224

PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.

that God would make him an instrument of great good to my poor brethren the Indians. Helabored a number of years with the Indians at Montauk ; and was a mean of much good to thattribe, and also an instrument of good to some in New England , and I hope did a little good to youin the short time he was with you.

After I had educated M r Occum, and saw no other way to help the perishing Indians, therebeing no door open to send missionaries among them, I determined on setting up an Indian Schoolto teach their Children, that when they had got their learning, they might return home, and intheir own language teach their brothers, sisters and friends the way of Salvation by Jesus Christ .

And accordingly I began this School more then ten years ago. I first took two boys of the Dele-wares, but one of them died when he was almost fit for College, the other went to College , andwhen he was almost through, was overcome by strong drink, and by this he grieved my very heart.I hope he would have been good, and I hope yet that God will have mercy on him and make himgood before he dies.

I am now sending you eight of your sons, whom I have learned to read and write well. The min-isters who have joined with me to help forward the great design of Christianizing the Indians, haveexamined them, and recommend two of them with Joseph, Woolly , to be school masters, where theycan find the Indians willing to have their children taught: the other six, though they can readand write well enough to teach a school, yet we think they are too young to be masters. We areafraid your children will not mind them ; and therefore have ordered them to teach your children,under the direction of the missionaries, till next fall; and then they are to return to this school toget more learning; and I hope some of them will be fit in time to preach Christ to you, if God shallplease to give them good hearts.

Now I assure you, my brethren, in what I have done, and am doing, I have no interest of my ownin view ; but I have compassion upon your precious souls, for whom Christ died, and which mustbe lost and miserable for ever unless you be made to know him, and the way of life by him, and soto partake of the great salvation, which he has purchased for us.

Two ministers are coming to you from my school, who are sent to you by the commissioners,and they are men of learning, have had a liberal education, and are able to teach you the way ofsalvation by Christ . And they love you much; they do not come to get money, nor to get awayyour lands, nor to cheat or wrong you in any thing, but only to do you good. And you maydepend upon it, I will never willingly send one to preach the gospel to you, who has any higherview than to save your souls. That is the errand these men come upon, and as such you mustreceive them, and treat them kindly.

David Fowler, 1 who has been educated at my school, and is one of the school masters beforementioned, I now send to keep school among you, to teach your children, if you will receive him.

1 David Fowler was a Montauk Indian, entered the Indian School at Lebanon , about 1759. He early shewed an aptitudefor agriculture, and it was Dr. Wheelock’s opinion that he would make a good farmer if he should ever have the advantageof experience. In June, 1761, he accompanied Sampson Occom to the Oneidas and returned in August with three Indianyouths. He was approved as an Indian teacher in March, 1765, and set out accordingly for the Oneida Nation on the 29thof April. He shortly after wrote Dr. Wheelock the following letter from his new residence ; —

“ Kanavarohare, in Oneida, June 15,1765.

“ Honored and Rev. Sir

“ This is the twelfth day since I began my school ; and eight of my scholars are now in the third page of their spellinghook. I never saw children exceed these in learning. The number of my scholars is twenty six, but it is difficult to keepthem together ; they are often roving about from place to place to get something to live upon. I am also teaching asinging school. They take great pleasure in learning to sing. We can already carry three parts of several tunes. I am wellcontented to live here, so long as I am in such great business. I believe I shall persuade the men in this castle, at least