Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1762 September 16

AuthorWheelock, Eleazar

Date16 September, 1762

Call Number762516

abstractWheelock writes of his difficulty in securing pupils, and relays news from Occom about the bad conditions among the Oneidas. Ashpo is being trained for mission work. The future of a grant from the Massachusetts assembly and other monies are in question.

handwritingInformal handwriting is small and crowded, with several additions and deletions, which affects legibility.

paperLarge single sheet is in good condition, with light staining and wear, and moderate creasing.

inkBlack-brown

noteworthyThis document is likely a draft. Manuscript 762516.1 is a copy of this letter.

signatureThe signature is abbreviated.

EventsOccom’s Second Mission to the Oneidas

Persistent Identifier

My very dear and Hond Sir Friend
David, my Indian Schollar returned July 18
from the Mohawk Country, where I informed you in my
laſt, I had Sent him, and bro.t with him 4 Indian Boys three Mohawks
Boys and one of the Farmington Tribe the Boys and Girls which I expected from Onoyada
wre detained by their Parents on acco.t of a Rumour, & Suſpicion, of a war just com̅encing
between them and the Nations back of them occaſioned
as they Said by the Attachment of the Onoyadas to the Engliſh,
in which and in ſuch a caſe they sd they did not chuſe conſent to have their
Children at ſuch a Diſtance from them, but perhaps they were Suſpicious yt
they ſhould be obliged to Joyn those Nations againſt the
Engliſh. The engliſh youth of which I informed you,
who has been a Captive with the Senecas till he is Maſter
of their Language, and which I ſent for with a view to
fit him for Interpreter to that Nation, was under ſuch
ingagements to a Trader at Black Fort as that he could
not get releaſed for the Preſent, I have again wrote to
Genl Johnſon who was not at Home when David was there
till the Night before David came away when he returned
from a long Journey which he had taken in order for a
Treaty with Several Diſtant Tribes of Indians, and then
was So full of Buſineſs y.t he could scarſely attend to any
thing but his own Affairs. I have again and deſired him to be
inſtrumental to procure, and ſend ye youth to me if he eſteem[illegible]
him likely for to anſwer the Deſign.
M.r Occom writes me a very meloncholly Letter. viz
that by an untimely Froſt laſt fall their Indian Corn was all
cut off – y.t the Onoyadas are almoſt Starved havg nothing
to live upon but what they get by Hunting — that they had
then just come in from their Pigeon Hunt — and were going a
fiſhing — as Soon as they returnd from that they will go
after Deer. that he followed them, but found it very Difficult
to get a Number of them together to preach to them — that
by hard living (tho.’ they were as kind as they could be) and
eſpecially lying upon the wet ground his old Diſorders (viz Rhumatic)
returnd, and he was apprehenſive he muſt return befor the
Time appointed [illegible]— that he lived in fear, of being killd tho’ the Indians had
promiſed him if in caſe a war ſhould break out, they would ſend him
under a Sufficient Guard, down as far as the Engliſh Settlements
But there was Something good in his Letter viz that theree
were ſome viſible good Effects of his Labours among them laſt
year, & eſpecially a Reformation among them as to their Drinking.
My School is in a flouriſhing State thro’ the great Mercy
of God, I have 19. in Number viz 15 males and 4 females. and ye moſt of ym appr quite likely & hope
I Shall have Several well fitted for Interpreters and Miſsionaries in due Time
I have been favoured with the beſt of Maſters ſucceſsively for
Some years.
I have received the Bell which you Sent and and it is
decenlly

[left]Letter to Mr Whitefield
Sept.r 16. 1762.
decently hung on the House which I have devoted to
the Service. and we now feal the Benefit of it. we
can now keep hours with but little Trouble. I hope
in Gods Time it will be used to call together a little
black Aſsembly to hear you preach Chriſt. —
A Small Council of Miniſters has been lalely calld
to examine Saml Aſhpo. an Indian of whom I once
wrote you, and they were So far Satiſfied & pleaſed with
him as that they adviſed to his being fitted as fast as
may be for a Miſsion. and accordingly I expect him to ye School this
week at this School. Several others I expect here ſoon.
and my Hope for their Support is only in him whoſe
the Earth is and the fullneſs thereof, and who has the
hearts of all in his Hands.
The general Aſsembly of the Province of the Maſsachuſetts Bay, laſt Fall year
voted me the use of a Legacy of ſir Peter Warren
of about £750. Sterling, w.c he left in their Hands for the
Education of the Youth of the Six Nations. but
I underſtand by Doct.r Chauncy that the new form’d Society in, & about Bos‐
-ton
deſign if they can to get it into their Hands as ſoon
as my year’s improvement of it is Expired.
[inline]also His Majesties Councel and House of Repreſentatives
in the Province of New Hamſheir. have voted to
the use of this School £50. Sterling pr annum for
five years Succeſsively. but there was not Time for the
Governour to Conſider of the act before he prorogued
the aſsembly and So it is not yet Signed.
and who known to what a heighlh this may ariſe from low
and deſpicable Begin[illegible][guess: in]gs, and what Glory may redown to
the great Redeemer thereby. to God alone be all the Glory.
M.r Smith inform’d me that there was Some talk in England of collect‐
-ing a Library for y.e use of this ſchool may God incline the Hearts of
his people to promote that Deſign. Is there not a Society in
England lately formed with a Special view to the Printing and
diſperſing useful Books? I wiſh I could be informed perticularly of it. and
if you think fit introduced to a Corriſpondance with ſome mem‐
-ber of it. Miſs. Williams before She left Wethersfield Sent me
a Number of valuable and useful Books to be diſperſed as I
judged beſt among Children &c, which I now suppoſe might likely
come to her from that Society.
I have two Engliſh youth in my School, Charity Schollars, fitting
for a Miſsion as fast as poſsible and I yesterday concluded
to take a Lad, Eleazar Swetland of a neighbouring Pariſh
who was hopefully converted laſt Spring by the Bleſsing of
God on the preaching of M.r Huntington y.e School Maſter laſt
year, his experiences are clear his affections appear genuine
and he ſeems to be Truly filled with the Holy Ghost his Heart is much ſet upon being fitted for Miſsny amng [illegible] I hope his
warmth and Zeal may by the Bleſsing of God be of Special
Service to the School.
I have lately been ſick and bro.t low with a Dyſsentary
but through the pure mercy of God am now able to do ſome
Buſineſs. pray for your unworthy B.r &c

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