A letter, about the present state of Christianity, among the Christianized Indians of New-England. Written to the Honourable, Sir William Ashhurst, governour of the Corporation, for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians, in New-England, and Parts Adjacent, in America.

A LETTER, To the Honourable, Sir WILLIAM ASHHƲRST, About the Present State of Christianity, among the Christianized Indians, of New-England.

SIR,

THE last Letter wherewith you Honoured us, Dated in August, gives us to un|derstand, how Acceptable it would be, to receive a fresh and late Account, of the Progress made in Evangelizing the poor Sal|vages in this Countrey: And we shall, as under all the Obligations imaginable to do it, Endeavour your satisfaction in a Point so worthy to be En|quird after; hoping that our Account may as Good News from a far Countrey, prove no ungrate|ful Entertainment.

In the Magnalia Christi Americana, or, History of New-England, Published at London, Two or Three Years ago, there is, The Life of our Me|morable ELIOT; In which there is a Letter to

Dr. Leusden, a Professor at Ʋtrecht, relating the Success of the Gospel among our Americans; and a full Commentary upon every Article of that Letter, declaring Who were Employ'd in that noble work, and How they managed it. And in another part of that Book, there is a long Chapter, Entituled, The Triumphs of Grace, or, A Narrative of the Success which the Gospel has had among the Indians of New-England; a Narrative, as well Attested as it is Remarkable. We shall not now Transcribe any Paragraphs of that History; because tis easy to have recourse unto it. But they that would insinuate, as if the People of our Profession, in America, (who are for Embracing & Diffusing, the Holy Religion of Christ, in the Original Purity wherein His Gospel has given it unto us, with|out Humane Additions and Inventions) did no|thing to Propagate the Religion we Profess, will there find a sufficient Confutation.

We will now proceed, where that History leaves off; and lay before your Honour, the pre|sent Circumstances of the Evangelical Work among our Indians.

There were in the Southern parts of this Pro|vince, about Four or Five Years ago, (when your Commissioners here sent a Couple of English Mi|nisters, who were Masters of the Indian Tongue, to visit them,) no less than Thirty several Con|gregations of Indians, who commonly Assembled every Lords Day, and a great part of them to

Lectures on other Dayes also, for the Worship of the Great GOD, and our Lord JESUS CHRIST. We cannot understand, That the Number of the Congregations, is considerably altered from what it was, when the Gentlemen, who then Examined their Condition, brought us that Report of them.

Indeed, the Number of Indians in this Land, is not Comparable to what it was Fifty Years a|go. The Hand of God, has very strangely wasted them; and the War which they began upon the English in the Year, 1675. hastened a strange Desolation upon whole Nations of them. Almost all that remain under the Influences of the Eng|lish in this Massachuset Province are so far Christi|anized, as that they Believe there is a God, and but One God, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World. Mr. Ex|perience Mayhew, who is Grandson, to the Old Gentleman that first Instructed the Indians on Martha's Vineyard, and like his Grandfather, a Laborious Teacher among them, informs us; That there are about One Hundred and Four-Score Families of Indians on that Island; and that of these there are no more than Two Persons, which now remain in their Paganism. He is at this Time, gathering another Church of Indians, whereof he is himself to be the Pastor.

In the Indian Congregations, there were, at the Time of our last Visitation, (which we said, was about Four or Five Years ago,) about

Thirty Seven Indians, who were the constant Preachers of the Gospel unto them, in their own Language; In which they have Catechisms, and Bibles, and Psalm-books, and other Books of Pie|ty; Translated by the vast Labours of worthy English-men.

Besides these, there are Seven or Eight English Ministers, who have Learn'd the Indian Tongue, and Visit the Indian Assemblies, and Pray, and Preach among them, and give such Directions, as they see needful for their Affairs. The Indian Ministers, very frequently apply themselves to these English ones, for their Advice, about In|structing their Flocks under their Charge. And some of the English Preachers, do constantly spend every Lords Day, with the Indian Assemblies; having taken the Charge of them.

How the Ordinary Congregations among the Indians are inclined, and how instructed, may be a little apprehended, from some Lines in a Letter, now lying before us, Dated not many Weeks ago, from a very Valuable Servant of God, namely, Mr. Samuel Danforth. He sayes;

They met me at Little Compton about two Months since, to hear me Preach: Had you been there with me to see how well they fill'd up the Seats; with what Gravity they behaved themselves; what Attention they gave; what Affection they shew'd; how powerfully Pa••quachoise [an In|dian, •• Pray'd; (for I put him upon it, to

Pray, having never before heard him Pray, and being willing to have some Trial of his Abili|ties, in order to his Approbation for Office;) how melodiously Jonathan George [another In|dian] set the Tune for the Psalm, and carried it out; and how dexterously the Young Lads of Twelve Years old, could turn to the Proofs thro' out the Sermon; and how Thankful they were to me at the last, that I would take so much Pains, as to come so far from home, to Preach to them; I am sure, you would have been much affected with it.

Tho' there are some Congregations of the Indi|ans, which are not Advanced unto all the Privi|ledges of the Evangelical Church-state, Combining for, and Enjoying of, all special Ordinances; yet a considerable Number of them are so. Some New Churches have been lately form'd, and fill'd; and more will quickly be Gathered. They have Pastors and Elders of their own; Ordained, some times by the Hands of English Ministers, and sometimes by the Hands of Indian Ministers, in the presence of the English; all after the solemn English manner. And by Admonitions, and Ex|communications, Publickly dispensed, they proceed against Scandalous Offendors, when any such are found among them.

We shall here insert, an Extract of a late Letter, from Mr. Josiah Torrey, an hopeful Young Man, who has Learned the Indian Tongue, and

begins to Preach to them in their own Language. He having been an Eye-witness of their proceed|ings, writes to us in words following.

Their Gravity, and diligent Attendance in the Time of Worship, with the affectionate Con|fessions of such as are Admitted into the Church, make me hope, that many of them may have the work of the Spirit wrought in them, accord|ing to the working of the mighty Power of God. Their method, respecting those that are Admit|ted into their Church Communion, is more ac|cording to the manner of the Churches in the Primitive Times, than is now practised among the Churches in most parts. The person to be Admitted, stands forth, in the midst of the Assembly; and first makes Declaration of his Knowledge, and sometimes desires Informations in Things more arduous and doubtful. And then, he makes a Confession of Sin; which they do, (as I have seen,) with Tears and Trembling, like him in the Sixteenth Chapter of the Acts. And then, he gives an Account of Experiences he has had, of Convictions, Awakenings, and Comforts, in which they are large and particular. After which, (much Counsel and Exhortation, to remain stedfast in the Faith and Wayes of the Lord, being given them, by their Pastor and Elder, they are Admitted. I would (and not ungroundedly) hope, That Additions are made unto the Church daily of such as shall be Saved.

There are many, which maintain a Christian Conversation, and are to be accounted, not Almost, but Altogether Christians. And this does Encourage the Preaching of the Gospel to them, when we see, it pleases God, to make it His Power unto Salvation.

About the Manner of performing the more Stated Exercises of Religion, in Publick, among the Indians, there needs no Account but this; They are Conformed unto the English. But we have now before us, a Letter very lately re|ceived, from as knowing and as faithful a Person as could be Enquired of, wherein he speaks a little more particularly.

He sayes;

You may Remember, That your self, with some others, were pleased once to bear me Company, to a Lecture at Assawampset, and were an Eye-witness, of their Grave, Seri|ous, Attentive Deportment, in their Exer|cises, and of their Excellent Singing of Psalms, with most ravishing Melody. They begin their Exercises with Prayer; Then Sing a Psalm; Then Preach; and so Conclude with Prayer. The Administration of Sacraments among them, is like Ours, and as they we•••• ••••••ght by their Apostle ELIOT. His Name is of wonderful Authority among them; and the Rules he gave them, for the Form of Marriages among them, and for Admonitions and Excommunications in their Churches, are not to be found fault with

by any, but it will provoke them. Not long since, an Indian Lodg'd at an English mans House one Night; and the next Day he visited me, and ask'd, Why the man at whose House he Lodg'd, did not Pray in his Family? Seeing that Mr. Eliot taught the Indians to do it every Day, Morning and Evening: he thought it strange, that the English should direct them to Pray in their Families, and yet not do it themselves. But at last, he entertained the Distinction; That there were Matchet English men, as well as Matchet Indians; and that some English did not practise, as they had been taught to do. [Matchet; that is to say, Naughty, or Wick|ed.]

The same Gentleman, thus proceeds in that Letter.

To your last Enquiry, What I think there may be of Piety among them? Sir, I think, that there were many of the Old Generation, who were instructed by the Reverend ELIOT, and others, which Died in the Lord, and the First Fruits of them are in Heaven, as an Earnest of more to follow. I think, the Censorious English among us, are not to be the Rule for our Charity about them. Yet let me say; I could never yet En|quire of any Plantation, or Assembly of Indians, but the most Censorious English would grant, There were Three or Four Persons in that Plan|tation, who, they verily believed, were Sound

Christians, tho' they Condemned the rest. Whereas a Charitable man, would have reckon'd these Three or Four, to have been the most Emi|nent for Peity among them; and have granted the rest, to have such a measure of Knowledge in the Gospel-method of Salvation, and to be so ready to submit with most admirable Patience to the Church Censures among them, and so Penitent in their Confessions of their Faults, and Fearful afterwards of Relapsing into the same or like Faults; as might be a just Foundation to hope, That they are Travelling the right way to Heaven.

The Frenchified Indians in the Eastern parts of this Province, have by their long Wars upon us, denied us an Opportunity to Christianize them. While Sir William Phips was our Governour, we had One Years Peace with those Indians; And in that Year, we furnished the Governour, with a Preacher, to carry the offer of the Gospel unto them. But while the Preacher was preparing for his Journey, they perfidiously broke out into New Hostilities; by which our Attempt was then defeated. When the Earl of Bellomont became our Governour, we had a longer lucid Interval of Peace with them. In this time, there came several of their Chief men to Boston, whom the Governour sent unto one of us, to be discoursed about matters of Religion. When they were

told; That they ought to Worship none but that God, who made Heaven and Earth, and, That the Wor|ship of Graven Images, Crucifixes, the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, was displeasing to the Great and only True God; they stood like men amaz'd; they replied not a word. They were then told, That we would send Ministers unto them, who should in|struct them in the true way to Eternal Life, if they would receive them: Whereupon they declared, They were not willing that any should be sent unto them. The French Priests have made them, rather twice more the Children of Hell, (more a|verse to true Christianity,) than while they were meer Pagans. Yet we gave not over. We found our Applications to English Preachers ineffectual; we applied our selves unto Indian Preachers, in hopes, that some such might be prevailed withal, to run the desperate Hazards of carrying the Gospel unto that Foolish people, and imparting to them the Oracles which might make them Wise unto Salvation. But while we were prose|cuting this Design, they treacherously and bar|barously murdered near an Hundred of our Peo-who, upon the Faith of a Peace, which they had just before Sworn to, were Lovingly treating them in their Houses; and Commenced that grievous and bloody War, which is not yet ended.

We have heretofore been at considerable Ex|pences, to Encourage the Essayes of Good men,

to Christianize the Mohegin Indians, in the Colo|ny of Connecticut. But they have been Obsti|nate in their Paganism; and their Obstinacy has put a stop at present unto our Endeavours; which yet we will Revive, as soon and as well as we can.

A most Exemplary Indian Minister, whose Name is Japhet, has of late made several Visits among his Countrey men the Pagan Indians, about the Narraganset Countrey; and God has Crown'd his Endeavours with considerable Successes. We Resolve to give him all possible Encouragement.

We have left no Stone unturned, that we might obtain some Able and Faithful Missionaries, for the Five Nations, that are some Hundreds of Miles distant from us, to the Westward. All that we have hitherto accomplished, is, That we have Supported and Rewarded (and at this Day continue to do so,) the Pains of several Dutch Ministers, who proceed as far as they can, in Communicating the Knowledge of GOD and CHRIST, unto those distant Salvages. And of late, they have seen some desirable Successes of their Ministry.

The main Support, that we have had for the Ex|pensive part of this Work, has been from the Revenues, remitted hither, by the Honourable Corporation, for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians. But then, the Liberality of Pious men,

among our selves has also been Employ'd this way, upon multiplied occasions. Particular Gentlemen in this Countrey, have often Devised Liberal Things, to promote Christianity among the Indians. Besides many other Expressions of Charity towards them, given by others, we ought not to leave unmentioned, the Meeting-House, which Mr. Samuel Sewall, (the Secretary to your Commissioners here) has Built for them; and the Books, the Publishing and Scattering of which Mr. Edward Bromfield, (another of your Commissioners) has more than once procured to Fortify them against their Peculiar Temp|tations, and Enlighten them in the Mysteries of God.

The Studies of your Commissioners, are now Engaging more Particularly, upon the Intenti|ons, of bringing the Indians into the most Com|pact and English Circumstances, that can be Proposed. But this must be a work of Time; and in the mean time, tho' we could with the Evangelical Work among the Indians had less Difficulties to Clog it, yet we have Reason to be glad, that so much of Christianity and Pros|perity does attend it, as there does.

As the Conversion of the Natives to our Holy Religion, was One Special Thing pro|pounded, by those Good Men that first Planted this Countrey, when a wast and vast Wilderness; so the Salvation of the many Natives that have

been here Converted unto God, has been richly worth all the Pains and Costs therein Expended.

We render to Your Honour, and to the Honourable Corporation, our most grateful Ac|knowledgments of all Your Pious Care, to for|ward a Work, wherein the Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and the Weal of many Souls, are so greatly Concerned: Recommending You to the Divine Favour, we Subscribe,

SIR,

Yours to Honour and Serve; Increase Mather. Cotton Mather. Nehemiah Walter.

Boston, N.E. March 2. 1704, 5.