I received yours enclosing the Bills
last Friday thank you kindly for your attention to the business
I thought it might be agreeable to you and
the Commissioners in general to be informed that in com=
=pliance with
their direction; I have made application
to the neighbouring ministers for Ordination. enclosed
I send copies which will give you the full infor=
mation of the business. conclude it is perfectly agree=
able to the wish of
the Board, who command the line
of
my conduct in the business of my mission —
It was thought best I should be ordained at large
for several reasons. There could be but few of my people
present.
Mr. Kirkland has told me that he informed
the Board of some disputes and divisions that had taken
place among my people last summer before my new
appointment. dont fully know in what light he
represented the matter. Think he could know but
little of their present situation and feelings to=
=wards me, in a view of my new
appointment having
had no opportunity with them since last fall and the
beginning of winter before they had knowledge of my
being again put into the mission. I have not time
Sir to relate to you the particulars of their disputes
will only mention, the dispute began upon this
question, whether they had better take
Mr.
Occom or myself for their minister, as he was about to
settle in a neighbouring Town, expecting to have
him part of the time and could support him easier
than myself — in their division of the Tribe on the question, there
were 30 for
Mr.
Occom — 50 for myself. Since my new ap=
=pointment about half of the 30 have openly
left Mr.
Occom— I haven't time Sir to mention some unkind mea
sures
Mr.
Occom — has taken to support his wish — but
only mention that the bigger half of my people are
so prejudiced
against
Mr.
Occom — that I sincerely believe
if I was to leave them, they
would be the most un=
happy people in the world — in short
the Tribe broken
up, and come to ruin. Having these views
of their situation induced me to say what I
did
to
the Commissioners concerning the importance of
my mission.
The
Chief, and only
supporter of
Mr. Occoms interest
made that speech to me which you find in my Journal
This view of the situation of my people which is well known
to the gentlemen here,
has been another reason why my
ordination has been in the manner it is.
in the division of the old professors of religion belonging
to the
stockbridge church there were 10
Mr.
Occom. 16 for myself.
I have written this Sir in some
haste you will please to
excuse it — my time very much taken up. I expect to set
out for the wilderness god willing tomorrow. hope I
may be
the means of union and
happiness among my
people I know they have all a strong affection for me