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

Author Smith, John

Date18 May, 1764

Call 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.
Blank page.
Mr John Smiths Letter
to his Friend
May 18. 1764
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