N00107:259
Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home…Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great sevice of Christ, in calling home…
Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of God, and of themselves, and of Jesus Christ. : [Seven lines from Malachi]Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great sevice of Christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of God, and of themselves, and of Iesus Christ. : [Seven lines from Malachi]
Cambridge: printed by Marmaduke Johnson, 1671
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Keit. Often have I •eard of this great matter of praying unto God, and hitherto I h•ve refused. Mr. Eliot junior, while he was alive▪ attempted it, but I did not hearken unto his persuasion. Old Mr. Eliot himself did come •nto me, he was in this Town, and did persuade me; but we were then in our Sports, wherein I have much delighted, and in that temptation. I confess, I did neglect and despise the offer, and lost that opportunity. Since that time God hath afflicted and chastised me, and my heart doth begin to break, and I have some serious thoughts of accepting the offer, and turning to God, to become a praying Indian, I my self, and all my people. But I have some great Objections, which I cannot tell how to get over, which are still like great Rocks in my way▪ over which I cannot climb; and if I should, I fear I shall fall down the precipice on the further side, and be spoiled and undone: by venturing to climb, I shall catch a deadly fall to me and my posterity The first Objection that I have is this, Because you praying Indians do reject your Sachems, and refuse to pay them Tribute; insomuch that if any of my people turn to pray unto God. I do reckon that I have lost him, he will not longer own me for his Sachem, nor pay me any Tribute. And hence it will come to pass, that if I should pray to God, and all my people with me, I must ⟨p. 45⟩become as a common man among them, and so lose all my Power and Authority over them, This is such a temptation as n•it•er I, nor any of the great Sachems can tell how to get over: were this temptation removed▪ the way would be more easy and open for me to turn praying Indian. I begin to have same good likance of the way, bu• I am loth to buy it at so dear a rate.
Keit. Often have I •eard of this great matter of praying unto God, and hitherto I h•ve refused. Mr. Eli•t junior, while he was alive attempted it, but I did not hearken unto his perswasion. Old Mr. Elit himself did come nto me, he was in this Town, and did perswade me; but we were then in our Sports, wherein I have much delighted, and in that temptation. I confess, I did neglect and despise the offer, and lost that opportunity. Since that time God hath afflicted and chastised me, and my heart doth begin to break, and I have some serious thoughts of accepting the offer, and turning to God, to become a praying Indian, I my self, and all my peple. But I have some geat Objections, which I cannot tell how to get over, which are still like great Rocks in my way over which I cannot climb; and if I should, I fear I shall fall down the precipice on the further side, and be spoiled and undone: by veturing to climb, I shall catch a deadly fall to me and my posterity The first Objection that I have is this, Because you praying Indians do rejct your Sachems, and refuse to pay them Tribute; insomuch that if any of my people turn to pray unto God. I do reckon that I have lost him, he will not longer own me for his Sachem, nor pay me any Tribute. And hence it will come to pass, that if I should pray to God, and all my people with me, I must