Three Days ago my Heart was refreſhed by the
Rec.
t of Yours of
July 6th
which came at a Time when I needed
Such a refreſhing cordial, having received repeated and Shocking
acco
ts of the Rage and Hoſtilities of the Savages againſt our Southern
Governments, and that our people were put into Such a Flame
thereby,
that inſtead of Charity &
chriſtian
Compaſsion to their periſhing Souls,
but little, beſides Threatenings of Slaughter &
Deſtruction
Seem’d to be breathed
forth from every Quarter, and as an Evidence that this was
the common
Temper of
this Government at preſent I was told that a Contribution
had been
^was^ moved
^for^ in conſequence of a Breif granted by
the Governour and Company in favour of
this
School, in a Large Aſsembly in the
Town of
Windſor on
Connecticut River,
and that nothing was
obtained by it but a Bullet &
Flynt, and that
^some^ other congrega
tions where the Contribution had been aſked for, had done but
little better, and that conſequently I might expect but little Aſsiſtance
from that Quarter, at preſent. at this very Juncture even while my
Informers were preſent, came yours filld with the Spirit of Love &
containing Such acco.
t of
the Liberality already Shewn and a Diſpoſi
tion to further Expreſsions of it, as there Shall be occaſsion, as that
it Seemd as tho’
Omnicient
Goodneſs had directed your pen
^in writing^ and
ordered the
very minute of your
^of illegible
yr Letter’s^ arrival^ to forbid an unquiet or Anxious
Tho’t for the Support of this Deſign.
The Lord mercifully reward you, dear Sir, and whoever has
had a Hand
with you in procuring the Donation to
this
School,
which you give me Leave to Expect by the next Ship. It will be
very
acceptable indeed, as was the Box of Books Sent by
M.r Forfitt from
the
Society for
Propagating Religious Knowledge among the poor.
I read your Letter in the
hearing of My Indian Boys, and
Joseph Woolley
a
Delaware, one of the Number, whom I hope were
conver
ted laſt Winter, replyed, full of Affection. “O I Wish I knew how
to expreſs my Gratitude to those Good Gentlemen, for Such Expreſsi
ons of their Kindneſs.” And I truſt the Blesſsing of many who have
never
^yet^ known the Plague of
their own Hearts, yea of many Yet un
born will come upon You. You
may depend upon my beſt Endeavours
to improve these and any Favours which you or others Shall See
fit
to conferr upon
this School, in the beſt manner I am able for the
Furtherance of the Great Deſign in view.
I hope
his Majeſty, our dear Sovereign, will be divinely direc
ted into Such Meaſures as will fully diſclose the true Source & Origin
of the preſent Rupture. And when that
is
^Shall be^ done I am perſwaded, the
heavieſt Share in the Guilt will be found with Such unrighteous
[illegible][guess: Deal]ers with the Indians, as have no Regard, but to
get^secure^ to themſelves
large Eſtates, and that by any fraudulent, and oppreſsive
Meaſures which
Apear likely the ſooneſt to accompliſh that End, tho’ it bear the Expense
of the public Peace and the Ruin of the poor
Creatures.
I
think
^believe^ when the true Cauſes of this great Evil,
are
^ſhall be^ thoroughly Searched
out, it will not appear that the Savages
have acted So very wide from
Such Principles, nor
^ſo much^ beyond the natural Influence of Such motives, as
they
They may be Reaſsonably Supposed to be govern’d by under their
groſs Ignorance, and the Influence of Jesuitical Inſinuations, as
they are now ſupposed to do. and then I truſt the Reſentments
of many which are now ſo keen againſt them, will at
leaſt have a Mixture of compaſsion towards them as con
ſidering them to have given this Deſparate Struggle only to
deliver themſelves from that Ruin and Slavery which they
imagine is deſignd
againſt them.
I hope Something effectual will be done in this matter to prevent Such
floods of Evil from that Quarter in Time to come.
Dear
M.r Smith (of Whoſe Ordination and Miſsion you have
likely heard) was
cheirfully joyfully
^gladly^ received by 5 of the
6.
Nations (the other being confederate with the Enemy) but they
look’d upon
^tho’t^ his Life So exposed by reaſon of Stragling Fellows
among them from diſtant Tribes, that they could not deſire him
to continue with
^them^ at preſent. he left them ſoon, after preach
ing a few Sermons, as did also Meſs
rs
Occom and
Aſhpo , but
deſign if it Shall be judged Safe to return to them in the Spring.
This Rupture has prevented Such an Addition to my Number this Fall as
I hoped for, by the Aſsiſtances of those Miſsionaries I hope the Lord will open the Door for it in the Spring.
My School is yet in good Circumſtances, the youth behave
well, excepting
Jacob. the young man who has been at
New-
Jerſey College (and would doubtleſs have had his Degree
there laſt month if my Letters had not been delayed)
He has of late appeared to be
under Such Temptations, as ariſes,
or have their principal Strength from Diſcouragements.
It is a point Settled with him, that without a Saving Change he Shall
never be fit for public uſefulneſs. And as to Such a Change he Says, “There is no hope” and Seems
Sometimes to be open to all manner of Temptations, always uneaſie, and Sometimes Seems
^appears^ to be juſt upon the point to give himſelf over to Senſual Gratifications. I hant time fully to
diſcribe his caſe. this Hint is Sufficient to give you an
underſtanding of it.
I beſpeak your Earneſt Prayers for him, He once appeard to have a very Tender Conſcience, and Seemd for Some Time to be in the Exercisſe of truly gracious Affections. He is a good Scholar, and likely to be an Inſtrument of great Good if God Should pleaſe mercifully to deliver him from these Bonds.
Pleaſe Sir, if you have Opportunity, to make
Gen.l Lyman of
this
Government who is now in
England,
a Sharer in Your
Friendſship and Reſpect. I wiſh his merit may meet a
proper Reward. And I truſt You will not be wanting in
your Endeavours, as you have opportunity to
forward
his Intreſt, and also the Intereſts of
this School, which
he is concerned
for.
^Revd
Hon.d
& Dear. ſir^ I am with
SincereMuch Affection and
Eſteem.
Rev d
Hon.d, and Dear Sir.