Author
Hopkins, Samuel
Date30 September, 1761
ms number761530
abstractHopkins writes Wheelock about reports that Occom lacks tact in his
dealings with the Oneidas, and that he is instructing them to leave off their
Indian ways.
He suggests that Occom may not be right for an Indian mission.
paperSlight wear, tearing around edges.
noteworthyMargin note “Occom?” added in different ink and hand, likely
19th-century. The opening salutation “R.D.S.” is likely an abbreviation of
“Reverend and Dear Sir.
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.
I received your two Favours which you
wrote last Spring, which I read
with no small
satisfaction: and was at the pains of transcribing a
considerable
part of them to
Mr. Hawley. I should
have wrote you long before this; but have
found
no Opportunity to send to you, as I live quite out
of any direct and
frequented Road to
Lebanon.
I hoped, all
the Summer past, to have the pleasure
of an Interview with you at
New
Haven
on the Com
mencement, but was disappointed
in that.
Mr. Hawley is now at
Onohoquage, as you will
learn by the letter from him, which I transmit
to
you with this, which he sent open to me. I ex
pect he will
return in about three Weeks.
Mr. Toppan, the young Gentleman who is gone with
him, appears
to me very promising for an Indian
missionary.
Mr. Hawley in a letter to me of the
20th
instant de
sires me to inform you of the following
particulars, which
I will give you in his own words.
"Since I wrote my letter to
Mr. Wheelock, I am
"advised that
Mr.
Occom is not quite so acceptable
"to the Indians there" (at
Oneida) "as I heard at first.
"He tells
them, they must not cut their hair, but let it
"grow as the English do; that they must not wear their
Indian
"Indian ornaments, as wampum and the like; but "put them off, and burn them in the
fire — That "they must not feast at Weddings, as at the Birth "and Baptism of their Children etc.
etc. These are [illegible][guess: .—.] "points that he insists greatly upon; which "are too unpopular for
them."
I am sorry to hear this of
Mr.
Occom, which if
true, I think
shows him greatly deficient in that
Prudence which is necessary for an Indian missionary;
and render him unfit to go among indians, at least alone.
We shall be informed of more particulars when
Mr. Hawley returns, when I hope he will make you a
visit.
We have nothing remarkable here, except it be,
the universal and
uncommon degree of Health which
at present prevails among us. I have nothing to
say
about any new religious appearance. I have got a
particular account from
Mr. Kent of the remarkable
revival among his people, in order to
transmit it to
Mr. Gillies in
Scotland.
Am sorry to hear of your ill State of Health. May God restore and
confirm it, and make you greatly useful to Indian and English for a long time to
come!
in the earnest prayer of your obliged friend and unworthy Brother,
Samuel Hopkins