Nathaniel Whitaker, letter, to Moses Peck, 1764 October 23
23 October 1764[1764-10-23]
ms number764573.2
[note (type: abstract): Whitaker 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.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is formal and clear.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet is in good condition, yet there is moderate wear around the edges, and some heavy creasing.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.][note (type: noteworthy): Although this letter is from Whitaker to Peck, the trailer is in Wheelock's hand.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
As there is Nothing of [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch Moment as promoting the Kindgom of our glorious Redeemer among Men [ſo | so]ſoso the Enlargement of it by [ſending | sending]ſendingsending his Knowledge among the poor benighted Savages demands our [ſerious | serious]ſeriousserious and critical Attention. This is what has engaged the Attention
Minds of [ſome | some]ſomesome of the [moſt | most]moſtmost worthy and [Uſeful | useful]Uſefuluseful Men our Nation hath produced, [inſtance | instance]inſtanceinstance
[Docr | Dr.]DocrDr. Colman[pers0136.ocp], Sergeant[pers0471.ocp], Brainerd[pers0003.ocp], and others, and by their experience and
labour in Indian Affairs, others, who have been [deſirious | desirous]deſiriousdesirous to [ſpread | spread]ſpreadspread the Savour of [Chriſt's | Christ's]Chriſt'sChrist's Knowledge among them have been lead to various projects for this [purpoſe | purpose]purpoſepurpose, all of which have had
[ſome | some]ſomesome
[ſuitableneſs | suitableness]ſuitableneſssuitableness to this happy End; and [doubtleſs | doubtless]doubtleſsdoubtless all of them in the plan, or in the Execution of it have had their Defects
which have been more [eaſily | easily]eaſilyeasily
[diſcovered | discovered]diſcovereddiscovered by the Spectators than by the Actors, and [eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially when the Events have [diſcovered | discovered]diſcovereddiscovered their Impropriety; and when this has been the [Caſe | case]Caſecase
[thoſe | those]thoſethose who have learned too little of the Difficulty [& | and]&and weight of [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch Under- takings have been too ready to condemn the Undertakers as [raſh | rash]raſhrash or [fooliſh | foolish]fooliſhfoolish
[&c | etc.]&cetc. and the plan as being poorly executed, whence if they had been the Actors
the Stage might have been much [leſs | less]leſsless entertaining, and much [leſs | less]leſsless been affected by them —
What Wonder then if the [Revd
| Rev.]Revd
Rev.
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] be often blamed and [cenſured | censured]cenſuredcensured as [raſh | rash]raſhrash, conceited, [preſumptuous | presumptuous]preſumptuouspresumptuous, imprudent and the like? [eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially if any of his Schemes (which in his Undertaking, you know, are very many) [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould
[miſcarry | miscarry]miſcarrymiscarry, even though this [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould happen by the Influence, not to [ſay | say]ſaysay the Fault, of others. You, dear Brother, [muſt | must]muſtmust be very [ſenſible | sensible]ſenſiblesensible that the Return of [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] without [purſuing | pursuing]purſuingpursuing his [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission has been, and is grievous to us; and we would have done any thing in [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason to have forwarded it; But [ſo | so]ſoso 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 [& | and]&and little to do it with. Therefore it was thought by [ſome | some]ſomesome of the [Commiſsioners | Commissioners]CommiſsionersCommissioners[org0034.ocp] who happened to be together, and by
[ſome | some]ſomesome of the [reſt | rest]reſtrest who have been [conſulted | consulted]conſultedconsulted at other Times, that nothing could
[ſo | so]ſoso well [ſupply | supply]ſupplysupply this Defect [& | and]&and
[anſwer | answer]anſweranswer the End in View (which was procuring
[ſome | some]ſomesome Indian Youth for the School[org0098.ocp] from the Mohawks[org0062.ocp], [Senecaes | Senecas]SenecaesSenecas[org0088.ocp], and [ſome | some]ſomesome of the remote Tribes, [& | and]&and to conciliate their [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship, [& | and]&and
[eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially to the
[Deſign | design]Deſigndesign of [ſending | sending]ſendingsending
[Miſsionaries | missionaries]Miſsionariesmissionaries among them [&c | etc.]&cetc.) as to [ſend | send]ſendsend
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] with one of the Indian Youth with him now before the Winter [ſets | sets]ſetssets in which [Circumſtance | circumstance]Circumſtancecircumstance forbid calling the [Commiſsioners | Commissioners]CommiſsionersCommissioners[org0034.ocp] together on this
[Occaſion | occasion]Occaſionoccasion as they live remote [ſome | some]ſomesome of them. This Advantage farther is
[propoſed | proposed]propoſedproposed by Kirtland[pers0315.ocp]'s [& | and]&and
[Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph[pers0041.ocp] the Indian Youth's going, that they may learn the Seneca
Language [& | and]&and by living with them may [ſhew | show]ſhewshow their [kindneſs | kindness]kindneſskindness to them, [& | and]&and procure their [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship.
As to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp], his Attainments in Learning are [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch, and his
[Induſtry | industry]Induſtryindustry
[ſo | so]ſoso great, that there is not the [leaſt | least]leaſtleast Scruple with me, but he will obtain a Degree at [New-Jerſey | New Jersey]New-JerſeyNew Jersey College[org0067.ocp] next fall, [eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially as he hath leave of the [preſident | president]preſidentpresident[pers0192.ocp] to be at [diſposal | disposal]diſposaldisposal other Ways if thought [beſt | best]beſtbest, and
with the [Aſsurance | assurance]Aſsuranceassurance of his Influence for a Degree; and [beſides | besides]beſidesbesides all this his
[Caſe | case]Caſecase is peculiar, [& | and]&and will require Abatements to be made if Needed, as he [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns on a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission
[& | and]&and is [ſupported | supported]ſupportedsupported by Charity, and [beſides | besides]beſidesbesides he will be much improved by this Tour as is likely from his active and [induſtrious | industrious]induſtriousindustrious Turn, and as he will have an Indian Scholar with him. [Theſe | These]TheſeThese
[conſiderations | considerations]conſiderationsconsiderations 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' | though]tho'though he turns [aſide | aside]aſideaside a little from his peculiar Studies, and that they will continue their
Benefactions, and [ſo | so]ſoso lay up for [themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves in Store a good Foundation [againſt | against]againſtagainst the Time to come. You know Dear Brother, that every thing that is done in
this Affair [muſt | must]muſtmust be done on the [higheſt | highest]higheſthighest probability ^[above] which the Actors can find in the [Caſe | case]Caſecase^which the Actors can find in the [Caſe | case]Caſecase
[& | and]&and not on Certainties, and if they judge well [& | and]&and God [ſhews | shows]ſhewsshows by the Events, that he favours the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign, Men will be ready to applaud the Managers, but if [otherwiſe | otherwise]otherwiſeotherwise they [muſt | must]muſtmust expect Blame how well [ſoever | soever]ſoeversoever they have judged But I hope [thoſe | those]thoſethose who have been [ſo | so]ſoso generous in contributing to this good
[Deſign | design]Deſigndesign have leaned to judge more according to Truth. I dare to
[ſay | say]ſaysay this for [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp], that [uprightneſs | uprightness]uprightneſsuprightness, Integrity, Caution, [& | and]&and
[ſingleneſs | singleness]ſingleneſssingleness of Eye to the grand point, free of [ſelfisſh | selfish]ſelfisſhselfish Motives from worldly Gain has ever appeared to influence him in this great [& | and]&and weighty Undertaking, [ſince | since]ſincesince I have been acquainted with him which has been ever
[ſince | since]ſincesince
the School[org0098.ocp] became the Object of public Attention, [& | and]&and I believe I have had as great an Intimacy, [& | and]&and as thorough an [Inſight | insight]Inſightinsight into his motives projects and Ends as any Man living, or as any could have, or
[wiſh | wish]wiſhwish to have; [& | and]&and I would add that of all the Schemes he hath
[proſecuted | prosecuted]proſecutedprosecuted
[ſince | since]ſincesince my [Accquaintance | acquaintance]Accquaintanceacquaintance (and they have been many in this new [& | and]&and difficult Affair) few, very few if any have [miſcarried | miscarried]miſcarriedmiscarried which he has had the Direction of, or turned out to the [Diſadvantage | disadvantage]Diſadvantagedisadvantage of the [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause. In a Word I verily believe the [ſending | sending]ſendingsending of
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] will be no [Diſadvantage | disadvantage]Diſadvantagedisadvantage to him, [& | and]&and will be much to the [furtherence | furtherance]furtherencefurtherance of the [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause of Religion. You may make [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a [Uſe | use]Uſeuse of this Letter as you [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall think will add [moſt | most]moſtmost to the Advantage of the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign, only take ^[above] Dear^Dear
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Smith[pers0499.ocp]'s Opinion about it, and I need not tell you not to let
it [ſee | see]ſeesee the [publick | public]publickpublic —
[Closer]
I am your real Friend and Brother in [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist
Nathaniel Whitaker[pers0037.ocp]
[Trailer]
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Whitaker[pers0037.ocp] to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Peck[pers0032.ocp]. [Octr | October]OctrOctober 1764[1764-10-23]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0032.ocp | M r Mr. Peck | recipient | Peck, Moses |
pers0136.ocp | Doc r Dr. Colman | mentioned | Coleman, Benjamin |
pers0471.ocp | Sergeant | mentioned | Sergeant, Sr., John |
pers0003.ocp | Brainerd | mentioned | Brainerd, David |
pers0036.ocp | Wheelock | mentioned | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0030.ocp | M r Mr. Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0315.ocp | M r Mr. Kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0315.ocp | Kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0041.ocp | Joſeph Joseph | mentioned | Woolley, Joseph |
pers0192.ocp | the preſident president | mentioned | Finley, Samuel |
pers0036.ocp | M r Mr. Wheelock | mentioned | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0499.ocp | M r Mr. Smith | mentioned | Smith |
pers0037.ocp | Nathaniel Whitaker | writer | Whitaker, Nathaniel |
pers0037.ocp | M. r Mr. Whitaker | writer | Whitaker, Nathaniel |
pers0032.ocp | M. r Mr. Peck | recipient | Peck, Moses |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0034.ocp | Chelſea Chelsea |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0034.ocp | the CommiſsionersCommissioners | Connecticut Board of Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge |
org0098.ocp | the School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0062.ocp | the Mohawks | Mohawk Nation |
org0088.ocp | SenecaesSenecas | Seneca Nation |
org0067.ocp | New-JerſeyNew Jersey College | Princeton University |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1764-10-23 | October 23d23rd 1764. |
1764-10-23 | OctrOctober 1764 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Chelſea | Chelsea |
modernization | 23d | 23rd |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | ſuch | such |
modernization | ſo | so |
modernization | ſending | sending |
modernization | ſerious | serious |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | Uſeful | useful |
modernization | inſtance | instance |
modernization | Docr | Dr. |
variation | deſirious | desirous |
modernization | ſpread | spread |
modernization | Chriſt's | Christ's |
modernization | purpoſe | purpose |
modernization | ſuitableneſs | suitableness |
modernization | doubtleſs | doubtless |
modernization | eaſily | easily |
modernization | diſcovered | discovered |
modernization | eſpecially | especially |
modernization | Caſe | case |
modernization | thoſe | those |
modernization | raſh | rash |
modernization | fooliſh | foolish |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | leſs | less |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | cenſured | censured |
modernization | preſumptuous | presumptuous |
modernization | ſhould | should |
modernization | miſcarry | miscarry |
modernization | ſay | say |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | ſenſible | sensible |
modernization | purſuing | pursuing |
modernization | Miſsion | mission |
modernization | Reaſon | reason |
modernization | Commiſsioners | Commissioners |
modernization | reſt | rest |
modernization | conſulted | consulted |
modernization | ſupply | supply |
modernization | anſwer | answer |
variation | Senecaes | Senecas |
modernization | Friendſhip | friendship |
modernization | Deſign | design |
modernization | Miſsionaries | missionaries |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | ſets | sets |
modernization | Circumſtance | circumstance |
modernization | Occaſion | occasion |
modernization | propoſed | proposed |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
variation | ſhew | show |
modernization | kindneſs | kindness |
modernization | Induſtry | industry |
modernization | leaſt | least |
modernization | New-Jerſey | New Jersey |
modernization | preſident | president |
modernization | diſposal | disposal |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | Aſsurance | assurance |
modernization | beſides | besides |
modernization | deſigns | designs |
modernization | ſupported | supported |
modernization | induſtrious | industrious |
modernization | Theſe | These |
modernization | conſiderations | considerations |
modernization | aſide | aside |
modernization | themſelves | themselves |
modernization | againſt | against |
modernization | higheſt | highest |
variation | ſhews | shows |
modernization | otherwiſe | otherwise |
modernization | ſoever | soever |
modernization | uprightneſs | uprightness |
modernization | ſingleneſs | singleness |
modernization | ſelfisſh | selfish |
modernization | ſince | since |
modernization | Inſight | insight |
modernization | wiſh | wish |
modernization | proſecuted | prosecuted |
variation | Accquaintance | acquaintance |
modernization | miſcarried | miscarried |
modernization | Diſadvantage | disadvantage |
modernization | Cauſe | cause |
modernization | Diſadvantage | disadvantage |
variation | furtherence | furtherance |
modernization | Uſe | use |
modernization | ſhall | shall |
modernization | ſee | see |
variation | publick | public |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
& | and |
tho' | though |
Octr | October |
This document's header does not contain any mixed case attribute values.
Summary of errors found in this document:
Number of dates with invalid 'when' attributes: | 0 |
Number of nested "hi" tags: (consider merging the @rend attributes, or using other tags) | 0 |
Number of tags with invalid 'rend' attributes: | 0 (out of 17) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 25) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 2) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 126) |