N00446:166
The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John…
The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John Eliot; a person justly famous in the church of God, not only as an eminent Christian, and an excellent Minister, among the English, but also, as a memorable evangelist among the Indians, of New-England; with some account concerning the late and strange success of the Gospel, in those parts of the world, which for many ages have lain buried in pagan ignorance. / Written by Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines from Luke]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1691
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.
(c) His Translating the Bible, and other Books of Piety into the INDIAN TONGUE.
One of his Remarkable Cares for these illiterate Indians, was to bring them into the use of Schools and Books. He quickly procured the benefit of Schools for them; wherein thy profited so much; that not only very many of them quickly came to Read and Write, but also several arrived unto a Liberal Education in our College, and one or two of them took their degree with the rest of our Graduates. And for Books, 'twas his chief desire that the sacred Scriptures might not in an unknown Tongue be Locked or Hidden form them; very hateful and hellish did the policy of Popery appear to him on this Account; Our Eliot was very unlike to that Franciscan, who writing into Europe gloried much how many thousands of Indians he had Converted, but added, That he desired his Friend would send him the Book called the Bible; for he had heard of there being such a Book in Europe, which might be of some use to him. ⟨p. 99⟩No, our Eliot found he could not live without Bible himself; he would have parted with all his Estate sooner than have lost a Leaf of it; and he knew it would be of more than some use unto the Indians too; he therefore with a vast Labour translated the Holy Bible into the Indian Language. Behold, ye Americans, the greatest Honour that ever you were Partakers of! This Bible was Printed here at our Ca•b•dge 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 last, would have certainly deserved a Richer case than was bestowed upon that Pen which will and writ his Translation of Plutarch with. The Bible being justly made the Leader, of all the rest, a Little Indian-Library quickly followed: for besides Primers, and […] & •ome other such Composures, we quickly had, the Practice of Piety, in the Indian Tongue; the Reverend Richard Bters, Call to the Unnverted; he also Translated, some of Mr. Shipped's Composures; & such […] likewise there was occasion for. It cannot but be hoed that some Fish were to be made Alive, since the Waters of the Sanctuary thus came unto them.