John Thornton, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1772 February 28
Date28 February, 1772
Call Number772178
abstractThornton writes a lengthy letter mentioning the conflict with Kirkland, doubt that the Trust in England will confirm Wheelock's charter, and rumors that the college is to come under Episcopal management. He believes that Wheelock is too trusting of Ralph Wheelock, and that Occom has been unfairly treated.
handwritingFormal handwriting is stylized, yet clear and legible. The address is written in a different, unknown hand.
paperThe address is on a single large sheet; otherwise, the letter is comprised of two large sheets folded in half to make four pages. The paper is in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining and wear. Repair work has been done on holes and heavy creases.
noteworthyIn the list of dates that begins the letter, the abbreviation “do” is likely an abbreviation for “ditto,” meaning, in this context, “in or of the month already named. “Ap” is likely an abbreviation for “anno praeterito,” meaning “the year that has just passed” (O.E.D.). An “x” written above the trailer on five recto appears to be a library mark. Also on five recto, an editor, likely 19th-century, has added the note “school & College distinct” below the trailer. This note has not been included in the transcription.
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
Dear ſir
Jany 20th June 1st August 29th do 9th Septr & 31st October Ap & I
should have wrote you long since had I known what to
say, but I was much comforted by the last with the glad
tidings that you & Mr Kirkland had met I come to the
Agreement to put it out of the power of evil minded Peo
ple to break into that harmony that ought ever to sub
sist betwixt those of the same Views; by disbelieving all
false insinuations relative to each other & ever coming
to an explanation betwixt yourselves, I hope this will
be steadfastly adhered to in future & that you will be
enabled to see the Cloven foot, whenever any Person
shews a tendency to prejudice you against that valuable
Minister, who indeed in this unhappy difference has
acted as few besides himself Would have done & I shall
ever highly value & esteem it for it & all considered
he has made as few mistakes as could be expected, as
indeed my Dear ſir he harboured not the evil reports
that were falsely suggested against you, but ever
spoke with becoming regard & respect of your Character
it is for best to bury all that is past & not so much
as to think of it, but I must with my usual unreserve
tell you that I think your Parental regard to your Son
Ralph, has blinded your Eyes to some misconduct of his
& that Mr Woodward has not been so single Eyed as I
would wish all to be in so glorious a Cause, I don’t mean
to enter on any discussions, but rather what I say is by
way of caution that neither of them may have it in their
power to injure the Redeemers Cause thro the sides of
Mr Kirkland if they should be so unwise as to attempt it
but be you forewarn’d & thereby forearmed, so as not to listen
to the Subtle Adversarys poison, should he be prevalent
eno to obtain an Eve to administer it, I know how
hard it is to know no one after the flesh & to look th[gap: tear]
all to him with whom we have to d
who strengtheneth is Almighty, & he requires not
more then he will enable us to perform, when we are
armed from his heavenly Storehouse, all things are
poſsible, not only so but they are made easy thro the
divine influence, may the Lord ever guide you by his
Counsel till he receives you to glory, & keep you watchful
& mindful that those who have not the Spirit of Christ
are none of his.
Your Drafts are duly taken Care of & whenever your
occasions further require aſsistance I have (thro mercy
One or Two Hundred pounds on your private account or
more if you find it needful to set you quite clear as
it must relieve your mind & be in every view desirable
to stand quite clear of debt, I assure you the Gentlemen
of the Trust are disposed to do all they consistently can
to strengthen your hands that you need be under no
apprehensions of failure therein I was glad to find
you had guarded against blending the accots of the
School & the College, in which you have acted wisely
I feared much your being involved thereby that it was
an ease to my mind to see my fears were groundleſs
& that consequently my Credit given on that score
was unneceſsary, I own I doubt much whither your
Charter will be confirmed on this side, as we don’t see
it in the light you do; the Trustees will soon have
a Meeting & then you will hear from them about th[illegible][guess: at]
as well as other matters, but I don’t think an Interview
would tend to clear things as you imagine; many
Men will be of many minds & opinions, upon the whole
you have an admirable good set of Trustees & I believe
they are as disposed to favor you as you could wish
& you need fear nothing harsh from them, but go
on with confidence, keep always in mind Jesus reigns
at peace with us & brings good out of evil, continue simple &
keep in mind that as his ways are in the Sea & we can not
trace them, we must not pretend to make our Mountain
strong, but our strength consists in the acknowledgement of
our weakneſs & looking to him continually step by step to
direct us in all our ways, let us never go forth but with
his presence & when we feel a void let us humbly wait
& be still & he will shine upon us, surely it is his Work
& not ours & he knows best how to carry it on, & unleſs
when we have done our duty to the utmost we rest it as
wholly as if we had done nothing we shall find a Canker
in our Gourd & experience a blight instead of a bleſsing
you will know my dear Friend that nothing is simpler
nor plainer then the path of duty & it seems easy
but is unaccountably difficult, & we are often called
on to groan being burdened by indwelling Sin, that
even when we would do good evil is present with us
& we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves
but bleſsed be God our Souls being restored, we can
triumph in Christ & be more then Conquerors over all
& draw from his fulneſs grace to help in our every hour
of need, for with him is plentious redemption & we
are strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner Man
is undoubtedly true & it is not leſs so that if you look
on them you will imbitter your own Spirit, therefore
let us go on unweariedly in the fear of the Lord disregard
ing those on the right & on the left & we shall be safe
the danger is abundantly more from false Friends then
from open Enemies, but bleſsed be God they are all
Tethered & can’t paſs the bounds prescribed them
whereas we know all things are ours both present &
to come for we are Christs & Christ is Gods.
Mr Occom seems to me to have been hardly treated
& that I fear has been one means of driving him to
his unjustifiable
his Shoes than in those who have a much better
opinion of themselves & exceed him abundantly in
putting the best gloſs on every thing; the best respecting
them is only considered & the worst of him, it should
be remembered he has been taken from that scene
of life that made labor & the greatest parsimony
habitual to him & it is not in human Nature
to return [inline]to it with that alacrity which is expected from him
If people that Judge harshly would make his Case
O how differently would they judge! & pray look to his Case
& Dr Whitakers, & see who was benefited & yet Mr Occom
was the Instrument (under God) that was the means of
collecting all the Money & Had the Doctor come
without him the disgrace would have all fell to
his share, whereas poor Occom proved the ScapeGoat
& I am much mistaken if a day is not at hand
that a Vail will be drawn over his great Infirmities
& his heart be found upright with God, do my
dear Sir shew him all the kindneſs you consist[illegible][guess: on]ly
can, he will not prove unworthy of your Patronage
I never was more deceived then in him if he is
not an Israelite indeed; his trials have been very
great, I trust he will set bright at last —
Aſsist him with whatever you please from [inline]me I am
very willing my heart yearns towards him & I love
him unfeignedly that I can’t but feel for him
I am very glad to hear Mr Avery is gone to Oneide
& that the Lord seems to be smiling on the good
work you are engaged in I trust the [illegible][guess: mou]ths of
of Edinburgh a Copy of the Agreement betwixt you
& Mr Kirkland & endeavoured to remove some
prejudices I found he had inbibed to the prejudice
of your new School, as I got an extract of a Letter
he wrote Mr Davidson of Braintree last ſeptember
as follows — “By accounts from America one Mr Kd
“a Miſsionary among the Oneida & Tuscoraga Indians
“has been wonderfully bleſsed & in the Judgemt of Charity
“many of his hearers savingly converted. There has been
“nothing equal to this since Mr David Brainard &
“yet he might have starved for Dr Wheelock had not
“our board of Correspondents & the London Com̅iſsioners
“at Boston taken him under their care. The Dr instead
“of employing Missionaries, Schoolmasters or Catechists
“has alienated the greatest part of the Monies collected
“in England to creating a new College in New Hampshire
“the Charter of which where he is named first President
“is conceived in such artful terms, that that College
“will soon fall under Episcopal management, & had
“not this been in view, the ease with which he
“procured a Charter, when Mr Whitefield was refused
“it can hardly be accounted for —”
strengthen you in your Work & for your Work, it is hard
Service that forms Veterans, as you have often seen
in the Book of the way to Zion, may you be enabled
to say with a departed Friend of mine under very severe
Discipline, “I have great Confidence — great Submiſsion
“no complaining. The Word to Christians goes beyond
“all this “in every thing give thanks” Hard as this
“may seem under great bodily trials &c I have no objection
“to it, & the real sense of my own mind is, thankful
“for Christ — thankful for every thing”— I shall be
always glad to hear from you, may you & yours
be growing up in the love of Christ devoted Servants
of the Croſs, live daily upon the will of God & enjoy
yourselves in nothing else
praised be God there seems
a great revival in this Land
in various parts while those
that preserve the form only
are making great strides to cast that intirely off &
Luxury & dissipation surely never were more prevalent
Dear ſir
Yours affectionately
John Thornton
The Rev.d
Eleazer Wheelock DD:
President of Dartmouth‐
College at Hanover
N Hampshire
⅌ M.r Chace