Your encouraging, animating Letter of
February 27. came
safe to Hand 4 Days ago. And the Zeal which you breath
forth therein for the
accomplishment of the great design in View, as well as the encouraging
appearances of which you write, sensibly
strengthen my Hope in God, that
some great things are yet to be done in the Wilds of America, for the
Glory of
his great Name, And that the blessings of Hundreds, and
thou
sands who are perishing for lack of Vision will Yet come upon You as a
principle instrument in the Hand of God of accomplishing this great
Design. — I have Sent
to a Friend in the
Mohawk Country to
move some of my Pupils there to furnish an agreeable
present of Indian
Rarities to
Lord
Dartmouth, I shall forward them as soon as may be
when they
[illegible]ive. — I am now
every Day expecting
Mr. Kirtlands
Return from
the
Senecas. I advised him some Months ago, to obtain
Meeting of the chiefs of that large Tribe, And desire of them a
Categorical answer whether they would receive missionaries and
schoolmasters
and how many they would employ and
desired among them.
I understand he has been down and
consulted
Sir William Johnson on
the Head who advises to pursue my Advice and Affords him all his
assistance
and Influence therein. I hope he will bring a Number
of Boys with him from that
Tribe. —
Mr. Kirtland is of Opinion
(and I think there is much weight in it) that all parties of Indians
of this
Side
the Senecas
and within
the Confederacy, who are
willing
to have missionaries
and
schoolmasters, might be supplied, though their
Numbers are small, in order to prevent jealousies of a Design in
the English to get away their Lands, and to let them see we are
Zealous enough to Labour with smaller numbers, and with such as
are quite poor, and
so without any prospect of gain, by them, to
ourselves, This Opinion of the design of the English is at pre-
-sent the Grand Impediment in our way. And
their Prejudices
in This Matter is far from
being without foundation, and I wish
there were not those who are still confirming it. — I enclose
for you in my packet to
Mr. Whitaker, one of
Mr. Allens answers to
to Pilate. Which I pray you to give yourself the trouble to read and let
me know your thoughts upon it. — I shall write you as often as
I
I can —
Mr. Kirtlands proposal to return so
soon prevents my sending
Abstracts of his Letters 'til he arrives when I hope to do it more
perfectly that I can at present,
PS. dear
Mr. Barber is delirious, despairs of mercy,
refuses to read or pray, or converse with any. pray
for him. —