Historical Collections of the Indians in New England, History · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Giving an Account of what is done with respect to the Propagating of the Gospel in the Iurisdictions of Connecticut and Rhode Island.
§. 1. IN the jurisdiction of Connecticut, sundry years since, Mr. Abraham Pierson, pastor of the church at Branford, having gained some knowledge of the Indian tongue, made some beginnings, and continued in that work some years, to preach the gospel to some Indians in those parts: in which work, as I have understood, he was encouraged by the Commissioners of the united colonies. But the providence of God removing him from those parts unto New Jersey, to the southwest of New York about ten leagues, that work ceased with him: and I have not heard of any considerable fruits of his labours with them, which I impute to this reason, it being now about ten years since he left them. Religion, especial among such a people, is very apt to decay. For precept upon precept, and line upon line, God hath said is needful in such a case. But if the vision fail, the people will perish: and certainly religion will decay and die in every place, if God withdraw the means of grace. Where bread and other food is wanting, the people will famish; and the famine of the word of God is greater than that of bread. The Lord make all mankind sensible thereof. Besides, God hath his times and seasons of grace unto these and those people. It may be, their time is not yet come to receive the gospel. Oh that God would give all men wisdom, to improve the day of grace, while they enjoy it.
§. 2. Since Mr. Pierson's removal, it hath pleased God to stir up the reverend and worthy man, Mr. James Fitch, pastor of the English church at Norwich; who having gained some understanding in the Indian language, doth preach unto some of the Mohegan Indians that live near him. I have endeavoured, both by letters and messages to him, to gain a particular account. But possibly either my letters and messages, or his to me, have miscarried; or else he wants considerable matter to inform. That which I hear in general from others, is, that this good man doth put forth his utmost endeavours,—as his calling in the English church, where he is alone, will permit,—to teach and instruct them; and that some are hopefully coming on; it being but a few years since he began this work. I am apt to …car, that a great obstruction unto his labours is in the sachem of those Indians, whose name is Unkas; an old and wicked, wilful man, a drunkard and otherwise very vitious; who hath always been an opposer and underminer of praying to God: some hints whereof I have given, in the narrative of my journey to Wabquissit, before mentioned. My prayers and desires are, that this servant of Christ may be encouraged and blessed in this work; and though the Indians should not be gathered, yet he shall not fail of acceptance and reward from his and our Lord and master, Jesus Christ.
§. 3. "Honoured Sir,
"Yours I received, dated in September. And I have hitherto delayed, that I might be the better prepared for an answer to your queries. Concerning the Indians in this colony and at Long Island, I cannot understand that they have any inclination to learn the knowledge of God: but when Mr. Pierson did frequently try, in the several plantations in this colony, they did generally show an averseness, yea a perverse contempt of the word of God; and at present they will not yield to any settled hearing or attendance upon the ministry of the word. Since God hath called me to labour in this work among the Indians nearer to me, where indeed are the most considerable number of any in this colony, the first of my time was spent upon the Indians at Moheek,*Montville. where Unkas, and his son, and Wanaho; are sachems. These at first carried it teachably and tractably: until at length the sachems did discern, that religion would not consist with a mere receiving of the word; and that practical religion will throw down their heathenish idols, and the sachems' tyrannical monarchy: and then the sachems, discerning this, did not only go away, but drew off their people, some by flatteries, and others by threatenings: and they would not suffer them to give so much as an outward attendance to the ministry of the word of God. But at this time some few did show a willingness to attend. These few I began meetings with them, about one year and a half since. What progress they have made, I have informed the Commissioners. Firstly, in respect of knowledge, they are enlightened in the common principles of the true religion. Secondly, in respect of practice, they have yielded to cast off heathenish devil worship, and on the Lord's day to meet together, to repeat and to confer about that, which they have heard me teach them of the word of God. And he that is the chief among them, whose name is Weebax, hath learned so much, that he is willing and able in some degree to be helpful in teaching and prayer to the others, on the Lord's day: and this Weebax is of such a blameless conversation, that his worst enemies and haters of religion cannot but speak well of his conversation; and the same may be said concerning another, whose name is Tuhamon.
"The number of these Indians is now increased to above thirty grown persons, men and women, besides children and young ones. Some have showed a willingness, that their children should learn to read; but it is not yet two years since I began with these; and truly the charge and expense to set up and keep a school amongst them, it is too great for me at present to compass. These Indians do suffer much, especially the chief among them, that it is to wonderment they are not utterly discouraged, considering they are but in their beginnings: for the sachem and Indians round about, do to the utmost what they can, by reproaches, revilings, and threatenings, especially in a private and clandesline manner, to dismay them.
"And for the settlement and encouragement of these Indians, I have given them of mine own lands, and some that I have procured of our town, above three hundred acres of good improvable lands, and made it sure to them and theirs, so long as they go on in the ways of God.
"And at this time Unkas and his sons seem as if they would come on again to attend upon the ministry of the word of God. But it is no other but in envy against these, and to promote some present self design: but it is easy with God to turn all to salvation, &c.
"I have nothing further at present to add, but that the Lord would direct and prosper you in your pious intendments; so intreating your prayers for me, who am,
"Your unworthy friend and servant in the work of the Lord,
"JAMES FITCH, senior.†In 1774, when a census of the inhabitants of the state of Connecticut was taken, there were but thirteen hundred and sixty three Indians; [another account says, thirteen hundred and ninety three] the greater part of whom lived at Mohegan, between Norwich and New London. In the eighteen years which have since elapsed, judging from their usual decrease, and from some circumstances which have fallen under my own observations, I should suppose the above number is diminished at least one half. Besides, a considerable part of the Mohegan tribe, I have been informed, have lately removed from their former residence, near New London to Oneida, with the late Mr. Occom. So that I do not imagine, the present number of Indians in Connecticut exceeds four hundred. [M. S. Letter of the Rev. Ied. Morse]
"From Norwich, Novem. 20th. 1674."
§. 4. In Rhode Island and Providence plantations there are sundry English live, that are skilful in the Indian tongue, especially Mr. Williams of Providence, of whose endeavours I have heard something that way: but God hath not yet honoured him, or any other in that colony that I can hear of, with being instrumental to convert any of those Indians; and yet there are very considerable numbers of Indians that live near them. If there should be any enlightened and converted by them, when I shall be certified thereof, I would gladly mention it in this our History. But on the contrary, I have observed, that the Indians who live in these parts, generally are more indisposed to embrace religion, than any Indians in the country. The reasons whereof, I conjecture, are principally these two. First, the averleness of their sachems. Secondly, the bad example of the English in those parts, where civil government and religion among the English rans very low. Those two orders of magistracy and ministry, are as Jachin and Boaz, strength and stability, upon which the happiness and prosperity of any people doth, under God, depend: and where these are wanting in splendour and beauty, I never promise myself to see any great honour or good to such a people. But yet let me add this in way of commendation of the Narragansitt and Warwick Indians, who inhabit in the jurisdiction, that they are an active, laborious, and ingenious people; which is demonstrated in their labours they do for the English; of whom more are employed, especially in making stone fences, and many other hard labours, than of any other Indian people or neighbours.*The Narrangaset Indians, within whose country Rhode Island and Providence plantations fall, were strongly opposed to the propagation of the christian religion. Their sachems would not suffer the gospel to be preached to their subjects; and the people obstinately adhered to the traditions and customs of their ancestors. Mr. Williams made some laudable attempts to instruct them; but he soon left off discouraged; conceiving that he could not, with any propriety, preach christianity to them in their own language, without immediate inspiration. After Philip's war their numbers were much lessened; and they were reduced to the most object state of poverty and …retchedness. In the year 1730, there were left in the colony no more than nine hundred and eighty five Indians. [Callender's Century Sermon. pag. 40, 82, 84.] Forty four years after, their number was fourteen hundred and eighty two. There seems here to be an increase. But it should be remembered, that in the year 1740. Attleborough Gore, and the towns of Bristol, Tiverton, and Little Compton, and a great part of Swanzey and Barrington,—which probably contained a large proportion of the Indians in the colony,—had been taken from Massachusetts, and annexed to Rhode Island. We cannot determine the present number, but it is supposed to be less than five hundred. The parts of New England, not particularly mentioned in Gookin's Historical Collections, are the slates of New Hampshire and Vermont, and the district of Maine. There are now no Indians in New Hampshire; some of them having removed into Canada, but the greatest part being extinct. The Indians were never numerous in Vermont; and at present, it is entirely des…tute of them. Within the district of Maine, the Indians, who are all Roman Catholicks, are reduced to about sixty families … river, and about thirty at Passamaquady. They have a church at each of these places.