Nathaniel Whitaker, letter, to Moses Peck, 1764 October 23
Date23 October, 1764
Call Number764573.2
abstractWhitaker writes about his disappointment in Occom’s return from his mission, and endorses the proposal to send Kirtland on a mission. Whitaker notes that those not involved in missionary efforts are too quick to judge when those efforts fail.
handwritingHandwriting is formal and clear.
paperLarge single sheet is in good condition, yet there is moderate wear around the edges, and some heavy creasing.
inkBrown-black.
noteworthyAlthough this letter is from Whitaker to Peck, the trailer is in Wheelock's hand.
Redeemer among Men ſo the Enlargement of it by ſending his Knowledge
among the poor benighted Savages demands our ſerious and critical Attention.
This is what has engaged the
Men our Nation hath produced, inſtance Docr Colman, Sergeant, Brainerd,
and others, and by their experience and labour in Indian Affairs, others, who
have been deſirious to ſpread the Savour of Chriſt's Knowledge among them
have been lead to various projects for this purpoſe, all of which have had
ſome ſuitableneſs to this happy End; and doubtleſs all of them in the plan, or
in the Execution of it have had their Defects which have been more eaſily
diſcovered by the Spectators than by the Actors, and eſpecially when the
Events have diſcovered their Impropriety; and when this has been the Caſe
thoſe who have learned too little of the Difficulty & weight of ſuch Under-
takings have been too ready to condemn the Undertakers as raſh or fooliſh
&c and the plan as being poorly executed, whence if they had been the Actors
the Stage might have been much leſs entertaining, and much leſs been affected
by them —
as raſh, conceited, preſumptuous, imprudent and the like? eſpecially if any of
his Schemes (which in his Undertaking, you know, are very many) ſhould
miſcarry, even though this ſhould happen by the Influence, not to ſay the
Fault, of others. You, dear Brother, muſt be very ſenſible that the Return
of Mr Occom without purſuing his Miſsion has been, and is grievous to us; and
we would have done any thing in Reaſon to have forwarded it; But ſo
it is; he is returned and the Season is too late for him now to go, as he has
a numerous Family to provide for & little to do it with. Therefore it was
thought by ſome of the Commiſsioners who happened to be together, and by
ſome of the reſt who have been conſulted at other Times, that nothing could
ſo well ſupply this Defect & anſwer the End in View (which was procuring
ſome Indian Youth for the School from the Mohawks, Senecaes, and ſome
of the remote Tribes, & to conciliate their Friendſhip, & eſpecially to the
Deſign of ſending Miſsionaries among them &c) as to ſend Mr Kirtland
with one of the Indian Youth with him now before the Winter ſets in
which Circumſtance forbid calling the Commiſsioners together on this
Occaſion as they live remote ſome of them. This Advantage farther is
propoſed by Kirtland's & Joſeph the Indian Youth's going, that they may
learn the Seneca Language & by living with them may ſhew their kind
neſs to them, & procure their Friendſhip.
Induſtry ſo great, that there is not the leaſt Scruple with me, but he will
obtain a Degree at New-Jerſey College next fall, eſpecially as he hath
leave of the preſident to be at diſposal other Ways if thought beſt, and
with the Aſsurance of his Influence for a Degree; and beſides all this his
Caſe is peculiar, & will require Abatements to be made if Needed, as he deſigns
on a Miſsion & is ſupported by Charity, and beſides he will be much improved
by this Tour as is likely from his active and induſtrious Turn, and as he
will have an Indian Scholar with him. Theſe conſiderations render it
highly probable that there will be no Difficulty as to his Degree, and there-
fore I hope his kind and generous Benefactors will not think hard,
tho' he turns aſide a little from his peculiar Studies, and that they will
continue their Benefactions, and ſo lay up for themſelves in Store a good
Foundation againſt the Time to come. You know Dear Brother, that every
thing that is done in this Affair muſt be done on the higheſt probability which the Actors can find in the Caſe
& not on Certainties, and if they judge well & God ſhews by the Events, that
he favours the Deſign, Men will be ready to applaud the Managers, but
if otherwiſe they muſt expect Blame how well ſoever they have judged
But I hope thoſe who have been ſo generous in contributing to this good
Deſign have leaned to judge more according to Truth. I dare to
ſay this for Mr Wheelock, that uprightneſs, Integrity, Caution, & ſingle
neſs of Eye to the grand point, free of ſelfisſh Motives from worldly Gain
has ever appeared to influence him in this great & weighty Undertak
ing, ſince I have been acquainted with him which has been ever
ſince the School became the Object of public Attention, & I believe
I have had as great an Intimacy, & as thorough an Inſight into his
motives projects and Ends as any Man living, or as any could have, or
wiſh to have; & I would add that of all the Schemes he hath
proſecuted ſince my Accquaintance (and they have been many in
this new & difficult Affair) few, very few if any have miſcarried
which he has had the Direction of, or turned out to the Diſad
vantage of the Cauſe. In a Word I verily believe the ſending of
Mr Kirtland will be no Diſadvantage to him, & will be much to
the furtherence of the Cauſe of Religion. You may make ſuch
a Uſe of this Letter as you ſhall think will add moſt to the
Advantage of the Deſign, only take Dear Mr Smith's Opinion about
it, and I need not tell you not to let it ſee the publick —