Theophilus Chamberlain, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1766 October 27

Author Chamberlain, Theophilus

Date27 October, 1766

Call Number766577.2

abstractChamberlain writes from his mission to report a great improvement in school and church attendance. He states that, in light of it, he intends to remain.

handwritingHandwriting is small and crowded, yet formal and largely legible. Letter case is frequently difficult to decipher, especially with regard to D, S and M. It is also difficult to differentiate between commas and periods.

paperLarge sheet folded in half is in good condition, with light creasing, staining and wear.

noteworthyOn one verso, second line from the bottom, the word God[illegible]ars may be a reference to “Godars,” an element of germanic pagan traditions.

Persistent Identifier
Rev,d Sir
In a letter of the forth of this Month I informd
you of a New Diſpoſition we were making here with
Reſpect to the School Maſters and Schools. This was com=
pleated and we began to act upon it the thirteenth, and
beyond all Expectation it succeeded so well that our
Schools which at moſt had not for Some Time exceeded
ten Children, in leſs than one week exceeded thirty, and
we have now near all the Children who live any thing
handy and are not in the Woods. There are indeed two
Families in this Caſtle who have never sent the Children
to School and never would. The Fathers of theſe Families
(are about forty years of age), men who rarely appear
in Public unleſs tis to git drunk. Laſt Week the
Indians met to rejoyce together at the Birth of a Child.
I went to the Place where they were aſſembled, found
theſe two men not yet intoxicated; and as my Interpreter
was not preſent aſked them in my own broken manner
they had fit to go to School, they both anſwerd they
had three and immediately fell to raiſing little objections
againſt sending them to school; all which I did my utmoſt
to remove; and at Length got a Promiſe, and shall I think
have the Six at School as ſoon as the hunting seaſon now
commencing is at an End. And there is a Proſpect that would
M.r Johnson continue at fort Hunter and no new Diſguſt
takes Place among the Indians ither here or there, we
shall in both Places have the Schools attended as con=
stantly as any common Schools in New England. The
Parents now put their Children under our Care, and at
this Place as soon as the Signal for coming to School
has been given, the Schoolars run to School or elſe
Dareſt not let me see them for they know the
next is a Whiping. The happy Effect of a severer
Dicipline than has been hitherto uſd in theſe Towns
will I hope [illegible][guess: Daly] be more and more apparent.
This seeming Reformation is not confind to the
schools, the People have begin to attend meeting more
univerſaly and more conſtantly than they have ever
before done since I came to theſe Parts. I had
threatned to leave them on Account of their Neglect
But cannot (I rejoyce at it) now do it without
having it said that I only made an excuſe of
that to git away, and would not stay after they were
carefull to attend. I cant say that the Indians are
eager or sufficently carfull to attend meeting yet
they do come together in their own Time and where leſs
than a month ago I had not above a Dozen or fifteen
Hearers I have now nigh a hundred thō some of them
whites; for the Dutch in thoſe Parts having no preaching
begin in small numbers to attend our Meetings. They are
a bigoted People and ſuſpicious of our Differing from them
in Principles as we omit God[illegible]ars and other cerimonies
in Baptiſm. upon the whole the preſent Proſpect is such
that nothing short of Neceſaty will prevent my staying
and improving to the utmoſt the preſent Juncture.
But when I think how faſt my debts increaſe here dont know
what to think. hope soon to be helpd. Duty to Mdm Love to all
Revd Sir
your unworthy Servant
Theophilus Chamberlain
To Rv mr Wheelock

from Rev.d M.r Chamberlain
Oct.r 27..th 1766
To
The Rv,d M,r Eleazer Wheelock
in
New England
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