Rev. and kind Sir; with humility, Gratitude
and Love, I sit my
self down to write to your worthy person.
through the goodness
of the great God of mercy I, and my little family are in health; and I
hum
bly hope that by the same goodness you and yours have been, and Still are
in health, and prosperity. — kind Sir, I have ever retained your worthy Person
in my mind with pleasure, since, I have had the honour of being acquainted with
you. and I bless the Lord in whom I humbly hope, I have been enabled by his own
divine
grace, to put my whole Trust,
that he has
graciously given me such a Good and real
friend
in time of need as your worthy person
has been, and I hope still will be. — if I was not satisfi
ed in my Mind, of your good will to me ward and to my poor despised Brethren I should not trouble you with my scribbles
but now with pleasure I write to you as unto the best friend or Benefactor that I
have in this world of trial, Sorrow and
[illegible][guess: wants]
and various vicissitudes. I heartily thank you
for all your Tokens of Love, pity, and respects that you showed
toward me, and to
ward my poor brethren, when I was in the city
of
New York
and I daily bless the Lord
that he gave me favour in the Eyes and hearts of his People there,
God full
well knew my necessitous
circumstances, and there he mercifully
relieved me, and greatly encouraged me to go on
still, in his Service,
wherever he in his Providence should call me. and not to stagger. —
verily, verily, I have abundant reason to rejoice in the goodness of the
Lord, who regards
the cause of
those that trust in his holy Name. — O that I might
be enabled to live to
his praise all my Days, and afterward, be graciously
received up into Glory, where I shall praise him throughout the
endless
Ages of Eternity without interruption, and without ceasing
Amen. — Rev. Sir, I got safely home by the
5th of January
and found
[gap: worn_edge][guess: al]l well. I preached
four times by the way. 3 times at
New haven,
[gap: worn_edge] once at
East haven, but It is not the custom I perceive in these parts
[gap: worn_edge]
consider of a traveling labourer, however, I am thankful that my mind is not chiefly set upon
the things of time and Sense.
and so am not disappointed, nor in the least disquieted. I have been to several Towns of my Indian
Brethren
since I have been at home, and have consulted with them,
about
worldly affairs, and I have also preached to them the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus the Christ. — my Indian brethren seems to be really engaged to go
On in prosecution of the design which I made known to you when I
was at your residence — and we do fully purpose
if god willing to set off from hence
or from these Parts by the
13th of March next
.
I take it for granted and I believe that there will be
upwards of
60 young
men from the several Tribes
who will go with resolution into the western Country, as first Set
tlers of the Land granted to us by
the
Oneidas. — however there
is 58 able working men that purposes to go from the following Tribes.
[gap: worn_edge][guess: i]n whose
words I believe we may rely. from
Mohegan 10. from
Narragansett 20. from
Montaukett on
Long Island 13, from
Niantic 5. from
farm
ington 10. and there is two other Tribes who confess that they are So
deeply involved in debt that they cannot go this season, but fully
purposes to go soon as possible. that is
Groton and
Stonington.
— I was there
last Thursday and had conference with them about the affair
and I shall
go there again
next Saturday, and tarry over the Sabbath
with them.
and I believe that there will be a
small number from those two Tribes. the Rev.
Mr. Occom will
Preach there next Sabbath. and he will propose condition to them
[illegible] and their Creditors so as they may go and take possess
[gap: worn_edge][guess: i]on with the rest of us. I hope that there will be nigh seventy in
the whole though it is little uncertain Poverty hinders many it is thought the best way in the first Place for
[illegible][guess: Young]
men that are able to endure hardships to go and work or br
[gap: worn_edge] the way through, or prepare a Sort of Shelter for themselves and the
[gap: worn_edge] to live in, and to raise little somewhat to eat for them and
[gap: worn_edge]
and after foundation is
laid
then we can with less difficulty
move up with our
families, and the
[illegible] may the
aged Men, and women go leaning
upon their Sons as
anchors I feel really engaged on my Part, and greatly encouraged. The pro
spects of great future good to my poor brethren in these parts,
and also
those that inhabit the western
wilderness animates
my Soul to press forward. I greatly desire the prosperity of my
sinking Nation. — O that I might by the Grace of God, be
beneficia
[gap: worn_edge][guess: l]
[gap: stain] to the bodies, but to the precious, exceeding precious Sou
[gap: worn_edge][guess: ls] of my
[gap: stain][guess: p]oor indian Brethren. —
Rev. and kind Sir. — I would further inform you that I received a
Letter from my Honoured Patron the Rev.
Eleazar Wheelock D. D and
President of
Dartmouth College the
13th of this Instant. the Extract
of which I send you
even every word. —
Dartmouth College
January 23. 1775. My dear
Joseph
Johnson
etc.: etc.: — — — I had a favoura
ble opportunity to return an answer, the next Day. — I acquainted
him
how the Lord had prospered me
New York and had given me friends
there.
and
[illegible] made Mention of your
good will towards me, and also to
towards my Poor Brethren. — I informed him that you designed to try
to get
someThing for My Support And for my Encouragements from the
Honorable Board at Philadelphia, or New York, I was
not certain, —
[gap: worn_edge]ever I desired him to write soon as possible to your worthy person
on my behalf, and recommend me to notice, and regard if I was
deserving. I
informed him, that the
Honorable Board would
meet by the
first of
April. — and I doubt not, but that he will
write to you
But let The Lords will
be done concerning that Matter. I doubt not but that you will do your uttermost to get me a Support. while I shall be in the service of our
Lord.
If I have encouragement from that
Honorable Board I will bless the
Lord, and rejoice in his goodness, if not I will still love, and
trust in his holy Name, and service him with
all my might. and not
be discouraged, nor repine. for he will do the thing, that is
right
with me and for me. — my purposes and
necessitous
circumstances I'll write
on other Paper by itself. — O kind Sir, ever Pray for me,
that the God
of Love, would give me Grace Sufficient for me. give my Thanks, and becoming
Respects to your honoured, Beloved, and kind
Consort and great regards to all
your family. and love to all inquiring friends
P.S. there was some Gentlemen that gave encourage
ment, that they
would try to get Bibles and Psalm books
if any was want- -ing by those that go
Next march. and
I have acquainted my
Indian friends of the good will of Gentlemen
at
New
York. — and The
Indians rejoice at such glad tidings.
if there is any so well disposed as to give us
[illegible][guess: such]
best
of gifts we will greatly rejoice, and try to make good use
of them. Most of us are so poor that
[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible] to come
60
[illegible][guess: of Each I] believe will be
[illegible][guess: wanting] Send them to
[illegible] I and
[illegible]