Author
Wheelock, Eleazar
Date20 June, 1771
ms number771370.1
abstractWheelock writes to enumerate his reasons for obtaining an
incorporation for his seminary. He also writes that the Society in Scotland will
not reply
to his letters regarding the funds in their hands; and that Occom, about whom
Wheelock has
heard rumours of drunkenness, has not replied to recent offers of missionary
work.
handwritingFormal handwriting is clear and legible; it is not
Wheelock’s. The signature, however, appears to be in Wheelock’s hand.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good
condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.
noteworthyAn editor, likely 19th-century, has added the note "censure
of Boston Board occum" to two verso. This note has not been included in the
transcription.
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.
The last I have received from the honourable
Trust was of
July 30th in answer to which I have wrote two Letters, the last
was of
November
27th and am assured by one from
Mr. Savage that one
(and I hope both) arrived safe —
I send this to the Care of
Mr. Patton
of
Hartford in
Connecticut,
with orders to enclose a short Narrative which I lately sent to (and hear
has got through) the press there; by which I flatter myself if my honoured Pa‐
trons will give themselves the Trouble to compare my Plan proposed in
my former Letters with my Procedure since, you will find I have
inva‐
riably kept the Same object in view, and that there has been
as close
and
exact Conformity to it as could be expected amidst Scenes so
shifting
and difficult as I have been called to pass through, and I am confident
had you been upon the Spot you would have approved every Step I have taken
unless it was my attempt to effect so great an affair, as settling here
in this wilderness in so short a time, which the Event has Justified though)
my Trials
were very great —
As to an Incorporation everybody here knows the necessity of it
unless the Grants and Donations to
this
School had been made to me personally; and
even then I and my successors should have been exposed to a thousand Slan‐
ders and evil surmisings: Witness the Loads of Reproach which dear
Mr. Whitefield
suffered in all these
colonies
notwithstanding his great Popularity
extensive acquaintance, and his having collected the most that was given by a
personal application, and that only or chiefly in Money committed to his trust,
and his Character at the same time supported by so many Persons of
Repu‐
tation and Distinction throughout the Kingdom. Had there
been 40000 Acres of
Land given for that purpose instead of Money and that by Gentlemen scattered
through
the Country, none can reasonably think that his design could have survived
the slanders and Reproaches of his Enemies, or that anything short of an In‐
corporation could have inspired sufficient Confidence, that the pious De‐
sign should
never be perverted either by him or his successors —
some
The Honourable Trust
Some of you my honoured Sirs, have had a small specimen of the fruit
of this Temper towards this design, and that too from a reputable
Board in
Boston — and what abusive Slanders and falsehoods they pri
vately and with solemn profession of conscience towards God, transmitted to
their Constituents and this professedly with a view to prevent the success of
Doctor Whitakers mission to
England; these Men are not altered
besure not
for the better; I have repeatedly heard of the boasts of one of the chief of them
“That they have now done the business for
Doctor Wheelock, in
England, and
that he knew it was done —
I have repeatedly wrote to
Scotland respecting the Collection in the
the Hands of the
Society there, but have received no answer — by the Favour,
of a Friend I lately
obtained an abstract of a Letter from the Clerk of that
Society, to one of their
Board of Correspondents in Boston, wherein he writes
them in the Name of the
Society, in these words, “I am authorized to inform
you that they at present give
Mr. Kirtland
£50 Sterling, and
Mr.
Occom the other missionary £20 Sterling — This the
Society
continue to
allow and desire it may be under the Management of your
Board.” signed
James Forrest Clerk of Soc.” — —
If they design this to be the improvement of that Money agreeable
to the design of the Donors, you may judge as well as I whether it be under‐
standingly and wisely
bestowed.— And to be quite plain I know of no other
reason; and in my heart believe there is no other reason of their Enmity,
and opposition to me and this cause, than their apprehension (and that
not without some reasons) that our Colleges are generally reputed
to be corr‐
upt, and on that Account are fallen into general disesteem, by the more
religious Part of our Land, and that therefore
their
Eyes are (or like to be)
generally turned upon
this Seminary for the Supply of the
Ministry am‐
ong English as well as Indians — It is not my honoured Sirs a Mote in
the Eye (Matt, 7.3) which they are offended
at, but at the Eye itself,
and nothing will content them ‘til that be put out as well as the mote, — Before
I got a Charter the
grand Objection was “He is alone and tis too much to
trust any one man so far:
if he should be honest his successors will not etc.
etc.
this Objection was too plausible to be well refuted; but now that is removed
by a Charter, yet their Enmity and opposition still continues the same
though that Weapon be taken away, and continue it
will till God
give them another view of things — nor have I any hope of Reconciliation with them 'til then — And if the Servants of the Lord should imbibe the Prejudice
and turn against me, what a case should I be in? But
my Hope is in God alone. and I cannot be afraid,— I have
seen a great sight the bush burning but not consumed, the leaves all green and flourishing while encircled with fire; and I dont believe their fire ever will or can consume it — I have greatly rejoiced in the goodness of God, in honouring you to be eminently Instrumental, to honour Encourage and further this design, — and I would not be instrumental to dishonour you for
any worldly consideration whatsoever, — and I pray God you may yet
have the Satisfaction and honour of seeing this cause of the Re‐ deemer prosper in your Hands —
I have about 30 Labourers some finishing these Buildings in the plainest and cheapest Manner, — others clearing and seeding these Lands — others
building a Saw mill, and grist Mill — my expense is necessarily very great at present,— I have made it my Rule not to exceed what my little personal Estate
will pay, in case all my Friends should forsake me — that I may not have the uneasiness and Reproach of wrong‐ ing my Labourers —
It is a time of great Scarcity of provisions in this new Country, occasioned by the Worms and drought the last Summer,— all or the cheapest of my Bread and Meat for my numerous Family, is transported above an
hundred Miles The present Crop looks very promising. I hope for plenty when that is ripe; I shall accomplish the whole in the cheapest Manner I can —
Mr.
Occom was left last Summer to fall a second time into the Sin of
drunkenness in a public and very aggravated Manner — In his Drunken fit
he got into an affray, and fought with a
Man of the Company, and got much
bruised and wounded, in so much that he was confined and
concealed in his house for
some time — The Report of this spread far and wide, the wound
given to the cause
was great and it is yet bleeding — It is said that he humbles himself
and walks
softly — He sent to me last Winter desiring I would put him into business —
I returned him answer that if his moral Character was such that it might be
done without
Dishonour to the cause, I would endeavour to introduce and support
him on a mission among the
Onondagas, which I had before repeatedly
desired him to accept, as the
London Board in Boston have the Care
Care of
his Tribe, and all others on the seashore, and had done what they
supposed to be a supply for them,— He has yet made no Return, perhaps he may
think that the provision made for his Support by the
Scottish Society, may
suffice for his Support without the Fatigues of a mission abroad —
I am impatient to hear from you and know whether my Doings are
approved or not— as I am with greatest Duty and Esteem Right Honourable, honorable, and worthy Sir’s