Eleazar Wheelock, recommendation, 1765 November 15
Date15 November, 1765
Call Number765615
abstractWheelock recommends Whitaker and the Charity School to potential donors in England, Scotland and Ireland.
handwritingHandwriting is largely clear and legible; however, letter case — particularly with regard to the letter S — is frequently difficult to discern. There are some uncrossed t's that have been corrected by the transcriber.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.
inkBrown-black.
noteworthyA note reading "15 Nov" has been added in pencil to the top of one recto. This note has not been transcribed.
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
all who deſire the Advancement of the Kingdom of the great
Redeemer, whereever, the Bearer, the Rev.d Nathl Whitaker,
ſhall, by the Providence of God, have Opportunity to make
known the important Errand on which he comes, I hope,
Sufficiently recommended to Charitable Notice, and Reſpect.
Gentlemen and Chriſtian Friends.
Numbers of aboriginal Natives in this Land; whose Manner
of living is Savage almoſt to a level with the bruital Crea‐
‐tion; but feirce and terrible in War. Their Dwellings are emi‐
‐nently Habitations of Cruelty — they have continued, from Age
to Age, in the groſseſt Paganizim and Idolatry — Strangers
to all the Emoluments of Science — but Subtle and ſkillfull
in all the Arts of Cruelty & Deceit — and on every Conſideration
their State is, perhaps, the moſt wretched and piteous of all the
humane Race — They have, from the firſt planting of these
Colonies, been a Scourge and Terror to their Engliſh Neighbours
— often ravaging and laying waſt their Fronteirs — butchering,
torturing, and captiveting their Sons — daſhing their Children againſt
the Stones — Skillfully deviſing, and proudly glorying in, all poſsible
methods of Torture and Cruelty within their Power. &c.
Knowledge of the only true God and Saviour, and ſo made good Members
of Society, and peacible and quiet Neighbours ( which cannot be
Effected b
vaſt importance to the Crown of great Britain, the Peace and
Proſperity of our Land — and eſpecially to their own good and
Hapineſs in Time and to Eternity; Moved me, about eleven
years ago, to erect a charity School in order for the Educat‐
ing the moſt promiſing of their own Sons that might be obtained,
with a view to their being imployed as Miſsionaries & School —
maſters among their reſpective Tribes; together with a number of
with them in the Same Buſineſs. And the good Behaviour of the
Boys which I have hitherto had in this School; and their Proficiency
in Learning, has been Such, by the Bleſsing of God, upon Inſtruc‐
‐tion and Diſcipline, that many Gentlemen of Character & note
both at Home, and abroad, have Seen fit to encourage the
Deſign by Such Liberalities, as have Supported it hitherto with
‐out any Fund for that Purpose.
as are now imployed in the Wilderneſs at the Diſtance of
three or four Hundred Miles, viz three Miſsionaries Eight
School Masters, and two Interpreters, occaſionally hired
to that Service, and where they can have little or no Aſsiſtance
towards their Support, from the Savages among whom they
live. Together with the neceſsary Supplies for the School
which now conſiſts of Twenty; and others expected Soon, who
are of Families of Importance in Tribes Still more remote,
Are greater than can be reaſonably expected from these
American Colonies, eſpecially at a Time when complaints
of Debt; and want of Money are So loud, and univerſal.
But conſidering that this great undertaking looks with
ſuch a favourable and incouraging Aſpect, and that a
wider Door, than ever is now open for the Furtherance of
it, by sending Miſsionaries, and school Maſters further
among Tribes where none have heretofore been; I am
not only neceſsitated but incouraged that to repreſent
the Caſe, and imploy my dear, & faithful Brother the
Rev.d M.r Whitaker, in my Stead to beſpeak the charitable
Aſsiſtance of the Friends of Zion abroad. And I am
confident that numbers and all according to their Ability, who
have at Heart, that which the Heart of the great Redeemer
is infinitely Set upon. viz. the Inlargement of his Kingdom
and the Salvation of the periſhing Souls of men,
ready to conſider of, and forward to aſsiſt, in this so
intereſting Affair, if they believe that I am not aſking for
myſelf, but am only begging an Alms for Chriſt, and in a
Caſe of no leſs neceſsity than that. (if not the very same) which
he is pleaſed to repreſent, and expreſs by his being an hungred, and
thirſty, and naked, and Sick, and in Priſon, and that he will
even in this Life bountifully requite those who contribute
Supplies for these his neceſsities, and reward and honour them
at laſt with a come ye bleſsed of my Father inherit the
Kingdom prepared for you.
I shall receive as ſacred to the Redeemers Cauſe, and ſhall improve
it to the aforſd uses according to my beſt Ability, and by the
beſt Advices and I hope that all Friends, and Benefactors to
this Deſign, will have Occaſion for the moſt eaſie and comfor‐
‐table Reflections, that their Charities were beſtowed in the beſt
manner for the Glory of God and the Good of men, for which
Purpose I beſpeak the Prayers of all who truly deſire the
Proſperity of Zion.