The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Upon the Indians of New England, Part 4
Let me adde this Poſtſcript, that there be two reaſons that make me beleeve the Lords time is come to make a preparative at leaſt for the comming of his grace, and kingdome among them. Firſt, that he hath bowed their hearts, who were as averſe, and as farre off from God, as any heathen in the world; and their hearts begin to bow more and more. Secondly, becauſe the Lord hath raiſed a mighty ſpirit of prayer in this behalfe in all the Churches.
This Relation of Mr.Eliots I know many things therein to be true, & all the reſt I have heard confirmed by credible perſons, eye & eare witneſſes oftheſe things, and they are familiarly known in theſe parts. I know alſo that Mr. Eliot writes (as his ſpirit is) modeſtly and ſparingly, and ſpeaks the leaſt in ſundry particulars; for in his ſtory of the repentance and publike admonition of his own man, page 23. hee ſaith he manifeſted many teares in publike, but I heard it from many then preſent that there were ſo many, as that the dry place of the Wigmom, where hee ſtood was bedirtied with them, powring them out ſo abundantly. Indians are well known not to bee much ſubject to teares, no not when they come to feele the ſoreſt torture, or are ſolemnly brought forth to die; and if the Word workes theſe teares, ſurely there is ſome conquering power of Chriſt Jeſus ſtirring among them, which what it will end in at laſt, the Lord belt knows. If Mr. Brigbtmans interpretation of Daniels propheſie be true, that Anno 1650. Europe will hear ſome of the beſt tidings that ever came into the world, viz. rumors from the Eaſterne Jews, which ſhall trouble the Turkiſh tyrant and ſhake his Pillars when they are comming to repoſſeſſe their own land, for which they will be wraſtling (if my memory failes not, according to his notion) about 40. yeers; I ſhall hope then that theſe Weſterne Indians will ſoon come in, and that theſe beginnings are but preparatives for a brighter day then we yet ſee among them, wherein Eaſt & Weſt ſhall ſing the ſong of the Lambe: but I have no skill in propheſies, nor do I beleeve every mans interpretation of ſuch Scripture; but this is certain, God is at work among theſe; and it is not uſual for the Sun to ſet as ſoon as it begins to riſe, nor for the Lord to Jeſus to loſe an inch of ground in the recovering times of his Churches peace and his own eclipſed and forgotten glory, (if theſe bee ſuch times) untill hee hath won the whole field, and driven the Prince of darkneſſe out of it, who is but a bold uſurper of the Lord Jeſus inheritance, to whom are given the utmoſt ends of the earth. When Charles the Great had broken the chief power of the barbarous and fierce Saxons in Germany, he made this the onelyonly article of peace, that they ſhould entertain ſuch a Goſpel as good then as the degenerate Chriſtian world could affoord, and for that end admit of a Monaſtery among them of ſuch men as might inſtruct them, and this courſe prevailed, if wee may beleeve *Crantzius lib. ch. 1, 2.Crantzius the Hiſtorian of thoſe times, and ſhall wee think that when the Lord Jeſus hath ſet up not a Monaſtery of workes but Churches of Saints in theſe toaſts to encourage the miniſtry and this work of Chriſt, that his bleſſed Goſpel cannot or ſhall not in theſe dayes take ſome effect ſince it hath broke ſo far? I dare conclude nothing, onelyonly it will be our comfort in the day of our accounts, that wee have endeavored ſomething this way; and it may be this very indeavour ſhall be our peace. Gildas our Britiſh Hiſtorian obſerving that one cauſe why God let looſe the Saxons to ſcourge and root out the Britaines, was their deep careleſneſſe of communicating, unto them the Chriſtian Religion, when they had their ſpirits at fit advantage: but I dare not diſcourſe of theſe matters.
One thing more I remember concerning Mr. Eliots conference with a Narraganſet Sachim a ſober man this yeer; after that he had taught this Sachim the Law of God and had ſhewen Lim the means of ſalvation by Chriſt; he then asked him if he did know And underſtand thoſe things? and heſaid, yes. He then asked him if he did beleeve them? but hee could not get any anſwer from him that way, but did ſeeme to take them into more ſerious thoughts. He then asked him, why they did not learn of Mr. Williams who hath lived among them divers yeers? and he ſoberly anſwered that they did not care to learn of him, becauſe hee is no good man but goes out and workes upon the Sabbath day; I name it not to ſhew what glimmerings nature may have concerning the obſervation of the Sabbath, but to ſhew what the ill example of Engliſh may doe, and to ſee what a ſtumbling block to all Religion the looſe obſervation of the Sabbath is, however mans ſhifting wits may find out evaſions, to get looſe from out of that net.
But this may ſerve to ſatisfie your own or others deſires concerning the progreſſe of the Goſpel among the Indians: the Lord Jeſus ſeemes at this day to bee turning upſide down the whole frame of things in the world, Kings Parliaments, Armies, Kingdomes, Authorities, Churches, Miniſters, and if out of his free grace hee looks not upon theſe hopefull beginnings, theſe will be ſo turned alſo; for oppoſition there is from men and devils againſt it, and I have feared in my own heart that within theſe few moneths there hath been ſome coolings among the beſt of theſe Indians; but wee find it ſo alſo among many people that are Engliſh in their firſt work, but the Lord Jeſus revives again; and therefore Mr. Eliot of late having told them that hee was afraid that they began to bee weary. they took it to heart, and propounded in my hearing at a late Indian Lacture at Noonanetum many profitable queſtions, viz. When they prayed and heard the Word aright? and how they might know when they were weary of them? And what time it might bee before the Lord might come and make them know him? And what the firſt ſinne of the Devils was? (Hee diſcourſing to them about the danger of Apoſtaſie) At this time they are (as you may perceive by Mr. Eliots writings) about fencing in their ground and Town given them ſome hundreds of Acres, with a ſtone fence, for which end Mr. Eliot provides them Mattocks, Shovels and Crowes of Iron, &c. and to encourage their ſlothfulneſſe, promiſed to give a groat or ſix pence a rod, if they would thus farre attend their own good, and work for themſelves: all the poor Indians at Noonanetum are generally clad with ſuch cloths as wee can get them, and the Wigwams of the meaneſt of them equallize any Sachims in other places, being built not with mats but barks of Trees in good bigneſſe, the rather that they may have their partitions in them for husbands and wives togeather, and their children and ſervants in their places alſo, who formerly were never private in what nature is aſhamed of, either for the ſun or any man to ſee. It's ſome refreſhing to thinke that there is (if there was no more but) the name of Chriſt ſounding in thoſe darke and deſpicable Tartarian Tents; the Lord can build them houſes in time to pray in, when hee hath given unto them better hearts, and when perhaps hee hath curſed and conſumed theirs who have diſdained to give that worſhip and homage to Chriſt in their ſeiled houſes, which poor Indians rejoyee to give to him in their poor Tents and Wigwams: I deſire you to gather what ſtock of prayers you can for them. I had almoſt forgot to tell you of Mr. Eliots going up the Country lately with Mr. Flint, Captain Willard of Concord, and ſundry others, towards Merrimath River unto that Indian Sachim Paſſaconnaway, that old Witch and Powwaw, who together with both his ſons, fled the preſence of the light, and durſt not ſtand their ground, nor be at home when he came, pretending feare of being killed by a man forſooth that came only with a book in his hand, and with a few others without any weapons only to bear him company and direct his way in thoſe deſerts, but in it you may ſee the guilt of the man, & that Satan is but a coward in his Lyons skin even upon his own dunghill, as alſo the hatred and enmity againſt the Word which is in ſome, which argues that the attention which others give to it, is a power of God, and not meerly to flatter and get favour with the Engliſh: but the reſt of Paſſaconnawaies men attended to the things which were ſpoken and asked divers queſtions, the Indians in our parts accompanying Mr. Eliot and giving bleſſed examples to the others herein, as alſo in ſaying Grace before and after meat, praying in their Wigwams with them, and ſome of them ſinging of Pſalmes, which they have learnt among the Engliſh: diſcourſing alſo with them about the things of God. It is ſomewhat obſervable (though the obſervation bee more cheerfull then deep) that the firſt Text out of which Mr. Eliot preached to the Indians was about the dry bones, Ezek. 37. where it's ſaid, Verſ. 9, 10. that by propbeſying to the wind, the wind came and the dry bones lived; now the Indian word for Wind is Waubon, and the moſt active Indian for ſtirring up other Indians to ſeek after the knowledg of God in theſe parts, his name is Waubon, which ſignifies Wind, (the Indians giving names to their children uſually according to appearances of providences) although they never dreamt of this, that this their Waubon ſhould breathe ſuch a ſpirit of life and incouragement into the reſt of the Indians. as hee hath indeavored in all parts of the Countrey, both at Concord, Merrimeek and elſewhere; but ſome of the Indians themſelves that were ſtir'd up by him took notice of this his name and that Scripture together, and the Engliſh alſo have much obſerved him herein, who ſtill continues the ſame man, although we thinke there be now many others whom he firſt breathed encouragement into that do farre exceed him in the light and life of the things of God: Mr.Eliot alſo profeſſing that he choſe that Text without the leaſt thought of any ſuch application in reſpect of Waubon.
There have been many difficult queſtions propounded by them, which we have been unwilling to engage our ſelves in any anſwer unto, untill wee have the concurrence of others with ns.
Firſt, ſuppoſe a man before hee knew God, hath had two wives, the firſt barren and childleſſe, the ſecond fruitfull and bearing him many ſweet children, the queſtion now propounded was, which of theſe two wives he is to put away? if hee puts away; the firſt who hath no children, then hee puts away her whom God and Religion undoubtedly binds him unto, there being no other defect but want of children: if hee puts away the other, then he muſt caſt off all his children with her alſo as illegitimate, whom hee ſo exceedingly loves. This is a caſe now among them, and they are very fearefull to do any thing croſſe to Gods will and mind herein.
Secondly, ſuppoſe a man marry a Sqaw, and ſhee deſerts and flies from her husband, and commits adultery with other remote Indians, but afterward it come to paſſe that ſhee hearing the Word, and ſorry for what ſhee hath done, ſhe deſires to come to her husband againe, who remaines ſtill unmarried; Whether ſhould this husband upon her repentance receive her againe? and whether in be not bound thereunto ſo to doe?
At the laſt Lecture at Noonanetum this September, there were divers queſtions asked: one was propounded by an old Sqaw, a Widow; viz. If when men know God, God loves them, why then is it that any one are afflicted after that they know him? I ſhall mention no more, but conclude with the ſolemn ſpeech of a ſober and hopefull Indian at this Lecture, whoſe name is Wampooas, who in ſtead of propounding a queſtion fell into theſe expreſſions, viz. That becauſe wee pray to God, other Indians abroad in the countrey hate us and oppoſe us, the Engliſh on the other ſide ſuſpect us, and feare us to be ſtill ſuch as doe not pray at all; but (ſaith he) God who knowes all things, he knowes that wee do pray to him. To which ſpeech Mr. Eliot replyed, that it was true indeed, that ſome of the Engliſh did ſo far ſuſpect them for ſundry reaſons; but I doe not ſo, and others of us, who know you and ſpeake with you, we do not ſo think of you; and then gave them gracious and ſerious incouragements to goe forward and make more progreſſe in the things of God. This their own teſtimony of themſelves being propounded with much ſweetneſſe and ſeriouſneſſe of affection, may be the laſt, although it be the leaſt confirmation of ſome inward worke among them; which I looked upon as a ſpeciall providence that ſuch a ſpeech ſhould be ſpoken and come to my eare juſt at ſuch a time as this, wherein I was finiſhing the ſtory, to confirme in ſome meaſure what hath been written; the Lord himſelf I beleeve and no man living, putting theſe words into their own hearts, to give this modeſt teſtimony concerning themſelves. The beginning of this enlargement of Chriſts Kingdome ſhould inlarge our hearts with great joy. If I ſhould gather and ſumme up together the ſeverall gracious impreſſions of God upon them from what hath been ſcattered here and there in the ſtory, I thinke it might make many Chriſtians aſhamed, who may eaſily ſee how farre they are exceeded by theſe naked men in ſo ſhort a… ime thus wrought upon by ſuch ſmall and deſpicable means. My brother Eliot who is Preacher to them, proſelling he can as yet but ſtammer out ſome peeces of the Word of God unto them in their own tongue; but God is with him, and God is wont to be maximus in minimis, and is moſt ſeene in doing great things by ſmall meanes. The Sword of Gods Word ſhall and will pierce deep, even when it is half broken, when the hand of a mighty Redeemer hath the laying of it on: and the Scripture herein is, and muſt be fulfilled, that as ſoon as the heathen heare Chriſt they ſhall ſubmit, Pſal. 18. 43, 44. and ſuch nations whom Chriſt knew not ſhall run unto him, Iſai. 55. 5. The fall of the unbeleving Jewes was the riſing of the Gentiles; my prayer to God therefore for Europe is, that the fall of the Churches, (little bettered by the devouring Sword which is ſtill thirſty) may not bee the riſing of theſe American Gentiles, never pitied till now. I wiſh that Alſted ius propheſie Alſted in Ap…t,herein may never prove true; but rather that the riſing of theſe may be a provoking and raiſing up of them, eſpecially of the Engliſh, to lament after that God whom they have forſaken; and to lament after him, together with us, for theſe poor Indians who never yet knew him.
Sir, I had ended theſe relations once or twice, but the ſtay of the Veſſell increaſeth new matter; which becauſe …is new and freſh, you ſhall have it as I heard of it from a faithfull hand: There were ſundry queſtions propounded at the Indian Lecture at Noonanetum this Octob. 13. by the Indians: the firſt was propounded to Mr. Eliot himſelf upon occaſion of his Sermon out of Epheſ. 5. 11. Have no fellowſhip with unfruitfull workers of darknes, viz. What Engliſh men did thinke of Mr. Eliot becauſe be came among wicked Indians to teach them?
Secondly, Suppoſe two men ſinne, the one knowes be ſinneth, and the other doth not know ſinne, will God puniſh both alike?
Thirdly, Suppoſe there ſhould be one wiſe Indian that teacheth good things to other Indians, whether ſhould not he be as a father or brother unto ſuch Indians he ſo teacheth in the wayes of God? This laſt queſtion ſeemes to argue ſome motions ſtirring in ſome of their hearts to pity and teach their poor Countreymen; and ſurely then will bee the moſt hopefull time of doing good among them, when the Lord ſhall raiſe up ſome or other like themſelves to go among them and preach the Word of life unto them with fatherly or brotherly bowels; and yet I limit not the moſt High, who can make uſe of what Inſtruments hee pleaſeth for this work. I ſhall conclude therefore with a ſtory I had both by writing and word of mouth, from a faithfull *Mr. Edward Jackſon.man which hee ſaw with his own eyes this Octob. 7. There was one of the Indians at Noonanetum, hath had a child ſick of a Conſumption many a day, and at that time died of it; when it was dead, ſome of the Indians came to an honeſt man to enquire how they ſhould bury their dead; the man told them how and what the Engliſh did when they buried theirs; hereupon rejecting all their old ſuperſtitious obſervances at ſuch ſad times (which are not a few) they preſently procured a few boards, and buy a few …yles of the Engliſh, and ſo make a pretty handſome Coffin, (for they are very dextrous at any thing they ſee once done) and put the child in to it, and ſo accompanied it to the grave very ſolemnly, about 40. Indians of them: when the earth was caſt upon it and the grave made up, they withdrew a little from that place, and went all together and aſſembled under a Tree in the Woods, and there they deſired one Tutaſwampe a very hopefull Indian to pray with them; now although the Engliſh do not uſually meet in companies to pray together after ſuch ſad occaſions, yet it ſeemes God ſtird up their hearts thus to doe; what the ſubſtance of their prayer was I cannot certainly learn, although I have heard ſome things that way, which I therefore name not, onelyonly I have and ſhall indeavour to get it, if it bee poſſible for the poor Indian to expreſſe the ſubſtance of it, and ſo ſhall ſend it if the ſhip ſtayes long, onelyonly this is certaine by him who was occaſionally an eye and care witneſſe of theſe things, that they continued inſtant with God in prayer for almoſt half an houre together, and this godly mans words to mee (who underſtands a little of their language) are theſe; that this Tutaſwampe did expreſſe ſuch zeale in prayer with ſuch variety of gracious expreſſions, and abundance of teares, both of himſelf and moſt of the company, that the woods rang againe with their ſighes and prayers; and (ſaith he) I was much aſhamed of my ſelf and ſome others, that hav… had ſo great light, and yet want ſuch affections as they have, who have as yet ſo little knowledge. All this he ſaw ſtanding at ſome good diſtance alone from them under a Tree.
Thus you ſee (Sir) that theſe old obdurate ſinners are not altogether ſenſeleſſe of Gods afflicting hand and humbling providences; and though naturall affection may be much ſtirring in ſuch times, yet you ſee how God begins to ſanctifie ſuch affections among them: and I wiſh that many Engliſh were not outſtript herein by theſe poor Indians, who have got the …art I ſeare of many Engliſh, that can paſſe by ſuch ſad providences without laying them in this manner to heart. I confeſſe theſe and many ſuch things which wee ſee in divers of them, do make ſome to thinke that there is more of God and his Spirit in ſome of their hearts then we yet can diſcover, and which they hope will break out in time.
Thus you have a true, but ſomewhat rent and ragged relation of theſe things; it may be moſt ſutable to the ſtory of naked and ragged men: my deſire is that no mans Spectacles may deceive him, ſo as to look upon theſe things either as bigger or leſſer, better or worſer then they are; which all men generally are apt to doe at things at ſo great diſtance, but that they may judge of them as indeed they are, by what truth they ſee here expreſt in the things themſelves. I know that ſome thinke that all this worke among them is done and acted thus by the Indians to pleaſe the Engliſh, and for applauſe from them; and it is not unlikely but ſo'tis in many, who doe but blaze for a time; but certainly'tis not ſo in all, but that the power of the Word hath taken place in ſome, and that inwardly and effectually, but how far ſavingly time will declare, and the reader may judge of, by the ſtory itſelf of theſe things. Some ſay that if it be ſo, yet they are but a few that are thus wrought upon; Be it ſo, yet ſo it hath ever been, many called, few choſen: and yet withall I beleeve the calling in of a few Indians to Chriſt is the gathering home of many hundreds in one, conſidering what a vaſt diſtance there hath been between God and them ſo long, even dayes without number; conſidering alſo how precious the firſt fruits of America will be to Jeſus Chriſt, and what ſeeds they may be of great harveſts in after times; and yet if there was no great matter ſeen in theſe of grown yeers, their children notwithſtanding are of great hopes both from English and Indians themſelves, who are therefore trained up to Schoole, where many are very apt to learne, and who are alſo able readily to anſwer to the queſtions propounded, containing the principles and grounds of all Chriſtian Religion in their own tongue. I confeſſe it paſſeth my skill to tell how the Goſpel ſhould be generally received by theſe American Natives, conſidering the variety of Languages in ſmall diſtances of places; onelyonly hee that made their eares and tongues can raiſe up ſome or other to teach them how to heare, and what to ſpake; and if the Goſpel muſt ride circuit, Chriſt can and will conquer by weake and deſpicable meanes, though the conqueſt perhaps may be ſomewhat long. The beginnings and foundations of the Spaniard in the Southerne parts of this vaſt continent, being laid in the blood of nineteene Millions of poor innocent Natives (as Acoſta the Jeſuite a bird of their own neſt relates the ſtory) ſhall certainly therefore bee utterly rooted up by ſome revenging hand; and when he is once diſpoſſeſt of his Golden Manſions and Silver Mines, it may be then the oppreſſed remnant in thoſe coaſts alſo may come in. In the meane while if it bee the good pleaſure of Chriſt to look upon any of the worſt and meaneſt of theſe outcaſts in theſe Coaſts of New-England, let us not deſpiſe this day of ſmall things, but as the Jews did of old, ſo let us now cry mightily to God and ſay, and ſing, Let the people praiſe thee O God, yea let all the people praiſe thee, then ſhall the earth bringforth her increaſe, and God even our God will bleſſe us.
I have ſent you two witneſſes beſide my own of the truth of the Indian ſtory printed, you may publiſh them if you pleaſe as they have writ, and ſubſcrib'd with their own hands.
THOMAS SHEPHARD.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Shepard, The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Upon the Indians of New England (1648)