Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samson Occom, 1771 August 15

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date15 August, 1771

ms number771465

abstractWheelock writes a strongly worded rebuttal of Occom’s criticisms regarding Wheelock’s withdrawl from Indian education.

handwritingDocument is not written in Wheelock’s hand. Letter case with regard to the letter “y” is difficult to discern -- when it is in question, the transcriber has opted for lower case.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate creasing, staining and wear.

inkLight brown ink is faded.

noteworthyPostscript appears to have been added in different ink. Given the lack of an address or seal, and the fact that the document is not in Wheelock's hand, it is possible/likely that this is a copy.

EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain

Persistent Identifier
Dear M.r Occom//
yours of July 24.th is before me. I rejoice al­ ways to hear of your health & prosperity & have never faild of a disposition to promote your usefulneſs & your Comfort, but to use the same freedom which You approve & set me an example of, I must tell You I either very much want a good spiritual taste or your Litter has a very ill savor for a Christain or rather if I have any good taste at all, it much savors of pride, arrogance & a want of proper concern to heal the bleeding wounds of our glorious Redeemer. You discover very great Ig­ norance of my plan, my object, my reasons & motives, my views & prospects, and as great a degree of uncharitableneſs as of ignorance. You shew no degree of brotherly & Christain Sympathy towards me in my long & weary travil, notwith­ stand.g your nation have been inviariably my chief object, nor any disposition to encourage my Heart or strengthen my hands, tho' un­ der a weight heavy eno' to crush an Angel, and in a Cause which has been & still is, so astonishingly own'd of God —
[left]To Rev.d M.r Occom Aug.t 15.th 1771
 And 'tho my memory be poor, yet matters which impreſs my mind, as the follow.g particulars have done, I am far from imagin.g that I have only dream'd about them viz.t 1.st when I saw you after your return from Europe I propos'd your going on a miſsion among remote tribes, as those near you were a[illegible][guess: ll u]^[illegible]^nder the care of & supplied by the London Board in Boston. you insisted upon your stay.g at home one Year, I propos'd your mak.g a settlement for yourself & Wife & part of your famely among some remote na[illegible][guess: t]tion, & promis'd you my aſsistance, & friend[illegible]ship ^as^ to your comfortable support there, You rejected the proposal. I offer'd to take part of your Children, viz.t all that were suitable for it, if you pleas'd & educate them in the best manner I could in my School, You shewed no disposition to comply with it. 2dly I never discouraged your going into the Indian Country, nor shew'd any coldneſs towards it, unleſs when you propos'd only just to make a short visit, which I was not sure would anſwer the expence which You let me know would be necſesary to prepair You for & support you in it —
^3.dly^ You always knew there was money eno' & my Heart always open to supply you as soon as I could see your Heart in earnest to serve the Redeemer's Cause in that capacity. 4.dly the first I ever heard of your being dis­ pos'd to seek a settlement in the wilder­ neſs, was by M.r Woodward last Spring^Winter^, Whereupon I wrote a judicious Christain friend, to enquire of your moral Charac­ ter, & advise whether it was such, as that I might with honor to the Redeemer's, Cau[illegible]se employ you, & hope'd to hear, that which might warrant my proceeding thereto. And there is noth.g want.g at this time, but proper satisfaction that it my be done without reproach to the Re­ deemer's Cause, in order to engage all my heart & powers therein. 5.[illegible][guess: dly] I beleived your brother David did very sinfully in leav.g the Cause in the wilderneſs as he did. & that his treatment of me was very ungenerous & abusive, the particulars whereof I have told him. I have constantly wish'd to
see him convinced of this Rashnesſs & folly, & have been propense to forgive & restore him, & am so at this moment, thus I have given you a little sketch of things as they lye in my mind. My dear Man, I think you much dis­ honor God, intreating his great goodneſs to You in opening such a favorable door to go on your so much improv.g & advantagous tour to Europe almost as tho' you had gone thro' a most tragical Scene of persecution. I am now got near my Journie's end, & long to be at rest, God grant we may both appear before him, wash'd in the Redeemer's blood & cloath'd with his white Robes.
With Love to You & M.rs Occom I am yet Your friend & Well wisher Eleazar Wheelock Dartmouth College Aug.t 15. 1771
P.S. I shall be glad to employ your Brother David & give him a reasonable Consideration, or as much as you mention, provided he be in earnest engaged to promote the Cause proposed. I am weary of connections with Men in whom there is no Faith.
^[bottom]Windham Aug^
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