Ebenezer Gurley, confession, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1770 February 3
Date3 February, 1770
Call Number770153.1
abstractGurley confesses that he tried to leave the school for Yale.
handwritingInformal handwriting is somewhat uneven, though mostly clear and legible. It is possibly not Gurley's.
paperSmall single sheet is in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.
inkThe body of the document is written in dark-brown ink. The signature is in black ink.
noteworthyWhen Gurley mentions "the school," it is uncertain whether he is referring to Moor's Indian Charity School or Dartmouth College, and so these mentions have been left untagged. It is possible that the confession is a copy, and was written by an unknown person, and signed by Gurley.
‐ted a member of this scholl, upon my declaring
my fixed purpoſe to devote my life, & all my pow‐
‐ers to the service of ye redeemer among the Indi‐
‐an savages of this land, & upon the credit of
this profeſsion I was taken under the patronage of
ye Revd: Doclor Wheelock, & have been supported,
till now, in part, by the fund which was collected with
a single view to spread the Gospel among ye Hea‐
‐then, and my obligations to maintain thoſe pur‐
‐poses, & keep that object in view have ever been most
sacred, and accordingly I acknowledge yt I was, & am—
still under
my Patron. & he & no other has right to order & dis‐
‐poſe of me & direct my studies subservient to yt end,
Notwithstanding which I confeſs with shame I gave ear to
some surmiſes, which were reported without reason,
or truth, concerning this school viz; that it was de‐
‐clining & would quickly come to nothing &c. and was
influenced by bad council given agreeably
of opening the caſe, & asking advice of my Patron
as I ought to have done, I desired Brown a member
of College to obtain a waiters birth for me there, which
I —
I understand, he faithfully, & in a friendly man‐
‐ner apply'd for, by which application of mine
Presid Daggett had reason to think, yt I was not a sub‐
‐ject of
holden by to pursue the design aforsd & consequently gave
just reason to think yt
false, & deceitful part, in procuring the favour of
a discharge from
‐sent from College, I also impos'd on ye Rev:d Pres:d
Daggeth, by sending such a meſsage to him when I
had no right to do it. I acknowledge in this matter
I have inadvertantly acted a very foolish, headlong, unadvized &
sinful part, for which I heartily ask forgiveneſs of
God, and of the Rev;d Doctor Wheelock whom I have
ungratefully, & abusively treated, in this matter, and
I also ask forgiveneſs of the Rev,d Presd Daggett—
whom I have shamefully impos'd upon & also of the
school, & all who have been knowing to this my foolish
& unadviſed conduct, & I promiſe by divine grace to
keep my place, and act agreeable to the sacred ties
I am under, fixedly to pursue th
cation. If I may be allow,d to continue a member of
this school—