N00107:82
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.
Kinsm. I perceive that you pray for all our Countrymen, who do not yet pray unto God; it is your love so to do. But what is the effect of your prayers? there are not many, that I hear of, that pray unto God; and you that do pray unto God, what do you get by it? wherein are you bettered by your praying to God?
Pium These are two great Points which you have propounded. I am willing to speak to both. First, for the numbers that pray to God: At first this a•ter of praying to God was a little thing, like a Cloud in the West of the bigness of a mans hand, but now the Cloud is great and wide, and spreadeth over all the Country. Nop and Nantucket, and Paumenuk Islands, Mahshepog, and many parts of the main Land, to the utmost bounds of this Country Eastward. And Westward, not only all the Massachusetts pray, but also a great part of Nipmuk; yea and the fields are ripe unto the harvest in many places more, whom I will not name until they have given up themselves to the Lord, to forsake their vanities, and to pray unto God. The Church of Christ at Natick have sent forth many into many parts of the Country, to call them in unto Jesus Christ. I am sent unto you, and I have good hope that God will bow your hearts to pray unto God. So that the praying Indians are many, and like to be more every year: And our hope is the greater, because the Lord hath raised up sundry of our young men (who were children when we first prayed unto God) unto good knowledge in the Scriptures, and are able to teach others the good knowledge of God, and are fit to be sent forth unto all parts of the Country, to teach them to pray unto God.
Pium These are two great Points which you have propounded. I am willing to speak to both. First, for the numbers that pray to God: At first this a•ter of praying to God was a little thing, like a Cloud in the VVest of the bigness of a mans hand, but now the Cloud is great and wide, and spreadeth over all the Country. Nop and Nantuket, and Paumenuk Islands, Mahshepog, and many parts of the main Land, to the utmost bounds of this Country Eastward. And VVestward, not onely all the Massachusets pray, but also a great part of Nipmuk; yea and the fields are ripe unto the harvest in many places more, whom I will not name until they have given up themselves to the Lord, to forsake their vanities, and to pray unto God. The Church of Christ at Natik have sent forth many into many parts of the Country, to call them in unto Jesus Christ. I am sent unto you, and I have good hope that God will bow your hearts to pray unto God. So that the praying Indians are many, and like to be more every year: And our hope is the greater, because the Lord hath raised up sundry of our young men (who were children when we first prayed unto God) unto good knowledge in the Scriptures, and are able to teach others the good knowledge of God, and are fit to be sent forth unto all parts of the Country, to teach them to pray unto God.