Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samuel Mather, 1761 February 3

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date3 February, 1761

Call Number761153

abstractWheelock writes to clarify that he will be educating Indian youths for the purpose of sending them on missions. He mentions Occom’s plan for a mission to the Oneidas.

paperPaper is in good condition, and reinforced along central crease.

EventsOccom’s First Mission to the Oneidas

Modernized Version Deletions removed; additions added in; modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.

Persistent Identifier

Rev. Sir.
Yours of December 15. in the Name and Behalf of the
Commissioners from the Honourable Society in Scotland, has given
me much satisfaction; and opens the most encouraging pros
pect, that something will now be done more effectually than
ever to carry the Gospel among the perishing Pagans of our
American wilderness.
I cant but rejoice greatly that, that Honourable Society
Whose pious Zeal to enlarge and Advance the Kingdom of the
Redeemer, at Home and Abroad, has been so remarkably owned and
blessed of God do now lay to Heart the piteous
State of the vast swarms in this Land who are perishing for lack
of vision, I think that, this, together with many other favourable
occurences of divine Providence of Late give much reason to
hope that the Day of Gods great Mercy towards those wretched
Creatures, is now near at Hand, and Should encourage us to
pray and Endeavor more Abundantly for it.
You say in Yours ‟The Commissioners approve of the design of instructing
the Youth of the Western Nation of Indians.” etc. from which expres
sion I suspect the Honourable Commissioners have somewhat mistaken our
view, in taking Several of the Near Tribes into this school. and
therefore would Inform them, that we have taken none into this School
but with a view to a distant mission. excepting Woyboy (now in
The Commissioners pay in the school at Stonington, and the Sachems Son of
whom I wrote to them. and we have that, that, considering the little
Difficulty in their Learning one anothers Languages — the Opportunity
they will have for that in the School — the great advantage we
are under to choose those that are promising among these beyond what
we are or can be at present among those who are remote from us —
— the Tendency of it, and the special advantages we may have by it,
to remove the Prejudices from the minds of the savages which they have
imbibed against the English through Jesuitical Influence etc. I may do
very well, at least in the Infancy of the affair, to have some from among
these Tribes.
I expected that the Rev. Messrs. Pomeroy and Brainerd with the as
sistance of some other Gentlemen, when they were chaplains together
the year before last, would have procured two Mohawk Boys
for this purpose but by means of several disappointments, # Their missing an opportunity with Gen. Johnson
was the Principle.
sickness, and the Failure of a Letter they failed of it.
The Rev. Mr. Ogelvie of Albany last year (at Mr. Pomeroys
desire) promised me his assistance for this Purpose. And he is
doubtless under good Advantage to assist therein by reason of
his mission Among them. But he is now at Montreal.
I have also discoursed Capt. Lanson of Albany who is
now in Connecticut and he will cheerfully undertake to consult
Sir William Johnson and by his Advice and Help procure
two as likely Boys as he can and Send them to me. But
a fairer Door for the Purpose, as I apprehend is, than
either of these is now within a few Days, opened.
Mr. Occom as I am informed by a Letter from him and
another from Mr. Buell, is going early next spring, on
a mission to the Oneida Indians, in compliance with
the desire and by Appointment of a Number of ministers
at the westward. (I Suppose the correspondent Commissioners because
because Mr. Bostwick's Name is mentioned as one
of the ministers who write to him. and who is their
president) Mr. Occom earnestly desires that David
Fowler
one of my Indian scholars, and who is Brother
in Law to him, and a very promising youth Indeed,
may Accompany him 4. or 5. months in that business —
but I am not yet determined what will be best. he
is now 20 years old and I am loath he should be so long
diverted from his Studies. And yet there are considera
tions on the Other hand, which I don't know but may be
esteemed more weighty. however by him (or them if
David goes) we may likely be Served in this Matter
as well as we can expect to be at present. Indeed there
Seems now to be scarce anything wanting to the
greatest humane Probability of the Swift progress
of this great design, but the money to Support it.
I hope the Example of the Honourable Commissioners will have
the happy Influence upon Multitudes to move
them to Liberality upon this most inviting occasion
I am with Sincere respect Rev. Sir. Your unworthy Brother
 and Humble Servant
 Eleazar Wheelock
Letter to The Rev.
Mr. Samuel Mather
February 3. 1761.
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