Yours by
our little
Jerime— I received,
and thank
you for so much Love
expressed in it to a
creature
so vile. I would have taken Your
Dear
little Jacob into
my Family during his
stay here, but two students in
Divinity, and
Dr.
Prime were sojourning with us already,
so that
we were full; And it suited well that he should reside
at
Mr.
Hedges. I was for a Time determined to make
Trial of Peoples generosity, and see what they would do
for him, and other
Indian Lads of
Your School; but
upon
second thought, I was apprehensive that it might
be preventive of some future Acts of this Kind, and
therefore
have omitted for the present: How you came to hear
that my People are remarkable for
Charity and
liberality I am not able to Say; they once indeed
exhibited Evidence of their generosity to Such a Degree
as I suppose an equal
precedent is not to be found scarce
in the
Annals of
America, when they
sent 17 teen
fat Oxen and
steers as a present to our Army at
Lake-George, and bore the expense of Conveyance; but otherwise I
am not assured they merit a high encomium for liberality;
though I hope they will ever show a Christian Spirit
upon proper occasion.— I am apprehensive that it requires
your personal
presence to obtain anything worthy of
mentioning from my People, for
your School.
'Tis true. some of my People abound
with outward
blessings;
But, I fear that in this Day in which there is so little
Mortification prevailing, little, very little, liberality
will be seen abounding. —
The last Week I received a second Letter from the Rev.
Mr. Davis in
Virginia, as Secretary of a Society there, formed
for propagating the Gospel,— in which, in the most
pressing
manner, he urges that Mr.
Occom would by
December next be
present with him — as engaging in a
mission among the
Cherokees, Upon the receiving of which — I immediately
applied to
Mr.
Occom to undertake, — and proposed his
Ordination by
our Presbytery, but this he
declined, in
that, for
Several reasons he thought he must
necessarily
refuse a compliance with the above Motion, at present:
But has fully concluded, that upon renewed Application
he will early the next
Spring accept
the Call. —
Accordingly I have wrote to
Mr.
Davis and let him know,
that upon hearing from
him again, as expressing his desire that
Mr.
Occom would come to him in the Spring; nothing
special occurring, he
may depend thereupon: And 'tis
altogether probable the Application will be renewe
[illegible]d.—
You
will therefore undoubtedly conclude, Sir, (without a Moments
hesitation,) that
Mr.
Occoms Ordination must
necessarily be
attended as soon as it possibly can with convenience; and
I earnestly
beseech it may; be our Side the Water or that You consent, that he
Should be
ordained by
our Presbytery.—
Mr. Davis Informs in his letter, that
a missionary now among the
Cherokees, writes encouraging,— "that they treat him with —
"Honour and Affection, and have consented to give
"him a fair Hearing; that there is Sufficient Encour
"agement to Send forth another
missionary. —
Mr.
Davis writes, that the Salary they allow a
missionary is at least
£70
Sterling a Year; and they
propose to bear
Mr.
Occoms expenses on his
Way to
Virginia. I intended to have transcribed
much more of
Mr.
Davis's Letter, but have not
Time. — It has so happened, that I have lately recei
ved a large Number of Letters from Gentlemen
in the ministry, several of which must now be answered.— and Some have been so complaisant
as to desire my thoughts upon some critical Points
in Divinity, — the next Week is
the session of
our
Presbytery which occasions much
[gap: hole]
business this Week
and so much
ignorance, self, Pride, confusion, and all that's
bad, attends me, that I make but poor Work amidst
all; You will :dear sir, Drop the Mantle of Love
over the Errors and
deficiencies of my scribble. Please
to let me hear from You as Soon as may be.
I am pretty well assured from knowledge of the
Multiplicity of business that will lay before
the Presbytery next Week — that we shall be
obliged to meet Soon again at this End of the
Island; in about 3 Weeks which will
afford an opportune
season
for
Mr.
Occoms Ordination, if You will please
to come, and assist, and make us Glad. I am
straitened
for time — am weary with Writing — and must omit many
things; But not this one viz
my dear
spouse
presents you
with a thousand-ton of Love, over and above joining
with me in cordial Salutations to yourself
and
dear
spouse.
I am, Rev.
and
Dear Sir
[gap: tear]
utmost
haste