TO
MR.
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING
HIS GENERAL REMARKS ON THE DOCTRINES PREACHED,
THEIR
EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS, &c.
SECT.
I.
The
doctrine preached to the Indians.
BEFORE
I conclude the present Journal, I would make a few general remarks
upon what to me appears worthy of notice, relating to the continued work
of grace among my people. And, first, I cannot but take notice, that I
have, in the general, ever since my first coming among these Indians in
New Jersey, been favoured with that assistance, which to me is uncommon,
in preaching Christ crucified, and making him the centre
and mark to which all my discourses among them were directed.
It
was the principal scope and drift of all my discourses to this people,
for several months together, (after having taught them something of the
being and perfections of God, his creation of man in a state
of rectitude and happiness, and the obligations mankind were thence under
to love and honour him,) to lead them into an acquaintance with their deplorable
state by nature, as fallen creatures: their inability to
extricate and deliver themselves from it: the utter insufficiency
of any external reformations and amendments of life, or of any religious
performances, they were capable of, while in this state, to bring
them into the favour of God, and interest them in his eternal mercy. And
thence to show them their absolute need of Christ to redeem and
save them from the misery of their fallen state.--To open his all-sufficiency
and willingness to save the chief of sinners.--The freeness and
riches of divine grace, proposed “without money, and without price,”
to all that will accept the offer.--And thereupon to them without delay,
to betake themselves to him, under a sense of their misery and undone
state, for relief and everlasting salvation.--And to show them the abundant
encouragement the gospel proposes to needy, perishing, and helpless sinners,
in order to engage them so to do. These things I repeatedly and
largely insisted upon from time to time.
And
I have oftentimes remarked with admiration, that whatever subject I have
been treating upon, after having spent time sufficient to explain and illustrate
the truths contained therein, I have been naturally and easily
led to CHRIST as the substance of every subject. If I treated on
the being and glorious perfections of God, I was thence naturally
led to discourse of Christ as the only “way to the Father.”--If I attempted
to open the deplorable misery of our fallen state, it was natural from
thence to show the necessity of Christ to undertake for us, to atone for
our sins, and to redeem us from the power of them. If I taught the commands
of God, and showed our violation of them, this brought me in the most easy
and natural way, to speak of and recommend the Lord Jesus Christ, as one
who had “magnified the law” we had broken, and who was “become the end
of it for righteousness, to every one that believes.” And never did I find
so much freedom and assistance in making all the various lines of my discourses
meet together, and centre in Christ, as I have frequently done among these
Indians.
Sometimes
when I have had thoughts of offering but a few words upon some particular
subject, and saw no occasion, nor indeed much room, for any considerable
enlargement, there has at unawares appeared such a fountain of gospel-grace
shining forth in, or naturally resulting from, a just explication
of it, and Christ has seemed in such a manner to be pointed out as the
substance of what I was considering and explaining, that I have
been drawn in a way not only easy and natural, proper
and pertinent, but almost unavoidable, to discourse of him,
either in regard of his undertaking, incarnation, satisfaction, admirable
fitness for the work of man’s redemption, or the infinite need that sinners
stand in of an interest in him; which has opened the way for a continual
strain of gospel-invitation to perishing souls, to come empty and
naked, weary and heavy laden, and cast themselves
upon them.
And
as I have been remarkably influenced and assisted to dwell upon the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation by him, in the general current of
my discourses here, and have been at times surprisingly furnished with
pertinent matter relating to him, and the design of his incarnation;
so I have been no less assisted oftentimes in regard of an advantageous
manner of opening the mysteries of divine grace, and representing
the infinite excellencies and “unsearchable riches of Christ,” as well
as of recommending him to the
acceptance of perishing sinners. I have frequently
been enabled to represent the divine glory, the infinite preciousness
and transcendent loveliness of the great Redeemer; the suitableness of
his person and purchase to supply the wants, and answer the utmost desires,
of immortal souls:--to open the infinite riches of his grace, and the wonderful
encouragement proposed in the gospel to unworthy, helpless sinners:--to
call, invite, and beseech them to come and give up themselves to him, and
be reconciled to God through him:--to expostulate with them respecting
their neglect of one so infinitely lovely, and freely offered:--and this
in such a manner, with such freedom, pertinency, pathos,
and application to the conscience, as, I am sure, I never could have made
myself master of by the most assiduous application of mind. And frequently
at such seasons I have been surprisingly helped in adapting my discourses
to the capacities of my people, and bringing them down into such
easy and familiar methods of expression, as has rendered them intelligible
even to pagans.
I
do not mention these things as a recommendation of my own performances;
for I am sure I found, from time to time, that I had no skill or wisdom
for my great work; and knew not how “to choose out acceptable words” proper
to address poor benighted pagans with. But thus God was pleased to help
me, “not to know any thing among them, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
Thus I was enabled to show them their misery without him,
and to represent his complete fitness to redeem and save them.
And
this
was the preaching God made use of for the awakening of sinners, and the
propagation of this “work of grace among the Indians.”--And it was remarkable,
SECT.
II. MORAL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 417
from
time to time, that when I was favoured with any special freedom,
in discoursing of the “ability and willingness of Christ to save sinners,”
and “the need they stood in of such a Saviour,” there was then the greatest
appearance of divine power in awakening numbers of secure souls, promoting
convictions begun, and comforting the distressed.
I
have sometimes formerly, in reading the apostle’s discourse to Cornelius,
(Acts x.) wondered to see him so quickly introduce the Lord Jesus Christ
into his sermon, and so entirely dwell upon him through the whole of it,
observing him in this point very widely to differ from many of our modern
preachers: but latterly this has not seemed strange, since Christ has appeared
to be the substance of the gospel, and the centre in which
the several lines of divine revelation meet. Although I am still sensible
there are many things necessary to be spoken to persons under pagan darkness,
in order to make way for a proper introduction of the name of Christ, and
his undertaking in behalf of fallen man.
SECT.
II.
Morality,
sobriety, and external duties, promoted by preaching Christ crucified.
IT
is worthy of remark, secondly, that numbers of these people are brought
to a strict compliance with the rules of morality and sobriety,
and to a conscientious performance of the external duties of Christianity,
by the internal power and influence of divine truths--the peculiar
doctrines of grace--upon their minds; without their having these moral
duties frequently repeated and inculcated upon them, and the contrary
vices particularly exposed and spoken against. What has been the general
strain and drift of my preaching among these Indians; what
were the truths I principally insisted upon, and how I was influenced and
enabled to dwell from time to time upon the peculiar doctrines of grace;
I have already observed in the preceding remarks. Those doctrines, which
had the most direct tendency to humble the fallen creature, to show
him the misery of his natural state, to bring him down to the foot
of sovereign mercy, and to exalt the great Redeemer--discover his
transcendent excellency and infinite preciousness, and so to recommend
him to the sinner’s acceptance--were the subject-matter of what was delivered
in public and private to them, and from time to time repeated and inculcated
upon them.
And
God was pleased to give these divine truths such a powerful influence upon
the minds of these people, and so to bless them for the effectual awakening
of numbers of them, that their lives were quickly reformed, without my
insisting upon the precepts of morality, and spending time
in repeated harangues upon external duties. There was indeed no
room for any kind of discourses but those that respected the essentials
of religion, and the experimental knowledge of divine things, whilst
there were so many inquiring daily--not how they should regulate their
external conduct, for that persons, who are honestly disposed
to comply with duty, when known, may, in ordinary cases, be easily satisfied
about, but--how they should escape from the wrath they feared, and felt
a desert of,--obtain an effectual change of heart,--get an interest
in Christ,--and come to the enjoyment of eternal blessedness? So that my
great work still was to lead them into a further view of their utter
undoneness in themselves, the total depravity and corruption of their
hearts; that there was no manner of goodness in them; no good dispositions
nor desires; no love to God, nor delight in his commands: but, on the contrary,
hatred, enmity, and all manner of wickedness reigning in them:--and at
the same time to open to them the glorious and complete remedy provided
in Christ for helpless, perishing sinners, and offered freely to those
who have no goodness of their own, no “works of righteousness which they
have done,” to recommend them to God.
This
was the continued strain of my preaching; this my great concern and constant
endeavour, so to enlighten the mind, as thereby duly to affect the heart,
and, as far as possible, give persons a sense and feeling
of these precious and important doctrines of grace, at least, so far as
means might conduce to it. And these were the doctrines,--this the method
of preaching, which were blessed of God for the awakening, and, I trust,
the saving conversion of numbers of souls,--and which were made the means
of producing a remarkable reformation among the hearers in general.
When
these truths were felt at heart, there was now no vice unreformed,--no
external duty neglected.--Drunkenness, the darling vice, was broken off
from, and scarce an instance of it known among my hearers for months together.
The abusive practice of husbands and wives in putting away
each other, and taking others in their stead, was quickly reformed; so
that there are three or four couple who have voluntarily dismissed those
they had wrongfully taken, and now live together again in love and peace.
The same might be said of all other vicious practices.--The reformation
was general; and all springing from the internal influence of divine
truths upon their hearts; and not from any external restraints,
or because they had heard these vice particularly exposed, and repeatedly
spoken against. Some of them I never so much as mentioned; particularly,
that of the parting of men and their wives, till some, having their conscience
awakened by God’s word, came, and of their own accord confessed
themselves guilty in that respect. And when I did at any time mention their
wicked practices, and the sins they were guilty of contrary to the light
of nature, it was not with design, nor indeed with any hope, of working
an effectual reformation in their external manners by this means, for I
knew, that while the tree remained corrupt, the
fruit
would naturally be so; but with design to lead them, by observing
the wickedness of their lives, to a view of the corruption of their
hearts, and so to convince them of the necessity of a renovation
of nature, and to excite them with utmost diligence to seek after that
great change, which, if once obtained, I was sensible, would of course
produce a reformation of external manners in every respect.
And
as all vice was reformed upon their feeling the power of these truth
upon their hearts, so the external duties of Christianity were complied
with, and conscientiously performed, from the same internal influence;
family prayer set up, and constantly maintained, unless among some few
more lately come, who had felt little of this divine influence. This duty
was constantly performed, even in some families where there were none but
females, and scarce a prayerless person to be found among near a
hundred of them. The Lord’s day was seriously and religiously observed,
and care taken by parents to keep their children orderly upon that sacred
day, &c. And this, not because I had driven them to the performance
of these duties by a frequent inculcating of them, but because they had
felt the power of God’s word upon their hearts,--were made sensible
of their sin and misery, and thence could not but pray, and comply with
every thing they knew was duty, from what they felt within themselves.
When their hearts were touched with a sense of their eternal concerns,
they could pray with great freedom, as well as fervency, without being
at the trouble first to learn set forms for that purpose. And some
of them who were suddenly awakened at their first coming among us, were
brought to pray and cry for mercy with utmost importunity, without ever
being instructed in the duty of prayer, or so much as once directed to
a performance of it.
The
happy effects of these peculiar doctrines of grace, which I have so much
insisted upon with this people, plainly discover, even to demonstration,
that instead of their opening a door to licentiousness, as many vainly
imagine, and slanderously insinuate, they have a direct contrary tendency:
so that a close application, a sense and feeling of them,
will have the most powerful influence toward the renovation, and effectual
reformation, both of heart and life.
And
happy experience, as well as the word of God, and the example of Christ
and his apostles, has taught me, that the very method of preaching which
is best suited to awaken in mankind a sense and lively apprehension of
their depravity and misery in a fallen state,--to excite them earnestly
to seek after a change of heart, and to
418
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. I.
fly
for refuge
to free and sovereign grace in Christ, as the only hope set before them,
is like to be most successful toward the reformation of their external
conduct.--I have found that close addresses, and solemn applications of
divine truth to the conscience, tend directly to strike death to the root
of all vice; while smooth and plausible harangues upon moral virtues
and external duties, at best are like to do no more than lop off
the branches of corruption, while the root of all vice remains
still untouched.
A
view of the blessed effect of honest endeavours to bring home divine truths
to the conscience, and duly to affect the heart with them, has often minded
me of those words of our Lord, (which I have thought might be a proper
exhortation for ministers in respect of their treating with others, as
well as for persons in general with regard to themselves,) “Cleanse first
the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside may be clean also.”
Cleanse, says he, the inside, that the outside may be clean. As
if he had said, The only effectual way to have the outside clean, is to
begin with what is within; and if the fountain be purified, the
streams will naturally be pure. And most certain it is, if we can
awaken in sinners a lively sense of their inward pollution and depravity--their
need of a change of heart--and so engage them to seek after inward
cleansing, their external defilement will naturally be cleansed,
their vicious ways of course be reformed, and their conversation
and behaviour become regular.
Now,
although I cannot pretend that the reformation among my people does, in
every instance, spring from a saving change of heart; yet I may truly say,
it flows from some heart-affecting view and sense of divine truths
that all have had in a greater or less degree.--I do not intend, by what
I have observed here, to represent the preaching of morality, and
pressing persons to the external performance of duty, to be altogether
unnecessary and useless at any time; and especially at times when
there is less of divine power attending the means of grace;--when, for
want of internal influences, there is need of external restraints.
It is doubtless among the things that “ought to be done,” while “others
are not to be left undone.”--But what I principally designed by this remark,
was to discover plain matter of fact, viz. That the reformation,
the sobriety, and external compliance with the rules and duties of Christianity,
appearing among my people are not the effect of any mere doctrinal
instruction, or merely rational view of the beauty of morality,
but from the internal power and influence that divine truths (the soul-humbling
doctrines of grace) have had upon their hearts.
SECT.
III.
Continuance,
renewal, and quickness of the work.
IT
is remarkable, thirdly, that God has so continued and renewed
showers of his grace here:--so quickly set up his visible kingdom
among these people; and so smiled upon them in relation to their
acquirement of knowledge, both divine and human. It is now near a year
since the beginning of this gracious outpouring of the divine Spirit among
them: and although it has often seemed to decline and abate for some short
space of time--as may be observed by several passages of my Journal,
where I have endeavoured to note things just as they appeared to me--yet
the shower has seemed to be renewed, and the work of grace revived
again. So that a divine influence seems still apparently to attend the
means of grace, in a greater or less degree, in most of our meetings for
religious exercises: whereby religious persons are refreshed, strengthened,
and established,--convictions revived and promoted in many instances,--and
some few persons newly awakened from time to time. Although it must be
acknowledged, that for some time past, there has, in the general, appeared
a more manifest decline of this work, and the divine Spirit has seemed,
in a considerable measure, withdrawn, especially in regard of his awakening
influence--so that the strangers who come latterly, are not seized
with concern as formerly; and some few, who have been much affected with
divine truths in time past, now appear less concerned.--Yet, blessed be
God, there is still an appearance of divine power and grace, a desirable
degree of tenderness, religious affection, and devotion in our assemblies.
And
as God has continued and renewed the showers of his grace among this people
for some time; so he has with uncommon quickness set up his visible
kingdom, and gathered himself a church in the midst of them. I have now
baptized, since the conclusion of my last Journal, (or the
First Part,) thirty persons, fifteen adults and fifteen
children. Which added to the number there mentioned, makes seventy-seven
persons; whereof thirty-eight are adults, and thirty-nine
children; and all within the space of eleven months past.--And it
must be noted, that I have baptized no adults, but such as appeared to
have a work of special grace wrought in their hearts; I mean such who have
had the experience not only of the awakening and humbling, but, in a judgment
of charity, of the renewing and comforting, influences of the divine Spirit.
There are many others under solemn concern for their souls, who (I apprehend)
are persons of sufficient knowledge, and visible seriousness, at present,
to render them proper subjects of the ordinance of baptism. Yet, since
they give no comfortable evidences of having as yet passed a saving
change, but only appear under convictions of their sin and misery, and
having no principle of spiritual life wrought in them, they are liable
to lose the impressions of religion they are now under. Considering also,
the great propensity there is in this people naturally to abuse
themselves with strong drink, and fearing lest some, who at present appear
serious and concerned for their souls, might lose their concern, and return
to this sin, and so, if baptized, prove a scandal to their profession,
I have therefore thought proper hitherto to omit the baptism of any but
such who give some hopeful evidences of a saving change, although
I do not pretend to determine positively respecting the states of any.
I
likewise administered the Lord’s supper to a number of persons, who I have
abundant reason to think (as I elsewhere observed) were proper subjects
of that ordinance, within the space of ten months and ten days
after my first coming among these Indians in New Jersey. And from the time
that, I am informed, some of them were attending an idolatrous feast
and sacrifice in honour to devils, to the time they sat down
at the Lord’s table, (I trust,) to the honour of God, was not more than
a full year. Surely Christ’s little flock here, so suddenly gathered
from among pagans, may justly say, in the language of the church of old,
“The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”
Much
of the goodness of God has also appeared in relation to their acquirement
of knowledge, both in religion and in the affairs of common life. There
has been a wonderful thirst after christian knowledge prevailing
among them in general, and an eager desire of being instructed in christian
doctrines and manners. This has prompted them to ask many pertinent as
well as important questions; the answers to which have tended much to enlighten
their minds, and promote their knowledge in divine things. Many of the
doctrines I have delivered, they have queried with me about, in order to
gain further light and insight into them; particularly the doctrine of
predestination: and have from time to time manifested a good understanding
of them, by their answers to the questions proposed to them in my catechetical
lectures.
They
have likewise queried with me, respecting a proper method as well
as proper matter of prayer, and expressions suitable to be used
in that religious exercise; and have taken pains in order to the performance
of this duty with understanding.--They have likewise taken pains, and appeared
remarkably apt, in learning to sing psalm tunes, and are now able
to sing with a good degree of decency in the worship of God.--They have
also acquired a considerable degree of useful knowledge in the affairs
of common life: so that they now appear like rational creatures,
fit for human society, free of that savage roughness and brutish stupidity,
which rendered them very disagreeable in their pagan state.
They
seem ambitious of a thorough acquaintance with the English language, and
for that end frequently speak it among themselves; and many of them have
made good
SECT
IV. CONTINUANCE, &c. OF THE WORK. 419
proficiency
in their acquirement of it, since my coming among them; so that most of
them can understand a considerable part, and some the substance of my discourses,
without an interpreter, (being used to my low and vulgar methods
of expression,) though they could not well understand other ministers.
And
as they are desirous of instruction, and surprisingly apt in the reception
of it, so Divine Providence has smiled upon them in regard of proper
means in order to it.--The attempts made for the procurement of a school
among them have been succeeded, and a kind Providence has sent them a schoolmaster
of whom I may justly say, I know of “no man like minded, who will naturally
care for their state.”--He has generally thirty or thirty-five
children in his school: and when he kept an evening school (as he did while
the length of the evenings would admit of it) he had fifteen or
twenty people, married and single.
The
children learn with surprising readiness; so that their master
tells me, he never had an English school that learned, in general, comparably
so fast. There were not above two in thirty, although some
of them were very small, but what learned to know all the letters
in the alphabet distinctly, within three days after his entrance
upon his business; and divers in that space of time learned to spell
considerably: and some of them, since the beginning of February last,*
(at which time the school was set up,) have learned so much, that they
are able to read in a Psalter or Testament, without spelling.
They
are instructed twice a week in the Reverend Assembly’s Shorter Catechism,
viz.
on Wednesday and Saturday. Some of them, since the latter end of
February, (at which time they began,) have learned to say it pretty distinctly
by heart considerably more than half through; and most of
them have made some proficiency in it.
They
are likewise instructed in the duty of secret prayer, and most of them
constantly attend it night and morning, and are very careful to inform
their master if they apprehend any of their little school-mates neglect
that religious exercise.
SECT.
IV.
But
little appearance of false religion.
IT
is worthy to be noted, fourthly, to the praise of sovereign grace, that
amidst so great a work of conviction--so much concern and religious
affection--there has been no prevalency, nor indeed any considerable
appearance of
false religion, if I may term it, or heats
of imagination, intemperate zeal, and spiritual pride; which corrupt mixtures
to often attend the revival and powerful propagation of religion; and that
there have been so very few instances of irregular and scandalous behaviour
among those who have appeared serious. I may justly repeat what I observed
in a remark at the conclusion of my last Journal,† viz. That
there has been no appearance of “bodily agonies, convulsions, frightful
screaming, swoonings,” and the like: and may now further add, that there
has been no prevalency of visions, trances, and imaginations of
any kind; although there has been some appearance of something of
that nature since the conclusion of that Journal. An instance of which
I have given an account of in my Journal of December 26.
But
this work of grace has, in the main, been carried on with
a surprising degree of purity, and freedom from trash and
corrupt mixture. The religious concern that persons have been under, has
generally been
rational and just; arising from a sense
of their sins, and exposedness to the divine displeasure on the account
of them; as well as their utter inability to deliver themselves from the
misery they felt and feared. And if there has been, in any instances, an
appearance of irrational concern and perturbation of mind, when
the subjects of it knew not why, yet there has been no prevalency
of any such thing; and indeed I scarce know of any instance of that nature
at all.--And it is very remarkable, that although the concern of many persons
under convictions of their perishing state has been very great and pressing,
yet I have never seen any thing like desperation attending it in
any one instance. They have had the most lively sense of their undoneness
in themselves; have been brought to give up all hopes of deliverance
from themselves; and their spiritual exercises leading hereto, have been
attended with great distress and anguish of soul: and yet in the seasons
of the greatest extremity, there has been no appearance of despair
in any of them,--nothing that has discouraged, or in any wise hindered,
them from the most diligent use of all proper means for their conversion
and salvation; whence it is apparent there is not that danger of persons
being driven into despair under spiritual trouble, (unless in cases
of deep and habitual melancholy,) that the world in general is ready to
imagine.
The
comfort
that persons have obtained after their distresses, has likewise in general
appeared solid, well grounded, and scriptural; arising from a spiritual
and supernatural illumination of mind,--a view of divine things
in a measure as they are,--a complacency of soul in the divine perfections,--and
a peculiar satisfaction in the way of salvation by free sovereign
grace in the great Redeemer.
Their
joys have seemed to rise from a variety of views and considerations of
divine things, although for substance the same. Some, who under conviction
seemed to have the hardest struggles and heart-risings against divine sovereignty,
have seemed, at the first dawn of their comfort, to rejoice in a peculiar
manner in that divine perfection,--have been delighted to think
that themselves, and all things else, were in the hand of God, and that
he would dispose of them “just as he pleased.”
Others,
who just before their reception of comfort, have been remarkably oppressed
with a sense of their undoneness and poverty, who have seen themselves,
as it were, falling down into remediless perdition, have been at first
more peculiarly delighted with a view of the freeness and riches
of divine grace, and the offer of salvation made to perishing sinners “without
money, and without price.”
Some
have at first appeared to rejoice especially in the wisdom of God,
discovered in the way of salvation by Christ; it then appearing to them
“a new and living way,” a way they had never thought, nor had any just
conception of, until opened to them by the special influence of
the divine Spirit. And some of them, upon a lively spiritual view
of this way of salvation, have wondered at their past folly in seeking
salvation other ways, and have admired that they never saw this
way of salvation before, which now appeared so plain and easy,
as well as excellent to them.
Others
again have had a more general view of the beauty and excellency
of Christ, and have had their souls delighted with an apprehension of his
divine glory, as unspeakably exceeding all they had ever conceived
of before; yet without singling out any one of the divine perfections in
particular; so that although their comforts have seemed to arise from a
variety of views and considerations of divine glories, still they
were spiritual and supernatural views of them, and not groundless
fancies, that were the spring of their joys and comforts.
Yet
it must be acknowledged, that when this work became so universal
and prevalent, and gained such general credit and esteem among the
Indians, that Satan seemed to have little advantage of working against
it in his own proper garb; he then transformed himself “into an
angel of light,” and made some vigorous attempts to introduce turbulent
commotions of the passions in the room of genuine convictions of
sin; imaginary and fanciful notions of Christ, as appearing to the mental
eye in a human shape, and being in some particular postures, &c. in
the room of spiritual and supernatural discoveries of his
divine glory and excellency; as well as divers other delusions. And I have
reason to think, that if these things had met with countenance and encouragement,
there would have been a very considerable harvest of this kind of
converts here.
Spiritual
pride
also discovered itself in various instances. Some persons who had been
under great affections, seemed very desirous from thence of being thought
truly gracious; who when I could not but express to them my
*
In less than five mouths, viz. from Feb. 1, to June 19.
†
That is, the First Part of the Journal.
420
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. I.
fears
respecting their spiritual states, discovered their resentments to a considerable
degree upon that occasion. There also appeared in one or two
of them an unbecoming ambition of being teachers of others. So that
Satan has been a busy adversary here, as well as elsewhere.
But blessed be God, though something of this nature has appeared, yet nothing
of it has prevailed, nor indeed made any considerable progress at
all. My people are now apprised of these things, are made acquainted that
Satan in such a manner “transformed himself into an angel of light,”
in the first season of the great outpouring of the divine Spirit
in the days of the apostles; and that something of this nature, in a greater
or less degree, has attended almost every revival and remarkable
propagation of true religion ever since. And they have learned so
to distinguish between the gold and dross, that the credit
of the latter “is trodden down like the mire of the streets:” and it being
natural for this kind of stuff to die with its credit, there
is now scarce any appearance of it among them.
And
as there has been no prevalency of irregular heats, imaginary notions,
spiritual pride, and satanical delusions among my people; so there has
been very few instances of scandalous and irregular behaviour
among those who have made a profession or even an appearance
of seriousness. I do not know of more than three or four such persons
that have been guilty of any open misconduct since their first acquaintance
with Christianity, and not one that persists in any thing of that
nature. And perhaps the remarkable purity of this work in the latter
respect, its freedom from frequent instances of scandal, is very much owing
to its purity in the former respect, its freedom from corrupt mixtures
of spiritual pride, wild-fire, and delusion, which naturally lay a foundation
for scandalous practices.
“May
this blessed work in the power and purity of it prevail among the poor
Indians here, as well as spread elsewhere, till their remotest tribes shall
see the salvation of God! Amen.”*
SECOND
APPENDIX
TO
MR.
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF HIS
METHOD
OF LEARNING THE INDIAN LANGUAGE, AND OF INSTRUCTING THE INDIANS;
TOGETHER
WITH
THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH LIE IN THE WAY OF THEIR CONVERSION.
INTRODUCTION.
I
SHOULD have concluded what I had at present to offer, upon the affairs
respecting my mission, with the preceding account of the money collected
and expended for the religious interests of the Indians, but that
I have not long since received from the reverend president of the correspondents,
the copy of a letter directed to him from the Honourable Society for propagating
Christian Knowledge, dated at Edinburgh, March 21, 1745. Wherein I find
it is expressly enjoined upon their missionaries, “That they give an exact
account of the methods they make use of for instructing themselves in the
Indians’ language, and what progress they have already made in it. What
methods they are now taking to instruct the Indians in the principles of
our holy religion. And particularly that they set forth in their
Journals what difficulties they have already met with, and the methods
they make use of for surmounting the same.”
As
to the two former of these particulars, I trust that what I have
already noted in my Journals from time to time, might have been in a good
measure satisfactory to the Honourable Society, had these Journals arrived
safely
*
Money collected and expended for the Indians.--As mention has been
made in the preceding Journal, of an English school erected and
continued among these Indians, dependent entirely upon charity; and as
collections have already been made in divers places for the support
of it, as well as for defraying other charges that have necessarily arisen
in the promotion of the religious interests of the Indians, it may be satisfactory,
and perhaps will be thought by some but a piece of justice to the world,
that an exact account be here given of the money already received by way
of collection for the benefit of the Indians, and the manner in
which it has been expended.
The
following is therefore a just account of this matter:--
Money
received since October last, by way of public collection, for promoting
the religious interests of the Indians in New Jersey, viz.
£s.d.
From
New York....23102
Jamaica
on Long Island...300
Elizabeth-town....750
Elizabeth-town
farms....1189
Newark.....457
Woodbridge.....2182
Morris-town......153
Freehold.....12110
Freehold
Dutch congregation..4143
Shrewsbury
and Shark river..350
Middle-town
Dutch congregation..200
--------------
Carried
forward...£66132
£s.d.
Brought
forward...£66132
The
Dutch congregation in and about New
Brunswick ...350
King’s-town...5110
Neshaminy,
and places adjacent in Pennsylvania 14510
Abington
and New Providence, by the hand of
the
Reverend Mr. Treat...1050
--------------
The
whole amounting to..£10000
--------------
Money
paid out since October last for promoting the religious interests of the
Indians in New Jersey, viz.
Upon
the occasion mentioned in my Journal
of
January 28...8250
For
the building a School-house..350
To
the schoolmaster as a part of his reward
for
his present year’s service.17100
For
books for the children to learn in300
--------------
The
whole amounting to..£10600
--------------
DAVID
BRAINERD
SECT.
I. METHOD OF LEARNING THE INDIAN LANGUAGE. 121
and
seasonably, which I am sensible they have not in general done, by
reason of their falling into the hands of the enemy, although I have been
at the pains of sending two copies of every Journal, for more than two
years past, lest one might miscarry in the passage. But with relation to
the latter of these particulars, I have purposely omitted saying
any thing considerable, and that for these two reasons. First, because
I could not oftentimes give any tolerable account of the difficulties
I met with in my work, without speaking somewhat particularly of the causes
of them, and the circumstances conducing to them, which would necessarily
have rendered my Journals very tedious. Besides, some of the causes of
my difficulties I thought more fit to be concealed than divulged. And,
secondly, because I thought a frequent mentioning of the difficulties
attending my work, might appear as an unbecoming complaint under my burden;
or as if I would rather be thought to be endowed with a singular measure
of self-denial, constancy, and holy resolution, to meet and confront so
many difficulties, and yet to hold on and go forward amidst them all. But
since the Honourable Society are pleased to require a more exact
and particular account of these thing, I shall cheerfully endeavour
something for their satisfaction in relation to each of these particulars:
although in regard of the latter I am ready to say, Infandum--jubes
renovare dolorem.
SECT.
I.
Method
of learning the Indian language.
THE
most successful method I have taken for instructing myself in any
of the Indian languages, is, to translate English discourses by the help
of an interpreter or two, into their language as near verbatim as the sense
will admit of, and to observe strictly how they use words, and what construction
they will bear in various cases; and thus to gain some acquaintance with
the root from whence particular words proceed, and to see how they are
thence varied and diversified. But here occurs a very great difficulty;
for the interpreters being unlearned, and unacquainted with the rules of
language, it is impossible sometimes to know by them what part of speech
some particular word is of, whether noun, verb, or participle;
for they seem to use participles sometimes where we should use nouns,
and sometimes where we should use verbs in the English language.
But
I have, notwithstanding many difficulties, gained some acquaintance with
the grounds of the Delaware language, and have learned most of the defects
in it; so that I know what English words can, and what cannot, be translated
into it. I have also gained some acquaintance with the particular phraseologies,
as well as peculiarities of their language, one of which I cannot
but mention. Their language does not admit of their speaking any word denoting
relation, such as, father, son, &c. absolutely; that is, without
prefixing a pronoun-passive to it, such as my, thy, his,
&c. Hence they cannot be baptized in their own language in the name
of the Father, and the Son, &c.; but they may be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ and his Father, &c. I have gained
so much knowledge of their language, that I can understand a considerable
part of what they say, when they discourse upon divine things, and am frequently
able to correct my interpreter, if he mistakes my sense. But I can do nothing
to any purpose at speaking the language myself.
And
as an apology for this defect, I must renew, or rather enlarge, my former
complaint, viz. That “while so much of my time is necessarily consumed
in journeying,” while I am obliged to ride four thousand miles a year,
(as I have done in the year past,) “I can have little left for any of my
necessary studies, and consequently for the study of the Indian languages.”
And this, I may venture to say, is the great, if not the only, reason why
the Delaware language is not familiar to me before this time. And it is
impossible I should ever be able to speak it without close application,
which, at present, I see no prospect of having time for. To preach and
catechise frequently; to converse privately with persons that need so much
instruction and direction as these poor Indians do; to take care of all
their secular affairs, as if they were a company of children; to
ride abroad frequently in order to procure collections for the support
of the school, and for their help and benefit in other respects;
to hear and decide all the petty differences that arise among any of them;
and to have the constant oversight and management of all their affairs
of every kind, must needs engross most of my time, and leave me little
for application to the study of the Indian languages. And when I add to
this, the time that is necessarily consumed upon in my Journals, I must
say I have little to spare for other business. I have not (as was observed
before) sent to the Honourable Society less than two copies of every Journal,
for more than two years past; most of which, I suppose, have been taken
by the French in their passage. And a third copy I have constantly kept
by me, lest the others should miscarry. This has caused me not a little
labour, and so straitened me for time, when I have been at liberty from
other business, and had opportunity to sit down to write, which is but
rare, that I have been obliged to write twelve and thirteen hours in a
day; till my spirits have been extremely wasted, and my life almost spent,
to get these writings accomplished. And after all; after diligent application
to the various parts of my work, and after the most industrious improvement
of time I am capable of, both early and late, I cannot oftentimes possibly
gain two hours in a week for reading or any other studies, unless just
for what appears of absolute necessity for the present. And frequently
when I attempt to redeem time, by sparing it out of my sleeping hours,
I am by that means thrown under bodily indisposition, and rendered fit
for nothing.--This is truly my present state, and is like to be so, for
aught I can see, unless I could procure an assistant in my work,
or quit my present business.
But
although I have not made that proficiency I could wish to have done, in
learning the Indian languages; yet I have used all endeavours to instruct
them in English tongue, which perhaps will be more advantageous to the
christian interest among them, than if I should preach in their own language;
for that is very defective, (as I shall hereafter observe,) so that many
things cannot be communicated to them without introducing English terms.
Besides, they can have no books translated into their language,
without great difficulty and expense; and if still accustomed to their
own language only, they would have no advantage of hearing other ministers
occasionally, or in my absence. So that my having a perfect acquaintance
with the Indian language would be of no great importance with regard to
this congregation of Indians in New Jersey, although it might be of great
service to me in treating with the Indians elsewhere.
SECT.
II.
Method
of instructing the Indians.
THE
method I am taking to instruct the Indians in the principles of our holy
religion, are, to preach, or open and improve some particular points of
doctrine; to expound particular paragraphs, or sometimes whole chapters,
of God’s word to them; to give historical relations from Scripture of the
most material and remarkable occurrences relating to the church of God
from the beginning; and frequency to catechise them upon the principles
of Christianity. The latter of these methods of instructing I manage in
a twofold manner. I sometimes catechise systematically, proposing
questions agreeable to the Reverend Assembly’s Shorter Catechism.
This I have carried to a considerable length. At other times I catechise
upon any important subject that I think difficult to them. Sometimes when
I have discoursed upon some particular point, and made it as plain and
familiar to them as I can, I then catechise them upon the most material
branches of my discourse, to see whether they had a thorough understanding
of it. But as I have catechised chiefly in a systematical form,
I shall here give some specimen of the method I make use of in it, as well
as of the propriety and justness of my people’s answers to the questions
proposed to them.
422
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. II.
Questions
upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at death.
Q.
I have shown you, that the children of God receive a great many good things
from Christ while they live, now have they any more to receive when they
come to die?--A. Yes.
Q.
Are the children of God then made perfectly free from sin?--Yes.
Q.
Do you think they will never more be troubled with vain, foolish, and wicked
thoughts?--A. No, never at all.
Q.
Will not they then be like the good angels I have so often told you of?--A.
Yes.
Q.
And do you call this a great mercy to be freed from all sin?--A.
Yes.
Q.
Do all God’s children count it so?--A. Yes, all of them.
Q.
Do you think this is what they would ask for above all things, if
God should say to them, Ask what you will, and it shall be done for you?--A.
O yes, be sure, this is what they want.
Q.
You say the souls of God’s people at death are made perfectly free from
sin, where do they go then?--A. They go and live with Jesus Christ.
Q.
Does Christ show them more respect and honour, and make them more happy*
than we can possibly think of in this world?-A. Yes.
Q.
Do they go immediately to live with Christ in heaven, as soon as
their bodies are dead? or do they tarry somewhere else a while?--A.
They go immediately to Christ.
Q.
Does Christ take any care of the bodies of his people when they are dead,
and their souls gone to heaven, or does he forget them?--A. He takes
care of them.
These
questions were all answered with surprising readiness, and without once
missing, as I remember. And in answering several of them which respected
deliverance from sin, they were much affected, and melted with the hopes
of that happy state.
Questions
upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at the resurrection.
Q.
You see I have already shown you what good things Christ gives his good
people while they live, and when they come to die; now, will he raise their
bodies, and the bodies of others, to life again at the last day?--A.
Yes, they shall all be raised.
Q.
Shall they then have the same bodies they now have?-A. Yes.
Q.
Will their bodies then be weak, will they feel cold, hunger, thirst, and
weariness, as they now do?--A. No, none of these things.
Q.
Will their bodies ever die any more after they are raised to life?--A.
No.
Q.
Will their souls and bodies be joined together again?--A. Yes.
Q.
Will God’s people be more happy then, than they were while their bodies
were asleep?--A. Yes.
Q.
Will Christ then own these to be his people before all the world?--A.
Yes.
Q.
But God’s people find so much sin in themselves, that they are often ashamed
of themselves, and will not Christ be ashamed to own such for his friends
at that day?--A. No, he never will be ashamed of them.
Q.
Will Christ then show all the world, that he has put away these people’s
sins,† and that he looks upon them as if they had never sinned at all?--A.
Yes.
Q.
Will he look upon them as if they had never sinned, for the sake of any
good things they have done themselves, or for the sake of his righteousness
accounted to them as if it was theirs?--A. For the sake of his righteousness
counted to them, not for their own goodness.
Q.
Will God’s children then be as happy as they can desire to be?--Yes.
Q.
The children of God while in this world, can but now and then draw near
to him, and they are ready to think they can never have enough of God and
Christ, but will they have enough there, as much as they can desire?--A.
O yes, enough, enough.
Q.
Will the children of God love him then as much as they desire, will they
find nothing to hinder their love from going to him?--A. Nothing
at all, they shall love him as much as they desire.
Q.
Will they never be weary of God and Christ, and the pleasures of heaven,
so as we are weary of our friends and enjoyments here, after we have been
pleased with them awhile?--A. No, never.
Q.
Could God’s people be happy if they knew God loved them, and yet felt at
the same time that they could not love and honour him?--A. No, no.
Q.
Will this then make God’s people perfectly happy, to love God above all,
to honour him continually, and to feel his love to them?--A. Yes.
Q.
And will this happiness last for ever?--A. Yes, for ever, for ever.
These
questions, like the former, were answered without hesitation or missing,
as I remember, in any one instance.
Questions
upon the duty which God requires of men.
Q.
Has God let us know any thing of his will, or what he would have us to
do to please him?--A. Yes.
Q.
And does he require us to do his will, and to please him?--A. Yes.
Q.
Is it right that God should require this of us, has he any business to
command us as a father does his children?--A. Yes.
Q.
Why is it right that God should command us to do what he pleases?--A.
Because he made us, and gives us all our good things.
Q.
Does God require us to do any thing that will hurt us, and take away our
comfort and happiness?--A. No.
Q.
But God requires sinners to repent and be sorry for their sins, and to
have their hearts broken; now, does not this hurt them, and take away their
comfort, to be made sorry, and to have their hearts broken?--A.
No, it does them good.
Q.
Did God teach man his will at first by writing it down in a book, or did
he put it into his heart, and teach him without a book what was right?--A.
He put it into his heart, and made him know what he should do.
Q.
Has God since that time writ down his will in a book?--A. Yes.
Q.
Has God written his whole will in his book; has he there told us all that
he would have us believe and do?--A. Yes.
Q.
What need was there of this book, if God at first put his will into the
heart of man, and made him feel what he should do?--A. There was
need of it, because we have sinned, and made our hearts blind.
Q.
And has God writ down the same things in his book, that he at first put
into the heart of man?--A. Yes.
In
this manner I endeavour to adapt my instructions to the capacities of my
people; although they may perhaps seem strange to others who have never
experienced the difficulty of the work. And these I have given an account
of, are the methods I am from time to time pursuing, in order to instruct
them in the principles of Christianity. And I think I may say, it is my
great concern that these instructions be given them in such a manner,
that they may not only be doctrinally taught, but duly affected
thereby, that divine truths may come to them, “not in word only, but in
power, and in the Holy Ghost,” and be received “not as the word of man.”
*
The only way I have to express their “entering into glory,” or being glorified;
there being no word in the Indian language answering to that general term.
†
The only way I have to express their being openly-acquitted. In
like manner, when I speak of justification, I have no other way but to
call it God’s looking upon us as good creatures.
SECT.
III AVERSION OF THE INDIANS TO CHRISTIANITY. 423
SECT.
III.
Difficulties
attending the christianizing of the Indians--First difficulty, the rooted
aversion to Christianity that generally prevails among them.
I
SHALL now attempt something with relation to the last particular required
by the Honourable Society in their letter, viz. To give some account
of the “difficulties I have already met with in my work, and the methods
I make use of for surmounting the same.” And, in the first instance, first,
I have met with great difficulty in my work among these Indians, “from
the rooted aversion to Christianity that generally prevails among them.”
They are not only brutishly stupid and ignorant of divine things, but many
of them are obstinately set against Christianity, and seem to abhor even
the christian name.
This
aversion to Christianity arises partly from a view of the “immorality and
vicious behaviour of many who are called Christians.” They observe that
horrid wickedness in nominal Christians, which the light of nature condemns
in themselves: and not having distinguishing views of things, are ready
to look upon all the white people alike, and to condemn them alike,
for the abominable practices of some.--Hence when I have attempted
to treat with them about Christianity, they have frequently objected the
scandalous practices of Christians. They have observed to me, that the
white people lie, defraud, steal, and drink worse than the Indians;
that they have taught the Indians these things, especially the latter of
them; who before the coming of the English, knew of no such thing as strong
drink: that the English have, by these means, made them quarrel and kill
one another; and, in a word, brought them to the practice of all those
vices that now prevail among them. So that they are now vastly more vicious,
as well as much more miserable, than they were before the coming of the
white people into the country.--These, and such like objections, they frequently
make against Christianity, which are not easily answered to their satisfaction;
many of them being facts too notoriously true.
The
only way I have to take in order to surmount this difficulty, is
to distinguish between nominal and real Christians; and to
show them, that the ill conduct of many of the former proceeds not
from their being Christians, but from their being Christians only in name,
not in heart, &c. To which it has sometimes been objected, that
if all those who will cheat the Indians are Christians only in name,
there are but few left in the country to be Christians in heart.
This, and many other of the remarks they pass upon the white people, and
their miscarriages, I am forced to own, and cannot but grant, that many
nominal Christians are more abominably wicked than the Indians.
But then I attempt to show them, that there are some who feel the power
of Christianity, and that these are not so. I ask them, when they ever
saw me guilty of the vices they complain of, and charge Christians in general
with? But still the great difficulty is, that the people who live back
in the country nearest to them, and the traders that go among them,
are generally of the most irreligious and vicious sort; and the conduct
of one or two persons, be it never so exemplary, is not sufficient to counterbalance
the vicious behaviour of so many of the same denomination, and so to recommend
Christianity to pagans.
Another
thing that serves to make them more averse to Christianity, is a “fear
of being enslaved.” They are, perhaps, some of the most jealous people
living, and extremely averse to a state of servitude, and hence are always
afraid of some design forming against them. Besides, they seem to have
no sentiments of generosity, benevolence, and goodness; that if any thing
be proposed to them, as being for their good, they am ready rather to suspect,
that there is at bottom some design forming against them, than that such
proposals flow from good-will to them, and a desire of their welfare. And
hence, when I have attempted to recommend Christianity to their acceptance,
they have sometimes objected, that the white people have come among them,
have cheated them out of their lands, driven them back to the mountains,
from the pleasant places they used to enjoy by the sea-side &c.; that
therefore they have no reason to think the white people are now seeking
their welfare; but rather that they have sent me out to draw them together,
under a pretence of kindness to them, that they may have an opportunity
to make slaves of them, as they do of the poor negroes, or else to ship
them on board their vessels, and make them fight with their enemies, &c.
Thus they have oftentimes construed all the kindness I could show them,
and the hardships I have endured in order to treat with them about Christianity.
“He never would (say they) take all this pains to do us good, he must have
some wicked design to hurt us some way or other.” And to give them assurance
of the contrary, is not an easy matter, while there are so many who (agreeable
to their apprehension) are only “seeking their own,” not the good of others.
To
remove this difficulty I inform them, that I am not sent out among them
by those persons in these provinces, who they suppose have cheated
them out of their lands; but by pious people at a great distance, who never
had an inch of their lands, nor ever thought of doing them any hurt, &c.
But
here will arise so many frivolous and impertinent questions, that it would
tire one’s patience, and wear out one’s spirits to hear them; such as,
“But why did not these good people send you to teach us before,
while we had our lands own by the sea-side, &c. If they had sent you
then, we should likely have heard you, and turned Christians.” The poor
creatures still imagining, that I should be much beholden to them, in case
they would hearken to Christianity; and insinuating, that this was a favour
they could not now be so good as to show me, seeing they had received so
many injuries from the white people.
Another
spring of aversion to Christianity in the Indians, is, “their strong attachment
to their own religious notions, (if they may be called religious,) and
the early prejudices they have imbibed in favour of their own frantic and
ridiculous kind of worship.” What their notions of God are, in their pagan
state, is hard precisely to determine. I have taken much pains to inquire
of my christian people, whether they, before their acquaintance with Christianity,
imagined there was a plurality of great invisible powers, or whether
they supposed but one such being, and worshipped him in a variety
of forms and shapes: but cannot learn any thing of them so distinct as
to be fully satisfying upon the point. Their notions in that state were
so prodigiously dark and confused, that they seemed not to know what they
thought themselves. But so far as I can learn, they had a notion of a plurality
of invisible deities, and paid some kind of homage to them promiscuously,
under a great variety of forms and shapes. And it is certain, that those
who yet remain pagans pay some kind of superstitious reverence to beasts,
birds, fishes, and even reptiles; that is, some to one kind of animal,
and some to another. They do not indeed suppose a divine power essential
to, or inhering in, these creatures, but that some invisible beings--I
cannot learn that it is always one such being only, but divers;
not distinguished from each other by certain names, but only notionally--communicate
to those animals a great power (either one or other of them, just
as it happens, or perhaps sometimes all of them,) and so make these creatures
the immediate authors of good to certain persons. Whence such a creature
becomes sacred to the persons to whom he is supposed to be the immediate
author of good, and through him they must worship the invisible powers,
though to others he is no more than another creature. And perhaps another
animal is looked upon to be the immediate author of good to another,
and consequently he must worship the invisible powers in that
animal. And I have known a pagan burn fine tobacco for incense, in order
to appease the anger of that invisible power which he supposed presided
over rattle-snakes, because one of these animals was killed by an
other Indian near his house.
But
after the strictest inquiry respecting their notions of the Deity, I find,
that in ancient times, before the coming of the white people, some supposed
there were four invisible powers, who presided over the four corners
of the earth. Others imagined the sun to be the only deity,
and that all things were made by him. Others, at the same
424
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. II.
time,
have a confused notion of a certain body or fountain of deity,
somewhat like the anima mundi, so frequently mentioned by the more
learned ancient heathens, diffusing itself to various animals, and even
to inanimate things, making them the immediate authors of good to certain
persons, as before observed, with respect to various supposed deities.
But after the coming of the white people, they seemed to suppose there
were three deities, and three only, because they saw people of three different
kinds of complexion, viz. English, Negroes, and themselves.
It
is a notion pretty generally prevailing among them, that it was not the
same God made them, who made us; but that they were made after the
white people: which further shows, that they imagine a plurality of divine
powers. And I fancy they suppose their god gained some special skill by
seeing the white people made, and so made them better: for it is
certain they look upon themselves, and their methods of living, (which,
they say, their god expressly prescribed for them,) vastly preferable to
the white people, and their methods. And hence will frequently sit and
laugh at them, as being good for nothing else but to plough and fatigue
themselves with hard labour; while they enjoy the satisfaction of
stretching themselves on the ground, and sleeping as much as they please;
and have no other trouble but now and then to chase the deer, which is
often attended with pleasure rather than pain. Hence, by the way, many
of them look upon it as disgraceful for them to become Christians, as it
would be esteemed among Christians for any to become pagans. And now although
they suppose our religion will do well enough for us, because prescribed
by our God, yet it is no ways proper for them, because not of the
same make and original. This they have sometimes offered as a reason why
they did not incline to hearken to Christianity.
They
seem to have some confused notion about a future state of existence, and
many of them imagine that the chichung, (i.e. the shadow,)
or what survives the body, will at death go southward, and in an
unknown but curious place, will enjoy some kind of happiness, such as,
hunting, feasting, dancing, and the like. And what they suppose will contribute
much to their happiness in that state, is that they shall never be weary
of those entertainments. It seems by this notion of their going southward
to obtain happiness, as if they had their course into these parts of the
world from some very cold climate, and found the further they went southward
the more comfortable they were; and thence concluded, that perfect felicity
was to be found further towards the same point.
They
seem to have some faint and glimmering notion about rewards and
punishments, or at least happiness and misery, in
a future state, that is, some that I have conversed with, though others
seem to know of no such thing. Those that suppose this, seem to imagine
that most will be happy, and that those who are not so, will be punished
only with privation, being only excluded the walls of that good
world where happy souls shall dwell.
These
rewards and punishments they suppose to depend entirely upon their conduct
with relation to the duties of the second table, i.e. their
behaviour towards mankind, and seem, so far as I can see, not to imagine
that they have any reference to their religious notions or practices,
or any thing that relates to the worship of God. I remember I once consulted
a very ancient but intelligent Indian upon this point, for my own satisfaction;
and asked him whether the Indians of old times had supposed there was any
thing of the man that would survive the body? He replied, Yes. I asked
him, where they supposed its abode would be? He replied, “It would go southward.”
I asked him further, whether it would be happy there? He answered, after
a considerable pause, “that the souls of good folks would be happy,
and the souls of bad folks miserable.” I then asked him, who he
called bad folks? His answer (as I remember) was, “Those who lie,
steal, quarrel with their neighbours, are unkind to their friends, and
especially to aged parents, and, in a word, such as are a plague to mankind.”
These were his bad folks; but not a word was said about their neglect
of divine worship, and their badness in that respect.
They
have indeed some kind of religious worship, are frequently offering sacrifices
to some supposed invisible powers, and are very ready to impute their calamities
in the present world, to the neglect of these sacrifices; but there
is no appearance of reverence and devotion in the homage they pay them;
and what they do of this nature, seems to be one only to appease the supposed
anger of their deities, to engage them to be placable to themselves, and
do them no hurt, or at most, only to invite these powers to succeed
them in those enterprises they are engaged in respecting the present
life. So that in offering these sacrifices, they seem to have no reference
to a future state, but only to present comfort. And this is the account
my interpreter always gives me of this matter. “They sacrifice (says he)
that they may have success in hunting and other affairs, and that sickness
and other calamities may not befall them, which they fear in the present
world, in case of neglect; but they do not suppose God will ever punish
them in the coming world for neglecting to sacrifice,” &c. And
indeed they seem to imagine, that those whom they call bad folks,
are excluded from the company of good people in that state, not so much
because God remembers, and is determined to punish them for their sins
of any kind, either immediately against himself or their neighbour, as
because they would be a plague to society, and would render others
unhappy if admitted to dwell with them. So that they are excluded rather
of necessity, than by God acting as a righteous judge.
They
give much heed to dreams, because they suppose these invisible powers
give them directions at such times about certain affairs, and sometimes
inform them what animal they would choose to be worshipped in. They
are likewise much attached to the traditions and fabulous notions of their
fathers, who have informed them of divers miracles that were anciently
wrought among the Indians, which they firmly believe, and thence look upon
their ancestors to have been the best of men. They also mention some wonderful
things which, they say, have happened since the memory of some who are
now living. One I remember affirmed to me, that himself had once been dead
four days, that most of his friends in that time were gathered together
to his funeral, and that he should have been buried, but that some of his
relations at a great distance, who were sent for upon that occasion, were
not arrived, before whose coming he came to life again. In this time, he
says, he went to the place where the sun rises, (imagining the earth
to be plain,) and directly over that place, at a great height in the air,
he was admitted, he says, into a great house, which he supposes was several
miles in length, and saw many wonderful things, too tedious as well as
ridiculous to mention. Another person, a woman, whom I have not seen, but
been credibly informed of by the Indians, declares, that she was dead several
days, that her soul went southward, and feasted and danced with
the happy spirits, and that she found all things exactly agreeable to the
Indian notions of a future state.
These
superstitious notions and traditions, and this kind of ridiculous worship
I have mentioned, they are extremely attached to, and the prejudice they
have imbibed in favour of these things, renders them not a little averse
to the doctrines of Christianity. Some of them have told me, when I have
endeavoured to instruct them, “that their fathers had taught them already,
and that they did not want to learn now.”
It
will be too tedious to give any considerable account of the methods I make
use of for surmounting this difficulty. I will just say, I endeavour, as
much as possible, to show them the inconsistency of their own notions,
and so to confound them out of their own mouths. But I must also say, I
have sometimes been almost nonplussed with them, and scarce knew what to
answer them: but never have been more perplexed with them, than when they
have pretended to yield to me as knowing more than they, and consequently
have asked me numbers of impertinent, and yet difficult questions, as,
“How the Indians came first into this part of the world, away from all
the white people, if what I said was true,” viz. that the same God
made them who made us? “How the Indians became black, if they had
the same original parents with the white people?” And numbers more
of the like nature.--These things, I must say, have been not a little difficult
and discouraging, especially when withal some of the
SECT.
III. AVERSION OF THE INDIANS TO CHRISTIANITY. 425
Indians
have appeared angry and malicious against Christianity.
What
further contributes to their aversion to Christianity is, the influence
that their powows (conjurers or diviners) have upon
them. These are a sort of persons who are supposed to have a power of foretelling
future events, or recovering the sick, at least oftentimes,
and of charming,
enchanting, or poisoning persons to death
by their magic divinations. And their spirit, in its various operations,
seems to be a Satanical imitation of the spirit of prophecy that the church
in early ages was favoured with. Some of these diviners are endowed with
the spirit in infancy;--others in adult age.--It seems not to depend upon
their own will, nor to be acquired by any endeavours of the person who
is the subject of it, although it is supposed to be given to children sometimes
in consequence of some means the parents use with them for that purpose;
one of which is to make the child swallow a small living frog, after having
performed some superstitious rites and ceremonies upon it. They are not
under the influence of this spirit always alike,--but it comes upon them
at times. And those who are endowed with it, are accounted singularly favoured.
I
have laboured to gain some acquaintance with this affair of their conjuration,
and have for that end consulted and queried with the man mentioned in my
Journal of May 9, who, since his conversion to Christianity, has endeavoured
to give me the best intelligence he could of this matter. But it seems
to be such a mystery of iniquity, that I cannot well understand
it, and do not know oftentimes what ideas to affix to the terms he makes
use of; and, so far as I can learn, he himself has not any clear notions
of the thing, now his spirit of divination is gone from him. However, the
manner in which he says he obtained this spirit of divination was this;
he was admitted into the presence of a great man, who informed him,
that he loved, pitied, and desired to do him good. It was not in this world
that he saw the great man, but in a world above at a vast distance
from this. The great man, he says, was clothed with the day; yea, with
the brightest day he ever saw; a day of many years, yea, of everlasting
continuance! this whole world, he says, was drawn upon him, so that
in
him, the earth, and all things in it, might be seen. I asked him, if rocks,
mountains, and seas were drawn upon, or appeared in him? He replied, that
every thing that was beautiful and lovely in the earth was upon him, and
might be seen by looking on him, as well as if one was on the earth to
take a view of them there. By the side of the great man, he says, stood
his shadow or spirit; for he used (chichung) the word they
commonly use to express that of the man which survives the body, which
word properly signifies a shadow. This shadow, he says, was as lovely
as the man himself, and filled all places, and was most agreeable
as well as wonderful to him.--Here, he says, he tarried some time, and
was unspeakably entertained and delighted with a view of the great man,
of his shadow or spirit, and of all things in him. And what is most
of all astonishing, he imagines all this to have passed before he was born.
He never had been, he says, in this world at that time. And what confirms
him in the belief of this, is, that the great man told him, that he must
come down to earth, be born of such a woman, meet with such
and such things, and in particular, that he should once in his life
be guilty of murder. At this he was displeased, and told the great
man, he would never murder. But the great man replied, “I have said it,
and it shall be so.” Which has accordingly happened. At this time, he says,
the great man asked him what he would choose in life. He replied, First
to be a hunter, and afterwards to be a powow or diviner.
Whereupon the great man told him, he should have what he desired, and that
his shadow should go along with him down to earth, and be with him
for ever. There was, he says, all this time no words spoken between them.
The conference was not carried on by any human language, but they
had a kind of mental intelligence of each other’s thoughts, dispositions,
and proposals. After this, he says, he saw the great man no more; but supposes
he now came down to earth to be born, but the spirit or shadow of the great
man still attended him, and ever after continued to appear to him in dreams
and other ways, until he felt the power of God’s word upon his heart; since
which it has entirely left him.
This
spirit, he says, used sometimes to direct him in dreams to go to such a
place and hunt, assuring him he should there meet with success, which accordingly
proved so. And when he had been there some time, the spirit would order
him to another place. So that he had success in hunting, according to the
great man’s promise made to him at the time of his choosing this employment.
There
were some times when this spirit came upon him in a special manner,
and he was full of what he saw in the great man; and then, he says, he
was all light, and not only light himself, but it was light
all around him, so that he could see through men, and knew the thoughts
of their hearts, &c. These depths of Satan I leave to others
to fathom or to dive into as they please, and do not pretend, for my own
part, to know what ideas to affix to such terms, and cannot well guess
what conceptions of things these creatures have at these times when they
call themselves all light. But my interpreter tells me, that he
heard one of them tell a certain Indian the secret thoughts of his heart,
which he had never divulged. The case was this, the Indian was bitten with
a snake, and was in extreme pain with the bite. Whereupon the diviner
(who was applied to for his recovery) told him, that at such a time
he had promised, that the next deer he killed, he would sacrifice it to
some great power, but had broken his promise. And now, said he,
that great power has ordered this snake to bite you for your neglect. The
Indian confessed it was so, but said he had never told any body of it.
But as Satan, no doubt, excited the Indian to make that promise,
it was no wonder he should be able to communicate the matter to the conjurer.
These
things serve to fix them down in their idolatry, and to make them
believe there is no safety to be expected, but by their continuing to offer
such sacrifices. And the influence that these powows have upon
them, either through the esteem or fear they have of them, is no small
hinderance to their embracing Christianity.
To
remove this difficulty, have laboured to show the Indians, that these diviners
have no power to recover the sick, when the God whom Christians serve,
has determined them for death; and that the supposed great power
who influences these diviners has himself no power in this case:
and that if they seem to recover any by their magic charms,
they are only such as the God I preached to them, had determined should
recover, and who would have recovered without their conjurations, &c.
And when I have apprehended them afraid of embracing Christianity, lest
they should be enchanted and poisoned, I have endeavoured to relieve their
minds of this fear, by asking them, Why their powows did not enchant
and poison me, seeing they had as much reason to hate me for preaching
to and desiring them to become Christians, as they could have to hate them
in case they should actually become such? And that they might have an evidence
of the power and goodness of God engaged for the protection of Christians,
I ventured to bid a challenge to all their powows and great powers
to do their worst on me first of all, and thus laboured to tread down their
influence.
Many
things further might be offered upon this head, but thus much may suffice
for a representation of their aversion to and prejudice against Christianity,
the springs of it, and the difficulties thence arising.
SECT.
IV.
Second
difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. To convey divine truths to their
understanding, and to gain their assent.
ANOTHER
great difficulty I have met with in my attempts to christianize the Indians,
has been to “convey divine truths to their understandings, and to gain
their assent to them as such.”
In
the first place, I laboured under a very great disadvantage for want of
an interpreter, who had a good degree of doctrinal as well as experimental
knowledge of divine things: in both which respects my present interpreter
was
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BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. II.
very
defective when I first employed him, as I noted in the account I before
gave of him. And it was sometimes extremely discouraging to me, when I
could not make him understand what I designed to communicate; when truths
of the last importance appeared foolishness to him for want of a
spiritual understanding and relish of them; and when he addressed the Indians
in a lifeless indifferent manner, without any heart-engagement or fervency;
and especially when he appeared heartless and irresolute about making attempts
for the conversion of the Indians to Christianity, as he frequently did.
For although he had a desire that they should conform to christian manners,
(as I elsewhere observed,) yet being abundantly acquainted with their strong
attachments to their own superstitious notions, and the difficulty of bringing
them off, and having no sense of divine power and grace, nor dependence
upon an Almighty arm for the accomplishment of this work, he used to be
discouraged, and tell me, “It signifies nothing for us to try, they will
never turn,” &c. So that he was a distressing weight and burden to
me. And here I should have sunk, scores of times, but that God in a remarkable
manner supported me; sometimes by giving me full satisfaction that he himself
had called me to this work, and thence a secret hope that sometime or other
I might meet with success in it; or if not, that “my judgment should notwithstanding
be with the Lord, and my work with my God.” Sometimes by giving me a sense
of his almighty power, and that “his hand was not shortened.” Sometimes
by affording me a fresh and lively view of some remarkable freedom and
assistance I had been repeatedly favoured with in prayer for the ingathering
of these heathens some years before, even before I was a missionary, and
a refreshing sense of the stability and faithfulness of the divine promises,
and that the prayer of faith should not fail. Thus I was supported
under these trials, and the method God was pleased to take for the removal
of this difficulty, (respecting my interpreter,) I have sufficiently represented
elsewhere.
Another
thing that rendered it very difficult to convey divine truths to the understandings
of the Indians, was the defect of their language, the want of terms
to express and convey ideas of spiritual things. There are no words in
the Indian language to answer our English words, “Lord, Saviour, salvation,
sinner, justice, condemnation, faith, repentance, justification, adoption,
sanctification, grace, glory, heaven,” with scores of the like importance.
The
only methods I can make use of for surmounting this difficulty, are, either
to describe the things at large designed by these terms, as, if I was speaking
of regeneration, to call it the “heart’s being changed” by God’s Spirit,
or the “heart’s being made good.” Or else I must introduce the English
terms into their language, and fix the precise meaning of them, that they
may know what I intend whenever I use them.
But
what renders it much more difficult to convey divine truths to the understandings
of these Indians, is, that “there seems to be no foundation in their minds
to begin upon;” I mean no truths that may be taken for granted, as being
already known, while I am attempting to instil others. And divine truths
having such a necessary connexion with, and dependence upon, each other,
I find it extremely difficult in my first addresses to pagans to begin
and discourse of them in their proper order and connexion, without having
reference to truths not yet known,--without taking for granted such things
as need first to be taught and proved. There is no point of christian doctrine
but what they are either wholly ignorant of, or extremely confused in their
notion about. And therefore it is necessary they should be instructed in
every truth, even in those that are the most easy and obvious to the understanding,
and which a person educated under gospel-light would be ready to pass over
in silence, as not imagining that any rational creature could be ignorant
of.
The
method I have usually taken in my first addresses to pagans, has been to
introduce myself by saying, that I was come among them with a desire and
design of teaching them some things which I presumed they did not know,
and which I trusted would be for their comfort and, happiness if known;
desiring they would give their attention, and hoping they might meet with
satisfaction in my discourse. And thence have proceeded to observe, that
there are two things belonging to every man, which I call the soul
and body. These I endeavour to distinguish from each other, by observing
to them, that there is something in them that is capable of joy and pleasure,
when their bodies are sick and much pained: and, on the contrary,
that they find something within them that is fearful, sorrowful, ashamed,
&c. and consequently very uneasy, when their bodies are in perfect
health. I then observed to them, that this which rejoices in them (perhaps
at the sight of some friend who has been long absent) when their bodies
are sick and in pain,--this which is sorrowful, frighted, ashamed, &c.
and consequently uneasy, when their bodies are perfectly at ease,--this
I call the soul. And although it cannot be seen like the other part
of the man, viz. the body, yet it is as real as their thoughts,
desires, &c. which are likewise things that cannot be seen.
I
then further observe, that this part of the man which thinks, rejoices,
grieves, &c. will live after the body is dead. For the proof of this,
I produce the opinion of their fathers, who (as I am told by very aged
Indians now living) always supposed there was something of the man that
would survive the body. And if I can, for the proof of any thing I assert,
say, as St. Paul to the Athenians, “As certain also of your own sages have
said,” it is sufficient. And having established this point, I next observe,
that what I have to say to them, respects the conscious part of
the man; and that with relation to its state after the death of the body;
and that I am not come to treat with them about the things that concern
the present world.
This
method I am obliged to take, because they will otherwise entirely mistake
the design of my preaching, and suppose the business I am upon, is something
that relates to the present world, having never been called together by
the white people upon any other occasion, but only to be treated with about
the sale of lands, or some other secular business. And I find it almost
impossible to prevent their imagining that I am engaged in the same, or
such like affairs, and to beat it into them, that my concern is to treat
with them about their invisible part, and that with relation to
its future state.
But
having thus opened the way, by distinguishing between soul and body, and
showing the immortality of the former, and that my business is to treat
with them in order to their happiness in a future state; I proceed to discourse
of the being and perfections of God, particularly of his “eternity, unity,
self-sufficiency, infinite wisdom, and almighty power.” It is necessary,
in the first place, to teach them, that God is from everlasting,
and so distinguished from all creatures; though it is very difficult to
communicate any thing of that nature to them, they having no terms in their
language to signify an eternity a parte ante. It is likewise necessary
to discourse of the divine unity, in order to confute the notions
they seem to have of a plurality of gods. The divine all-sufficiency
must also necessarily be mentioned, in order to prevent their imagining
that God was unhappy while alone, before the formation of his creatures.
And something respecting the divine wisdom and power seems
necessary to be insisted upon, in order to make way for discoursing of
God’s works.
Having
offered some things upon the divine perfections mentioned, I proceed to
open the work of creation in general, and in particular God’s creation
of man in a state of uprightness and happiness, placing them in a garden
of pleasure; the means and manner of their apostacy from that state, and
loss of that happiness. But before I can give a relation of their fall
from God, I am obliged to make a large digression, in order to give an
account of the original and circumstances of their tempter, his capacity
of assuming the shape of a serpent, from his being a spirit without a body,
&c. Whence I go on to show, the ruins of our fallen state,
the mental blindness and vicious dispositions our first parents then contracted
to themselves, and propagated to all their posterity; the numerous calamities
brought upon them and theirs by this apostacy from God, and the exposedness
of the whole human race to eternal perdition. And thence labour to show
them the necessity of an almighty Saviour to deliver us from this
SECT.
IV. DIFFICULTY OF GAINING THEIR ASSENT. 427
deplorable
state, as well as of a divine revelation to instruct us in, and
direct us agreeable to, the will of God.
And
thus the way, by such an introductory discourse, is prepared for opening
the gospel-scheme of salvation through the great Redeemer, and for treating
of those doctrines that immediately relate to the soul’s renovation by
the divine Spirit, and preparation for a state of everlasting blessedness.
In
giving such a relation of things to pagans, it is not a little difficult,
as observed before, to deliver truths in their proper order, without interfering,
and without taking for granted things not as yet known; to discourse of
them in a familiar manner suited to the capacities of heathens; to illustrate
them by easy and natural similitudes; to obviate or answer the objections
they are disposed to make against the several particulars of it, as well
as to take notice of and confute their contrary notions.
What
has sometimes been very discouraging in my first discourses to them, is,
that when I have distinguished between the present and future
state, and shown them that it was my business to treat of those things
that concern the life to come, they have mocked, and looked upon these
things of no importance; have scarce had a curiosity to hear, and perhaps
walked off before I had half done my discourse. And in such a case no impressions
can be made upon their minds to gain their attention. They are not awed
by hearing of the anger of God engaged against sinners, of everlasting
punishment as the portion of gospel-neglecters. They are not allured by
hearing of the blessedness of those who embrace and obey the gospel. So
that to gain their attention to my discourses, has often been as difficult
as to give them a just notion of the design of them, or to open truths
in their proper order.
Another
difficulty naturally falling under the head I am now upon, is, that “it
is next to impossible to bring them to a rational conviction that they
are sinners by nature, and that their hearts are corrupt and sinful,” unless
one could charge them with some gross acts of immorality, such as the light
of nature condemns. If they can be charged with behaviour contrary
to the commands of the
second table,--with manifest abuses of their
neighbour, they will generally own such actions to be wrong; but then they
seem as if they thought only the actions were sinful, and not their
hearts. But if they cannot be charged with such scandalous actions,
they seem to have no consciousness of sin and guilt at all, as I had occasion
to observe in my Journal of March 24. So that it is very difficult to convince
them rationally of that which is readily acknowledged (though, alas! rarely
felt) in the christian world, viz. “That we are all sinners.”
The
method I take to convince them “we are sinners by nature,” is, to lead
them to an observation of their little children, how they will appear
in a rage, fight and strike their mothers, before they are able to speak
or walk, while they are so young that it is plain they are incapable of
learning such practices. And the light of nature in the Indians condemning
such behaviour in children towards their parents, they must own these tempers
and actions to be wrong and sinful. And the children having never learned
these things, they must have been in their natures, and consequently
they must be allowed to be “by nature the children of wrath.” The same
I observe to them with respect to the sin of lying, which their
children seem much inclined to. They tell lies without being taught
so to do, from their own natural inclination, as well as against
restraints, and after corrections for that vice, which proves them
sinners by nature, &c.
And
further, in order to show them their hearts are all corrupted
and
sinful, I observe to them, that this may be the case, and they
not be sensible of it through the blindness of their minds. That
it is no evidence they are not
sinful, because they do not know
and feel it. I then mention all the vices I know the Indians to be guilty
of, and so make use of these sinful streams to convince them the
fountain is corrupt. And this is the end for which I mention their
wicked practices to them, not because I expect to bring them to an effectual
reformation merely by inveighing against their immoralities; but hoping
they may hereby be convinced of the corruption of their hearts, and awakened
to a sense of the depravity and misery of their fallen state.
And
for the same purpose, viz. “to convince them they are sinners,”
I sometimes open to them the great command of “loving God with all the
heart, strength, and mind;” show them the reasonableness of loving him
who has made, preserved, and dealt bountifully with us: and then labour
to show them their utter neglect in this regard, and that they have been
so far from loving God in this manner, that, on the contrary, he
has not been “in all their thoughts.”
These,
and such like, are the means I have made use of in order to remove this
difficulty; but if it be asked after all, “How it was surmounted?” I must
answer, God himself was pleased to do it with regard to a number of these
Indians, by taking his work into his own hand, and making them feel
at heart, that they were both sinful and miserable. And in the day
of God’s power, whatever was spoken to them from God’s word,
served to convince them they were sinners, (even the most melting
invitations of the gospel,) and to fill them with solicitude to
obtain a deliverance from that deplorable state.
Further,
it is extremely difficult to give them any just notion of the undertaking
of Christ in behalf of sinners; of his obeying and suffering in their room
and stead, in order to atone for their sins, and procure their salvation;
and of their being justified by his righteousness imputed to them.--They
are in general wholly unacquainted with civil laws and proceedings,
and know of no such thing as one person being substituted as a surety
in the room of another, nor have any kind of notion of civil
judicatures, of persons being arraigned, tried, judged, condemned, or acquitted.
And hence it is very difficult to treat with them upon any thing of this
nature, or that bears any relation to legal procedures. And although
they cannot but have some dealings with the white people, in order to procure
clothing and other necessaries of life, yet it is scarce ever known that
any one pays a penny for another, but each one stands for himself.
Yet this is a thing that may be supposed, though seldom practised among
them, and they may be made to understand, that if a friend of theirs pay
a debt for them, it is right that upon that consideration they themselves
should be discharged.
And
this is the only way I can take in order to give them a proper notion of
the undertaking and satisfaction of Christ in behalf of sinners.
But here naturally arise two questions. First, “What need there
was of Christ’s obeying and suffering for us; why God would not look upon
us to be good creatures (to use my common phrase for justification) on
account of our own good deeds?” In answer to which I sometimes observe,
that a child being never so orderly and obedient to its parents to-day,
does by no means satisfy for its contrary behaviour yesterday; and that
if it be loving and obedient at some times only, and at other
times cross and disobedient, it never can be looked upon a good child for
its own doings, since it ought to have behaved in an obedient manner always.
This simile strikes their minds in an easy and forcible manner, and serves,
in a measure, to illustrate the point. For the light of nature,
as before hinted, teaches them, that their children ought to be obedient
to them, and that at all times; and some of them are very severe
with them for the contrary behaviour. This I apply in the plainest manner
to our behaviour towards God; and so show them, that it is impossible for
us, since we have sinned against God, to be justified before him by our
own doings, since present and future goodness, although perfect
and constant, could never satisfy for past misconduct.
A
second
question, is, “If our debt was so great, and if we all deserved to suffer,
how one person’s suffering was sufficient to answer for the whole?” Here
I have no better way to illustrate the infinite value of Christ’s obedience
and sufferings, arising from the dignity and excellency of his person,
than to show them the superior value of gold to that of baser metals,
and that a small quantity of this will discharge a greater debt,
than a vast quantity of the common copper pence. But after all,
it is extremely difficult to treat with them upon this great doctrine of
“justification by imputed righteousness.” I scarce know how to conclude
this head, so many things occurring that
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might
properly be added here; but what has been mentioned, may serve for a specimen
of the difficulty of conveying divine truths to the understandings of these
Indians, and of gaining their assent to them as such.
SECT.
V.
A
third difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. Their inconvenient situations,
savage manners, and unhappy method of living.
THEIR
“inconvenient situations, savage manners, and unhappy method of living,”
have been an unspeakable difficulty and discouragement to me in my work.--They
generally live in the wilderness, and some that I have visited,
at great distances from the English settlements. This has obliged me to
travel much, oftentimes over hideous rocks, mountains, and swamps, and
frequently to lie out in the open woods, which deprived me of the common
comforts of life, and greatly impaired my health.
When
I have got among them in the wilderness, I have often met with great difficulty
in my attempts to discourse to them.--I have sometimes spent hours with
them in attempting to answer their objections, and remove their jealousies,
before I could prevail upon them to give me a hearing upon Christianity.
I have been often obliged to preach in their houses in cold and windy weather,
when they have been full of smoke and cinders, as well as unspeakably filthy;
which has many times thrown me into violent sick head-aches.
While
I have been preaching, their children have frequently cried to such a degree,
that I could scarcely be heard, and their pagan mothers would take no manner
of care to quiet them. At the same time, perhaps, some have been laughing
and mocking at divine truths. Others playing with their dogs, whittleing
sticks, and the like. And this, in many of them, not from spite and prejudice,
but for want of better manners.
A
view of these things has been not a little sinking and discouraging to
me. It has sometimes so far prevailed upon me as to render me entirely
dispirited and wholly unable to go on with my work; and given me such a
melancholy turn of mind, that I have many times thought I could never more
address an Indian upon religious matters.
The
solitary manner in which I have generally been obliged to live, on account
of their inconvenient situation, has been not a little pressing. I have
spent the greater part of my time, for more than three years past, entirely
alone, as to any agreeable society; and a very considerable part of it
in houses by myself, without having the company of any human creature.
Sometimes I have scarcely seen an Englishman for a month or six weeks together;
and have had my spirits so depressed with melancholy views of the tempers
and conduct of pagans, when I have been for some time confined with them,
that I have felt as if banished from all the people of God.
I
have likewise been wholly alone in my work, there being no other missionary
among the Indians in either of these provinces. And other ministers
neither knowing the peculiar difficulties, nor most advantageous
methods of performing my work, have been capable to afford me little assistance
or support in any respect.--A feeling of the great disadvantages of being
alone in this work, has discovered to me the wisdom and goodness of the
great Head of the church, in sending forth his disciples two and two,
in order to proclaim the sacred mysteries of his kingdom; and has made
me long for a colleague to be a partner of my cares, hopes,
and fears, as well as labours amongst the Indians; and excited to use some
means in order to procure such an assistant, although I have not as yet
been so happy as to meet with success in that respect.
I
have not only met with great difficulty in travelling to, and for some
time residing among, the Indians far remote in the wilderness, but also
in living with them, in one place and another, more statedly. I have been
obliged to remove my residence from place to place; having procured, and
after some poor fashion, furnished, three houses for living among them,
in the space of about three years past. One at Kaunaumeek, about
twenty miles distant from the city of Albany; one at the Forks of Delaware,
in Pennsylvania; and one at Crossweeksung, in New Jersey. And the
Indians in the latter of these provinces, with whom I have lately spent
most of my time, being not long since removed from the place where they
lived last winter, (the reason of which I mentioned in my Journal of March
24, and May 4,) I have now no house at all of my own, but am obliged to
lodge with an English family at a considerable distance from them, to the
great disadvantage of my work among them; they being like children
that continually need advice and direction, as well as incitement
to their worldly business.--The houses I have formerly lived in are at
great distances from each other; the two nearest of them being more than
seventy miles apart, and neither of them within fifteen miles
of the place where the Indians now live.
The
Indians are a very poor and indigent people, and so destitute of the comforts
of life, at some seasons of the year especially, that it is impossible
for a person who has any pity to them, and concern for the christian interest,
to live among them without considerable expense, especially in time of
sickness. If any thing be bestowed on one, (as in some cases it is peculiarly
necessary, in order to remove their pagan jealousies, and engage their
friendship to Christianity,) others, be there never so many of them, expect
the same treatment. And while they retain their pagan tempers, they discover
little gratitude, amidst all the kindnesses they receive. If they make
any presents, they expect double satisfaction. And Christianity itself
does not at once cure them of these ungrateful tempers.
They
are in general unspeakably indolent and slothful. They have been bred up
in idleness, and know little about cultivating land, or indeed of engaging
vigorously in any other business. So that I am obliged to instruct
them in, as well as press them to, the performance of their work,
and take the oversight of all their secular business. They have little
or no ambition or resolution. Not one in a thousand of them has the spirit
of a man. And it is next to impossible to make them sensible of the duty
and importance of being active, diligent, and industrious in the management
of their worldly business; and to excite in them any spirit and promptitude
of that nature. When I have laboured to the utmost of my ability to show
them of what importance it would be to the Christian interest among them,
as well as to their worldly comfort, for them to be laborious and prudent
in their business, and to furnish themselves with the comforts of life;
how this would incline the pagans to come among them, and so put them under
the means of salvation--how it would encourage religious persons of the
white people to help them, as well as stop the mouths of others that were
disposed to cavil against them; how they might by this means pay others
their just dues, and so prevent trouble from coming upon themselves, and
reproach upon their christian profession--they have indeed assented
to all I said, but been little moved, and consequently have acted
like themselves, or at least too much so. Though it must be acknowledged,
that those who appear to have a sense of divine things, are considerably
amended in this respect, and it is to be hoped, that time will make a yet
greater alteration upon them for the better.
The
concern I have had for the settling of these Indians in New Jersey in a
compact form, in order to their being a christian congregation, in a capacity
of enjoying the means of grace; the care of managing their worldly business
in order to this end, and to their having a comfortable livelihood; have
been more pressing to my mind, and cost me more labour and fatigue, for
several months past, than all my other work among them.
Their
“wandering to and fro in order to procure the necessaries of life,” is
another difficulty that attends my work. This has often deprived me of
opportunities to discourse to them; and it has thrown them in the way of
temptation; either among pagans further remote where they have gone to
hunt, who have laughed at them for hearkening to Christianity; or, among
white people more horribly wicked, who have often made them drunk, and
then got their commodities--such as skins, baskets, brooms, shovels, and
the like, with which they designed to have
SECT.
VI. THE DESIGNS OF EVIL-MINDED PERSONS. 429
bought
corn, and other necessaries of life, for themselves and families--for,
it may be, nothing but a little strong liquor, and then sent them home
empty. So that for the labour perhaps of several weeks, they have got nothing
but the satisfaction of being drunk once; and have not only lost their
labour, but, which is infinitely worse, the impressions of some divine
subjects that were made upon their minds before.--But I forbear enlarging
upon this head. The few hints I have given may be sufficient to give thinking
persons some apprehensions of the difficulties attending my work, on account
of the inconvenient situations and savage manners of the
Indians, as well as of their unhappy method of living.
SECT.
VI.
Fourth
difficulty in converting the Indians, viz. The designs of evil-minded persons
to hinder the work.
THE
last difficulty I shall mention, as having attended my work, is “what has
proceeded from the attempts that some ill-minded persons have designedly
made, to hinder the propagation of the gospel, and a work of divine grace,
among the Indians.”--The Indians are not only of themselves prejudiced
against Christianity, on the various accounts I have already mentioned,
but, as if this was not enough, there are some in all parts of the country
where I have preached to them, who have taken pains industriously to bind
them down in pagan darkness; “neglecting to enter into the kingdom of God
themselves, and labouring to hinder others.”
After
the beginning of the religious concern among the Indians in New Jersey,
some endeavoured to prejudice them against me and the truths I taught them,
by the most sneaking, unmanly, and false suggestions of things that had
no manner of foundation but in their own brains. Some particulars of this
kind I formerly took notice of in one of the remarks made upon my Journal
concluded the 20th of November last; and might have added more, and of
another nature, had not modesty forbidden me to mention what was too obscene.
But, through the mercy of God, they were never able, by all their abominable
insinuations, flouting jeers, and downright lies, to create in the Indians
those jealousies they desired to possess them with, and so were never suffered
to hinder the work of grace among them.--But when they saw they could not
prejudice the Indians against me, nor hinder them from receiving the gospel,
they then noised it through the country, that I was undoubtedly a Roman
catholic, and that I was gathering together, and training up, the Indians
in order to serve a popish interest, that I should quickly head them, and
cut people’s throats.
What
they pretended gave them reason for this opinion, was, that they understood
I had a commission from Scotland. Whereupon they could with great assurance
say, “All Scotland is turned to the Pretender, and this is but a
popish plot to make a party for him here,” &c. And some, I am informed,
actually went to the civil authority with complaints against me,
but only laboured under this unhappiness, that when they came, they had
nothing to complain of, and could give no colour of reason why they attempted
any such thing, or desired the civil authority to take cognizance of me,
having not a word to allege against my preaching or practice,
only they surmised that because the Indians appeared so very loving
and orderly, they had a design of imposing upon people by that means,
and so of getting a better advantage to cut their throats. And what
temper they would have had the Indians appear with, in order to have
given no occasion, nor have left any room for such a suspicion,
I cannot tell. I presume if they had appeared with the contrary
temper, it would quickly have been observed of them, that “they were now
grown surly,” and in all probability were preparing to “cut people’s
throats.”--From a view of these things, I have had occasion to admire the
wisdom and goodness of God in providing so full and authentic
a commission for the undertaking and carrying on of this work, without
which, notwithstanding the charitableness of the design, it had probably
met with molestation.
The
Indians who have been my hearers in New Jersey, have likewise been sued
for debt, and threatened with imprisonment, more since I came among them,
as they inform me, than in seven years before. The reason of this,
I suppose, was, they left frequenting those tippling houses where
they used to consume most of what they gained by hunting and other means.
And these persons, seeing that the hope of future gain was lost, were resolved
to make sure of what they could. And perhaps some of them put the Indians
to trouble, purely out of spite at their embracing Christianity.
This
conduct of theirs has been very distressing to me; for I was sensible,
that if they did imprison any one that embraced or hearkened to
Christianity, the news of it would quickly spread among the pagans, hundreds
of miles distant, who would immediately conclude I had involved them in
this difficulty; and thence be filled with prejudice against Christianity,
and strengthened in their jealousy, that the whole of my design among them,
was to insnare and enslave them. And I knew that some of the Indians upon
Susquehannah had made this objection against hearing me preach,
viz. That they understood a number of Indians in Maryland, some
hundreds of miles distant, who had been uncommonly free with the English,
were after a while put in jail, sold, &c. Whereupon they concluded,
it was best for them to keep at a distance, and have nothing to do with
Christians.--The method I took in order to remove this difficulty, was,
to press the Indians with all possible speed to pay their debts,
and to exhort those of them that had skins or money, and
were themselves in a good measure free of debt, to help others that were
oppressed. And frequently upon such occasions I have paid money out of
my own pocket, which I have not as yet received again.
These
are some of the difficulties I have met with from the conduct of those
who, notwithstanding their actions so much tend to hinder the propagation
of Christianity would, I suppose, be loth to be reputed pagans.
Thus I have endeavoured to answer the demands of the Honourable Society
in relation to each of the particulars mentioned in their letter.--If
what I have written may be in any measure agreeable and satisfactory to
them, and serve to excite in them, or any of God’s people, a spirit of
prayer and supplication for the furtherance of a work of
grace among the Indians here, and the propagation of it to their
distant tribes, I shall have abundant reason to rejoice, and bless
God in this, as well as in other respects.
DAVID
BRAINERD.
June
20, 1746.
P.S.
Since the conclusion of the preceding Journal--which was designed to represent
the operations of one year only, from the first time of my preaching
to the Indians in New Jersey--I administered the sacrament of the
Lord’s supper a second time in my congregation, viz. on the
13th of July. At which time there were more than thirty communicants
of the Indians, although divers were absent who should have communicated:
so considerably has God enlarged our number since the former solemnity
of this kind, described somewhat particularly in my Journal. This appeared
to be a season of divine power and grace, not unlike the former; a season
of refreshing to God’s people in general, and of awakening to some others,
although the divine influence manifestly attending the several services
of the solemnity, seemed not so great and powerful as at the former season.
D.
BRAINERD.
SECT.
VII
Attestations
of divine grace displayed among the Indians.
FIRST
ATTESTATION.
SINCE
my dear and reverend brother Brainerd has at length consented to the publication
of his Journal, I gladly embrace this opportunity of testifying, that our
al-
430
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. II.
together
glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has given such a display
of his almighty power and sovereign grace, not only in the external reformation,
but (in a judgment of charity) the saving conversion of a considerable
number of Indians, that it is really wonderful to all beholders! though
some, alas! notwithstanding sufficient grounds of conviction to the contrary,
do join with the devil, that avowed enemy of God and man, in endeavouring
to prevent this glorious work, by such ways and means as are mentioned
in the aforesaid Journal, to which I must refer the reader for a faithful,
though very brief, account of the time when, the place where, the means
by which, and manner how, this wished-for work has been begun and carried
on, by the great Head of the church.--And this I can more confidently do,
not only because I am intimately acquainted with the author of the Journal,
but on account of my own personal knowledge of the matters of fact recorded
in it respecting the work itself.--As I live not far from the Indians,
I have been much conversant with them, both at their own place, and in
my own parish, where they generally convene for public worship in Mr. Brainerd’s
absence; and I think it my duty to acknowledge, that their conversation
hath often, under God, refreshed my soul.
To
conclude; it is my opinion, that the change wrought in those savages,
namely, from the darkness of paganism, to the knowledge of the pure gospel
of Christ; from sacrificing to devils, to “present themselves, body and
soul, a living sacrifice to God,” and that not only from the persuasion
of their minister, but from a clear heart-affecting sense of its being
their reasonable service: this change, I say, is so great, that
none could effect it but he “who worketh all things after the good pleasure
of his own will.” And I would humbly hope, that this is only the first-fruits
of a much greater harvest to be brought in from among the Indians, by him,
who has promised to give his Son “the heathen for his inheritance, and
the uttermost of the earth for his possession;”--who hath also declared,
“That the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea.--Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen and
Amen.”
I
am, courteous reader,
thy
soul’s well-wisher,
WILLIAM
TENNENT.
Freehold,
August
16, 1746.
SECOND
ATTESTATION.
As
it must needs afford a sacred pleasure to such as cordially desire the
prosperity and advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom and interest in the
world, to hear, that our merciful and gracious God is in very deed fulfilling
such precious promises as relate to the poor heathen, by sending his everlasting
gospel among them, which, with concurrence of his Holy Spirit, is removing
that worse than Egyptian darkness, whereby the God of this world has long
held them in willing subjection; so this narrative will perhaps be more
acceptable to the world, when it is confirmed by the testimony of such
as were either eye-witness of this glorious dawn of gospel-light among
the benighted pagans, or personally acquainted with those of them, in whom,
in a judgment of charity, a gracious change has been wrought. Therefore
I the more willingly join with my brethren, Mr. Wm. Tennent and Mr. Brainerd,
in affixing my attestation to the foregoing narrative; and look upon myself
as concerned in point of duty both to God and his people to do so, by reason
that I live contiguous to their settlement, and have had frequent opportunities
of being present at their religious meetings, where I have, with pleasing
wonder, beheld what I am strongly inclined to believe were the effects
of God’s almighty power accompanying his own truths; more especially on
the 8th day of August, 1745. While the word of God was preached by Mr.
Brainerd, there appeared an uncommon solemnity among the Indians in general;
but I am wholly unable to give a full representation of the surprising
effects of God’s almighty power that appeared among them when public service
was over. While Mr. Brainerd urged upon some of them the absolute necessity
of a speedy closure with Christ, the Holy Spirit seemed to be poured out
upon them in a plenteous measure, insomuch as the Indians present in the
wigwam seemed to be brought to the jailer’s case, Acts xvi. 30.
utterly unable to conceal the distress and perplexity of their souls; this
prompted the pious among them to bring the dispersed congregation together,
who soon seemed to be in the greatest extremity. Some were earnestly begging
for mercy, under a solemn sense of their perishing condition, while others
were unable to arise from the earth, to the great wonder of those white
people that were present, one of whom is by this means, I trust, savingly
brought to Christ since. Nay, so very extraordinary was the concern that
appeared among the poor Indians in general, that I am ready to conclude,
it might have been sufficient to have convinced an atheist, that the Lord
was indeed in the place. I am, for my part, fully persuaded, that this
glorious work is true and genuine, whilst with satisfaction I behold several
of these Indians discovering all the symptoms of inward holiness
in their lives and conversation. I have had the satisfaction of joining
with them in their service on the 11th of August, 1746, which was a day
set apart for imploring the divine blessing on the labours of their minister
among other tribes of the Indians at Susquehannah, in all which
they conducted themselves with a very decent and becoming gravity; and,
as far as I am capable of judging, they may be proposed as examples of
piety and godliness to all the white people around them, which indeed is
justly “marvellous in our eyes,” especially considering what they lately
had been.--O may the glorious God shortly bring about that desirable time,
when our exalted Immanuel shall have “the heathen given for his inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession!”
CHARLES
MACNIGHT.
Crosswicks,
August
29, 1746.
THIRD
ATTESTATION.
WE
whose names are underwritten, being elders and deacons of the presbyterian
church in Freehold, do hereby testify, that in our humble opinion, God,
even our Saviour, has brought a considerable number of the Indians in these
parts to a saving union with himself.--This we are persuaded of, from a
personal acquaintance with them, whom we not only hear speak of the great
doctrines of the gospel with humility, affection, and understanding, but
we see them walk, as far as man can judge, soberly, righteously, and godly.
We have joined with them at the Lord’s supper, and do from our hearts esteem
them as our brethren in Jesus. For “these who were not God’s people, may
now be called the children of the living God: it is the Lord’s doing, and
it is marvellous in our eyes.” O that he may go on “conquering and to conquer,”
until he has subdued all things to himself! This is and shall be the unfeigned
desires and prayers of
WALTER KER,
 |
ROBERT
CUMMINS,
DAVID
RHE,
JOHN
HENDERSON, Elders.
JOHN
ANDERSON,
JOSEPH
KER,
WILLIAM KER,
 |
SAMUEL
KER, Deacons.
SAMUEL
CRAIG,
Presbyterian
Church,
Freehold,
Aug. 16, 1746.
THIRD
APPENDIX
TO
MR.
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING
HIS
BRIEF
ACCOUNT OF THE ENDEAVOURS USED BY THE MISSIONARIES
OF
THE
SOCIETY
IN SCOTLAND FOR PROPAGATING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE,
TO
INTRODUCE THE GOSPEL AMONG THE INDIANS ON THE BORDERS OF NEW YORK, &c.
THE
deplorable, perishing state of the Indians in these parts of America, being
by several ministers here represented to the Society in Scotland for propagating
Christian Knowledge; the said Society charitably and cheerfully came into
the proposal of maintaining two missionaries among these miserable
pagans, to endeavour their conversion “from darkness to light, and from
the power of Satan unto God;” and sent their commission to some
ministers and other gentlemen here, to act as their correspondents,
in providing, directing, and inspecting the said mission.
As
soon as the correspondents were authorized by the Society’s commission,
they immediately looked out for two candidates of the evangelical ministry,
whose zeal for the interests of the Redeemer’s kingdom, and whose compassion
for poor perishing souls, would prompt them to such an exceeding difficult
and self-denying undertaking. They first prevailed with Mr. Azariah Horton
to relinquish a call to an encouraging parish, and to devote himself to
the Indian service. He was directed to Long Island, in August 1741, at
the east end whereof there are two small towns of the Indians, and from
the east to the west end of the island, lesser companies settled at a few
miles’ distance from one another, for the length of above a hundred miles.--At
his first coming among these, he was well received by the most, and heartily
welcomed by some of them. They at the east end of the island, especially,
gave diligent and serious attention to his instructions, and many of them
put upon solemn inquiries about “what they should do to be saved.” A general
reformation of manners was soon observable among the most of these Indians.
They were careful to attend, and serious and solemn in attendance, upon
both public and private instructions. A number of them were under very
deep convictions of their miserable perishing state; and about twenty
of them give lasting evidences of their saving conversion to God. Mr. Horton
has baptized thirty-five adults, and forty-four children.
He took pains with them to teach them to read; and some of them have made
considerable proficiency. But the extensiveness of his charge, and the
necessity of his travelling from place to place, makes him incapable of
giving so constant attendance to their instruction in reading as is needful.
In his last letter to the correspondents, he heavily complains of a great
defection of some of them, from their first reformation and care
of their souls; occasioned by strong drink being brought among them, and
their being thereby allured to a relapse into their darling vice of drunkenness.
This is a vice to which the Indians are every where so greatly addicted,
and so vehemently disposed, that nothing but the power of divine grace
can restrain that impetuous lust, when they have opportunity to gratify
it. He likewise complains, that some of them are grown more careless and
remiss in the duties of religious worship, than they were when first acquainted
with the great things of their eternal peace. But as a number retain their
first impressions, and as they generally attend with reverence upon his
ministry, he goes on in his work, with encouraging hopes of the presence
and blessing of God with him in his difficult undertaking.
This
is a general view of the state of the mission upon Long Island, collected
from several of Mr. Horton’s letters; which is all that could now be offered,
we not having as yet a particular account from Mr. Horton himself.--It
was some time after Mr. Horton was employed in the Indian service, before
the correspondents could obtain another qualified candidate for this self-denying
mission. At length they prevailed with Mr. David Brainerd, to refuse several
invitations unto places where he had a promising prospect of a comfortable
settlement among the English, to encounter the fatigues and perils that
must attend his carrying the gospel of Christ to these poor miserable savages.
A general representation of whose conduct and success in that undertaking
is contained in a letter we lately received from himself, which is as follows:
TO
THE REV. MR. EBENEZER PEMBERTON.
REV.
SIR,
SINCE
you are pleased to require of me some brief and general account of my conduct
in the affair of my mission amongst the Indians; the pains and endeavours
I have used to propagate christian knowledge among them; the difficulties
I have met with in pursuance of that great work; and the hopeful and encouraging
appearances I have observed in any of them; I shall now endeavour to answer
your demands, by giving a brief and faithful account of the most material
things relating to that important affair, with which I have been and am
still concerned. And this I shall do with more freedom and cheerfulness,
both because I apprehend it will be a likely means to give pious persons,
who are concerned for the kingdom of Christ, some just apprehension of
the many and great difficulties that attend the propagation of it amongst
the poor pagans, and consequently, it is hoped, will engage their more
frequent and fervent prayers to God, that those may be succeeded who are
employed in this arduous work. Beside, I persuade myself, that the tidings
of the gospel spreading among the poor heathen, will be, to those who are
waiting for the accomplishment of the “glorious things spoken of the city
of our God,” as “good news from a far country;” and that these will
be so far from “despising the day of small things,” that, on the contrary,
the least dawn of encouragement and hope, in this important affair, will
rather inspire their pious breasts with more generous and warm
432
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL APPEND. III.
desires,
that “the kingdoms of this world may speedily become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ.”--I shall therefore immediately proceed to the
business before me, and briefly touch upon the most important matters that
have concerned my mission, from the beginning to this present time.
On
March 15, 1743, I waited on the correspondents for the Indian mission at
New York; and the week following, attended their meeting at Woodbridge
in New Jersey, and was speedily dismissed by them with orders to attempt
the instruction of a number of Indians in a place some miles distant from
the city of Albany. And on the first day of April following, I arrived
among the Indians, at a place called by them Kaunaumeek, in the
county of Albany, near about twenty miles distant from the city eastward.
The
place, as to its situation, was sufficiently lonesome and unpleasant, being
encompassed with mountains and woods; twenty miles distant from any English
inhabitants; six or seven from any Dutch; and more than two from a family
that came, some time since, from the Highlands of Scotland, and had then
lived, as I remember, about two years in this wilderness. In this family
I lodged about the space of three months, the master of it being the only
person with whom I could readily converse in those parts, except my interpreter;
others understanding very little English.
After
I had spent about three months in this situation, I found my distance from
the Indians a very great disadvantage to my work among them, and very burdensome
to myself; as I was obliged to travel forward and backward almost daily
on foot, having no pasture in which I could keep my horse for that purpose.
And after all my pains, could not be with the Indians in the evening and
morning, which were usually the best hours to find them at home, and when
they could best attend my instructions.--I therefore resolved to remove,
and live with or near the Indians, that I might watch all opportunities,
when they were generally at home, and take the advantage of such seasons
for their instruction.
Accordingly
I removed soon after; and, for a time, lived with them in one of their
wigwams; and, not long after, built me a small house, where I spent
the remainder of that year entirely alone; my interpreter, who was an Indian,
choosing rather to live in a wigwam among his own countrymen.--This way
of living I found attended with many difficulties, and uncomfortable circumstances,
in a place where I could get none of the necessaries and common comforts
of life, (no, not so much as a morsel of bread,) but what I brought from
places fifteen and twenty miles distant, and oftentimes was obliged, for
some time together, to content myself without, for want of an opportunity
to procure the things I needed.
But
although the difficulties of this solitary way of living are not the least,
or most inconsiderable, (and doubtless are in fact many more and greater
to those who experience, than they can readily appear to
those, who only view them at a distance,) yet I can truly say, that the
burden I felt respecting my great work among the poor Indians, the
fear and concern that continually hung upon my spirits, lest they should
be prejudiced against Christianity, and their minds imbittered against
me, and my labours among them, by means of the insinuations of some who,
although they are called christians, seem to have no concern for
Christ’s kingdom, but had rather (as their conduct plainly discovers)
that the Indians should remain heathens, that they may with the more ease
cheat, and so enrich themselves by them,--were much more pressing to me,
than all the difficulties that attended the circumstances of my living.
As
to the state or temper of mind, in which I found these
Indians, at my first coming among them, I may justly say, it was much more
desirable and encouraging than what appears among those who are altogether
uncultivated. Their heathenish jealousies and suspicion, and their prejudices
against Christianity, were in a great measure removed by the long-continued
labours of the Reverend Mr. Sargeant among a number of the same tribe,
in a place little more than twenty miles distant. Hence these were, in
some good degree, prepared to entertain the truths of Christianity, instead
of objecting against them, and appearing almost entirely untractable, as
is common with them at first, and as perhaps these appeared a few years
ago. Some of them, at least, appeared very well disposed toward religion,
and seemed much pleased with my coming among them.
In
my labours with them, in order “to turn them from darkness to light,” I
studied what was most plain and easy, and best suited to
their capacities; and endeavoured to set before them from time to time,
as they were able to receive them, the most important and necessary
truths of Christianity; such as most immediately concerned their speedy
conversion to God, and such as I judged had the greatest tendency, as means,
to effect that glorious change in them. But especially I made it the scope
and drift of all my labours, to lead them into a thorough acquaintance
with these two things.--First, The sinfulness and misery
of the estate they were naturally in; the evil of their hearts,
the pollution of their natures; the heavy guilt they were under, and their
exposedness to everlasting punishment; as also their utter inability to
save themselves, either from their sins, or from those miseries which are
the just punishment of them; and their unworthiness of any mercy at the
hand of God, on account of any thing they themselves could do to procure
his favour, and consequently their extreme need of Christ to save them.--And,
secondly, I frequently endeavoured to open to them the fulness,
all-sufficiency, and freeness of that
redemption,
which the Son of God has wrought out by his obedience and sufferings, for
perishing sinners: how this provision he had made, was suited to all their
wants; and how he called and invited them to accept of everlasting life
freely, notwithstanding all their sinfulness, inability, unworthiness,
&c.
After
I had been with the Indians several months, I composed sundry forms
of prayer, adapted to their circumstances and capacities; which, with
the help of my interpreter, I translated into the Indian language; and
soon learned to pronounce their words, so as to pray with them in their
own tongue. I also translated sundry psalms into their language,
and soon after we were able to sing in the worship of God.
When
my people had gained some acquaintance with many of the truths of Christianity,
so that they were capable of receiving and understanding many others, which
at first could not be taught them, by reason of their ignorance of those
that were necessary to be previously known, and upon which others depended;
I then gave them an historical account of God’s dealings with his
ancient professing people the Jews; some of the rites and ceremonies they
were obliged to observe, as their sacrifices, &c.; and what these were
designed to represent to them: as also some of the surprising miracles
God wrought for their salvation, while they trusted in him, and the sore
punishments he sometimes brought upon them, when they forsook and
sinned against him. Afterwards I proceeded to give them a relation of the
birth, life, miracles, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ; as
well as his ascension, and the wonderful effusion of the Holy Spirit consequent
thereupon.
And
having thus endeavoured to prepare the way by such a general account of
things, I next proceeded to read and expound to them the Gospel
of St. Matthew (at least the substance of it) in course, wherein they had
a more distinct and particular view of what they had before some general
notion.--These expositions I attended almost every evening, when
there was any considerable number of them at home; except when I was obliged
to be absent myself, in order to learn the Indian language with the Rev.
Mr. Sargeant.--Besides these means of instruction, there was likewise an
English school constantly kept by my interpreter among the Indians;
which I used frequently to visit, in order to give the children and young
people some proper instructions, and serious exhortations suited to their
age.
The
degree of knowledge to which some of them attained, was considerable.
Many of the truths of Christianity seemed fixed in their minds, especially
in some instances, so that they would speak to me of them, and ask such
questions about them, as were necessary to render them more plain and clear
to their understandings.--The
A
SHORT ACCOUNT OF MISSIONS. 433
children,
also, and young people, who attended the school, made considerable
proficiency (at least some of them) in their learning; so that had they
understood the English language well, they would have been able to read
somewhat readily in a psalter.
But
that which was most of all desirable, and gave me the greatest encouragement
amidst many difficulties and disconsolate hours, was, that the truths of
God’s word seemed, at times, to be attended with some power upon
the hearts and consciences of the Indians. And especially this appeared
evident in a few instances, who were awakened to some sense of their miserable
estate by nature, and appeared solicitous for deliverance from it. Several
of them came, of their own accord, to discourse with me about their souls’
concerns; and some with tears, inquired “what they should do to be saved?”
and whether the God that Christians served, would be merciful to those
that had been frequently drunk? &c.
And
although I cannot say that I have satisfactory evidences of their being
“renewed in the spirit of their mind,” and savingly converted to God; yet
the Spirit of God did, I apprehend, in such a manner attend the means of
grace, and so operate upon their minds thereby, as might justly afford
matter of encouragement to hope, that God designed good to them, and that
he was preparing his way into their souls.
There
likewise appeared a reformation in the lives and manners of the
Indians.--Their idolatrous sacrifices (of which there was but one
or two, that I know of, after my coming among them) were wholly laid aside.
And their heathenish custom of dancing, hallooing, &c.
they seemed in a considerable measure to have abandoned. And I could not
but hope, that they were reformed in some measure from the sin of drunkenness.
They likewise manifested a regard to the Lord’s day; and not only
behaved soberly themselves, but took care also to keep their children
in order.
Yet,
after all, I must confess, that as there were many hopeful appearances
among them, so there were some things more discouraging. And while
I rejoiced to observe any seriousness and concern among them about the
affairs of their souls, still I was not without continual fear and concern,
lest such encouraging appearances might prove “like a morning-cloud, that
passeth away.”
When
I had spent near a year with the Indians, I informed them that I expected
to leave them in the spring then approaching, and to be sent to another
tribe of Indians, at a great distance from them. On hearing this, they
appeared very sorrowful, and some of them endeavoured to persuade me to
continue with them; urging that they had now heard so much about their
souls’ concerns, that they could never more be willing to live as
they had done, without a minister, and further instructions in the
way to heaven, &c. Whereupon I told them, they ought to be willing
that others also should hear about their souls’ concerns, seeing those
needed it as much as themselves. Yet further to dissuade me from going,
they added, that those Indians, to whom I had thoughts of going, (as they
had heard,) were not willing to become Christians as they
were, and therefore urged me to tarry with them. I then told them, that
they might receive further instructions without me; but the Indians,
to whom I expected to be sent, could not, there being no minister near
to teach them. And hereupon I advised them, in case I should leave them,
and be sent elsewhere, to remove to Stockbridge, where they might be supplied
with land, and conveniencies of living, and be under the ministry of the
Rev. Mr. Sargeant: with which advice and proposal they seemed disposed
to comply.
On
April 6, 1744, I was ordered and directed by the correspondents for the
Indian mission, to take leave of the people, with whom I had then spent
a full year, and to go, as soon as conveniently I could, to a tribe of
Indians on Delaware river in Pennsylvania.
These
orders I soon attended, and on April 29th took leave of my people, who
were mostly removed to Stockbridge under the care of the Rev. Mr. Sargeant.
I then set out on my journey toward Delaware; and on May 10th met with
a number of Indians in a place called Minnissinks, about a hundred
and forty miles from Kaunaumeek, (the place where I spent the last
year,) and directly in my way to Delaware river. With these Indians I spent
some time, and first addressed their king in a friendly manner;
and after some discourse, and attempts to contract a friendship with him,
I told him I had a desire (for his benefit and happiness) to instruct them
in Christianity. At which he laughed, turned his back upon me, and
went away. I then addressed another principal man in the same manner,
who said he was willing to hear me. After some time, I followed the king
into his house, and renewed my discourse to him: but he declined talking,
and left the affair to another, who appeared to be a rational man. He began,
and talked very warmly near a quarter of an hour together: he inquired
why I desired the Indians to become Christians, seeing the Christians
were so much worse than the Indians are in their present state. The Christians,
he said, would lie, steal, and drink, worse than the Indians. It was they
first taught the Indians to be drunk: and they stole from one another,
to that degree, that their rulers were obliged to hang them for it, and
that was not sufficient to deter others from the like practice. But the
Indians, he added, were none of them ever hanged for stealing, and yet
they did not steal half so much; and he supposed that if the Indians should
become Christians, they would then be as bad as these. And hereupon he
said, they would live as their fathers lived, and go where their
fathers were when they died. I then freely owned, lamented,
and joined with him in condemning, the ill conduct of some
who are called Christians: told him, these were not Christians
in heart; that I hated such wicked practices, and did not desire
the Indians to become such as these.--And when he appeared calmer, I asked
him if he was willing that I should come and see them again? He replied,
he should be willing to see me again, as a friend, if I would not
desire them to become Christians.--I then bid them farewell, and
prosecuted my journey toward Delaware. And May 13th I arrived at a place
called by the Indians Sakhauwotung, within the Forks of Delaware
in Pennsylvania.
Here
also, when I came to the Indians, I saluted their king, and others,
in a manner I thought most engaging. And soon after informed the king of
my desire to instruct them in the christian religion. After he had
consulted a few minutes with two or three old men, he told me he was willing
to hear. I then preached to those few that were present; who appeared very
attentive, and well disposed. And the king in particular seemed both to
wonder, and at the same time to be well pleased with what I taught them,
respecting the Divine Being, &c. And since that time he has ever shown
himself friendly to me, giving me free liberty to preach in his house,
whenever I think fit.--Here therefore I have spent the greater part of
the summer past, preaching usually in the king’s house.
The
number of Indians in this place is but small; most of those that formerly
belonged here, are dispersed, and removed to places farther back in the
country. There are not more than ten houses hereabouts, that continue to
be inhabited; and some of these are several miles distant from others,
which makes it difficult for the Indians to meet together so frequently
as could be desired.
When
I first began to preach here, the number of my hearers was very
small; often not exceeding twenty or twenty-five persons: but towards the
latter part of the summer, their number increased, so that I have frequently
had forty persons, or more, at once; and oftentimes most belonging to those
parts came together to hear me preach.
The
effects which the truths of God’s word have had upon some of the
Indians, in this place, are somewhat encouraging. Sundry of them are brought
to renounce idolatry, and to decline partaking of those feasts
which they used to offer in sacrifice to certain supposed unknown powers.
And some few among them have, for a considerable time, manifested a serious
concern for their souls’ eternal welfare, and still continue to “inquire
the way to Zion,” with such diligence, affection, and becoming solicitude,
as gives me reason to hope, that “God, who, I trust, has begun this work
in them,” will carry it on, until it shall issue in their saving conversion
to himself. These not only detest their old idolatrous notions, but strive
also to bring their friends off from them. And as they are
434
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. III.
seeking
salvation for their own souls, so they seem desirous, and some of them
take pains, that others might be excited to do the like.
In
July last I heard of a number of Indians residing at a place called Kauksesauchung,
more than thirty miles westward from the place where I usually preach.
I visited them, found about thirty persons, and proposed my desire of preaching
to them; they readily complied, and I preached to them only twice, they
being just then removing from this place, where they only lived for the
present, to Susquehannah river where they belonged.
While
I was preaching they appeared sober and attentive; and were somewhat surprised,
having never before heard of these things. There were two or three who
suspected that I had some ill design upon them; and urged, that the white
people had abused them, and taken their lands from them, and therefore
they had no reason to think that they were now concerned for their happiness;
but, on the contrary, that they designed to make them slaves, or get them
on board their vessels, and make them fight with the people over the water,
(as they expressed it,) meaning the French and Spaniards. However, the
most of them appeared very friendly, and told me, they were then going
directly home to Susquehannah, and desired I would make them a visit there,
and manifested a considerable desire of farther instruction.--This invitation
gave me some encouragement in my great work; and made me hope, that God
designed to “open an effectual door to me” for spreading the gospel among
the poor heathen farther westward.
In
the beginning of October last, with the advice and direction of the correspondents
for the Indian mission, I undertook a journey to Susquehannah. And
after three days’ tedious travel, two of them through a wilderness almost
unpassable, by reason of mountains and rocks, and two nights lodging in
the open wilderness, I came to an Indian settlement on the side of Susquehannah-river,
called Opeholhaupung; where were twelve Indian houses, and (as nigh
as I could learn) about seventy souls, old and young, belonging to them.
Here
also, soon after my arrival, I visited the king, addressing him
with expressions of kindness; and after a few words of friendship, informed
him of my desire to teach them the knowledge of Christianity. He hesitated
not long before he told me, that he was willing to hear. I then preached;
and continued there several days, preaching every day, as long as the Indians
were at home. And they, in order to hear me, deferred the design of their
general hunting (which they were just then entering upon) for the space
of three or four days.
The
men,
I think universally (except one) attended my preaching. Only the women,
supposing the affair we were upon was of a public nature, belonging only
to the men, and not what every individual person should concern himself
with, could not readily be persuaded to come and hear: but, after much
pains used with them for that purpose, some few ventured to come, and stand
at a distance.
When
I had preached to the Indians several times, some of them very frankly
proposed what they had to object against Christianity; and so gave me a
fair opportunity for using my best endeavours to remove from their minds
those scruples and jealousies they laboured under: and when I had endeavoured
to answer their objections, some appeared much satisfied. I then asked
the king if he was willing I should visit and preach to them again, if
I should live to the next spring? ?He replied, he should be heartily willing
for his own part, and added, he wished the young people would learn, &c.
I then put the same question to the rest: some answered, they should be
very glad, and none manifested any dislike to it.
There
were sundry other things in their behaviour, which appeared with a comfortable
and encouraging aspect; that, upon the whole, I could not but rejoice I
had taken that journey among them, although it was attended with many difficulties
and hardships. The method I used with them, and the instructions I gave
them, I am persuaded were means, in some measure, to remove their heathenish
jealousies, and prejudices against Christianity; and I could not but hope,
the God of all grace was preparing their minds to receive “the truth as
it is in Jesus.” If this may be the happy consequence, I shall not only
rejoice in my past labours and fatigues; but shall, I trust, also “be willing
to spend and be spent,” if I may thereby be instrumental “to turn them
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.”
Thus,
Sir,
I have given you a faithful account of what has been most considerable
respecting my mission among the Indians; in which I have studied all convenient
brevity. I shall only now take leave to add a word or two respecting the
difficulties that attend the christianizing of these poor pagans.
In
the first place, their minds are filled with prejudices against
Christianity, on account of the vicious lives and unchristian
behaviour of some that are called Christians. These not only set before
them the worst examples, but some of them take pains, expressly in words,
to dissuade them from becoming Christians; foreseeing, that if these should
be converted to God, “the hope of their unlawful gain” would thereby be
lost.
Again,
these poor heathens are extremely attached to the customs, traditions,
and fabulous notions of their fathers. And this one seems to be the foundation
of all their other notions, viz. that “it was not the same God made
them who made the white people,” but another, who commanded them to live
by hunting, &c. and not conform to the customs of the white people.--Hence
when they are desired to become Christians, they frequently reply, that
“they will live as their fathers lived, and go to their fathers when they
die.” And if the miracles of Christ and his apostles be mentioned, to prove
the truth of Christianity; they also mention sundry miracles, which their
fathers have told them were anciently wrought among the Indians, and which
Satan makes them believe were so. They are much attached to idolatry; frequently
making feasts, which they eat in honour to some unknown beings,
who, they suppose, speak to them in dreams; promising them success
in hunting, and other affairs, in case they will sacrifice to them. They
oftentimes also offer their sacrifices to the spirits of the dead; who,
they suppose, stand in need of favours from the living, and yet are in
such a state as that they can well reward all the offices of kindness that
are shown them. And they impute all their calamities to the neglect of
these sacrifices.
Furthermore,
they are much awed by those among themselves, who are called powows,
who are supposed to have a power of enchanting, or poisoning them to death,
or at least in a very distressing manner. And they apprehend it would be
their sad fate to be thus enchanted, in case they should become Christians.
Lastly,
The manner of their living is likewise a great disadvantage to the
design of their being christianized. They are almost continually roving
from place to place; and it is but rare that an opportunity can be had
with some of them for their instruction. There is scarce any time of the
year, wherein the men can be found generally at home, except about
six weeks before, and in, the season of planting their corn, and about
two months in the latter part of summer, from the time they begin to roast
their corn, until it is fit to gather in.
As
to the hardships that necessarily attend a mission among them, the
fatigues of frequent journeying in the wilderness, the unpleasantness of
a mean and hard way of living, and the great difficulty of addressing “a
people of a strange language,” these I shall, at present, pass over in
silence; designing what I have already said of difficulties attending this
work, not for the discouragement of any, but rather for the incitement
of all, who “love the appearing and kingdom of Christ,” to frequent
the throne of grace with earnest supplications, that the heathen, who were
anciently promised to Christ “for his inheritance,” may now actually
and speedily be brought into his kingdom of grace, and made heirs
of immortal glory.
I
am, Sir,
Your
obedient, humble servant,
DAVID
BRAINERD
From
the Forks of Delaware, in
Pennsylvania,
Nov.
5, 1744.
P.S.
It should have been observed in the preceding account, that although
the number of Indians in the place I visited on Susquehannah river,
in October last, is but
A
SHORT ACCOUNT OF MISSIONS. 435
small, yet their numbers in the adjacent are very considerable; who, it is hoped, might be brought to embrace Christianity by the example of others. But being at present somewhat more savage, and unacquainted with the English, than these I visited, I thought it not best to make my first attempts among them; hoping I might hereafter be better introduced among them by means of these.--Sundry of the neighbouring settlements are much larger than this: so that there are, probably, several hundreds of the Indians not many miles distant. D.B.
