with from the conduct of
those who, notwithstanding their actions so much tend to hinder
the propagation of Christianity would, I suppose, be loth to be reputed
pagans. Thus I have endeavoured to answer the demands of the Honourable
Society in relation to each of the particulars mentioned in their
letter.--If what I have written may be in any measure agreeable
and satisfactory to them, and serve to excite in them, or any of God's
people, a spirit of prayer and supplication for the furtherance
of a work of grace among the Indians here, and the propagation
of it to their distant tribes, I shall have abundant reason to
rejoice, and bless God in this, as well as in other respects.
DAVID BRAINERD.
June 20, 1746.
P.S. Since the conclusion of the preceding Journal--which was designed
to represent the operations of one year only, from the first time
of my preaching to the Indians in New Jersey--I administered the sacrament
of the Lord's supper a second time in my congregation, viz.
on the 13th of July. At which time there were more than thirty
communicants of the Indians, although divers were absent who should have
communicated: so considerably has God enlarged our number since the former
solemnity of this kind, described somewhat particularly in my Journal.
This appeared to be a season of divine power and grace, not unlike the
former; a season of refreshing to God's people in general, and of awakening
to some others, although the divine influence manifestly attending the
several services of the solemnity, seemed not so great and powerful as
at the former season.
D. BRAINERD.
SECT. VII Attestations of divine grace displayed among the Indians.
FIRST ATTESTATION.
SINCE my dear and reverend brother Brainerd has at length consented
to the publication of his Journal, I gladly embrace this opportunity of
testifying, that our altogether glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
has given such a display of his almighty power and sovereign grace,
not only in the external reformation, but (in a judgment of charity)
the saving conversion of a considerable number of Indians, that it is
really wonderful to all beholders! though some, alas! notwithstanding
sufficient grounds of conviction to the contrary, do join with the devil,
that avowed enemy of God and man, in endeavouring to prevent this glorious
work, by such ways and means as are mentioned in the aforesaid Journal,
to which I must refer the reader for a faithful, though very brief, account
of the time when, the place where, the means by which, and manner how,
this wished-for work has been begun and carried on, by the great Head
of the church.--And this I can more confidently do, not only because I
am intimately acquainted with the author of the Journal, but on account
of my own personal knowledge of the matters of fact recorded in it respecting
the work itself.--As I live not far from the Indians, I have been much
conversant with them, both at their own place, and in my own parish, where
they generally convene for public worship in Mr. Brainerd's absence; and
I think it my duty to acknowledge, that their conversation hath often,
under God, refreshed my soul.
To conclude; it is my opinion, that the change wrought in those savages,
namely, from the darkness of paganism, to the knowledge of the pure gospel
of Christ; from sacrificing to devils, to "present themselves, body
and soul, a living sacrifice to God," and that not only from the
persuasion of their minister, but from a clear heart-affecting sense of
its being their reasonable service: this change, I say, is so great,
that none could effect it but he "who worketh all things after the
good pleasure of his own will." And I would humbly hope, that this
is only the first-fruits of a much greater harvest to be brought in from
among the Indians, by him, who has promised to give his Son "the
heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost of the earth for his possession;"--who
hath also declared, "That the whole earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.--Even so, Lord Jesus,
come quickly. Amen and Amen."
I am, courteous reader,
thy soul's well-wisher,
WILLIAM TENNENT.
Freehold,
August 16, 1746.
SECOND ATTESTATION.
As it must needs afford a sacred pleasure to such as cordially
desire the prosperity and advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom and interest
in the world, to hear, that our merciful and gracious God is in very deed
fulfilling such precious promises as relate to the poor heathen, by sending
his everlasting gospel among them, which, with concurrence of his Holy
Spirit, is removing that worse than Egyptian darkness, whereby the God
of this world has long held them in willing subjection; so this narrative
will perhaps be more acceptable to the world, when it is confirmed by
the testimony of such as were either eye-witness of this glorious dawn
of gospel-light among the benighted pagans, or personally acquainted with
those of them, in whom, in a judgment of charity, a gracious change has
been wrought. Therefore I the more willingly join with my brethren, Mr.
Wm. Tennent and Mr. Brainerd, in affixing my attestation to the foregoing
narrative; and look upon myself as concerned in point of duty both to
God and his people to do so, by reason that I live contiguous to their
settlement, and have had frequent opportunities of being present at their
religious meetings, where I have, with pleasing wonder, beheld what I
am strongly inclined to believe were the effects of God's almighty power
accompanying his own truths; more especially on the 8th day of August,
1745. While the word of God was preached by Mr. Brainerd, there appeared
an uncommon solemnity among the Indians in general; but I am wholly unable
to give a full representation of the surprising effects of God's almighty
power that appeared among them when public service was over. While Mr.
Brainerd urged upon some of them the absolute necessity of a speedy closure
with Christ, the Holy Spirit seemed to be poured out upon them in a plenteous
measure, insomuch as the Indians present in the wigwam seemed to
be brought to the jailer's case, Acts xvi. 30. utterly unable to conceal
the distress and perplexity of their souls; this prompted the pious among
them to bring the dispersed congregation together, who soon seemed to
be in the greatest extremity. Some were earnestly begging for mercy, under
a solemn sense of their perishing condition, while others were unable
to arise from the earth, to the great wonder of those white people that
were present, one of whom is by this means, I trust, savingly brought
to Christ since. Nay, so very extraordinary was the concern that appeared
among the poor Indians in general, that I am ready to conclude, it might
have been sufficient to have convinced an atheist, that the Lord was indeed
in the place. I am, for my part, fully persuaded, that this glorious work
is true and genuine, whilst with satisfaction I behold several of these
Indians discovering all the symptoms of inward holiness in their
lives and conversation. I have had the satisfaction of joining with them
in their service on the 11th of August, 1746, which was a day set apart
for imploring the divine blessing on the labours of their minister among
other tribes of the Indians at Susquehannah, in all which they
conducted themselves with a very decent and becoming gravity; and, as
far as I am capable of judging, they may be proposed as examples of piety
and godliness to all the white people around them, which indeed is justly
"marvellous in our eyes," especially considering what they lately
had been.--O may the glorious God shortly bring about that desirable time,
when our exalted Immanuel shall have "the heathen given for his inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession!"
CHARLES MACNIGHT.
Crosswicks,
August 29, 1746.
THIRD ATTESTATION.
WE whose names are underwritten, being elders and deacons of
the presbyterian church in Freehold, do hereby testify, that in our humble
opinion, God, even our Saviour, has brought a considerable number of the
Indians in these parts to a saving union with himself.--This we are persuaded
of, from a personal acquaintance with them, whom we not only hear speak
of the great doctrines of the gospel with humility, affection, and understanding,
but we see them walk, as far as man can judge, soberly, righteously, and
godly. We have joined with them at the Lord's supper, and do from our
hearts esteem them as our brethren in Jesus. For "these who were
not God's people, may now be called the children of the living God: it
is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." O that he
may go on "conquering and to conquer," until he has subdued
all things to himself! This is and shall be the unfeigned desires and
prayers of
WALTER KER,
ROBERT CUMMINS,
DAVID RHE,
JOHN HENDERSON, Elders.
JOHN ANDERSON,
JOSEPH KER,
WILLIAM KER,
SAMUEL KER, Deacons.
SAMUEL CRAIG,
Presbyterian Church,
Freehold, Aug. 16, 1746.
1 The only way I have to express their "entering
into glory," or being glorified; there being no word in the Indian
language answering to that general term. 2 The only way I have to express their
being openly-acquitted. In like manner, when I speak of justification,
I have no other way but to call it God's looking upon us as good creatures. |