Nathaniel Whitaker, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 February 12
Date12 February, 1767
Call Number767162.1
abstractWhitaker writes regarding several matters, including the slanders of the New England Company, General Lyman's progress in obtaining land, the necessity of formalizing the Charity School accounts, and the disbursement of a shipment of books. He notes that Whitefield suggests sending Indian baskets to the wives of donors, and that Occom proposes Long Island as a suitable new location for an Indian school.
handwritingHandwriting is small and crowded, yet mostly clear and legible. On two verso, the date of receipt is in Wheelock's hand; the other trailer is in an unknown hand.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear. A tear on the outer edge of two recto/verso results in some loss of text.
noteworthyIn the last paragraph of one recto, the identity of "Young Johnson" is uncertain, and so he has been left untagged. However, he is likely John Johnson. If Whitaker's intention regarding a word or abbreviation is uncertain, the word or abbreviation has been left unmodified in the modernized transcription. The postscript is written on the crease between one verso and two recto.
signatureThe letter is signed twice, both times abbreviated.
EventsMason Land Case, Fundraising Tour of Great Britain
night; & rejoice to finde that there are Such proſpects of
succeſs among the heathen — Bleſſed be God who still reigns
& doth all things well: & who brings good out of evil, & call‐
eth the things that are not as tho they were. What availeth the
rage of the enemies of our reigning, almighty Jeſus! it will only
work for the accompliſhment of his own moſt glorious purpoſes.
Why then should we be ever caſt down, or be filled with anxious
fear, since we know the will of him, whoſe will is ours, if we are as
we ſho’d be, will be done — even so Amen, & Amen —
in on the mountains & skiping on the hills, & will, I doubt
not, make the wilderneſs to echo with his praiſes. O that God
may give the Amen; & make you the father of many nations
that your crown of Glory may be great in yonder happy world;
& may I hope to come in for a humble share thro’ the merit of
our glorious Emanuel! — I am really glad you purpoſe in‐
ſiſting on a coppy of Olivers letter to Mauduit: You will then see
how near
verily believe are according to the true intent of the letter, & as
near their own words as I can remember. I wrote you a long
heap of stuff a few days paſt, & some things of moment — I saw
G. Lyman this day; he told me that he hoped to be able in a few days
to say that something is his own — but say nothing leaſt the fail; for,
tho I verily believe he will gain his point if the preſent miniſtry
stand, yet there seems Such a wavouring in the miniſtry, & even now
talk of a change
if this should be — He is strongly inclined to have the school with him.
the cauſe is become so Strong by the formation of the truſt. Mr Keen
tells me he has wrote you a coppy of the truſt, & deſired you to
draw a form well guarded, & confining it as much as poſſible to the
preſent plan, & to prevent any future corruptions, & git it executed in a legal manner, & to send it over for their acceptance. I am
glad he hath done this — This day Dear mr Brewer of Stepny
told me he had wrote, & got a friend alſo to write
was nothing in that letter to mr Occoms diſadvantage? What will he
say to that expreſſion — “And he (mr Occom) might still have continued
in our service had he been diſpoſed, & continued faithful in the exerciſe
of the duties of his function”? Aſk him if he ever was unfaithful. and,
couples like caſes, moods & tenſes — I suppoſe they are Gramarians.
to do what? why, to hurt a good cauſe without any advantage to them‐
selves. I am perſwaded, God is greatly diſpleaſed with their conduct, &
will humble them, & make them weep bitterly for it, if ever he deſigns
to honour them as inſtruments of his glory in the World, & to bring
them to heaven at laſt — Why do not the Miniſters to the eaſtward
write, their silence will be conſtrued into an aſſent to yt letter,
& by if they do not. MrOcc: tells me that there is a large tract of
Land on Long Iſland on ye north sid not far weſt of South hold, wch was
formerly offered to the Montauk Indians for Montauks, & which he
thinks may be procured for a small sum which is handy for fiſh
oyſters Clams, &c so that much of the youths living might be ob‐
tained therefrom — salt hay eno’ for a large stock, & all the Barons
of the iſland for their range in Summer — If nothing shall turn
up soon, & there should be any tho’t of fixing the School near
your parts, will it not be worth while to look after that land, &
send the advantages of it, if they are great, or worthy conſidering.
you know the good temper of Long Iſland fo
mr Kirtland grieves me — May God preſerve his life & reſtore his health.
one word whether my family is alive or dead — When I shall return
I cant gueſs. O pray for me that I may be kept from all evil, but
eſpecially from sin — & that he would go before me in this work —
Mr Occom is will, & gives Duty to you & all yous — pleaſe to preſent
kindeſt Love to dear Madam, Rodolphus, Daughters, sons, scholars, people, &c.
and accept the Same from
your unworthy Brother
& fellow serv.t in the bleſſe Goſpel
Nathl Whitaker
panies this; will doubtleſs afford you some speculation. This work (which is
said to be now in the preſs) is performed by the Revd mr Harwood of
Briſtol, son in law to the late venerable Dr. Sam.l Chandler of London. This
Gentleman is very friendly to the Indian cauſe!!! The propoſats were
turned into verſe by one mr Brown a Ch. miniſter in Briſtol, & a very
pious good man &
gion is in thro’ the greateſt part of England — Yet there are a few names
in Sardis — May God revive his own work. Dr Gibbons is a friend
indeed. He thinks it is beſt for you to write over to aſſure your friends here
that you have, & will leave behind you when you shall die, a will by
which all the monies which may happen then to be in your hands
unexpended shall be devoted to the uſe of the school, & miſſions. This he
deſires as a friend that he & others may have wherewith to anſwer objec‐
tors — You had as good write to him on this head, & take no notice of my
writing to you about it. I think it will be beſt to send him a coppy of the
paragraft of the will wherein this is selled.
this Charity at preſent, both in your school & in the Wilderne[gap: tear][guess: ſs]
tween 40 & 50 & when I am aſked how many, I anſwer that [gap: tear]
know exactly, but suppoſe between 40. & 50. I therefore beg the fa[gap: tear][guess: vour]
you to send me an acc.t of your numbers, how many Indians, & [gap: tear]
many Engliſh — & how they are imployed, & alſo send the Truſt an acc.[gap: tear][guess: t]
what you have rec.d from here, & in America, & what money is in your
hands, & under what improvem.t — I send 60 of Mathew Meeds almoſt
Chriſtian, & a few other Books to mrs Whitaker, the 60 coſt me 3 g.s When
you have taken what you chuſe of them you may diſpoſe of the reſt to mr
Breed but not under 16 ster per book, or to any one elſe you pleaſe, so that
you leave 2 or 3 for me; the other books are the gift of the Book society.
I hope you will not draw for any more money if you can poſſibly do
with out it yet a while, & wn you do pleaſe to give the truſt an acc.t of
the diſpoſal of all you have rec.d mr Keen is secretary.
certified under some publick seal.
giving seems somewhat over here, the thing has become old & stale; but God will do
all his pleaſure — I have juſt reviſed a 2d time the appendix to the narra‐
tive which I send you — You may, God enabling me, depend on my ut moſt en‐
deavours to promote this Cauſe — mr Occom does not medle in Maſons affair
send over a number of Indian rarities. you, & no body elſe, muſt send them. Git the Indians to make
a number of neat Baſkets for the ladies — Lady Dartmouth & others would be glad of such preſents
& may prcure many Gunies, I wiſh you would think of any of their works which will
shew their genius, & will be pleaſing to the people here, as any such things will be.
1767.