Eleazar Wheelock

“ Wheelock to enter upon the great Affair, and to risque his own private Interest as he has done since in carrying it on; so we esteem his Plan to be good, his Measures prudently and well-concerted, his Endowments peculiar, his Zeal fervent, his Endeavours indefatigable for the accomplishing this Design; and we know no Man like-minded who will naturally care for their State. May God prolong his Life, and make him extensively useful in the Kingdom of Christ! ”

“ It is possible a School may be maintained to some good Purpose, at Onohoquagee, where there have been heretofore several faithful Missionaries, by the Blessing of God upon whose Labours the Indians are in some Measure civilized, some of them baptized, a Number of them in a Judgment of Charity, real Christians; and where they have a Sachem, who is a Man of Understanding, Virtue, Steadiness, and entirely friendly to the Design of propagating the Gospel among them, and zealous to promote it. ”

“ And if the one half of the Indian Boys thus educated shall prove good and useful Men, there will be no Reason to regret our Toil and Expence for the whole. And if God shall deny his Blessing on our Endeavours, as to the general Design, it may be these particular Youth may reap eternal Advantage by what [29] we do for them; and if but one in ten does so, we shall have no Cause to think much of the Expence. And if a Blessing be denied to all, "we shall notwithstanding be unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that perish." ”

“ There is no such thing as sending English Missionaries, or setting up and maintaining English Schools to any good Purpose, in most Places among them, as their Temper, State and Condition have been and still are. ”

“ But as to most Places, there is no such thing at present as introducing either English School-Masters [22] or Missionaries to continue with them; such are their Prejudices in general, and such the malevolent, and ungovernable Temper of some, that none but an Indian would dare venture his Life among them.
And besides all this, they are so extremely poor, and depend so much upon Hunting for a Livelihood, that they are in no Capacity to support their Children at School, if their Disposition for it were ever so good. ”

“ Occom, whose Influence among the Indians, even of his own Tribe, is much greater than any other Man's; and when he shall settle and live decently, and in Fashion, among them, will likely do more to invite them to imitate his Manner of Living, than any Englishman. ”

“ The Children are suffered to neglect their Attendance on Instruction, and waste much [21] Time, by which means they don't learn so much in several Years as they might, and others do in one, who are taken out of the reach of their Parents, and out of the way of Indian Examples, and are kept to School under good Government and constant Instruction. ”

“ The Acquaintance and Friendship which Indian Boys from different and distant Tribes and Places, will contract and cultivate, while together [18] at School, may, and if they are zealously affected will, be improved much for the Advantage and Furtherance of the Design of their Mission; while they send to, hear from, or visit one another, confirming the Things which have been spoken. And this without so much Ceremony to introduce one another, as will be necessary in the Case of English Missionaries; and without the Cumber and Expence of Interpreters. ”

“ It is a Work, in which every one in his Place, and according to his Ability, is under sacred Bonds to use his utmost Endeavours. But for Brevity sake, I omit a particular Mention of them, supposing none have read their Bibles attentively, who do not know, that this is a darling Subject of them; and that enough is there spoken by the Mouth of God himself, to obviate and silence all the Objections which Sloth, Covetousness, or Love of the World can suggest against it; and to assure them it is not a Course to Penury, and outward Want, but to Fulness, and worldly Felicity ”

“ There is no likelihood at all that they will, though ever so well qualified, get into Business, either as School-Masters or Ministers, among the English; at least till the Credit of their Nations be raised many Degrees above what it now is, and consequently they can't be employed as will be honorable for them, or in any Business they will be fit for, but among their own Nation. ”

“ If denying Food and Raiment, when we have them in our Power, to supply the bodily Necessities of the Poor and Needy, does in the Apostle's Account, evidence, that the Love of God is wanting in our Hearts; how much more does the Neglect of the precious Souls of our Fellow-Creatures, who are perishing for lack of Vision, when we have such Fulness to impart, fall below our high Profession of Love to Christ. ”

“ We can none of us boast such Perfection of Understanding and Skill in the Affair as to set up safely for Infallibility. Many Attempts have been made by wise and good Men; and the Issue has taught them their Want of that Knowledge which is got by Experience; and that their pious Labour and Expence had been in a great Measure lost for want of it. ”

“ And instead of a delicate Manner of Living, they may by Degrees, as their Health will bear, enure themselves to such a Way of Living as will be most convenient for them to come into when on their Mission. ”

“ And it seems there is no Way to avoid the bad Influence and Effects of these Prejudices, at present, unless it be by the Mission of their own Sons. And it is reasonable to suppose their Jealousies are not less, since the late Conquest in this Land, by which they are put into our Power, than they were before.
2. An Indian Missionary may be supported with less than half the Expence, that will be necessary to support an Englishman, who can't conform to their Manner of Living, and who will have no Dependance upon them for any Part of it. ”

“ Yet such is the savage Temper of many, their want of due Esteem for Learning, and Gratitude to their Benefactors, and especially their want of Government, that their School-Masters, tho' skilful and faithful Men, constantly complain they can't keep the Children in any Measure constant at School. ”

“ Original Design, Rise, Progress and present State of the INDIAN CHARITY-SCHOOL in Lebanon.
Understanding there are Numbers of religious and charitably disposed Persons, who only wait to know where their Charities may be bestowed in the best Manner for the Advancement of the Kingdom of the great Redeemer; and, supposing there may also be in some, evil Surmisings about, and a Disposition to discredit a Cause which they don't love, and have no Disposition to promote ”

“ And they will mutually help one another, to recommend the Design to the favourable Reception and good Liking of the Pagans, remove their Prejudices, conciliate their Friendship, and induce them to repose due Confidence in the English.
7. In this School, Children of different Nations may, and easily will learn one another's Language, and English Youth may learn of them; and so save the vast Expence and Trouble of Interpreters; and their Ministry be much more acceptable and edifying to the Indians. ”

“ Sergeant, and a most wise and necessary one in the present Case is—his taking in Girls as well as Boys, if Providence succeed the Design, and a Fund sufficient to carry it on can be procured:——I must needs add on this Head, that this Proposal is a Matter of absolute Necessity, wherein we are not left at Liberty, either as Men or Christians; for there cannot be a Propagation of Religion among any People, without an equal Regard to both Sexes; not only because Females are alike precious Souls, form'd for God and Religion as much as the Males ”

“ And that the Blessing of many of our American Heathens, who shall in the present and succeeding Generations, reap the Benefit thereof, may come upon them: And that others understanding that this School stills lives, under GOD, upon the Charity of good Men, will be moved to open their Hands to minister further, and necessary Supplies for it. ”

“ But there is no great Advantage, excepting to themselves, to be expected from their Labour, nor enough to compensate the Trouble of instructing them in it, and the Repair of the Mischiefs they will do, while they are ignorant of all the Affairs of Husbandry, and the Use of Tools. The principal Advantage I have ever had in this Respect has been by David Fowler and Joseph Woolley, and more by David than all the rest: These Lads will likely make good Farmers, if they should ever have the Advantage of Experience in it. ”

“ And we can't but hope that a recommendatory Letter, which was some Time since sent to a private Friend, signed by a Number of neighbouring Ministers, may serve to satisfy the World, That the charitable Design which that Gentleman is pursuing, is, in the Judgment of his Neighbours, who are well acquainted with him, and with the Affair of his School, neither selfish, nor enthusiastic ”

“ And besides all this, abundant Experience has taught us, that such a change of Diet, and manner of Living as Missionaries must generally come into, will not consist with the Health of many Englishmen. And they will be obliged on that Account to leave the Service, though otherwise well disposed to it. Nor can this Difficulty be avoided at present (certainly not without great Expence.) But there is no great Danger or Difficulty in this Respect as to Indians, who will only return to what they were used to from their Mother's Womb. ”

“ And, blessed be GOD that he has put it into the Hearts of a Number of Gentlemen of Ability in and near Boston, to contribute so liberally towards the Furtherance of the general Design. And is it not a Pity that Christians of all Denominations should not unite their utmost Endeavours for the Accomplishment of it ”

“ They are so disaffected towards a good and necessary Government, that as gentle an Exercise of it as may be, and answer the Design of keeping up Order and Regularity in any Measure among them, will likely so disgust them as to render the Case worse rather than better. Captain Martin Kellog complain'd of this as his great Discouragement in the School at Stockbridge, notwithstanding he understood as well as any Man the Disposition of Indians, and had the Advantage of knowing their Language and Customs, having been so long a Captive among them, and was high in their Affection and Esteem ”

“ And there may also be admitted into this School, promising English Youth of pregnant Parts, and who from the best Principles, and by the best Motives, are inclined to devote themselves to that Service; and who will naturally care for their State.
Divine Skill in Things spiritual, pure and fervent Zeal for the Salvation of Souls, shining Examples of Piety and Godliness, by which Pagans will form their first Notions of Religion, rather than from any Thing that shall be said to them, are most necessary Qualifications in a Missionary ”

“ We have also some of us at his Desire examined his Accounts, and find that besides giving in all his own Labour and Trouble in the Affair, he has charged for the Support, Schooling, &c. of the Youth, at the lowest Rate it could be done for, as the Price has been and still is among us; and we apprehend the generous Donations already made, has been, and we are confident will be laid out in the most prudent Manner, and with the best Advice for the Furtherance of the important Design. ”

“ But even in these Places we may find it more difficult than we imagine before the Trial be made (though I would by no means discourage the Trial of every feasible Method for the accomplishing this great Design) but by Acquaintance with the Schools which the Hon. London Commissioners have with pious Zeal, set up and maintained among the several Tribes in these Parts, I am much confirmed in such Sentiments. These Parties live amongst, and are encompassed by the English, have long had good Preaching, and Numbers of them appear to be truly godly. ”

“ We Ministers of the Gospel, and Pastors of Churches hereafter mentioned with our Names, having for a Number of Years past heard of, or seen with Pleasure, the Zeal, Courage and firm Resolution of the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock of Lebanon, to prosecute to Effect a Design of spreading the Gospel among the Natives in the Wilds of our America, and especially his Perseverance in it, amidst the many peculiar Discouragements he had to encounter during the late Years of the War here, and upon a Plan which appears to us to have the greatest Probability of Success, viz. ”

“ Society for promoting Christian Knowledge; which when he had communicated to them they put into Print, and sent it to the Directors of the 1764 Schools; (if I have not miscounted) that so a greater Proportion of Girls might be taken into them to receive a religious Education for the sake of their Posterity, and therein for the more effectual answering the very End of their Charity Schools. ”

“ And prevent a Necessity of their turning savage in their Manner of Living, for want of those who may do those Offices for them, and by this means support the Reputation of their Mission, and also recommend to the Savages a more rational and decent Manner of Living, than that which they are in—And thereby, in Time, remedy and remove that great, and hitherto insuperable Difficulty, so constantly complained of by all our Missionaries among them, as the great Impediment in the Way to the Success of their Mission, viz. ”

“ To prevent which, and encourage Unanimity and Zeal in prosecuting the Design, we look upon it our Duty as Christians, and especially as Ministers of the Gospel, to give our Testimony, That, as we verily believe, a disinterested Regard to the Advancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom, and the Good of his Majesty's Dominions in America were the governing Motives which at first induced the Reverend Mr. ”