John Smith, letter, to his friend, 1764 May 18

Author Smith, John

Date18 May, 1764

Call Number764318.2

abstractSmith gives an account of his visit to Wheelock’s school, and to the Mohegan country, where he saw Occom.

handwritingHandwriting is formal and clear.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to form four pages is followed by two single sheets. Paper is in good condition, although there appears to be some preservation work on heavier creases.

noteworthyThere are many variant spellings and abbreviations; colons are used for superscripts, not periods. The trailer appears to be in Wheelock's hand.

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

Persistent Identifier
Sir,
In riding last week to new Lon=
don
I turned some miles out of my way to
see Mr. Wheelocks Indian School; nor do I
repent my Trouble I had heard in general
that it consisted of Twenty or more Indian
Boys and Girls of the Mohawks and other Tribes
of Indians And that a number of the Mini­
­sters of that Province had spoken well of
Mr. Wheelock and of this undertaking of his,
But this I thought was seeing with the
Eyes of others and therefore Chose to use my
own.
My first observation in traveling
through the Towns was the different accep­
­tation of both Mr. Wheelock and his enter­
prise there, from what some in Boston had entertained.
Here because of his live­
­ly adhering to the Doctrines of Grace he was not
accepted by some; and when this is the Case
you are sensible both enterprise and Execution
of it are too apt to be viewed by an Eye of
surmise and sometimes of Carping: But in
Connecticut I found Charity and Candor and
everywhere in passing Mr. Wheelock had
the Reverence of a Man of God, and his School
was had in high Esteem.
I reached his House a little
before the Evening sacrifice and was mov­
ingly Touched on giving out the Psalm
to hear an Indian Youth set the Time
and the others following him, and singing the
Tenor, and bass, with remarkable Gravity
and seriousness, and though Mr. Wheelock, The sc­
hoolmaster and a minister from our Provin
=ce (called as I was by Curiosity) joined in
Praise; yet they unmoved seemed to
have nothing to do but to sing to the
Glory of God.
I omit Mr. Wheelocks Pra=
=yer and pass to the Indians in the morning
when on Ringing the schoolhouse Bell
they assemble at Mr. Wheelocks House about
5 o'clock with their Master; who named
the Chapter in Course for the Day and called
upon the near Indian who read 3 or 4
verses 'til the Master said Proximus, and
then the next Indian read some Verses
and so on 'til all the Indians had read the
whole Chapter. After this Mr. Wheelock
prays And then they each Indian parse
a Verse or two of the Chapter they had
read. After this they entered successively
on Prosodia and then on Disputations on
some Questions propounded by themselves
in some of the Arts and Sciences. And it is
really charming to see Indian Youths of
Different Tribes and Languages in pure English
reading the Word of God and speaking with
exactness and accuracy on points (either chosen
by themselves or given out to them) in the
several arts and Sciences, And especially to
see this done with at Least a seeming
Mixture of Obedience to God; a filial
Love and Reverence to Mr. Wheelock, and yet
with great ambition to excel each other
And indeed in this Morning exercise I saw
a Youth Degraded one lower in the class who
before the Exercises were finished not only
recovered his own place but was advanced
two Higher.
I learned here that my surprise
was common to ministers and other persons
of literature who before me had been
to visit this School or rather college
for I doubt whither in colleges in gene­
ral a better Education is to be expected
and in mentioning this to a Gentleman
in this Town who had visited this Semina=
=ry
. He acquainted me that he intended
at his own Charge to send his Son to obtain
his Education in Mixture with these Indians
There were 4 or 5 of these Indians from
21 to 24 years of age who did not mix with
the youth in these exercises — These I learned
were Perfected in their Literature and
stand ready to be sent among the Indians
to keep schools and occasionally to preach as
doors open.
On my return Mr. Wheelock
accompanied me a few miles and on passing
by one house he said here lives one of my
Indian Girls who was I hope Converted
last week; and calling to the Farmer he un­
perceived to her brought the Young Girl
into our Sight and the pleasure was exqui­
=site to see the savageness of an Indian
molded into the sweetness of a follower
of the Lamb.
In passing some Days after
this through the Mohegan Country I
saw an Indian Man on Horseback whom
I challenged as Mr. Occom and found it
so. There was something in his mien
and Deportment both amiable and venerable
and though I had never before seen him
I must have been sure it was he. — He
certainly does Honour to Mr. Wheelocks inde=
=fatigable, judicious, pious Intentions to
send the Gospel among the Indians. I
heard Mr. Ashpo was then among them
but at a Distance and I being hurried and
tired Lost the opportunity of seing Mr.
Wheelock
in him and more especially of
seeing Christs Image in this tawny
Man but I wont tire you
and am your most
humble servant
John Smith.
Blank page.
Mr. John Smiths Letter
to his Friend
May 18. 1764
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