John Smith, letter, to his friend, 1764 May 18

Author Smith, John

Date18 May, 1764

ms number764318.2

abstractSmith gives an account of his visit to Wheelock’s school, and to the Mohegan country, where he saw Occom.

handwritingHandwriting is formal and clear.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to form four pages is followed by two single sheets. Paper is in good condition, although there appears to be some preservation work on heavier creases.

noteworthyThere are many variant spellings and abbreviations; colons are used for superscripts, not periods. The trailer appears to be in Wheelock's hand.

Persistent Identifier
Sir,
In rideing last week to new Lon=don I turned some miles out of my way to see M:r Wheelocks Indian School; nor do I repent my Trouble I had heard in general that it consisted of Twenty or more Indian Boys & Girls of the Mohawks & other Tribes of Indians And that a number of the Mini==sters of that Province had spoken well of M:r Wheelock & of this undertaking of his, But this I thought was seeing with the Eyes of others & therefore Chose to use my own.
My first observation in travelling through the Towns was the Diffrent accep==tation of both M:r Wheelock & his Enter==prize there, from what some in Boston had entertained.
Here because of his live==ly adhering to ^the^ Doctrines of Grace he was not accepted by some; & when this is the Case you are sensible both Enterprize & Execution
of it are too apt to be viewed by an Eye of Surmize & sometimes of Carping: But in Connecticut I found Charity & Candor & every where in paſsing M:r Wheelock had the Reverence of a Man of God, & his School was had in high Esteem.
I reached his House a little before the Evening Sacrafice & was move==ingly Touched on giveing out the Psalm to hear an Indian Youth set the Time & the others following him, & singing the Tenor, & Base, with remarkable Gravity & Seirousneſs, & tho' M:r Wheelock, The Sc==hoolmaster & a minister from our Provin=ce (called as I was by Curiosity) joined in Praise; yet they unmoved seemed to have nothing to do but to sing to the Glory of God.
I omit M:r Wheelocks Pra==yer & paſs to the Indians in the morning when on Ringing the School house Bell
they Aſsemble at M:r Wheelocks House about 5 oClock with their Master; who named the Chapter in Course for the Day & called upon the near Indian who read 3 or 4 Verſes till the Master said Proximus, & then the next Indian read some Verses & ſo on till all the Indians had read the whole Chapter. After this M:r Wheelock Prayes And then they each Indian perse a Verse or two of the Chapter they had read. After this they entered Succeſsively on Prosodia & then on Disputations on some Questions propounded by themselves in some of the Arts & Sciences. And it is really charming to see Indian Youths of Different Tribes & Languages in pure English reading the Word of God & speaking with Exactneſs & accuracy on points (either chosen by themselves or given out to them) in the Severall arts & Sciences, And especially to see this done with at Least a seeming
Mixture of Obedience to God; a fillial Love & Reverence to M:r Wheelock, & yet with great Ambittion to Excell each other And indeed in this Morning Exercies I saw a Youth Degraded one lower in the Claſs who before the Exercises were finished not only recovered his own place but was advanced two Higher.
I learnt hear that my ſurprize was common to ministers & other persons of Littterature who before me had been to visit this School or rather Colledge for I doubt whither in Collegddges in Gene==rall a better Education is to be expected & in mentioning this to a Gentleman in this Town who had visited this Semina==ry. He acquainted me that he intended at his own Charge to send his Son to obtain his Education in Mixture with these Indians There were 4 or 5 of these Indians from 21 to 24 years of age who did not mix with the youth in these Exercies — These I learnt
were Perfected in their Literature & stand ready to be sent among the Indians to keep Scools & occasionaly to preach as doors open.
On my return M:r Wheelock accompanied me a few miles & on paſsing by one Houſe he said here lives one of my Indian Girls who was I hope Converted last week; & calling to the Farmer he un==perceiv'd to her brought the Young Girl into our Sight & the pleasure was exqui­=site to see the Savageneſs of an Indian moulded into the Sweetneſs of a follower of the Lamb.
In paſsing some Days after this through the Mohegan Country I saw an Indian Man on Horseback whom I challenged as M:r Occum & found it so. There was something in his mein & Deportment both amiable & venerable & though I had never before seen him
I must have been sure it was he. — He certainly does Honour to M:r Wheelocks inde==fatigable, judicious, pious Intentions to send the Gospel among the Indians. I heard M:r Ashpo was then among them but at a Distance & I being hurried & tired Lost the opportunity of seing Mr Wheelock in him & more especially of seeing Christs Image in this Tawney Man but I wont tire you
& am y:r most Hum:e Serv:t John Smith.
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Mr John Smiths Letter to his Friend May 18. 1764
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