In mine to
YouMr
^Keen^
&
M.r Whitaker of 2
d
&
3.
d
ult.
o
^which I truſt
y.o
ha'
ſeen^ I informd
You y.
t I had Sent
my Son into the Wilderneſs. he returnd from
his long & fatiguing Tour 25
th
ult
o the Copy of
Sir William Johnſon's
Letter
[illegible]encloſed Sufficiently expreſses the Tenor of his Diſcourſe with my
Son — on which
My Son thought proper not to attempt to collect
y.
e Schools, or ingage
Miſsionaries
'till
ſir John Johnſon's Return, or
till we could hear further hear of the Affair of Miſsionaries from Home.
The following is an Abſtract of
my Son's Journal from thence to
Onoida
viz;; Sept.
r
9
th
reachd
Thompſon's
y.
e
leſt
Engliſh Inhabitant on this Side
M.r Kirtlands.
10.
th
Thurſday — here find Indians Settling the Bounds of Lands
^as I
was inform'd
^ which
,
ſir William
^had^ bought of them for
ſir Henry Moore, & other Gentlemen
in
N. York — many of them were Drunk, but on hearing my Name
they treated me with diſtinguiſhing ma
[illegible]rks of Reſpect. — I hired an
Indian Ladd to conduct me 36. miles thro' the Woods to
M.r Kirtlands
— a very wet Day and no
^House for^
refreſhment — reach
M.r Kirtlands abo.
t 6 o'Clock
in y.
e Evening — was agreably
Surprized to find his Situation amidſt Such a Number
of Hutts, and to See y.
e Active Appearance of So many Souls — and though
^Wett
&^ much
tired, could Scarce find Time to Shift my Cloths, or take Refreſhment, the Sound of
my Arival being Soon Spread thro' the
Whole Caſtle. The Grey headed, middle
aged youth & Children flockd in Swarms to wellcome me their Father, the
fleſh of their
GrandGreat Father
(for ſo they termd it). And give me Gods Bleſsing
and pray for one to be given
^them^ by me, (for Such
were the Terms they used) I was
complemented with friendly Salutations of all kinds, and Such as appeard hearty. —
this throng held 'till 9 O'Clock when
M.r
Kirtland told them I was weary & wanted
Reſt — that they muſt come tomorrow morning for God's News &c —
I found
M.r Kirtland in high Spirits, full of Zeal, his whole Heart & Soul engaged
in his work — He has made proviſion for a comfortable Subſiſtance
thro' the
winter, for which he is none in Debt. his Proſpects of Succeſs Among them
are great &
increaſing — many added to his Congregation — there are now
upwards of 80
families — there were five new Hutts then in building — &
M.r Kirtland told me he expected
1210. or
1512.
more this fall —
11
th friday — I was rouſed from my Blankett this morning by the Indians who
wanted to know whether I was Sick or Well
— and impatient to See me by the
Day light — after Brakefaſt I walked with
M.r Kirtland
thro'
the Town, we calld
at every House that we might not give offence, and had all the Reſpect
ſhewn
me in their Power.—
M.r Kirtland had heard of my being on the Road
and leſt I Should not extend my Journey further than the
Mohocks, had Sent
3 of their Boys & one Girl forward the Day before to meet me at
Buttlers‐‐burrough. (one of these Boys was y.
e Son of
Gawke their Cheif who died the Spring
before laſt, & when he was dying left charge with his Queen to Send her Children
to be inſtructed at this School as Soon as they were old Enough) — the Queen
his
mother Sat out with them under the Care of
David
Fowler (whom
my father had
Sent
for to take care of his Aged & Suffering Parents & teach a School at
Muntauck)
at
fort Stanwix
they loſt one of their Horſes —#
on which the Queen
& two of the Boys^her Son with y.e Girl went forward with David^
returned
^her Son with the Girl went forward with David.
She came direct ſhe hearing that I^
And Seem vaſtly
pleaſed to ſee me.
I aſked the Children if they would go
^[left][illegible]
[illegible]
& come with
y.e Boys direct to M.r Kirtlands
with y.e Boys, tho'
they were fatigued &
[illegible][guess: wet to y.e
] Skin^
[illegible] Seemd
vaſtly
pleaſd[illegible][guess: to]
ſee me I aſkd the Children [illegible][guess: if] they
[illegible][guess: wo.d]
[left]#on which the Queen and two of the ye Boys returned her Son & the Girl went forward with David.
before the Queen came to town ſhe heard that I was come, and tho'
wetto the Skin & fatigued with her travil, She came direct to M.r Kirtlands with the Boys, to ſee me and Seemd
vaſtly
pleaſd
y.t
y.[illegible][guess: a] were come. I aſked the Boys if they would go with me tomorro
morning
with me tomorrow morning, they conſented to it with the greateſt
Chirfulneſs
& Seeming eagerneſs to be on y.
e way —
12. Saturday —. this morning hired a Boy to carry a
letter after
David to Stop him at
y.
e
Mohock
Caſtle
^till I &
y.e other Boys Shod come up with them^— And another to
[illegible][guess: looke
] the Horſe that was loſt — And another to carry
a Belt of Wampum to the
Indian
^Cheif
^ at
Old Onoida
(where they have never had an Engliſh
Miſsionary or School Maſter) deſiring Him to come & hear my Meſsage — the 1.
st
&
2
d
of these Boys effected their Deſign — the 3
d returned with a
[illegible][guess: ye
] Belt
[illegible][guess: Same] Belt of friendſhip
with this meſsage
y.
t he was then labouring under a fit of y.
e
Feaver
& ague but wo
d
wait on me the next Day at 12 o'Clock. — I have not yet Spoke with
Jacob who went Home on a viſit
laſt Spring, by
my Fathers leave, but
through the Influence of his bad Aunts, has much out Stayed his Time — I
have Seen him Several Times but have treated him and his
Family with
Slight — Spent the Day with
M.r Kirtland in Settling the Affair of his
School — they ingaged to Send 28 Children at leaſt — many of whom have
made laudible Proficiency already under
David
Fowler.— at Evening I
attended their Singing Meeting and was Surprized at the Profeciency they
have made at which they Sang Several Sacred Hymns in their own
Language
which
M.r Kirtland has made & Set to muſick — and
[illegible]
^as ſoon as^ he can have leiſure for it
he
deſigns to tranſlate a Number of Pſalms
& Sacred Hymns into Indian
metre (in addition to a few they already have,
which was done many years
ago) and prepare them for the Preſs — I found that I could eaſily have bro.
t away
— with me 9. 10
ths of the Children of
that Caſtle if I would.—
13.
th. Lords Day — at 10 o'Clock y.
e Horn Sounded for meeting — on which I could
not refrain from weeping
at the Sight of Such a Swarm of Tawney
immortels in
their beggarly Habit flocking with ſuch appearance of Zeal and eagerneſs to
their Long House for divine worſhip — a more Solomn
Aſsembly I ſcarſely
ever Saw in my Life —
M.r Kirtland
tho' I could not underſtand him, appeard
to act the Indian Orator to perfection — the Aſsembly heard with great
Attention — the Queen Sat near me both parts of y
e Day, and wept at hearing
the word — all parts of y.
e
worſhip were performd with Great Decency—
This morning a
Cherockee
Indian, who was
[illegible]Sever.
l years ago taken captive by
the
Onoidas, and adopted into one of their families to Supply the Place of
one y.
t was killd in y
e War, came
^from [illegible][guess: uriſkne]^ to Viſit me, and appeard indeed
like a babe in Chriſt,
M.r Kirtland Hopes he is really converted, he had
been Seeking a
birth for himſelf, wife, & one Child, in
this Town that
they might Enjoy
M.r Kirtlands Miniſtry.
In the Intermiſsion, on my return from Meeting I met the Cheif of
old Onoida
^according to his appointment^ accompanied
[illegible]by one of his Council— he Saluted me kindly.
thanked me for Coming and hoped it would be for good to them —
I delivered him
the Belt with my Speech, by the Same Title of Bretheren
which
My Father had used in his Letter to
them — and as it was the
3
d Time
^my Father had
Sent to them^ (which acord
g to indian Cuſtom is y.
e
Laſt) I was full plain &
severe with them — I told them
my
Father had Sent once More, an offer
of the Gospel to them, and it was
the laſt Time they were to expect it from
Him, And if they would not accept it, his
hands were clear of their Blood,
they muſt take the Conſequences
& go to Hell in their own way.—
I immediately roſe up & went out as tho' I had done with them — They diſcourſd
togather about a quarter of an Hour, and after I was returned to y
e Room they
Spake to me — thanked me for coming — hoped the Hearts of
their Tribe
wo
d come
togather — were very Sorry they had behaved So bad y.
t I co.
d not call them
Children — Said they had conſiderd my ſpeech — that they Should for themſelves
be glad if their Indians would accept the offer. they could Speak only for y
mſelves
and promiſed to Send his Grandſon which was y
e only one he could command —
Said they would call the
[illegible]Tribe togather the Next Day to hear my Meſsage —
they thankd
my Father that he had Sent to them twice before
— & was very Sorry
they had behaved So Ill that their
Great father could not give them the Title
of
Children — I told them if they
behaved well accepted of
my Fathers Offer
— treated
mr. Kirtland well — Sent y.
r Children to School — & behaved well till
Next Spring they Should have the Title of
Children.
About 9 o'Clock this Evening on of the Council came in to aſk
forgiveneſs for
Jacobs Aunts for keeping him at Home — and
to plead for him that he mig.
t
return to School — they were afraid to come — I told him I had nothing
to do
in that Matter but with them — they were able to come and Speak for y
m[illegible][guess: ſls] — And when they were Sorry enough they wo
d do it — and So Sent him
off —
^[left]14^ Monday — This morning gave
orders
^advice^ to the Council of many things, viz
to remove their School House to a Dry Place — to be kind to their Father
— to keep their Promiſe with Regard to drink — to Send their Children to
School —
attend the worſhip of God — &c
&c all which they Promiſed
to mind — they bro.
t 6 of their Boys to Me wh
[illegible][illegible][guess: om] I underſtood to be of
the cheif
famities in the place and urged me to take them — offerd to
give them to me — two of y
e Boys cryed to
comego with me, whom I paci‐
‐fied with bitts of Silver—
Jacobs two Aunts came and in a
humble manner, and one of them with
Tears aſked
forgivneſs for detaining
Jacob. they confeſsd their Ingratitude
— prayd me to take him & do as I pleaſed with him — I appeard
careleſs About
his coming told them I did not want him I could get boys enough. If
he
had a mind to turn Indian again he might &c — finally conſented he ſhould
come & accordingly bro.
t him with me.
abo.
t 2 oClock took my leave of
this Caſtle — and an Affecting parting it
was — Sat off with
Rev.d
M.r Kirtland,
Jacob and my two
little Boys —
reachd
Old Onoida
a little before Night— the Town, what of them were at
Home had
been togather and had agreed to Supply a School with 14. Children
which they can command beſides the Children of those that were abroad.— two
famities yet remain
as inveterate
[illegible][guess: haters] of
M.r Kirtland and his meaſures
as ever. this is a Surpizing change Since laſt Spring when there were but two or three of
their Hutts
y.
t
M.r Kirtland
tho't it Safe
^for him^ to go into. — they deſired me as my
Father's Repreſentative to order
M.r Kirtland to preach to them half the time
I told them they been So ungrateful, and behaved them Selves So baſely while their
Bretheren at
Kanwarohare had received the Gospel, left of their old vices and behaved
So well, that they muſt now be content with
M.r Kirtland every 3.
d
Sabath.—
they thanked me for that and promiſed they wo
d attend upon his preaching.
they promiſed to
[illegible][guess: Send]keep their children
[illegible][guess: to]at School, and I promiſed to Send
them a maſter in two months — The Enemies to this work on Every
headſide
are very Numerous, their Friends very few, and their Temptations, and
the opposition to it every way greater than can be eaſily conceived.
I Sent a Meſsage to the
Onondages, and diſired
M.r Kirtland to accom‐
‐pany it with
a Belt, in
my Fathers Name, that I was there on
Such an Errand
and expected to come into those parts again Next Spring, and if they Deſired it
^I would make y.m a viſit
& give them ye
[illegible][guess: offer]^
they might [illegible]^[illegible]^to have
^a^
Miſsionary
[illegible]
&
School Maſter Sent Among them.—
the old School The Mohocks
[illegible]I underſtood by diſcourſing with individuals were
willing have a Miſsiony
&
School Maſter
ſent among them, but as Sir William
was Expecting Supplies from Europe I tho't
beſt to do nothing
in [illegible] with [illegible]them for [illegible]the preſent. —
I invited the Queen
^before mentioned^ to make a viſit here next Spring — &
ſee for herſelf
&
deſired
M.r Kirtland to chuſe a meet perſon to accompany her. She was pleaſd
with the proposal.
M.r Kirtland
Eſteems her a virtuous woman, and hopes ſhe is
become a real Chriſtian. She is much Reſpected and her influence is great among
the Nations." thus far
my Sons Acco.
t
By the acco
t of
my Son's and by
^ye Copy of^
M.r Kirtlands Letter of a few Days earlier
Date which I encloſe, you ſee, Much-Hond Sirs, how gloriouſly the Proſpect
open
opens in that Quarter and of what importance
it is to lay
cloſe
Seige to that part. that dear man of God
M.r Kirtland, and
the School Maſters in those Towns muſt be Supported, so that they
may devote themſelves wholly to their work let the coſt be
what it will, and it muſt
neceſsarily be great, and if it be £300
Sterling a year (and I don't expect it
can be Done for much leſs
till
he can raiſe his Proviſions there) there is no cauſe
of grudging
^to regrett it^
Since he is doing more for Chriſt than perhaps Some Scores of Clergy
men who live at Eaſe, and have their £100 Sterl
g per An. —
I am now Sending
M.r
Phin.s Dodge a pious young man, &
Joseph
Johnſon
^a mohegan Indian^ who was an
usher in that School Laſt Year, and
who has in a good Meaſure made himſelf
maſter of that Language
to keep the School at
Old Onoida
^according to my ſons appointment^— I have also adviſed
M.r Kirtland to hire a faithful Labourer to get their Wood, take
care of their Horſes, fetch their Proviſions
&c&c that their Time
might not be half, or more conſumd in Such Service—
But I have not
heardhad
a word from a Line from
London
ſince yours of
March 23.d
I have Sent many but know not whether they or my acco
ts
have
^ever^
[illegible]arived
you — I know not what acceptance My laſt
Meaſures have
found with you— but have this to comfort me under the moſt gloomy
Imaginations that I have
honeſtly^earneſtly^
deſired
&
honſtly Endeavoured to
Serve the
cauſe Redeemers cauſe to the Utmoſt of my Power. and am
not only approved by my own Conſcience but I have the Univerſal
Approbat
n
of all
^the [illegible][guess: wiſe] and Good^ who are acquainted with my
Conduct Plans & the meaſures
I have taken in Exerting them.
I encloſe a Power of Attorney and Hope it will be acceptable to You.
and if
You Repent Your Generoſity
&
Condeſention in accepting the Truſt, on
acco.
t of any Real or Supposed Imprudence or Miſconduct on my part, I
determine, much Hon
d Sirs, when I meet You togather in Yonder World
of Glory to open to you all the trying Scenes which
[illegible] have paſsd
^over^ me, in
this So Difficult &
^so^ arduous
^an^ undertaking, and tho' I Shall be aſhamed that
I have done no more nor better than I have
^for the
Glorious Immanuel^
done yet I know you will not be
weary to hear how often the Lord has
helped, & how
^much^ he has forgiven.
him who is with higheſt
Eſteem, and all filial Duty. may it please y.
r
Lordſ
[illegible][guess: ps]