Chapter VII (2)

Before I prayed to God I alwaies committed sin, but I do
not know all my sins, I know but a little of the sins I have
committed, therefore I thought I could not pray to God, because
I knew not al my sins before I prayed to God, and since I heard
of praying to God: formerly when the English did bid me pray
unto God I hated it, and would go out of their houses, when
they spake of such things to me. I had no delight to hear any
thing of Gods Word, but in every thing I sinned; in my speeches
I sinned, and every day I broke the Commands of God. After
I heard of praying to God, that _Waban_ and my two brothers
prayed to God, yet then I desired it not, but did think of
running away; yet I feared if I did run away some wicked men
would kill me, but I did not fear God. After when you said unto
me, pray, my heart thought, I will pray; yet again I thought,
I cannot pray with my heart, and no matter for praying with
words only: but when I did pray, I saw more of my sins; yet I
did but only see them, I could not be aware of them, but still
I did commit them: and after I prayed to God, I was still full
of lust, and then a little I feared. Sometimes I was sick, and
then I thought God was angry, and then I saw that I did commit
all sins: then one of my brothers died, and then my heart was
broken, and after him another friend, and again my heart was
broken: and yet after all this I broke my praying to God, and
put away God, and then I thought I shall never pray to God: but
after this I was afraid of the Lord, because I alwaies broke
my praying to God and then my heart said, God doth not hear my
prayer. When I was sick, and recovered again, I thought then
that God was merciful unto me. Hearing that word of God, _If
you hear the Word of God, and be forgetful hearers, you sin
against God_; then I thought God will not pardon such a sinner
as I, who dayly did so, and broke my praying to God. When I
heard the Commandements, I desired to learn them, and other
points of Catechism, but my desires were but small, and I soon
lost it, because I did not desire to beleeve: then sometimes
I feared Gods anger because of al my sins; I heard the Word
and understood only this word, _All you that hear this day, it
may be you shall quickly die_, and then I quickly saw that God
was very angry with me. Then God brake my head, and by that I
saw Gods anger; and then I thought that the true God in Heaven
is angry with me for my sin, even for al my sins, which every
day I live, I do. When I was almost dead, some body bid me now
beleeve, because it may be I shal quickly die, and I thought I
did beleeve, but I did not know right beleeving in Christ: then
I prayed unto God to restore my health. Then I beleeved that
word, _That we must shortly appear before Jesus Christ_; then
I did greatly fear lest if I beleeved not, I should perish for
ever. When I was neer death, I prayed unto God, _Oh Lord give
me life, and I will pray to God so long as I live_, and I said,
_I will give my self, soul, and body to Christ_: after this,
God gave me health, and then I thought, truly, God in Heaven is
merciful; then I much grieved, that I knew so little of Gods
Word. And now sometimes I am angry, and then I fear because I
know God seeth it; and I fear, because I promised God when I
was almost dead, that if he giveth me life, I will pray so long
as I live; I fear lest I should break this promise to God. Now
I desire the pardon of all my sins, and I beg faith in Christ,
and I desire to live unto God, so long as I live; I cannot
myself get pardon, but I dayly commit sin, and break Gods Word,
but I look to Christ for pardon.”

“CONFESSION OF EPHRAIM.

All the daies I have lived, I have been in a poor foolish
condition, I cannot tell all my sins, all my great sins, I do
not see them. When I first heard of praying to God, I could
not sleep quietly, I was so troubled, ever I thought I would
forsake the place because of praying to God, my life hath been
like as if I had been a mad man. Last yeer I thought I would
leave all my sins, yet I see I do not leave off sinning to this
day; I now think I shall never be able to forsake my sins. I
think sometimes the Word of God is false, yet I see there is
no giving over that I might follow sin, I must pray to God; I
do not truly in my heart repent, and I think that God wil not
forgive me my sins: every day my heart sinneth, and how will
Christ forgive such an one? I pray but outwardly with my mouth,
not with my heart; I cannot of my self obtain pardon of my
sins: I cannot tell all the sins that I have done if I should
tell you an whol day together: I do every morning desire that
my sins may be pardoned by Jesus Christ; this my heart saith,
but yet I fear I cannot forsake my sins, because I cannot see
all my sins: I hear, That if we repent and beleeve in Christ,
all our sins shall be pardoned, therefore I desire to leave off
my sins.

This poor Publican was the last which made his Confession before
I read them unto the Elders, and the last of them I shall now
publish. I will shut up these Confessions with the Confession
(if I may so call it) or rather with the Expression, and
manifestation of faith, by two little Infants, of two yeers
old, and upward, under three yeers of age when they died and
departed out of this world.

_The Story is this_,

This Spring, in the beginning of the yeer, 1652, the Lord was
pleased to afflict sundry of our praying Indians with that
grievous disease of the Bloody-Flux, whereof some with great
torments in their bowels died; among which were two little
Children of the age above-said, and at that time both in one
house, being together taken with that disease. The first of
these Children in the extremities of its torments, lay crying
to God in these words, _God and Jesus Christ, God and Jesus
Christ help me_; and when they gave it any thing to eat, it
would greedily take it (as it is usual at the approach of
death) but first it would cry to God, _Oh God and Jesus Christ,
bless it_, and then it would take it: and in this manner it lay
calling upon God and Jesus Christ untill it died: The mother of
this Child also died of that disease, at that time. The Father
of the Child told me this story, with great wonderment at the
grace of God, in teaching his Child so to call upon God. The
name of the Father is _Nishohkou_, whose Confession you have
before.

Three or four daies after, another Child in the same house,
sick of the same disease, was (by a divine hand doubtless)
sensible of the approach of death, (an unusual thing at that
age) and called to its Father, and said, _Father, I am going
to God_, several times repeating it, _I am going to God_. The
mother (as other mothers use to do) had made for the Child a
little Basket, a little Spoon, and a little Tray: these things
the Child was wont to be greatly delighted withal (as all
Children will) therefore in the extremity of the torments,
they set those things before it, a little to divert the mind,
and cheer the spirit: but now, the child takes the Basket, and
puts it away, and said, _I will leave my Basket behind me, for
I am going to God, I will leave my Spoon and Tray behind me_
(putting them away) _for I am going to God_: and with these
kind of expressions, the same night finished its course, and
died.

The Father of this child is named _Robin Speen_, whose
Confessions you have before, and in one of them he maketh
mention of this child that died in Faith. When he related this
story to me, he said, He could not tell whether the sorrow for
the death of his child, or the joy for its faith were greater,
when it died.

These Examples are a testimony, That they teach their children
the knowledg and fear of God, whom they now call upon; and also
that the Spirit of God co-worketh with their instructions, who
teacheth by man, more than man is able to do.”

Mr. Eliot says, ‘I have now finished all that I purpose to
publish at this time; the Lord give them Acceptance in the
hearts of his Saints, to engage them the more to pray for them;
and Oh! that their judgings of themselves, and breathings after
Christ, might move others (that have more means than they
have, but as yet regard it not) to do the like, and much more
abundantly.’

A meeting of the Elders of the Churches was requested by Mr. Eliot, as before stated, to give advice in view of these Confessions, and upon further personal examination of some of the Indians, as to the next step to be taken in organizing the Indian Church. But Mr. E. says,

“There fell out a very great discouragement a little before
the time, which might have been a scandall unto them, and I
doubt not but Satan intended it so; but the Lord improved it to
stir up faith and Prayer, and so turned it another way: Thus it
was. Three of the unsound sort of such as are among them that
pray unto God, who are hemmed in by Relations, and other means,
to doe that which their hearts love not, and whose Vices Satan
improveth to scandalize and reproach the better sort withall;
while many, and some good people are too ready to say they
are all alike. I say three of them had gotten severall quarts
of strong water, (which sundry out of a greedy desire of a
little gaine, are too ready to sell unto them, to the offence
and grief of the better sort of _Indians_, and of the godly
English too)[31] and with these Liquors, did not onely make
themselves drunk, but got a Child of eleven years of age, the
Son of _Toteswamp_, whom his Father had sent for a little Corne
and Fish to that place near _Watertowne_ where they were. Unto
this Child they first gave too spoonfuls of Strong-water, which
was more then his head could bear; and another of them put a
Bottle, or such like Vessel to his mouth, and caused him to
drink till he was very drunk; and then one of them domineered,
and said, _Now we will see whether your Father will punish us
for drunkennesse_ (for he is a Ruler among them) _seeing you
are drunk with us for company_; and in this case lay the Child
abroad all night. They also fought, and had been severall times
Punished formerly for Drunkennesse.

When _Toteswamp_ heard of this, it was a great shame and
breaking of heart unto him, and he knew not what to doe. The
rest of the Rulers with him considered of the matter, they
found a complication of many sins together.

1 The sin of Drunkennesse, and that after many former
Punishments for the same.

2 A willful making of the Child drunk, and exposing him to
danger also.

3 A degree of reproaching the Rulers.

4 Fighting.

Word was brought to me of it, a little before I took Horse to
goe to _Natick_ to keep the Sabbath with them, being about ten
dayes before the appointed Meeting. The Tidings sunk my spirit
extreamly, I did judge it to be the greatest frowne of God that
ever I met withall in the work, I could read nothing in it but
displeasure, I began to doubt about our intended work: I knew
not what to doe, the blacknesse of the sins, and the Persons
reflected on, made my very heart faile me: For one of the
offendors (though least in the offence) was he that hath been
my Interpreter, whom I have used in Translating a good part of
the Holy Scriptures; and in that respect I saw much of Satans
venome, and in God I saw displeasure. For this and some other
acts of Apostacy at this time, I had thoughts of casting him
off from that work, yet now the Lord hath found a way to humble
him. But his Apostacy at this time was a great Triall, and I
did lay him by for that day of our Examination, I used another
in his room. Thus Satan aimed at me in this their miscarrying;
and _Toteswamp_ is a Principall man in the work, as you shall
have occasion to see anon God-willing.

By some occasion our Ruling Elder and I being together, I
opened the case unto him, and the Lord guided him to speak some
gracious words of encouragement unto me, by which the Lord did
relieve my spirit; and so I committed the matter and issue unto
the Lord, to doe what pleased him, and in so doing my soul was
quiet in the Lord. I went on my journey being the 6 day of the
week; when I came at _Natick_, the Rulers had then a Court
about it. Soon after I came there, the Rulers came to me with
a Question about this matter, they related the whole businesse
unto me, with much trouble and grief.

Then _Toteswamp_ spake to this purpose, _I am greatly
grieved about these things, and now God tryeth me whether I
love Christ or my Child best. They say, They will try me; but
I say, God will try me. Christ saith, He that loveth father,
or mother, or wife, or Child, better than me, is not worthy of
me. Christ saith, I must correct my Child, if I should refuse
to doe that, I should not love Christ. God bid Abraham kill
his Son, Abraham loved God, and therefore he would have done
it, had not God with-held him. God saith to me, onely punish
your Child, and how can I love God, if I should refuse to doe
that?_ These things he spake in more words, and much affection,
and not with dry eyes: Nor could I refraine from teares to
hear him. When it was said, The Child was not so guilty of
the sin, as those that made him drunk; he said, _That he was
guilty of sin, in that he feared not sin, and in that he did
not believe his counsells that he had often given him, to take
heed of evill company; but he had believed Satan and sinners
more then him, therefore he needed to be punished._ After other
such like discourse, the Rulers left me, and went unto their
businesse, which they were about before I came, which they did
bring unto this conclusion, and judgement, They judged the
three men to sit in the stocks a good space of time, and thence
to be brought to the whipping-Post, & have each of them twenty
lashes. The boy to be put in the stocks a little while, and the
next day his father was to whip him in the School, before the
Children there; all which Judgement was executed. When they
came to be whipt, the Constable fetcht them one after another
to the Tree (which they make use of instead of a Post) where
they all received their Punishments: which done, the Rulers
spake thus, one of them said, _The Punishments for sin are
the Commandements of God, and the worke of God, and his end
was, to doe them good, and bring them to repentance._ And upon
that ground he did in more words exhort them to repentance,
and amendment of life. When he had done, another spake unto
them to this purpose, _You are taught in Catechisme, that the
wages of sin are all miseries and calamities in this life, and
also death and eternall damnation in hell. Now you feele some
smart as the fruit of your sin, and this is to bring you to
repentance, that so you may escape the rest._ And in more words
he exhorted them to repentance. When he had done, another spake
to this purpose, _Heare all yee people_ (turning himselfe to
the People who stood round about, I think not lesse then two
hundred, small and great) _this is the Commandement of the
Lord, that thus it should be done unto sinners; and therefore
let all take warning by this, that you commit not such sins,
least you incur these Punishments_. And with more words he
exhorted the People. Others of the Rulers spake also, but some
things spoken I understood not, and some things slipt from me:
But these which I have related remained with me.

When I returned to _Roxbury_, I related these things to our
Elder, to whom I had before related the sin, and my grief: who
was much affected to hear it, and magnified God. He said also,
That their sin was but a Transient act, which had no Rule, and
would vanish. But these Judgements were an ordinance of God,
and would remaine, and doe more good every way, then their sin
could doe hurt, telling me what cause I had to be thankfull for
such an issue: Which I therefore relate, because the Lord did
speak to my heart, in this exigent, by his words.”

This difficulty being thus settled, the time came for the meeting of the Elders. Mr. Eliot observes,

“When the assembly was met for Examination of the _Indians_,
and ordered, I declared the end and Reason of this Meeting,
and therefore declared, That any one, in due order, might have
liberty to propound any Questions for their satisfaction.
Likewise, I requested the Assembly, That if any one doubted
of the Interpretations that should be given of their answers,
that they would Propound their doubt, and they should have
the words scanned and tryed by the Interpreters, that so all
things may be done most clearly. For my desire was to be
true to Christ, to their soules, and to the Churches: And
the trying out of any of their Answers by the Interpreters,
would tend to the satisfaction of such as doubt, as it fell
out in one Answer which they gave; the Question was, _How
they knew the Scriptures to be the word of God?_ The finall
Answer was, Because they did find that it did change their
hearts, and wrought in them wisedome and humility. This Answer
being Interpreted to the Assembly, my Brother _Mahu_ doubted,
especially of the word [_Hohpoóonk_] signifying _Humility_, it
was scanned by the Interpreters, and proved to be right, and
he rested satisfied therein. I was purposed my selfe to have
written the Elders Questions, and the _Indians_ Answers, but
I was so imployed in propounding to the _Indians_ the Elders
Questions, and in returning the _Indians_ Answers, as that
it was not possible for me to write unlesse I had caused the
Assembly to stay upon it, which had not been fitting; therefore
seeing Mr. _Walton_ writing, I did request him to write the
Questions and Answers, and help me with a Copy of them, which
I thank him, he did, a Copy whereof I herewith send to be
inserted in this place, on which, this only I will animadvert,
That the Elders in wisdome thought it not fit to ask them in
Catechisticall method strictly, in which way Children might
Answer. But that they might try whether they understood
what they said, they traversed up and downe in Questions of
Religion, as here you see.

POSTSCRIPT.

Let the Reader take notice, That these questions were not
propounded all to one man, but to sundry, which is the reason
that sometime the same Questions are propounded againe and
againe. Also the number Examined were about eight, namely,
so many as might be first called forth to enter into
Church-Covenant, if the Lord give opportunity.”

We have a Catechism, entitled “The Examination of the Indians at Roxbury, the 13th day of the 4th month, 1654.” The following are some of the questions and answers.

_Q._ Have not some Indians many Gods?

_A._ They have many Gods.

_Q._ How doe you know these Gods are no Gods.

_A._ Before the English came we knew not but that they were
Gods, but since they came we know they are no Gods.

_Q._ How doe you know the word of God is Gods word?

_A._ I believe the word that you teach us, was spoken of God.

_Q._ Why doe you believe it?

_A._ Therefore I believe it to be the word of God, because when
we learn it, it teacheth our hearts to be wise and humble.

_Q._ Whether are not your sins, and the temptations of
_Hobbomak_ more strong since, then before you prayed to God?

_A._ Before I prayed to God, I knew not what Satans temptations
were.

_Q._ Doe you know now?

_A._ Now I have heard what Satans temptations are.

_Q._ What is a temptation of the Devill in your heart, doe you
understand what it is?

_A._ Within my heart there are Hypocrisies, which doe not
appear without.

_Q._ Whether doe not you find this a principall temptation
from the wickednesse of your heart, to drive you away from
Christ, and not to believe the gracious Promises in Jesus
Christ? Or whether when you find wickednesse in your heart, you
are not tempted that you cannot believe?

_A._ My heart doth strongly desire to goe on in sin, but this
is a strong temptation, but Faith is the work of Jesus Christ.

_Q._ What doe you believe about the immortality of the soule,
and resurrection of the body? doth the soule dye when the body
dyeth?

_A._ I believe, when the body of a good man dyeth, the Angels
carry his soule to heaven, when a wicked man dyeth, the Devills
carry his soule to hell.

_Q._ How long shall they be in that state?

_A._ Untill Christ cometh to Judgement.

_Q._ When Christ cometh to judge the world, what then shall
become of them?

_A._ The dead bodies of all men shall rise againe.

_Q._ Whether shall they ever dye any more?

_A._ Good men shall never dye any more.

_Q._ Whether doe you believe that these very bodies of ours
shall rise againe?

_A._ This body which rots in the earth, this very body, God
maketh it new.

_Q._ Who is Jesus Christ?

_A._ Jesus Christ is the Son of God, yet borne man, and so
both God and man.

_Q._ Why was Christ Jesus a man?

_A._ That he might dye for us.

_Q._ Why is Christ Jesus God?

_A._ That his death might be of great value.

_Q._ Why doe you say, Christ Jesus was a man that he might dye,
doe onely men dye?

_A._ He dyed for our sins.

_Q._ What reason or justice is there, that Christ should dye
for our sins?

_A._ God made all the world, and man sinned, therefore it was
necessary Christ should dye to carry men up to Heaven. God hath
given unto us his Son Jesus Christ, because of our sins.

The Question being put to another for further Answer, his Answer was, _That God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life_.

_Q._ When you heare that _Adam_ by his sin deserved eternall
death, and when you hear of the grace of God sending Jesus to
save you, which of these break your heart most?

_A._ Pardon of sin goeth deepest.

With regard to the formation of the church, one writer says;

“This great and solemne work of calling up these poor Indians
unto that Gospel light and beauty of visible Church-estate,
having now passed through a second Tryall: In the former
whereof, they expressed what experience they had found of
Gods grace in their hearts, turning them from dead works, to
seek after the living God, and salvation in our Saviour Jesus
Christ. In this second they have in some measure declared how
far the Lord hath let in the light of the good knowledge of God
into their soules, and what tast they have of the Principles
of Religion, and doctrine of salvation. Now the Question
remaineth, _What shall we further doe? And when shall they
enjoy the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in Church-estate?_

“The work is very solemne, and the Question needeth a solemne
Answer. It is a great matter to betrust those with the holy
priviledges of Gods house, upon which the name of Christ is so
much called, who have so little knowledge and experience in
the wayes of Christ, so newly come out of that great depth of
darknesse, and wild course of life; in such danger of polluting
and defiling the name of Christ among their barbarous Friends
and Countrey-men; and under so many doubts and jealousies of
many people; and having not yet stood in the wayes of Christ
so long, as to give sufficient proof and experience of their
stedfastnesse in their new begun profession. Being also the
first Church gathered among them, it is like to be a pattern
and president of after proceedings, even unto following
Generations. Hence it is very needfull that this proceeding
of ours at first, be with all care and wearinesse guided, for
the most effectuall advancement of the holinesse and honour of
Jesus Christ among them.

“Upon such like grounds as these, though I and some others
know more of the sincerity of some of them, than others doe,
and are better satisfied with them: Yet because I may be in
a temptation on that hand, I am well content to make slow
hast in this matter, remembring that word of God, _Lay hands
suddenly on no man_. Gods works among men doe usually goe
on slowly, and he that goeth slowly, doth usually goe most
surely, especially when he goeth by counsell. _Sat cito si
sat bene_,[32] the greater proof we have of them, the better
approbation they may obtain at last. Besides, we having had
one publick meeting about them already this summer, it will be
difficult to compasse another, for we have many other great
occasions, which may hinder the same, and it is an hard matter
to get Interpreters together to attend such a work, they living
so remote. The dayes also will soon grow short, and the nights
cold, which will be an hindrance in the attendance unto the
accomplishment of that work, which will most fitly be done at
_Natick_.

“But above all other Reasons this is greatest, that they
living in sundry Towns and places remote from each other, and
labourers few to take care of them, it is necessary that some
of themselves should be trained up, and peculiarly instructed,
unto whom the care of ruling and ordering of them in the
affaires of Gods house may be committed, in the absence of such
as look after their instruction. So that this is now the thing
we desire to attend, for the comfort of our little _Sister that
hath no breasts_, that such may be trained up, and prepared,
unto whom the charge of the rest may be committed in the Lord.
And upon this ground we make the slower hast to accomplish
this work among them. Mean while I hope the Commissioners
will afford some encouragement for the furtherance of the
instruction of some of the most godly and able among them, who
may be in a speciall manner helpfull unto the rest, in due
order and season.

“And thus have I briefly set down our present state in respect
of our Ecclesiasticall proceedings. I beg the prayers of the
good people of the Lord, to be particularly present at the
Throne of Grace, in these matters, according as you have hereby
a particular Information how our condition is. And for me also,
who am the most unfit in humane reason for such a work as
this, but my soule desireth to depend and live upon the Lord
Jesus, and fetch all help, grace, mercy, assistance, and supply
from him. And herein I doe improve his faithfull Covenant and
Promises, and in particular, the Lord doth cause my soule to
live upon that word of his, _Psal._ 37:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, wherein
I have food, rayment, and all necessaries for my selfe and
children (whom I have dedicated unto the Lord, to serve him in
this work of his, if he will please to accept of them) and this
supply I live upon in these rich words of gracious Promise,
_verse_ 3. _Trust in the Lord, and doe good, dwell in the Land,
and verily thou shalt be fed._

“Herein also I find supply of grace to believe the conversion
of these poor Indians, & that not only in this present season,
in what I doe already see, but in the future also, further then
by mine eye or reason I can see. Which supply of grace, I live
upon in those words of his gracious Promise, which I apply
and improve in this particular respect, _verse_ 4. _Delight
thyselfe also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires
of thy heart_.

“Herein also I find supply of grace to believe, that they shall
be in Gods season, which is the fittest, brought into Church
Estate; faith fetching this particular blessing out of the
rich Fountaine of those gracious words of Promise, _Commit thy
way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to
passe_.

“Herein also my soule is strengthened and quieted, to stay
upon the Lord, and to be supported against all suspitious
jealousies, hard speeches, and unkindnesses of men, touching
the sincerity and reality of this work, and about my carriage
of matters, and supply herein. Which grace my soule receiveth
by a particular improvement of that rich treasury of the
Promise in these words, _verse_ 6. _And he shall bring forth
thy righteousnesse as the light, and thy judgement as the noon
day._ And herein likewise I find supply of grace, to wait
patiently for the Lords time, when year after year, and time
after time, I meet with disappointments. Which grace I receive
from the commanding force of that gracious Promise, _verse_ 7.
_Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, fret not thy
selfe_, either for one cause, or another. Thus I live, and thus
I labor, here I have supply, and here is my hope, I beg the
help of prayers, that I may still so live and labour in the
Lords work, and that I may so live and dye.”

In 1670, the number of men and women in full communion at Natick, was between forty and fifty, and more than three hundred and fifty had renounced their savage practices and open sins, and gave heed to the instructions of the Gospel.

Their meetings were notified by the drum. In their assemblies they were attentive and reverent. A native teacher commenced worship with prayer, and the English Christians assisted in the business of instruction. There, as at other times, and in other places among civilized people God poured out his Spirit upon the young. Several cases of hopeful piety in young children are mentioned. The most interesting of them have already been given.

Mr. Eliot having made a grammar of the Indian tongue, and a catechism, was proceeding with his Indian Bible. In 1649, he said it was his earnest wish to translate some parts of the Scriptures for the Indians. He probably labored at this work, at intervals, for twelve years, and he was at least forty-five years of age when he began it.

It should be remembered that this work, unlike the same employment of our foreign missionaries at their first arrival at new stations, was wholly in addition to his labors as Pastor of another people,—the congregation at Roxbury. It was of no direct use to him in his ministerial work, any farther than investigation and study is always profitable to the mind. It was a labor superadded to the cares and toil of his pastoral and ministerial office.

A man who has a taste for languages is generally repaid for the labor of acquiring them, by the stores of learning which they contain. Cato learned Greek at the age of eighty, and the literary world mention it to his praise. But here is a man learning a language which has no literature. No tragic or heroic muse had left her inspired strains in it. No beautiful old ballads or legendary songs repaid his labor,—no Canterbury Tales, or Children in the Wood, or Chevy Chase, or Fairy Queen, hymns of devotion, nor martial songs; the language could only whoop and powaw; the great word, gathering subjunctives and adjuncts into itself, like a crowded wigwam, was savagely ignorant of the graces, or the concise, vigorous expressions of some barbarous tongues, and Eliot’s researches into it were like digging, as the Plymouth settlers did, into the mounds for corn, and finding nothing but skulls. But nothing could repress the ardor of his benevolent mind. He was determined that the Indians should have the word of God in their own tongue, and the work drew near to its accomplishment.

But how could it ever be printed? His slender salary could not pay for it; the planters could not subscribe an adequate sum. In a letter to England in 1651, he says, with much sorrow, “I have no hope to see the Bible printed in my days.”

The Society for Propagating the Gospel came to his help.[33] In September, 1661, the New Testament in the Indian tongue was published at Cambridge. Three years after this, the Old Testament was added, and the whole Bible, with a Catechism and the Psalms of David in metre, was thus given to the Aborigines of this desert, in their own tongue, in forty years after the settlement of the country.

This was the first Bible printed on this Continent. It was printed at Cambridge, by Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson. A copy handsomely bound, was sent to King Charles II., and the Rev. Richard Baxter says of it, “Such a work and fruit of a plantation was never before presented unto a king.” Two hundred copies, in plain and strong leather, were immediately put in circulation for the use of the Indians. An angel would almost have exchanged his heavenly joy for the happiness of Eliot, when he visited Natick, and saw the Bible in the hands of the natives. Like old Jacob, strengthening himself upon his dying bed, he might then have said, “I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord;” or, like Simeon, “Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”

Douglass, in his History of America,[34] says, “Mr. Eliot with immense labor translated and printed our Bible into Indian. It was done with a good pious design, but it must be reckoned among the _otiosorum hominum negotia_, (works of men of leisure). It was done in the Natick (Nipmuck) language. Of the Naticks, at present, there are not twenty families subsisting, and scarce any of these can read. _Cui bono?_” (To what profit?)

Those who know how far Mr. Eliot was from being a man of leisure, will smile at the suggestion that the translation of the Bible into the Indian tongue was the work of an idle amateur. The disappearance of the race for whom this translation was designed, so unexpected, and indeed so contrary to the fond hopes of our forefathers, is very far from showing the futility of Mr. Eliot’s pious labor. Many of the Indians were made wise unto eternal life by the translated Bible. The good which it accomplished was more than an equivalent for the labor which it cost.

Cotton Mather says, “Behold, ye Americans, the greatest honour that ever you were partakers of. This Bible was printed here at our Cambridge, and it is the only Bible that ever was printed in all America, from the very foundation of the world. The whole translation he writ with but one pen; which pen, had it not been lost, would have certainly deserved a richer case than was bestowed upon that pen with which Holland writ his translation of Plutarch.”[35]

The New Testament was published first, and then the whole Bible, Primers, Grammars, Psalters, Catechisms, The Practice of Piety, Baxter’s Call, Shepard’s sincere Convert and Sound Believer, soon appeared in the Indian tongue, from the pen of Mr. Eliot.

By this time there were fourteen places of praying Indians under the care of Mr. Eliot, and about eleven hundred souls who were apparently converted. Natick, Stoughton, Grafton, Tewksbury, Hopkinton, Oxford, Dudley, Woodstock (three villages), Uxbridge and Marlboro’, all had communities of praying Indians.

Mr. Bancroft, in his History of the United States,[36] says, “No pains were spared to teach them to read and write, and in a short time a larger proportion of the Massachusetts Indians could do so, than recently of the inhabitants of Russia.” The Indians of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket, amounting to about twenty-nine hundred, also were, by the labors of the Mayhews and others, partly evangelized. Mr. Eliot says, in 1673, that there were six churches gathered among the Indians, one at Natick, one at Grafton, one at Marshpee, two at Martha’s Vineyard, and one at Nantucket. All these had religious teachers devoted exclusively to them, except the church at Natick, of which Mr. Eliot says, “In modesty they stand off, because they say that so long as I live, there is no need.” They could not be prevailed upon to have another teacher even with the advantages of his entire devotion to them, while Mr. Eliot was alive.

Cotton Mather says,[37] “The number of preachers to the Indians increases apace. At Martha’s Vineyard, the old Mr. Mayhew and several of his sons, or grand-sons, have done very worthily for the souls of the Indians; there were fifteen years ago by computation about fifteen hundred souls of their ministry, upon that one island. In Connecticut, the holy and acute Mr. Fitch has made noble essays towards the conversion of the Indians; but I think the sinner he has to deal withal, being an obstinate infidel, gives unhappy rumor as to the successes of his ministry. And godly Mr. Pierson has, if I mistake not, deserved well in that colony upon the same account. In Massachusetts we see at this day the pious Mr. Gookin, the gracious Mr. Peter Thacher, the well accomplished and industrious Mr. Grindal Rawson, all of them hard at work, to turn these poor creatures from darkness to light, and from Satan unto God. In Plymouth we have the most active Mr. Samuel Treat laying out himself to save this generation, and there is one Mr. Tupper, who uses his laudable endeavours for the instruction of them.

“’Tis my relation to him[38] that causes me to defer unto the last place the mention of Mr. John Cotton, who hath addressed the Indians in their own language with some dexterity. He hired an Indian after the rate of twelve pence per day, for fifty days, to teach him the Indian tongue; but his knavish tutor having received his whole pay too soon, ran away before twenty days were out; however, in this time he had profited so far that he could quickly preach unto the natives.”

Two Indians from Martha’s Vineyard were entered at Harvard College. Their names were Joel and Caleb. Joel was lost on his voyage from Boston to Nantucket just before taking his degree. Caleb was graduated, but soon died of consumption at Charlestown. His name now stands on the College Catalogue in this form: “1665, Caleb Cheesehahteaumuck, Indus.” He composed a Latin and Greek Elegy on the death of an eminent minister, and subscribed them, “Cheesehahteaumuck, Senior Sophista.”