Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samson Occom, 1771 August 15
Date15 August, 1771
Call Number771465
abstractWheelock writes a strongly worded rebuttal of Occom’s criticisms regarding Wheelock’s withdrawl from Indian education.
handwritingDocument is not written in Wheelock’s hand. Letter case with regard to the letter “y” is difficult to discern -- when it is in question, the transcriber has opted for lower case.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate creasing, staining and wear.
inkLight brown ink is faded.
noteworthyPostscript appears to have been added in different ink. Given the lack of an address or seal, and the fact that the document is not in Wheelock's hand, it is possible/likely that this is a copy.
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
ways to hear of your health & prosperity & have never faild
of a disposition to promote your usefulneſs & your
Comfort, but to use the same freedom which You
approve & set me an example of, I must tell You
I either very much want a good spiritual taste
or your Litter has a very ill savor for a Christain
or rather if I have any good taste at all, it much
savors of pride, arrogance & a want of proper
concern to heal the bleeding wounds of our
glorious Redeemer. You discover very great Ig
norance of my plan, my object, my reasons &
motives, my views & prospects, and as great a
degree of uncharitableneſs as of ignorance. You
shew no degree of brotherly & Christain Sympathy
towards me in my long & weary travil, notwith
stand.g your nation have been inv
chief object, nor any disposition to encourage
my Heart or strengthen my hands, tho' un
der a weight heavy eno' to crush an Angel,
and in a Cause which has been & still is, so
astonishingly own'd of God —
And 'tho my memory be poor, yet matters which
impreſs my mind, as the follow.g particulars have
done, I am far from imagin.g that I have only
dream'd about them viz.t 1.st when I saw you after
your return from Europe I propos'd your going on a
miſsion among remote tribes, as those near you
were a
London Board in Boston. you insisted upon your
stay.g at home one Year, I propos'd your
mak.g a settlement for yourself & Wife & part
of your famely among some remote na[illegible][guess:
& promis'd you my aſsistance, & friend[illegible]ship as to your
comfortable support there, You rejected the proposal.
I offer'd to take part of your Children, viz.t all
that were suitable for it, if you pleas'd & educate
them in the best manner I could in my School,
You shewed no disposition to comply with it. 2dly
I never discouraged your going into the Indian
Country, nor shew'd any coldneſs towards it, unleſs
when you propos'd only just to make a short
visit, which I was not sure would anſwer the
expence which You let me know would be necſesary
to prepair You for & support you in it —
3.dly You always knew there was money eno' &
my Heart always open to supply you as soon
as I could see your Heart in earnest to serve
the Redeemer's Cause in that capacity.
4.dly the first I ever heard of your being dis
pos'd to seek a settlement in the wilder
neſs, was by M.r Woodward last
Whereupon I wrote a judicious Christain
friend, to enquire of your moral Charac
ter, & advise whether it was such, as that
I might with honor to the Redeemer's,
Cau
which might warrant my proceeding
thereto. And there is noth.g want.g at this
time, but proper satisfaction that it
my be done without reproach to the Re
deemer's Cause, in order to engage all my
heart & powers therein. 5.[illegible][guess: dly] I beleived
your brother David did very sinfully in leav.g
the Cause in the wilderneſs as he did.
& that his treatment of me was very ungenerous
& abusive, the particulars whereof I have
told him. I have constantly wish'd to
see him convinced of this Rashnesſs & folly, & have
been propense to forgive & restore him, & am so
at this moment, thus I have given you a
little sketch of things as they lye in my
mind. My dear Man, I think you much dis
honor God, intreating his great goodneſs to You
in opening such a favorable door to go on your
so much improv.g & advantagous tour to Europe
almost as tho' you had gone thro' a most tragical
Scene of persecution. I am now got near my
Journie's end, & long to be at rest, God grant
we may both appear before him, wash'd in
the Redeemer's blood & cloath'd with his white
Robes.
With Love to You & M.rs Occom
I am yet Your friend & Well wisher
Eleazar Wheelock
Consideration, or as much as you mention, provided he be in
earnest engaged to promote the Cause proposed. I am weary
of connections with Men in whom there is no Faith.