I dont think I Can be at the ordination, in
Ballston, it is a long way, and I am old, and Lame, and I must be
at the
Presbytery
next March at
Albany if live, and Shall be
well; I want to be at the ord
[illegible][guess: e]rnation; and one or two of
our men
with me but it Cant be so now — I am now moving my Family to
Munhegunnack or
New-Stockbridge, I told you it
was called
Tus
c
[illegible][guess: a]rora, but that is not the Proper name of it,
—
Capt.
Hendrick who
will deliver this to You, is one of our Church; he is just Come
from the westward, amongst the Indians, and he has a large Tract
of
[gap: tear][guess: land]
offered him if he and his people would move there — I think
it would be
[gap: tear][guess: a fine
open]ing for the Gospel, — Our Church have
willingly and Cheerfully adopted the confession of Faith of the
Presbyterian Church of the
United States in
America. They Joy
fully put themselves under the Care and inspection of
Albany
Presbytery — And thankfully receive the Gospel
fellowship
opened for them — And from This Time, we Shall look upon our
Selves one of the least Branches of the Religious Family of the
Presbyterians in
America —
— We are trying to instruct our Children
in Letters, but we are very weak, we want a little help
— one
Joseph Quinney keeps the School, without any prospect of Reward,
and he
[gap: hole][guess: is] our Singing master too, and he is instructing the People
in Sin
[gap: hole][guess: ging]
consta
[gap: hole][guess: ntl]y,
two or three Evenings every week and
he demands no pay — and he and his Family,
are very destitute
of clothing, — Our professors keep on Steady in Religion, and
our Church and
Society rather increases, — our Singers are
in want of Psalm Books — what harm would it be, if You would
try to beg a few, amongst Your Friends and Neighbours in
Albany, we use
Dr. Watts's Psalms altogether — I have no
more to Say at
this Time, — Pray for us — This with much
Esteem is from
your most
unworthy fellow Labourer
in the Gospel of Jesus —
Samson Occom
PS.
Capt.
Hendrick is our Elder, and
Joseph
Quinney is our Deacon; We have but very little business
[gap: worn_edge]Elder and Deacon, and think, one of each is enough for the
[gap: worn_edge]
January 8 Sir
The foregoing was Sent by
Capt.
Hendrick, but was
obliged, to return back, and forgot to give it, to
Samuel Littleman, who, I Conclude called upon You, in his way to
New-Jersey — There Seems to be a Strange inclination among
the
Indians, to hear the word of God preached, they Come to our
meets from
Tuscarora, most all of them, which they nev
[gap: worn_edge][guess: er] did before, and
Mr. Kirklands People come very thick too
and they desire, that I might Spend Some Sabbaths, — great
many Come to our meeting
today, though
Mr. Kirkland went there
this morning, and they know of his Coming,
—
Mr. Kirkland is
going away again, and I Shall go to his People
next Sab
bath — Several of them, have
[gap: hole][guess: a] great desire to Join us in
full — and Some of
Mr.
Sergeant's people are Coming to us also, and
they will Join us in full, — I have an Evening School for
the
young People, and a Number comes, I am instructing to read and
to Speak English proper, and Come on well —