It cant be more diſagreable to you to read than it is to
me to see, that the preſent state of our affairs among this
Tribe of Indians is what it truly is. Chriſtanity, the grand
Cauſe which we all hope to be found advancing, is, as far
as I can Judge Disſpiſ
d and Contemnd by theſe
Mohawks.
meetings upon the sabbath are so
neglected, as that we
can frequently get togeather at this Caſtle not above two
or three men and half a dozzen Women, and thoſe not
till one or two o clock in the after Noon, and at
fort Hunter
tis but little better. and the Schools are so litely
eſteemd as
that not a Dozen Children in the whole ever attend school
at this Caſtle, and at
fort Hunter
tis much worſe. I have
uſd my utmoſt
Indeavour to remidy
theſe Defects; but all
with the united indeavours of the School-Maſters, both
Engliſh and Indians (
[illegible]all of which; all of which,
I realy
think exert their whole skill and Prudence), proves quite
inaffectual. I have on several occaſions
latley, when
speaking of the neceſaty and importance of being Chriſtains
said the moſt moving things I was capable of saying.
have indeavourd to excite in them a Senſe of the Wrath of
God, from the Terrors of the Law, and of his goodneſs from
the goſple of the Glorious Emanuel; but God is not pleaſd
effectualy to touch their hearts. The Sabbath before laſt,
preachd at
fort Hunter, to belween thirty and forty Perſons
in the moſt plain and pethatic manner I could indeavour
ing to let their danger before them in some faint
Reſemblance of its Terror; and their Remidy in some of
its saving glory.
The
[illegible][guess: re]
truly appeard more seriouſneſs
in attending to preaching than uſual. After worſhip concluded
Spoke to the men Reſpecting the Schools as I understood
theirs was sunk low. told them the conditions
upon which
the Schoolmasters was left, the ingratitude of their ne‐
glecting under their circumstances to fulfill their Conditions;
and
that the Schoolmasters was forfited by that neglect, and must
be despised, and left to themselves unleſs they speedily
reformed. I then desired them to get all together their
whole Castle &
discourſe on theſe things, open their minds
to one another, and conclude with themselfs
wether they
would finally reject, Christanity, or would receive instruc‐
tions themselfs
& have their children Learnt. with this
request they promiſed to comply, & to inform me of the re‐
sult the next time they held an oppertunity. after we left
the meeting Houſe, several of the men came to me. told
me they never heard such preaching as
they had that day.
it gave them pleaſure
^they said^ to hear the gospel preached so plain,
and they
thought all but Fools must take pleaſure in hear‐
ing Gods news. In all this they appeared Serious
and seem’d
to speak the Sentiments of their hearts. It at once revived
my
drooping
^heart^. &
at once I began to feed on thoughts that the
long wished for Day was
approaching when we might see
the Glorious Gosple of the son of God propagated by
Divine Energy among the Indians in thoſe parts. I
had before this determined to return to
new england this fall; and
^as^ I thought my health would not allow of my
going on a miſion to some remote Tribes, I had deter‐
mined to have asked a Dismision. but I now came to
a concluſion to stay at all adventures thro the Winter,
if
^thoſe ^
[illegible][guess: theſe] favourable simptoms should continue to give hopes
of Succeſs. I tho
t I well know that my constitution was
week enough to endure the fatigue of riding backwards
& forwards between 30 & 40 Miles to Preach & take care
of Schools, yet the thoughts of what I should be obliged
to
suffer by this reſolution
vanised into nothing, when I
thought of succeeding in my miſion to the happineſs
of theſe benighted heathen, & the satisfaction of Christian
Freinds. But I cant expreſs how mortifying it was to
me, when, in leſs than a fortnite after this hopful Prospect
I heard
^that^ the school was intirely thrown up
and at
fort ^Hunter^
^[left]&, ^
Calvin wholly out of employment. and now the
dis
agreeable reflection of standing by a uſeleſs spectator of
that unlimited wickedneſs, which I am no way Ins‐
trumental of restra
^in^ing, & of People going unpreven
‐ted from before my Eyes to
certain destruction returns
full upon me; I am fully convinced it is not my
Duty
to tarry long in this Situation. theſe People
have two Ministers who come once or twice a Year
give
s them the sacrament of the Lords supper; aſsures
them their sins are pardoned, and leave
^them^ to
practice wick‐
‐edneſs in Perfect Security. And so long as this Dia‐
bolical
Practice (forgive the Boldneſs) is continued it
will doubtleſs be the Judgment that will harden
theſe People for Destruction. should their be no farthe
[gap: worn_edge][guess: r] good appearance among the Indians, nor any directi
^on^ from you (which I beg of you to send if Possible), I shall
set out
on my return the begining of november
I heard by a Letter from
Rd
Mr Kirtland that he was well that
all things went on well, & he hoped some succeſs. But that
Johnſon is not yet settled in his school at
Old Onoida where
John Mohawk
Kept last Summer.
Mr
Johnſons
horſ
[gap: worn_edge][guess: e] was stole from a Pasture last Saturday evening. he sat
out in quest of her on sunday & is not yet returned.
I have spent part of 3 Days in a Journey after her but
to no
Purpoſe
unleſs she is found by the advertizements I ordered
up. You deſire sir my account, I can only say it will by
the Last of this
^month^ be more than 20
£. I should not have been
so much in Debt, had not I had an interpreter to
hire
^at^ 20/
per week; and
Jacob left unexpectedly on my hands, which,
together with my Debts
being somthing greater in the
Spring than I expected, was like to run
my
self in Debt
in spite of all
what I could do my Prudence &
makinng
myself a perfect Begg
^er^ most of the summer. and to ad to my
miſfortune I S
[illegible][guess: w]oped my mare becauſe she pestured me a little
with running off; for a Horſe, which soon got so lame, that I cant
ride him & shall near looſe him. I cant procure a pacing Jade
here which will anſwer my turn under 10
£. or 11
£. Lawful Money
to pay which, & my Interpreter, & settle my other accompts for
myself &
Jacob Fowler, & bringing me home I think I shall
want about 20 Pounds. Give my Duty to
Madam and proper
Reſpects to all the family and School, and know