Theophilus Chamberlain, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1766 April 26
26 April 1766[1766-04-26]
ms number766276
[note (type: abstract): Chamberlin writes of his religious epiphany.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is relatively clear, yet letter case (especially with regard to S and D) is often difficult to decipher. There are also many deletions and additions.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with moderate creasing, staining and wear.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.][note (type: signature): Signature is abbreviated.][note (type: noteworthy): The book that Chamberlain mentions on one recto is: Theron and Aspasio: or, A Series of Dialogues and Letters upon the Most Important and Interesting Subjects, in three volumes by James Hervey, London, 1755.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
I take this Method to lay before you [wt | what]wtwhat I was [latly | lately]latlylately mentioning of my Experiences since I left you [laſt | last]laſtlast fall. I shall
[uſe | use]uſeuse all [poſible | possible]poſiblepossible Brevity, and [ye | the]yethe
[utmoſt | utmost]utmoſtutmost
[openeſs | openess]openeſsopeness, in [expreſsing | expressing]expreſsingexpressing
[ye | the]yethe Real Sentiments of my mind, in [ye | the]yethe Time of [theſe | these]theſethese Experiences.
about two years ago I had an [oppertunity | opportunity]oppertunityopportunity to read [illegible], ^[above] [ye | the]yethe Letters on Theron [& | and]&and
[Aſpaſio | Aspasio]AſpaſioAspasio^[ye | the]yethe Letters on Theron [& | and]&and
[Aſpaſio | Aspasio]AſpaſioAspasio
[wc | which]wcwhich
[servd | served]servdserved me no other [Purpoſe | purpose]Purpoſepurpose
[yn | than]ynthan to give me an [invetrate | inveterate]invetrateinveterate Prejudice
[againſt | against]againſtagainst
[againſt | against]againſtagainst
[ye | the]yethe Author of [ym | them]ymthem. when I was down [laſt | last]laſtlast fall I began to read him again with [ye | the]yethe
[diſadvantage | disadvantage]diſadvantagedisadvantage of [ye | the]yethe Same Prejud[illegible]ice I had before imbibed. I
had Time to read but a [Smal | small]Smalsmall part of his [firſt | first]firſtfirst Volume before I began my Journey in [Proſecution | prosecution]Proſecutionprosecution of my [miſion | mission]miſionmission
[illegible] among [ye | the]yethe Natives, to [ye | the]yethe
[Weſtward | westward]Weſtwardwestward.
however I had read So far as to Set me a thinking on his [difinition | definition]difinitiondefinition of Faith. before I reached Albany[place0001.ocp]
it once, and [yt | that]ytthat for [ye | the]yethe
[firſt | first]firſtfirst Time, came into my mind [yt | that]ytthat
[ye | the]yethe faith [yr | ]yr
[Diſcribed | described]Diſcribeddescribed, might be [ye | the]yethe faith of Gods Elect.I See [yt | that]ytthat in [Caſe | case]Caſecase it was so, a Train of [Conſequences | consequences]Conſequencesconsequences
[wld | would]wldwould
[folow | follow]folowfollow
[wh | which]whwhich were [Extreamly | extremely]Extreamlyextremely
[Diſagreable | disagreeable]Diſagreabledisagreeable to me, yet in some [meaſure | measure]meaſuremeasure
[aprihend^[above] ing^ing | apprehending]aprihend^[above] ing^ingapprehending
[ye | the]yethe Importance of my Knowing the Truth, with regard to [ye | the]yethe Nature of faith, I determined
[illegible] as Soon as my [Buiſeneſs | businesses]Buiſeneſsbusinesses would permit to Examine the Scripture [thorowly | thoroughly]thorowlythoroughly on [yt | that]ytthat head. [wn | when]wnwhen I got as far as [Kanajoharry | Canajoharie]KanajoharryCanajoharie[place0026.ocp] I was obliged to [waite | wait]waitewait about three Weeks for a Road and Company to [Onoida | Oneida]OnoidaOneida[place0179.ocp]. [Moſt | Most]MoſtMost of [ye | the]yethe
[Leaſure | leisure]Leaſureleisure I had here, I Spent in Reading the Scripture with an Intent to find
out [wt | what]wtwhat
^[above] [ye | the]yethe^[ye | the]yethe faith [somuch | so much]somuchso much
[Inſiſted | insisted]Inſiſtedinsisted on In [Scriptture | Scripture]ScripttureScripture and by Divines, truly contains. [Wn | When]WnWhen I come to read [ye | the]yethe
[Goſple | Gospel]GoſpleGospel of John, and other Parts of [ye | the]yethe New [Teſtament | Testament]TeſtamentTestament, and to look Back to [ye | the]yethe faith of [ye | the]yethe
[Antiensts | ancients]Antienstsancients
[Quoated | quoted]Quoatedquoted from
[ye | the]yethe Old [Teſtament | Testament]TeſtamentTestament, I became fully [convincd | convinced]convincdconvinced
[yt | that]ytthat the Word
Believe, so frequently [uſd | used]uſdused in Scripture, is [yr | ]yr
[uſd | used]uſdused in its
[moſt | most]moſtmost plain and [commone | common]commonecommon
[Senſe | sense]Senſesense; and [yt | that]ytthat
[illegible]
^[above] [ye | the]yethe^[ye | the]yethe faith
[uſed | used]uſedused as a Synonimy with Believe; and So frequently connected with
eternal[illegible] Life, is a Plain,
every-day-Belief, of [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): [ye | the]yethe][ye | the]yethe Truths Record in [ye | the]yethe Word of God. Having Got thus far, I began to be greatly [Exerciſed | exercised]Exerciſedexercised about [wt | what]wtwhat, would be my [finale | final]finalefinal Exit, and eternal State in [ye | the]yethe World of Spirits.
My whole Query was, how [Sll | shall]Sllshall I find [ye | the]yethe Truths [wh | which]whwhich give Life, to every one who believes [ym | them]ymthem. My [firſt | first]firſtfirst thought was [yt | that]ytthat
[ye | the]yethe
[neceſary | necessary]neceſarynecessary Truths [muſt | must]muſtmust undoubtedly be revealed in
[ye | the]yethe Word of [G. | God]G.God in plain and [intelegible | intelligible]intelegibleintelligible Terms; but [yn | then]ynthen it
[turnd | turned]turndturned in my mind [yt | that]ytthat
[ye | the]yethe Bible [itſelf | itself]itſelfitself might be a fiction
I then Examined [ye | the]yethe Evidences [wh | which]whwhich had often Supported me in belief of divine Revelation, and found [ym | them]ymthem
[Sufficent | sufficient]Sufficentsufficient to Support me Still in believing, [yt | that]ytthat
[ye | the]yethe Bible is in truth and reality [ye | the]yethe Word of God. I now read the
[Goſple | Gospel]GoſpleGospel of Luke; [illegible] I read it with Attention
and [Eagerneſs | eagerness]Eagerneſseagerness, hoping to [lite | light]litelight on Some Truth [wh | which]whwhich
[wld | would]wldwould Set me free, from [yt | that]ytthat Concern [illegible]
[& | and]&and Anxiety [reſpecting | respecting]reſpectingrespecting my future [Exiſtance | existence]Exiſtanceexistence
[wh | which]whwhich was Such an [Exerciſe | exercise]Exerciſeexercise to my mind. I attended to [ye | the]yethe coming of [ye | the]yethe son of God into
[ye | the]yethe World, his conduct in [ye | the]yethe World, [ye | the]yethe doctrines he [preachd | preached]preachdpreached, [ye | the]yethe
[oppoſion | opposition]oppoſionopposition of [ye | the]yethe World to him on account of his conduct, and Doctrines,
and his [finaly | finally]finalyfinally Suffering even unto Death. my next concern was to determine
certainly and [preciſly | precisely]preciſlyprecisely, [wt | what]wtwhat it was he [Sufferd | suffered]Sufferdsuffered for. I read [ye | the]yethe Book of Isaiah; the Law given at Mount Sinai; took [perticuliar | particular]perticuliarparticular Notice of [ye | the]yethe
[Curſes | curses]Curſescurses pronounced [againſt | against]againſtagainst every offence, and [turnd | turned]turndturned
[yn | then]ynthen to every [Paſage | passage]Paſagepassage I could find in [ye | the]yethe New Testament [wh | which]whwhich gave any account of [wt | what]wtwhat
[Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist died for. at length, I came to this [concluſion | conclusion]concluſionconclusion
[yt | that]ytthat
[Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist
[Sufferd | suffered]Sufferdsuffered
[ye | the]yethe whole length and Breadth of [yt | that]ytthat Suffering [wh | which]whwhich
[ye | the]yethe Law [threatend | threatened]threatendthreatened, for every offence
[yt | that]ytthat will [finaly | finally]finalyfinally be forgiven. This [concluſion | conclusion]concluſionconclusion immediately [preſented | presented]preſentedpresented to my view a Character of God
[wh | which]whwhich was at once amiable and [awfull | awful]awfullawful. amiable in
[ys | this]ysthis, [yt | that]ytthat he is so [infinitly | infinitely]infinitlyinfinitely kind [& | and]&and
[compaſionate | compassionate]compaſionatecompassionate
^[above] to his creatures^to his creatures, [yt | that]ytthat he entertains thoughts of Pardon and [happineſs | happiness]happineſshappiness for [ym | them]ymthem
[illegible]
[wn | when]wnwhen
[deſerving | deserving]deſervingdeserving to [ye | the]yethe
[laſt | last]laſtlast degree the tokens of his eternal Anger and Indignation; and never [puniſhes | punishes]puniſhespunishes
[ym | them]ymthem for want of Benevolence. and [awfull | awful]awfullawful in [yt | that]ytthat he never will forgive an Offence [againſt | against]againſtagainst his own Law [till | 'til]till'til
[ye | the]yethe
[Sentance | sentence]Sentancesentence of [ye | the]yethe Law [againſt | against]againſtagainst
[yt | that]ytthat offence is [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): forgiven]forgiven inflicted to [ye | the]yethe full; and [yt | that]ytthat though his own son is accountable for offences, he [muſt | must]muſtmust for every offence [bare | bear]barebear
^[right] the full [puniſhment | punishment]puniſhmentpunishment^the full [puniſhment | punishment]puniſhmentpunishment
I [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): was]was
now saw [yt | that]ytthat
[ye | the]yethe Law of God has in every [senſe | sense]senſesense its own [meaſures | measures]meaſuresmeasures and never a Single [illegible] Creature more
is made [miſerable | miserable]miſerablemiserable, [yn | than]ynthan
[wt | what]wtwhat
[ye | the]yethe Law [abſoloutly | absolutely]abſoloutlyabsolutely Required in order [yt | that]ytthat God [ye | the]yethe giver of it might remain
[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): a
god]a
god a God of truth, and [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): So Support his moral [gvt | government]gvtgovernment]So Support his moral [gvt | government]gvtgovernment So Support his moral government in [ye | the]yethe
[univerſe | universe]univerſeuniverse. I got now [effectualy | effectually]effectualyeffectually
[convincd | convinced]convincdconvinced
[yt | that]ytthat nothing could be more [abſurd | absurd]abſurdabsurd
[yn | than]ynthan for me to [uſe | use]uſeuse
[ye | the]yethe
[leaſt | least]leaſtleast
[indeavour | endeavour]indeavourendeavour[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): s]s to bring [myſelf | myself]myſelfmyself to procure the favour of god, or to gain Acceptance to Salvation. I
now [realy | really]realyreally
[believd | believed]believdbelieved or I knew [yt | that]ytthat if God should [puniſh | punish]puniſhpunish me with eternal
[miſery | misery]miſerymisery for every offence, to his Law, I ever had [commited | committed]commitedcommitted, And
[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): In]In
[illegible]
[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): [Criſis | crisis]Criſiscrisis,][Criſis | crisis]Criſiscrisis,
nothing kept me from
[illegible]
[illegible] it would [proceede | proceed]proceedeproceed from no other
[Diſpoſion | disposition]Diſpoſiondisposition
^[above] contrary to that^contrary to that
[illegible] he commands in [ye | the]yethe Law, viz, thou shalt Love they Neighbour as [thy self | thyself]thy selfthyself. In this [Criſis | crisis]Criſiscrisis, I found no other [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason to hope for Salvation, [yn | than]ynthan
[barly | barely]barlybarely this [yt | that]ytthat God [diſignd | designed]diſignddesigned to save some Creatures of my own Character. nor did this foundation,
appear [smal | small]smalsmall or [inconſiderable | inconsiderable]inconſiderableinconsiderable, for I knew, [yt | that]ytthat nothing but gods [sovereignt | sovereignty]sovereigntsovereignty had laid this foundation, and [yt | that]ytthat
^[above] [nither | neither]nitherneither^[nither | neither]nitherneither I nor any of my Character had [ye | the]yethe
[leaſt | least]leaſtleast
[Deſert | desert]Deſertdesert in us of even this foundation of hope. Here I hoped, and Still hope with
trembling, and it is my glory and Joy [yt | that]ytthat a door of hope is here Let open to me [wh | which]whwhich no man can shut.
[ſir | sir]ſirsir I have So little claim to your attention
[yt | that]ytthat I have [crouded | crowded]croudedcrowded
[theſe | these]theſethese things, [illegible]So much [togeather | together]togeathertogether, [yt | that]ytthat some [confuſion | confusion]confuſionconfusion is created. If you read it and can [underſtand | understand]underſtandunderstand my meaning my End is [anſwerd | answered]anſwerdanswered.
[Closer]
Yours
[Theop | Theophilus]TheopTheophilus Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp]
To [Rd | Rev.]RdRev.
[E | Eleazar]EEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp]s Experienc[illegible]
April [26.th | 26th]26.th26th — 1766[1766-04-26]. For
[Rvd
| Rev.]Rvd
Rev.
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0009.ocp | Theo p Theophilus Chamberlain | writer | Chamberlain, Theophilus |
pers0036.ocp | E Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0009.ocp | M. r Mr. Chamberlain | writer | Chamberlain, Theophilus |
pers0036.ocp | M r Mr. Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0001.ocp | Albany | Albany |
place0026.ocp | Kanajoharry Canajoharie | Canajoharie |
place0179.ocp | Onoida Oneida | Oneida |
This document does not contain any tagged organizations.
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1766-04-26 | April 26— 1766 |
1766-04-26 | April 26.th26th — 1766 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Rvd | Rev. |
variation | latly | lately |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | uſe | use |
variation | poſible | possible |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | utmoſt | utmost |
modernization | openeſs | openess |
modernization | expreſsing | expressing |
modernization | theſe | these |
variation | oppertunity | opportunity |
modernization | Aſpaſio | Aspasio |
variation | servd | served |
modernization | Purpoſe | purpose |
modernization | yn | than |
variation | invetrate | inveterate |
modernization | againſt | against |
modernization | ym | them |
modernization | diſadvantage | disadvantage |
variation | Smal | small |
modernization | firſt | first |
modernization | Proſecution | prosecution |
modernization | miſion | mission |
modernization | Weſtward | westward |
variation | difinition | definition |
modernization | yt | that |
modernization | Diſcribed | described |
modernization | Caſe | case |
modernization | Conſequences | consequences |
variation | folow | follow |
variation | Extreamly | extremely |
modernization | Diſagreable | disagreeable |
modernization | meaſure | measure |
variation | aprihend^[above] ing^ing | apprehending |
modernization | Buiſeneſs | businesses |
variation | thorowly | thoroughly |
variation | Kanajoharry | Canajoharie |
variation | waite | wait |
variation | Onoida | Oneida |
modernization | Moſt | Most |
modernization | Leaſure | leisure |
modernization | Inſiſted | insisted |
variation | Scriptture | Scripture |
modernization | Goſple | Gospel |
modernization | Teſtament | Testament |
variation | Antiensts | ancients |
variation | Quoated | quoted |
variation | convincd | convinced |
modernization | uſd | used |
modernization | moſt | most |
variation | commone | common |
modernization | Senſe | sense |
modernization | uſed | used |
modernization | Exerciſed | exercised |
variation | finale | final |
modernization | neceſary | necessary |
modernization | muſt | must |
variation | intelegible | intelligible |
modernization | yn | then |
variation | turnd | turned |
modernization | itſelf | itself |
variation | Sufficent | sufficient |
modernization | Eagerneſs | eagerness |
variation | lite | light |
modernization | reſpecting | respecting |
variation | Exiſtance | existence |
modernization | Exerciſe | exercise |
modernization | oppoſion | opposition |
variation | finaly | finally |
modernization | preciſly | precisely |
variation | Sufferd | suffered |
variation | perticuliar | particular |
modernization | Curſes | curses |
modernization | Paſage | passage |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
modernization | concluſion | conclusion |
variation | threatend | threatened |
modernization | preſented | presented |
variation | awfull | awful |
modernization | ys | this |
variation | infinitly | infinitely |
modernization | compaſionate | compassionate |
modernization | happineſs | happiness |
modernization | deſerving | deserving |
modernization | puniſhes | punishes |
variation | till | 'til |
variation | Sentance | sentence |
variation | bare | bear |
modernization | puniſhment | punishment |
modernization | senſe | sense |
modernization | meaſures | measures |
modernization | miſerable | miserable |
modernization | abſoloutly | absolutely |
modernization | univerſe | universe |
variation | effectualy | effectually |
modernization | abſurd | absurd |
modernization | leaſt | least |
variation | indeavour | endeavour |
modernization | myſelf | myself |
variation | realy | really |
variation | believd | believed |
modernization | puniſh | punish |
modernization | miſery | misery |
variation | commited | committed |
modernization | Criſis | crisis |
variation | proceede | proceed |
modernization | Diſpoſion | disposition |
variation | thy self | thyself |
modernization | Reaſon | reason |
variation | barly | barely |
modernization | diſignd | designed |
variation | smal | small |
modernization | inconſiderable | inconsiderable |
variation | nither | neither |
modernization | Deſert | desert |
modernization | ſir | sir |
variation | crouded | crowded |
variation | togeather | together |
modernization | confuſion | confusion |
modernization | underſtand | understand |
modernization | anſwerd | answered |
modernization | Rd | Rev. |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | 26.th | 26th |
modernization | Rvd | Rev. |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
& | and |
wt | what |
wc | which |
wld | would |
wh | which |
wn | when |
Wn | When |
Sll | shall |
G. | God |
preachd | preached |
gvt | government |
Theop | Theophilus |
E | Eleazar |
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Number of nested "hi" tags: (consider merging the @rend attributes, or using other tags) | 0 |
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