Theophilus Chamberlain, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1766 October 3
ms-number766553
abstractChamberlain relates the progress, or lack thereof, of his mission among the Mohawks.
handwritingHandwriting is small and somewhat crowded, yet mostly formal and clear. Letter case, especially with regard to the letters S and D, is frequently difficult to discern.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light staining and wear, and light-to-moderate creasing. The central vertical crease has been reinforced.
inkBlack-brown.
noteworthyThere is a red-pencil mark on two recto.
Onowad^a^gegh
3d October 1766
Rvd and worthy Sir
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 Disſpiſd 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 thot 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
gives 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
myself 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
Rvd
Sir I Remain your unworthy yet obediant Servant.
T. Chamberlain
To Rvd
Mr Wheelock —
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