N01899:281
India Christiana. A discourse, delivered unto the Commissioners, for the Propagation of the Gospel…
India Christiana. A discourse, delivered unto the Commissioners, for the Propagation of the Gospel among the American Indians : which is accompanied with several instruments relating to the glorious design of propagating our holy religion, in the Eastern as well as the Western, Indies. : An entertainment which they that are waiting for the kingdom of God will receive as good news from a far country. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. and F.R.S.
printed by B. Green, 1721
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.
It must be acknowledged, that as the Indians are many of them much addicted unto strong drink; so some of the Members of the Indian Church have been sometimes found very faulty, on this account; yet it is also true, that such as these have generally appeared very Penitent. And tho' some have fallen quite away, and so have been cut off by the Sword ⟨p. 91⟩of Discipline; yet others through' the Grace of GOD, have been so far recovered out of the Sins into which they have fallen, as that it may be hoped they will not again return to them; and there have all along been, and still are, a considerable number, whose Conversation is, so far as I can understand, very blameless, and who may be justly looked upon as Exemplary Christians; what ever such English Men as are filled with Prejudices against the Indians, may say to the contrary.
It must be acknowledged, that as the Indians are many of them much addicted unto strong drink; so some of the Members of the Indian Church have been sometimes found very faulty, on this account; yet it is also true, that such as these have generally appeared very Penitent. And tho' some have fallen quite away, and so have been cut off by the Sword ⟨p. 91⟩of Discipline; yet others thro' the G•ace of GOD, have been so far recovered out of the Sins into which they have fallen, as that it may be hoped they will not again return to them; and there have all along been, and still are, a considerable number, whose Conversation is, so far as I can understand, very blameless, and who may be justly looked upon as Exemplary Christians; what ever such English Men as are filled with Prejudices against the Indians, may say to the contrary.
Some Years after I first began to Preach to the Indians, the Church on Martha's Vineyard, did on a day of Fasting & Prayer appointed for that End, solemnly renew their Covenant with GOD, engaging to endeavour to forsake those Sins with which they confessed they were too easily beset; and there was after this, for a Time, some Reformation: but I observed that two or three of the Brethren that could not be persuaded to join in the Action, soon after fell into Scandalous Misdemeanours.