Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1765 May 4 and 24

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date4 May, 1765

Call Number765304

abstractWheelock writes a long letter to Whitefield, detailing the events and outcome of the Occom-Jewett controversy, news about activities related to the School, and the plan to send Occom to fundraise in England.

handwritingThe section of the letter dated May 4, and the trailer, are not in Wheelock's hand. It is formal and clear. The section of the letter dated May 24 is in Wheelock's hand; it is less formal and clear, with some deletions and additions, and several abbreviations.

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

inkBlack-brown.

noteworthyAn editor, likely 19th-century, has added a note under the trailer; this note has not been transcribed.

signatureThe section of the letter dated May 4 is not signed.

EventsMason Land Case, Jewett Controversy

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

Persistent Identifier

Dear and Rev. Sir

I have been listening to hear of you for some Time.
Have a Hint from the public prints of late that you are moving towards
Philadelphia, and from thence to embark for England — I have so
many things to write that I scarcely know what to write or what to
omit. A full account of our Indian Affairs I cannot give you till
Providence allows an Interview — I should esteem it a great Favour
to act in concert with you if we could understand one another.
Some things you dropped at New York have made me a little fearful
that you had too readily admitted some Objections of opposers without
knowing fully what might be replied.
Mr. Occom returned from New York last Fall into a
Fire which had been for some Time enkindling. The consequence
of which was that the prejudices preconceived in the Mind of B
Jewett arose to an amazing Height — Clamours spread through the
Government, and almost every one cried out against Mr. Occom
as a very bad, mischievous, and designing Man. Mr. Jewett wrote
the Commissioners at Boston, on which they withdrew the pension you
procured for him. Our General Assembly was very warm, and on his
Account refused to consider my Memorial for an Incorporation — and Dr.
Mr. Williams my Neighbour seemed to imbibe the same Opinion of him.
Mr. Occom very needy (and myself by him involved in Debt) and
he and the cause so discredited, that none dare mention his Name
in these parts in order to obtain Relief for him. The Indians at
Oneida
who expected a visit from him, grieved, discouraged, and
exposed to unhappy prejudices through his not coming to them. And
the most favourable Opportunity we ever had or are ever like to
have, to recommend the design to the sachems abroad (which
was the principal design of his mission) was lost. And Nothing
appeared but that Mr. Occom must inevitably been rendered
useless in futuro if he had not been under this Board. In
these circumstances, I thought that the Glory of God, the Reputation
of our Indian design and especially Mr. Occom’s Good and useful­
ness, required that there should be a public process against him
before our Board in order that his Guilt or Innocence respecting
Matters charged against him by public Fame might publicly
appear; Accordingly I moved for it, and Brother Jewett sent him his Alle­
gations which were deliberately heard and considered on the of
March
, in which Mr. Occom made a bold and truly manly
and Christian Defence in a spirit of meekness, and vindicated
his
his Conduct to have been judicious, prudent, and becoming a minister
of the Gospel and was blamed by the commissioners in Nothing but his having
a Hand in the Mason Case, as it is called, in which he acted Nothing 'til the
Matter was near ripe to go Home and then signed with his Tribe, for
which he had this to say viz that his Nation are a poor blind Company
and had long since chose him for their counselor, and depended upon him
to see for them in all their civil Affairs — that he had done nothing to
revive encourage or move forward that suit notwithstanding he supposes
the Indians have been much wronged in the Affair in which they are
seeking redress. And in this Affair we blamed him only in consideration
of the Danger to which he exposed his ministerial Character and useful­
ness thereby — which Judgment he readily submitted to — and now stands
I apprehend in a better Light than ever before all who are acquainted
with the case.
Brother Jewett shook hands with, professed himself satisfied, submitted to
the Judgment of the Commissioners in blaming and reproving his Treatment
of Mr. Occom, promised to unwrite what he had wrote the Gentlemen
at Boston
to Mr. Occom’s disadvantage, though I fear the Injury
done to Mr. Occoms Character will not soon nor easily be wholly
undone.
Yet this Scene shocking as it has been, God has made to
appear to be in Favour of this design. Mr. Occom’s coming back
gave occasion for sending Mr. Kirtland and Woolley into the Mohawk and
Seneca Country, who have wintered there in order to learn the Mohawk
and Seneca Languages, and to be present at the Congress at Mount Johnson this
Spring, by whom, through the kindness of Heaven, the cause has likely
been much better served than it would have been by Mr. Occom if he
had gone forward And I hope Mr. Occom has reaped much real Advan-
tage by the humbling Things with which God has been trying him.
I trust you have seen in the public prints the resolution of
our Board of Correspondents to send two missionaries, three school­
masters, and six Boys (who by reason of their Want of Age we
have ordered to act under the Conduct of the missionaries) into the
Indian Country this Spring — The missionaries are ordained, and
David Fowler, one of the schoolmasters set out to go to the Oneidas
last Week. The missionaries and rest of the schoolmasters will follow
as soon as they can be made ready, and supplies provided for their support.
Mr. Gunn has consented to go as their Interpreter. The reasons
moving us to send these Boys who are to return to this school
in the Fall, are, their parents desire to see them — they are well
qualified for schoolmasters, and hope they may be very useful in that
Capacity under the Conduct of the missionaries — that they may preserve
and perfect themselves in their own Tongue — Recommend the design
to their own Nations, and to Nations beyond — and serve their Health
which as to some of them seems evidently to require it.
I have wrote for 8 or 10 likely Boys, some of them sons of their
Chiefs to be sent me by Joseph Woolley which I expect in a few Days.
And what kind Angel think you dear Sir presides and
conducts every Step that Nothing has been hitherto attempted but what
has prospered?
Dear Mr. Smith of Boston advised me a few days ago that
your kind Lady informed him of £100 — by a Lady unknown
for the Support of this School and missions, waits my Orders.
Before which we knew not that there was a penny in stock
for the Support of it — and some smaller Donations since. We wait
in Hope that sufficient at least for the present will be ready
for them as soon as they are ready to go.
I design to attend our general Assembly this Week, and
hope something may be had from that Quarter — After that I
design if my Health will allow a Journey to Boston and
Portsmouth. It looks probable that our Way will be soon em­
barrassed by bad Men, and therefore now if ever is the Time
to bestir ourselves in earnest.
I want an intimate Interview with you. When
or where can I have it consistent with the continual crowd
of my Affairs? And I think it very necessary, as you so fully
and repeatedly testify your good will to this design, in order
that we fully understand one another, and make one another
more fully acquainted with Men and things whereby we are other­
wise in Danger of being imposed upon —
Boston May 24 Yesterday I came here, and found by the public Prints
that you are at Philadelphia. — I hope to convey this to you by Water.
I hope the missionariess and schoolmasters will be ready to set out on their Tour
into the Indian country next Week. they will go forward if only Supplies
for the present may be had .—
Our Board of Correspondents [illegible] applied to Mr. Brainerd to go to England
in favour of the design. but he cannot be Obtained. they have since
voted to apply for that purpose to Mr. C J. Smith. We have yet had
no return from him. this We have done in consequence of our hearing
that Mr. Rogers cannot be obtained.
They have also voted that if Mr. Occom Shall not go with You
or Mr. CJ. Smith, Some other appointed by us to Europe, that
he shall be employed as a missionary to the Six Nations the ensuing summer
by which hints you see the importance of our knowing your mind in
and design Relative to these Affairs.
If you write me by the post direct it hither to the Care of Capt. Daniel
Bull
of Hartford or Mr. Ichabod Robinson at Lebanon.
I am in a poor State of Health, am considerably worried with my Journey
notwithstanding I was almost four Days in coming from Home hither
 Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Occom are with me. —
my dear Sir, let all the Evidences you have of My weakness
and Inequality for the Affair I am in, excite you to pityand pray much
for
Yours in the dearest Bonds
Eleazar Wheelock
To Mr. Whitefield
May 4th and 24th
1765.

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