Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 September 3
3 September 1767[1767-09-03]
Call Number767503.3
[note (type: abstract): The commissioners of the Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America refuse to send Wheelock a copy of the letter he requested because they do not credit his account of Occom’s education. They also admonish Wheelock for luring away one of the Company's interpreters.][note (type: handwriting): Formal handwriting is bold, clear and legible.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear that results in a minor loss of text.][note (type: ink): Black.][note (type: signature): The signature is abbreviated.][note (type: noteworthy): The letter is signed by Andrew Oliver on behalf of the Company.]EventsOccom’s Ordination, Occom leaves his studies
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
[M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp] communicated to the Board[org0095.ocp]
of [Commiſs:rs | Commissioners]Commiſs:rsCommissioners your letter of the 10 [Aug:t | August]Aug:tAugust[1767-08-10] desiring a
Copy of [Our's | ours]Our'sours to [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Mauduit[pers0365.ocp], [Gov:r | Governor]Gov:rGovernor of the Company
in England[org0095.ocp] of [2:d | 2nd]2:d2nd [Oct:r | October]Oct:rOctober 1765[1765-10-02]. We have no Objection to your
having a Copy, but as the Letter was wrote to our [Conſti=
=tuents | consti‐
tuents]Conſti=
=tuentsconsti‐
tuents and is now in their hands, we think there is an
impropriety in our delivering out a Copy of it. [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
informs us that he read it to you, and both he and
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Pemberton[pers0415.ocp] (with whom you [convers'd | conversed]convers'dconversed on the Subject)
inform Us, that your exceptions to it all relate to mere
circumstances; For we apprehend it to be quite [immeterial | immaterial]immeterialimmaterial
whether [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] was put under your Care at first,
by some well disposed persons, or by his Mother[pers0395.ocp] only.
Whether he was ordained on Long [Iſland | Island]IſlandIsland[place0129.ocp], or on this side
the Sound in Connecticut[place0048.ocp]: Or Whether the [weakneſs | weakness]weakneſsweakness of
his Eyes came upon him while actually under your
education, or after he came out from it? The main thing,
and the only thing of any importance in the Letter is —
Whether "he was a Mohawk Indian lately converted from
Heathenism, and in a short space of time fitted for the
Ministry by [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]"? We did undertake to inform
our Constituents that he was not a Mohawk, but "that
he was born at Mohegan[place0143.ocp] an Indian Settlement lying be=
=tween New London[place0164.ocp] [& | and]&and [Norwick | Norwich]NorwickNorwich[place0174.ocp], two of the principal Towns
in the Colony of Connecticut[org0027.ocp]"; and in this We think we
of [Commiſs:rs | Commissioners]Commiſs:rsCommissioners your letter of the 10 [Aug:t | August]Aug:tAugust[1767-08-10] desiring a
Copy of [Our's | ours]Our'sours to [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Mauduit[pers0365.ocp], [Gov:r | Governor]Gov:rGovernor of the Company
in England[org0095.ocp] of [2:d | 2nd]2:d2nd [Oct:r | October]Oct:rOctober 1765[1765-10-02]. We have no Objection to your
having a Copy, but as the Letter was wrote to our [Conſti=
=tuents | consti‐
tuents]Conſti=
=tuentsconsti‐
tuents and is now in their hands, we think there is an
impropriety in our delivering out a Copy of it. [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
informs us that he read it to you, and both he and
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Pemberton[pers0415.ocp] (with whom you [convers'd | conversed]convers'dconversed on the Subject)
inform Us, that your exceptions to it all relate to mere
circumstances; For we apprehend it to be quite [immeterial | immaterial]immeterialimmaterial
whether [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] was put under your Care at first,
by some well disposed persons, or by his Mother[pers0395.ocp] only.
Whether he was ordained on Long [Iſland | Island]IſlandIsland[place0129.ocp], or on this side
the Sound in Connecticut[place0048.ocp]: Or Whether the [weakneſs | weakness]weakneſsweakness of
his Eyes came upon him while actually under your
education, or after he came out from it? The main thing,
and the only thing of any importance in the Letter is —
Whether "he was a Mohawk Indian lately converted from
Heathenism, and in a short space of time fitted for the
Ministry by [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]"? We did undertake to inform
our Constituents that he was not a Mohawk, but "that
he was born at Mohegan[place0143.ocp] an Indian Settlement lying be=
=tween New London[place0164.ocp] [& | and]&and [Norwick | Norwich]NorwickNorwich[place0174.ocp], two of the principal Towns
in the Colony of Connecticut[org0027.ocp]"; and in this We think we
are not mistaken. We are also [per[gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): swa]swaded | persuaded]per[gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): swa]swadedpersuaded that his early
youth was spent there ([tho' | though]tho'though we said nothing of this in
the Letter) and if so, We think it highly improbable that
he should have lived in a state of heathenism, while
Lecturers and Schoolmasters were then supported among
them. And as you saythis
Mother[pers0395.ocp] brought him to you for
Education, this renders it highly probable that she knew
something of [Chriſtianity | Christianity]ChriſtianityChristianity herself, and was so far "well dis=
=posed" as in some poor manner to have [inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed her son
of the Saviours name at least; and that he must therefore
be mistaken in giving out, as you say he did, that he
had never so much as heard it till he was 17 years of Age.
But we shall add no more on this head— We cannot
however help taking notice to you of a Fact which has
but this day come to our knowledge — [w:ch | which]w:chwhich is this — that
after we have been at the [expence | expense]expenceexpense of fitting James
Dean[pers0163.ocp] for an Interpreter to the Western Indians,
and have now actually employed him as Such in our
Service, You should attempt to take him away from us,
by promising to take him into your School[org0098.ocp], and to give
him a liberal Education. We thought We had before
given him an ample allowance; but we cannot now
retain him in our Service without greatly augment=
ing it: So that instead of drawing together with Us in our
Schemes for propagating the Gospel, you seem to be
rendering it more difficult, at least more expensive
youth was spent there ([tho' | though]tho'though we said nothing of this in
the Letter) and if so, We think it highly improbable that
he should have lived in a state of heathenism, while
Lecturers and Schoolmasters were then supported among
them. And as you say
Education, this renders it highly probable that she knew
something of [Chriſtianity | Christianity]ChriſtianityChristianity herself, and was so far "well dis=
=posed" as in some poor manner to have [inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed her son
of the Saviours name at least; and that he must therefore
be mistaken in giving out, as you say he did, that he
had never so much as heard it till he was 17 years of Age.
But we shall add no more on this head— We cannot
however help taking notice to you of a Fact which has
but this day come to our knowledge — [w:ch | which]w:chwhich is this — that
after we have been at the [expence | expense]expenceexpense of fitting James
Dean[pers0163.ocp] for an Interpreter to the Western Indians,
and have now actually employed him as Such in our
Service, You should attempt to take him away from us,
by promising to take him into your School[org0098.ocp], and to give
him a liberal Education. We thought We had before
given him an ample allowance; but we cannot now
retain him in our Service without greatly augment=
ing it: So that instead of drawing together with Us in our
Schemes for propagating the Gospel, you seem to be
rendering it more difficult, at least more expensive
to Us. .. [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): we wou]we would have
been glad to have gone hand
in hand with you in this great and important Cause, had
you ever shown the least inclination to have [allow'd | allowed]allow'dallowed Us
a share in the conduct of it: We shall however rejoice
in your [Succeſs | success]Succeſssuccess, without envying you the honour or
the Satisfaction of advancing the interests of Christianity
more effectually, than they ever have been advanced
under our Management.
in hand with you in this great and important Cause, had
you ever shown the least inclination to have [allow'd | allowed]allow'dallowed Us
a share in the conduct of it: We shall however rejoice
in your [Succeſs | success]Succeſssuccess, without envying you the honour or
the Satisfaction of advancing the interests of Christianity
more effectually, than they ever have been advanced
under our Management.
I write this in the name and by order of the
Board
of [Commiſsioners | Commissioners]CommiſsionersCommissioners[org0095.ocp] and am
of [Commiſsioners | Commissioners]CommiſsionersCommissioners[org0095.ocp] and am
[Closer]
[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. Sir
Your most [humle | humble]humlehumble [Serv:t | Servant]Serv:tServant
[Andw | Andrew]AndwAndrew Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
Your most [humle | humble]humlehumble [Serv:t | Servant]Serv:tServant
[Andw | Andrew]AndwAndrew Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
[And.w | Andrew]And.wAndrew Oliver[pers0031.ocp], [Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq.
in the Name of [ye | the]yethe Board[org0095.ocp].
[Sep.tr | September]Sep.trSeptember 3. 1767[1767-09-03]—
To
The [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev.
[M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. [Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
at
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
in the Name of [ye | the]yethe Board[org0095.ocp].
[Sep.tr | September]Sep.trSeptember 3. 1767[1767-09-03]—
To
The [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev.
[M:r | Mr.]M:rMr. [Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
at
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0031.ocp | M: r Mr. Oliver | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0365.ocp | M: r Mr. Mauduit | mentioned | Mauduit, Jasper |
pers0415.ocp | M r Mr. Pemberton | mentioned | Pemberton, Ebenezer Jr. |
pers0030.ocp | M: r Mr. Occum Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0395.ocp | his Mother | mentioned | Occom, Sarah |
pers0036.ocp | M: r Mr. Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0395.ocp | Mother | mentioned | Occom, Sarah |
pers0163.ocp | James Dean | mentioned | Dean, James |
pers0031.ocp | And w Andrew Oliver | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0036.ocp | M. r Mr. Whe elock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0031.ocp | And. w Andrew Oliver | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0036.ocp | M: r Mr. Eleazer Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0013.ocp | Boſton Boston | Boston |
place0129.ocp | Long Iſland Island | Long Island |
place0048.ocp | Connecticut | Connecticut |
place0143.ocp | Mohegan | Mohegan |
place0164.ocp | New London | New London |
place0174.ocp | Norwick Norwich | Norwich |
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0095.ocp | Board | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0095.ocp | Company in England | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0027.ocp | Colony of Connecticut | Colony of Connecticut |
org0098.ocp | your School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0095.ocp | the Board of CommiſsionersCommissioners | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0095.ocp | yethe Board | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1767-09-03 | 3:d3rd Sept:rSeptember 1767 |
1767-08-10 | 10 Aug:tAugust |
1765-10-02 | 2:d2nd Oct:rOctober 1765 |
1767-09-03 | Sep.trSeptember 3. 1767 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
modernization | 3:d | 3rd |
modernization | Rev:d | Rev. |
modernization | M:r | Mr. |
variation | Our's | ours |
modernization | 2:d | 2nd |
modernization | Conſti= =tuents |
consti‐ tuents |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
variation | immeterial | immaterial |
variation | Occum | Occom |
modernization | Iſland | Island |
modernization | weakneſs | weakness |
variation | Norwick | Norwich |
variation | per[gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): swa]swaded | persuaded |
variation | tho' | though |
modernization | Chriſtianity | Christianity |
variation | expence | expense |
modernization | Succeſs | success |
modernization | Commiſsioners | Commissioners |
modernization | Rev.d | Rev. |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | Esq.r | Esq. |
modernization | ye | the |
variation | Eleazer | Eleazar |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Sept:r | September |
Commiſs:rs | Commissioners |
Aug:t | August |
Gov:r | Governor |
Oct:r | October |
convers'd | conversed |
& | and |
inform'd | informed |
w:ch | which |
allow'd | allowed |
humle | humble |
Serv:t | Servant |
Andw | Andrew |
And.w | Andrew |
Sep.tr | September |
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 32) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 26) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 0) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 121) |