John Thornton, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1772 May 12
Author
Thornton, John
Date12 May, 1772
ms number772312.1
abstractThornton sends a copy of a letter from the Trustees in England to
Occom (dated May 5, 1772), granting him 50 pounds, then 25 pounds a year to Christianize
Indians. Thornton also exhorts Wheelock to be more charitable in his judgment
towards
Kirkland and Occom, both of whom he admires.
handwritingDocument is written in two different hands, both clear and
legible.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is heavily silked,
which results in a significant dimming of text.
inkThere are two different inks used on this document, a medium brown
and a dark brown.
noteworthyOne recto and the first half of one verso is a copy of a
letter from the Trustees to Occom. It appears that Thornton has also included
a
copy of a letter to Thornton from Occom, though this copy does not remain.
signatureThere are several signatures, including copies of the
signatures of several members of the Trust in England.
layoutOne recto and verso are in portrait orientation (aside from a
note written in landscape orientation); but two recto and verso are in landscape
orientation.
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
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We have taken into Consideration your request for an annual Stipend
out of the monies entrusted with us for christianizing the Indians
and as we [gap: tear][guess: do] think it
will be a means of enabling you to employ yourself still more fully in that arduous
work you are engaged in and we have had Experience of your desire to promote the glory of God we very cheerfully acquiesce therein.
From the Account the
Rev.
Mr. Wheelock gives us and the Certificate
sent us from
Norwich we trust we have no just ground to fear any abuse of
our
Confidence and we expect you will not only attend duty to the five places
of Indians you
now preach at but also continue to go to
Long
Island
and get
even among the
Onondagas if your health permits it.
It is on Account of the Expence you are put to by Indian Visitors
and the heavy charge of your family that we come to a resolution to allow you
Fifty Pounds immediately which you may give a Bill on the Treasurer for, and you have our permission further to draw every Six Months for Twenty five Pounds if you hear nothing
from us to the contrary.
Having now complied with your desire abundantly we hope it will be a
means of strengthening your heart and hands to go on cheerfully preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and adorning it in Life and Conversation.
You say you have as many Visitors as ever and as good an opportunity
to do good among the Indians, and that you think even more so, we therefore rely on your improving these
advantages which will be ever a very great satisfaction to
I inclose you the last Letter
I received from
Mr. Occom as thereby
you may see his present skill
and manner of writing which has
always been such as I can’t
but approve and what I now
send is the answer to it
London
12th May 1772
Dear and Revd
sir
I send you herewith a Copy of the Letter from
the
Trust to the
Revd Mr Occom as also Copy
of
what I wrote him therewith and I must freely tell
you I think you have bore hard on him through
the
influence of that Mischief maker
Dr. Whitaker
and some others who I can not think so well of As
I do of this poor Man; your Eyes are now opened
respecting dear
Mr. Kirkland who was Also traduced
To The Rev.
Mr.
Samson Occom at
Mohegan.
may the Lord enable you to judge (in his measure) as kindly as of
Mr. Kirkland of
Mr. Occom
and let me pray you to put to my
account every offence of his, I will willingly
bear it for him
he is deserving of your tender compassion, he is worthy of
your utmost kindness
and love, put yourself in his case but for
a minute and you can’t surely but see he has been severely tried
and yet he complained of no particular person that I have heard
of, but bore
all with more resignation and patience then most
would have done, he was deceitfully used and manifestly misrepre
sented by
Dr. Whitaker, unassisted by all; (very near if not
quite)
excepting myself; distressed in his Family; by disuse
while labouring for the public
rendered incapable of the Labour
his situation required
— his poor situation rendered more
penurious by means of Indian Visitors; his
eldest Son like yours
hurt by not being under proper control with this difference
that he did not save appearances — and what is the worst of
all the Enemy was permitted to fall upon him and lead him into
the horrid
[gap: tear] drunkenness and this twice and pray is it not a sa
[gap: tear][guess: d]
thing to be made partaker of other Mens Sins — and I should be very
sorry to be in the Case of these sorry Whisperers and Backbiters, may
it be returned to them in this World that they perish not
everlastingly
I am convinced
Mr. Occom never received a penny from the
Money collected in
Scotland as those would make you believe
spurn such venomous Tongues from you and let your heart and
hand be with such as
Mr. Kirkland
and
Mr. Occom who are
Israelites indeed in whom you’ll find no guile and if they are
clouded for a Season they will rise bright at the last.
Nothing but the glorious cause we are engaged in, would have
led me to add in any measure to your Grief, but I do hope
to know
neither Father Son Wife nor any one where the
Lord my God is concerned, let not then
my dear Sir your
Sons false Friends delude you as they have done, by misrepre
sentation; and be ready to believe good but not evil of any.
May every Covenant blessing attend you and yours is the sincere
and fervent prayer of