Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samson Occom, 1771 January 22

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date22 January, 1771

Call Number771122

abstractWheelock expresses sorrow at Occom’s repeated and aggravated falls from virtue. He writes that if Occom and his brother-in-law David will go on a mission, Wheelock will give David as much as any schoolmaster sent by the Boston Commissioners.

handwritingWriting is small, even and uniform, though letter case is frequently difficult to decipher.

paperSmall page is in fair-to-poor condition, with moderate-to-heavy creasing, staining and wear, which results in some loss of text.

inkBlack-brown.

noteworthyContents are identical to those of 771122.1, which is a copy of this document.

Persistent Identifier
My dear M.r Occom.
Perhaps you little think what pain & Sorrow of
Heart I have had on hearing of your repeated & aggravated
fall, but I am comforted a little with the Hope that God has
given You Repentance, but I conclude, unleſs the manifeſtation
of your Repentance has been very public, clear, Strong & evident
to every body, your usefulneſs is near at an End where you are.
and it may be one deſign of God in leaving you thus to fall has
been to reprove your Staying at home, and in a Sort compell
you to go abroad among remote Tribes, or else quit your
Miniſtry, which I conclude you will never be eaſie in doing
while the Nations are lying in wickedneſs and periſhing for
lack of viſion. You may remember I early mentiond to
you, your going among the Onondagas, or some other Nation
there in that quarter, and Said Something about your taking
your Brother David & Settling your Families in that Country,
and I felt Some concern that you declind it as I thought
and have always feard yt you was not ſo usefully imployed
as you might be among remote tribes. M.r Woodward informs
me of your having underſtood me otherwiſe, which muſt certain
-ly have been through Some miſtake. — I also always beleived
your Brother David did wrong in leaving that Cauſe in the
wilderneſs where he was So acceptable, & had So wide a Door
opened to him for usefulneſs.
 I now propose to You & him that if you will remove and
Settle in any of the Tribes where you may find the beſt
Proſpect of usefulneſs, I will allow him as much as any
of the Schoolmaſters have who are imployed among any of
the Tribes on the Sea Shore, by the Boſton Commiſsioners;
and will do for you what Shall be reaſonable, and will
provide a good Interpreter to go with you in the Spring.

pleaſe to let me See you or hear from you as Soon as
poſsible.
 It is an aſtoniſhing [gap: tear] of God's Grace & the outpouring
of his Spirit upon this Seminary, here you may See the begin-
-ing and budding of the [gap: tear][guess: New] Jeruſalem. the firſt appearance
of it was upon our getting into a Settled and quiet State
about a month ago. the affairs of this Seminary never lookd
with so joyful and incouraging an aſpect, before, as they now do
I hope in a little Time you will have opportunity to See ſcores
of your Tawney Brethren, nouriſhed by the Breaſts of this
Alma Mater. —
 I cant tell yo What lo[gap: tear][guess: a]ds of Sorrow I have been bowed
down under, on acco.t of the falls & miſcarriages of So many
on whom I had dependance under God as Inſtruments to
help forward the great Deſign before me. God has been
my Helper or I Should have Sunk inddeed under the weight
— My dear friend, I have had, & born loads on your accot
I long to know whether God has truly opend your Eyes to
See the wound you have given the Bleſsed Redeemer? and
whether you have & do look upon him whom you have
peirced, & morn for what you have done as for an only
Son? and what Revenge you are exerciſing upon & towards your
Self in a way of Self denial and croſs bearing? my dear Friend
dont now add to the offence by Setting down diſcouraged and
Say there is no hope of your Future usefulneſs. no my Friend
reſolve on Revenge on your Luſts, & eſpecially your Pride, and
upon the father & Author of them. My Heart akes for you
enough to beſmear this Paper with my Hearts Blood if that were
a proper way to expreſs my Sorrow, and a way that would
do you any good — but I conclude with Love to you and
your wife. and am, for Chriſts Sake

Your much wounded, & Afflicted
 Friend & Servant
Eleazar Wheelock
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