New Stockbridge Indians, letter, to Samson Occom, 1787 August 29
Date29 August, 1787
Call Number787479
abstractThe New Stockbridge Indians testify to their faith in the Christian religion and request that Occom become their pastor.
handwritingHandwriting is possibly that of Joseph Johnson; it is small yet mostly legible. Letter case, especially with regard to the letter "S" is difficult to discern.
paperHeavily creased sheet of paper has been treated with silk overlay. This repair work is beginning to age, particularly on the verso. Separated creases lead to some loss of text.
inkBrown ink is slightly obscured by the silk overlay.
noteworthyLetter is a contemporary copy. On the bottom left of one verso, the word "Call" appears to be written in Occom's hand. On one verso, written in pencil underneath the trailer is the note: "Ind. Miſ. This is a copy of the call to Occom 1787 Original in C.H.S."
signatureThere are nine signatories, yet the signatures are all in the same hand.
you — our opinions Deſires and veiws of the Chriſtian Religion.
we believe that there is but one, the only true and living God, And
that he is the Maker and preſerver of our lives, and upholder of the
Same — that he has Send his only begotten Son into this w
Saviour of mankind, and we believe that this God has brought u
in to this wilderneſs — where we might begin to Serve him in Sincerity
and in truth — Further we believe that this God has raiſed you u[gap: tear][guess: p]
and have kept you alive untill this time. and that he has Send you up
as an Ambaſsador into this wilderneſs upon this purpoſe that you might
be the firſt inſtrument or means to Stir up you own Nation — to try embrace
His whole Religion. And the, resons why we have such thoughts becauſe we have
felt a great weight of your errand — And in coming such a manner, and
from such a quarter — as we did not expect — when we look back, and
Consider, what poor progreſs the Re
amongſt the Natives of this Continent not withſtanding of the great
pains, that have taken with them in some Places the Indians appeared
well and promiſing, but soon decay. — and now it looks very dark
upon us, all helps from a Broad are gone — and we are now brought to
look about [gap: tear][guess: and] Conſider of our Situation and we bel[gap: tear][guess: ieve] that
this will be the laſt. that God will make a trial with us — if this w[gap: tear]
not set us to contrive for our own souls — God will leaves us to our
own Deſtruction — Theſe and other conſiderations induceth us — to believe
that God d
try to bigin to support and maintain Religion among us — we
therefore, a Number of us chearfully agreed to begin to purſue
what we bilieve to be our Duty since we have felt and ex=
=perience the great goodneſs of God — for raiſing and fiting one of
our own Collour — to be inſtrumental to build up the Cauſe and
the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt — we therefore feel in duty
[gap: tear][guess: boun]d to come to requeſt you to come and settle with us — and to
take the charge over us — and to die with us. in Conjunction with
Brotherton if it be agreable to them. so that we may enjoy all the
Previlidges and ordinances of the Goſpel which our Saviour has
left us in his word — So we the Subſcribers wittingly to begin with
twenty shillings — in firſt year and so in proportion that we
shall increaſe in Number and Subſtance — till we shall be
able to support you fully — so we done at present what we
feel to be our duty and the reſt we will submitt to Gods will
and pleaſure —