Samuel Buell, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1758 October 17

Author Buell, Samuel

Date17 October, 1758

Call Number758567.1

abstractBuell writes that Occom should be sent on a mission to Virginia and, therefore, ordained as soon as possible.

handwritingHandwriting is largely clear, yet superscripts are frequently difficult to discern, as is letter case, especially with regard to the letters “S,” “Y,” and “T.” There are many additions and underlinings.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with moderate creasing, staining and wear. A small tear and worn creases result in a minor loss of text.

inkBrown.

signatureSignature is abbreviated.

EventsOccom’s Ordination

Persistent Identifier
Revd And dear Sir,
Yours by our little Jerime— I received, and thank you for so much ^Love^ expreſsed in it to a Creture so vile. I would have taken Your Dear little Jacob into my Family during his stay here, but two Studients in Divinity, and Dr^[illegible]^ Prime were sojourning with us already, so ^that^ we were full; And it suited well that he should reſide at Mr Hedges. I was for a Time determind to make Trial of Peoples Generoſity, and see what they would do for him, and other Indian Lads of Your School; but upon second thought, I was apprehenſive that it might be preventive of some future Acts of this Kind, and therefore have omitted for the Preſent: How you came to hear that my People are remarkable for Charity and Liberallity I am not able to Say; they once indeed exhibited Evidence of their Generoſity to Such a Degree as I Suppoſe an equal Pr[illegible][guess: ſ]cedent is not to be found scarce in the Annals of America, when they sent 17 teen fat Oxen ^& Stears^ as a Preſent to our Army at Lake-George, and bore the Expence of Conveyance; but otherwiſe I am not aſſured they merit a high Incomium for Liberallity; tho' I hope they will ever show a Chriſtian Spirit upon proper Occaſion.— I am apprehenſive that it requiers your Perſonal Preſence to obtain anything worthy of mentioning from my People, for your School.
'Tis true. some of my People abound with out^word^ Bleſsings; But, I fear that in ^this^ Day ^in^ which there is so little Mortification prevailing, little, very little, Liberallity will be seen abounding. — The laſt Week I receiv,d a second Letter from the Revd Mr Davis in Virginia, as Secretary of a Society there, form,d for propegating the Goſpel,— in which, in the moſt preſsing manner, he urges that M.r Occum would by December ^next^ be preſent with him — as engaging in a Miſſion among the Cheireoikees, Upon the receiving of which — I immeadi[illegible]ately applyed to Mr Occum to undertake, — and propoſed his Ordination by our Presbetery, but this he declined, in that, for Several Reaſons he thought he muſt neceſſarily refuſe a complyance with the above Motion, at Preſent: But has fully concluded, that upon renew,d Application he will early the next Spring accept the Call. — Accordingly I have wrote to Mr Davis and let him know, that upon hearing from ^him^ again, as expreſsing his Deſier that Mr Occum would come to him in the Spring; nothing special occurring, he may depend thereupon: And 'tis altogether Probible the Application will be renewe[illegible]d.— You will therefore undoubtedly conclude, Sr, (without a Moments Hiſitation,) that Mr Occums Ordination muſt neceſsarily be attended as soon as it poſsibly can with Conveniency; and I earniſtly beſeach it may; ^be our Side the Water^ or that You conſent, that he Should be ordained by our Presbytery.— Mr Davis Informs in his letter, that a Miſsionary now amoung the Chei[illegible]rockees, writes encouraging,— "that they treat him with —
"Honour and Affection, and have conſented to give "him a fair Hearing; that there is Sufficient Encour "agement to Send forth another Miſſionary. Mr Davis writes, that the Salary they allow a Miſsionary is at leaſt £70ty Sterl:^[below]g^: a Year; and they Propoſe to bear Mr Occums Expences on his Way to Virginia. I intended to have tranſcribed much more of Mr Daviſe's Letter, but have not Time. — It has so happen,d, that I have lately recei ved a [illegible]large Number of Letters from Gentlemen in the Miniſtry, ^several of which muſt now be anſwerd.—^ and Some have been so compleſant as to Deſier my thoughts upon some critical Points in Divinity, — the next Week is the Seſsion of our Preſby[illegible][guess: try] Preſbytery which Occaſsion much [gap: hole] Buiſneſs this Week and so ^much^ Ignor[illegible][guess: an]e, Selfe, Pride, Confuſion, and all that's bad, attends m[illegible]e, yt I make but poor Work amidſt all; You will :Dr Sr, Drop the Mantle of Love over the Errors & Difficiencies of my Scrible. Pleaſe to let me hear from You as Soon as may be. I am pritty well aſſured from knowledge of the Multiplicity of Buiſneſs that will lye before the Preſbytery next Week — that we shall be oblig,d to meet Soon again at this End of the Iſland; ^in about 3 Weeks^ which will afford an Oppertune Seaſon for Mr Occums Ordination, if You will pleaſe to come, and aſſiſt, and make us Glad. I ^am^ Straitn,d for time — am weary with Writing — and muſt omit many things; But not this one ^viz^ my Dr Spouſe preſents you with a thouſand-tun of Love, over and above Joyning with me in cordial Salutations to your Selfe & Dr Spouſe. I am, Revd & Dr Sr[gap: tear] utmoſt haſt
Your Son & Sert[illegible] Saml Buell M,r Whelock
M.r Buells Letter
[below]M.r Buell's Letter 1758.
^[below]Rec.d Nov.r 4 1758.^
For The Revd MrWhelock Lebanon
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