FIRST
APPENDIX
TO
MR.
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING
HIS GENERAL REMARKS ON THE DOCTRINES PREACHED,
THEIR
EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS, &c.
SECT.
I.
The doctrine preached to the Indians.
BEFORE
I conclude the present Journal, I would make a few general remarks upon
what to me appears worthy of notice, relating to the continued work of grace
among my people. And, first, I cannot but take notice, that I have, in the
general, ever since my first coming among these Indians in New Jersey, been
favoured with that assistance, which to me is uncommon, in preaching Christ
crucified, and making him the centre and mark to which all my
discourses among them were directed.
It
was the principal scope and drift of all my discourses to this people, for
several months together, (after having taught them something of the being
and perfections of God, his creation of man in a state of rectitude and
happiness, and the obligations mankind were thence under to love and honour
him,) to lead them into an acquaintance with their deplorable state by nature, as
fallen creatures: their inability to extricate and deliver
themselves from it: the utter insufficiency of any external
reformations and amendments of life, or of any religious performances, they
were capable of, while in this state, to bring them into the favour of God, and
interest them in his eternal mercy. And thence to show them their absolute
need of Christ to redeem and save them from the misery of their fallen state.--To
open his all-sufficiency and willingness to save the chief of
sinners.--The freeness and riches of divine grace, proposed
“without money, and without price,” to all that will accept the offer.--And
thereupon to them without delay, to betake themselves to him, under a
sense of their misery and undone state, for relief and everlasting
salvation.--And to show them the abundant encouragement the gospel proposes to
needy, perishing, and helpless sinners, in order to engage them so to
do. These things I repeatedly and largely insisted upon from time to time.
And
I have oftentimes remarked with admiration, that whatever subject I have been
treating upon, after having spent time sufficient to explain and illustrate the
truths contained therein, I have been naturally and easily led to
CHRIST as the substance of every subject. If I treated on the being and
glorious perfections of God, I was thence naturally led to discourse of
Christ as the only “way to the Father.”--If I attempted to open the deplorable
misery of our fallen state, it was natural from thence to show the necessity of
Christ to undertake for us, to atone for our sins, and to redeem us from the
power of them. If I taught the commands of God, and showed our violation of
them, this brought me in the most easy and natural way, to speak of and
recommend the Lord Jesus Christ, as one who had “magnified the law” we had
broken, and who was “become the end of it for righteousness, to every one that
believes.” And never did I find so much freedom and assistance in making all
the various lines of my discourses meet together, and centre in Christ, as I
have frequently done among these Indians.
Sometimes
when I have had thoughts of offering but a few words upon some particular
subject, and saw no occasion, nor indeed much room, for any considerable
enlargement, there has at unawares appeared such a fountain of gospel-grace
shining forth in, or naturally resulting from, a just explication of it,
and Christ has seemed in such a manner to be pointed out as the substance
of what I was considering and explaining, that I have been drawn in a way not
only easy and natural, proper and pertinent, but
almost unavoidable, to discourse of him, either in regard of his
undertaking, incarnation, satisfaction, admirable fitness for the work of man’s
redemption, or the infinite need that sinners stand in of an interest in him;
which has opened the way for a continual strain of gospel-invitation to
perishing souls, to come empty and naked, weary and heavy
laden, and cast themselves upon them.
And
as I have been remarkably influenced and assisted to dwell upon the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the way of salvation by him, in the general current of my
discourses here, and have been at times surprisingly furnished with pertinent matter
relating to him, and the design of his incarnation; so I have been no less
assisted oftentimes in regard of an advantageous manner of opening the
mysteries of divine grace, and representing the infinite excellencies and
“unsearchable riches of Christ,” as well as of recommending him to the
acceptance of perishing sinners. I have frequently been enabled to
represent the divine glory, the infinite preciousness and transcendent
loveliness of the great Redeemer; the suitableness of his person and purchase
to supply the wants, and answer the utmost desires, of immortal souls:--to open
the infinite riches of his grace, and the wonderful encouragement proposed in
the gospel to unworthy, helpless sinners:--to call, invite, and beseech them to
come and give up themselves to him, and be reconciled to God through him:--to
expostulate with them respecting their neglect of one so infinitely lovely, and
freely offered:--and this in such a manner, with such
freedom, pertinency, pathos, and application to the conscience, as, I am sure,
I never could have made myself master of by the most assiduous application of
mind. And frequently at such seasons I have been surprisingly helped in
adapting my discourses to the capacities of my people, and bringing them
down into such easy and familiar methods of expression, as has rendered them
intelligible even to pagans.
I
do not mention these things as a recommendation of my own performances; for I
am sure I found, from time to time, that I had no skill or wisdom for my great
work; and knew not how “to choose out acceptable words” proper to address poor
benighted pagans with. But thus God was pleased to help me, “not to know any
thing among them, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Thus I was enabled
to show them their misery without him, and to represent his complete fitness
to redeem and save them.
And
this was the preaching God made use of for the awakening of sinners, and
the propagation of this “work of grace among the Indians.”--And it was
remarkable,
SECT. II. MORAL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 417
from
time to time, that when I was favoured with any special freedom, in
discoursing of the “ability and willingness of Christ to save sinners,” and
“the need they stood in of such a Saviour,” there was then the greatest
appearance of divine power in awakening numbers of secure souls, promoting
convictions begun, and comforting the distressed.
I
have sometimes formerly, in reading the apostle’s discourse to Cornelius, (Acts
x.) wondered to see him so quickly introduce the Lord Jesus Christ into his
sermon, and so entirely dwell upon him through the whole of it, observing him
in this point very widely to differ from many of our modern preachers:
but latterly this has not seemed strange, since Christ has appeared to be the substance
of the gospel, and the centre in which the several lines of divine
revelation meet. Although I am still sensible there are many things necessary
to be spoken to persons under pagan darkness, in order to make way for a proper
introduction of the name of Christ, and his undertaking in behalf of fallen
man.
SECT. II.
Morality,
sobriety, and external duties, promoted by preaching Christ crucified.
IT
is worthy of remark, secondly, that numbers of these people are brought to a
strict compliance with the rules of morality and sobriety, and to
a conscientious performance of the external duties of Christianity, by
the internal power and influence of divine truths--the peculiar
doctrines of grace--upon their minds; without their having these moral duties
frequently repeated and inculcated upon them, and the contrary vices
particularly exposed and spoken against. What has been the general strain
and drift of my preaching among these Indians; what were the truths I
principally insisted upon, and how I was influenced and enabled to dwell from
time to time upon the peculiar doctrines of grace; I have already observed in
the preceding remarks. Those doctrines, which had the most direct tendency to
humble the fallen creature, to show him the misery of his natural
state, to bring him down to the foot of sovereign mercy, and to exalt
the great Redeemer--discover his transcendent excellency and infinite
preciousness, and so to recommend him to the sinner’s acceptance--were the
subject-matter of what was delivered in public and private to them, and from
time to time repeated and inculcated upon them.
And
God was pleased to give these divine truths such a powerful influence upon the
minds of these people, and so to bless them for the effectual awakening of
numbers of them, that their lives were quickly reformed, without my insisting
upon the precepts of morality, and spending time in repeated
harangues upon external duties. There was indeed no room for any kind of
discourses but those that respected the essentials of religion, and the experimental
knowledge of divine things, whilst there were so many inquiring daily--not how
they should regulate their external conduct, for that persons,
who are honestly disposed to comply with duty, when known, may, in ordinary cases,
be easily satisfied about, but--how they should escape from the wrath they
feared, and felt a desert of,--obtain an effectual change of heart,--get
an interest in Christ,--and come to the enjoyment of eternal blessedness? So
that my great work still was to lead them into a further view of their utter
undoneness in themselves, the total depravity and corruption of their
hearts; that there was no manner of goodness in them; no good dispositions nor
desires; no love to God, nor delight in his commands: but, on the contrary,
hatred, enmity, and all manner of wickedness reigning in them:--and at the same
time to open to them the glorious and complete remedy provided in Christ for
helpless, perishing sinners, and offered freely to those who have no goodness of
their own, no “works of righteousness which they have done,” to recommend them
to God.
This
was the continued strain of my preaching; this my great concern and constant
endeavour, so to enlighten the mind, as thereby duly to affect the heart,
and, as far as possible, give persons a sense and feeling of
these precious and important doctrines of grace, at least, so far as means
might conduce to it. And these were the doctrines,--this the method of
preaching, which were blessed of God for the awakening, and, I trust, the
saving conversion of numbers of souls,--and which were made the means of
producing a remarkable reformation among the hearers in general.
When
these truths were felt at heart, there was now no vice unreformed,--no
external duty neglected.--Drunkenness, the darling vice, was broken off from,
and scarce an instance of it known among my hearers for months together. The
abusive practice of husbands and wives in putting away each
other, and taking others in their stead, was quickly reformed; so that there
are three or four couple who have voluntarily dismissed those they had
wrongfully taken, and now live together again in love and peace. The same might
be said of all other vicious practices.--The reformation was general; and all
springing from the internal influence of divine truths upon their
hearts; and not from any external restraints, or because they had heard
these vice particularly exposed, and repeatedly spoken against. Some of them I
never so much as mentioned; particularly, that of the parting of men and their
wives, till some, having their conscience awakened by God’s word, came, and of
their own accord confessed themselves guilty in that respect. And when I
did at any time mention their wicked practices, and the sins they were guilty
of contrary to the light of nature, it was not with design, nor indeed
with any hope, of working an effectual reformation in their external manners by
this means, for I knew, that while the tree remained corrupt, the
fruit would naturally be so; but with design to lead them, by
observing the wickedness of their lives, to a view of the corruption of
their hearts, and so to convince them of the necessity of a renovation
of nature, and to excite them with utmost diligence to seek after that great
change, which, if once obtained, I was sensible, would of course produce a
reformation of external manners in every respect.
And
as all vice was reformed upon their feeling the power of these truth
upon their hearts, so the external duties of Christianity were complied
with, and conscientiously performed, from the same internal influence;
family prayer set up, and constantly maintained, unless among some few more
lately come, who had felt little of this divine influence. This duty was
constantly performed, even in some families where there were none but females,
and scarce a prayerless person to be found among near a hundred of them. The
Lord’s day was seriously and religiously observed, and care taken by parents to
keep their children orderly upon that sacred day, &c. And this, not because
I had driven them to the performance of these duties by a frequent inculcating
of them, but because they had felt the power of God’s word upon their
hearts,--were made sensible of their sin and misery, and thence could not but
pray, and comply with every thing they knew was duty, from what they felt within
themselves. When their hearts were touched with a sense of their eternal
concerns, they could pray with great freedom, as well as fervency, without
being at the trouble first to learn set forms for that purpose. And some
of them who were suddenly awakened at their first coming among us, were brought
to pray and cry for mercy with utmost importunity, without ever being
instructed in the duty of prayer, or so much as once directed to a performance
of it.
The
happy effects of these peculiar doctrines of grace, which I have so much
insisted upon with this people, plainly discover, even to demonstration, that
instead of their opening a door to licentiousness, as many vainly imagine, and
slanderously insinuate, they have a direct contrary tendency: so that a close
application, a sense and feeling of them, will have the most
powerful influence toward the renovation, and effectual reformation,
both of heart and life.
And
happy experience, as well as the word of God, and the example of Christ and his
apostles, has taught me, that the very method of preaching which is best suited
to awaken in mankind a sense and lively apprehension of their depravity and
misery in a fallen state,--to excite them earnestly to seek after a
change of heart, and to
418 BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. I.
fly
for refuge
to free and sovereign grace in Christ, as the only hope set before them,
is like to be most successful toward the reformation of their external
conduct.--I have found that close addresses, and solemn applications of divine
truth to the conscience, tend directly to strike death to the root of all vice;
while smooth and plausible harangues upon moral virtues and external
duties, at best are like to do no more than lop off the branches of
corruption, while the root of all vice remains still untouched.
A
view of the blessed effect of honest endeavours to bring home divine truths to
the conscience, and duly to affect the heart with them, has often minded me of
those words of our Lord, (which I have thought might be a proper exhortation
for ministers in respect of their treating with others, as well as for persons
in general with regard to themselves,) “Cleanse first the inside of the cup and
platter, that the outside may be clean also.” Cleanse, says he, the inside, that
the outside may be clean. As if he had said, The only effectual way to have the
outside clean, is to begin with what is within; and if the fountain be
purified, the streams will naturally be pure. And most certain it is, if
we can awaken in sinners a lively sense of their inward pollution and
depravity--their need of a change of heart--and so engage them to seek after inward
cleansing, their external defilement will naturally be cleansed,
their vicious ways of course be reformed, and their conversation and
behaviour become regular.
Now,
although I cannot pretend that the reformation among my people does, in every
instance, spring from a saving change of heart; yet I may truly say, it flows
from some heart-affecting view and sense of divine truths that all have
had in a greater or less degree.--I do not intend, by what I have observed
here, to represent the preaching of morality, and pressing persons to
the external performance of duty, to be altogether unnecessary and
useless at any time; and especially at times when there is less of
divine power attending the means of grace;--when, for want of internal
influences, there is need of external restraints. It is doubtless among
the things that “ought to be done,” while “others are not to be left
undone.”--But what I principally designed by this remark, was to discover plain
matter of fact, viz. That the reformation, the sobriety, and external
compliance with the rules and duties of Christianity, appearing among my people
are not the effect of any mere doctrinal instruction, or merely
rational view of the beauty of morality, but from the internal power and
influence that divine truths (the soul-humbling doctrines of grace) have had upon
their hearts.
SECT. III.
Continuance, renewal, and quickness of the work.
IT is remarkable, thirdly, that God has so continued
and renewed showers of his grace here:--so quickly set up his
visible kingdom among these people; and so smiled upon them in relation
to their acquirement of knowledge, both divine and human. It is now near a year
since the beginning of this gracious outpouring of the divine Spirit among
them: and although it has often seemed to decline and abate for some short
space of time--as may be observed by several passages of my Journal,
where I have endeavoured to note things just as they appeared to me--yet the
shower has seemed to be renewed, and the work of grace revived
again. So that a divine influence seems still apparently to attend the means of
grace, in a greater or less degree, in most of our meetings for religious
exercises: whereby religious persons are refreshed, strengthened, and
established,--convictions revived and promoted in many instances,--and some few
persons newly awakened from time to time. Although it must be acknowledged,
that for some time past, there has, in the general, appeared a more manifest
decline of this work, and the divine Spirit has seemed, in a considerable
measure, withdrawn, especially in regard of his awakening influence--so
that the strangers who come latterly, are not seized with concern as
formerly; and some few, who have been much affected with divine truths in time
past, now appear less concerned.--Yet, blessed be God, there is still an appearance
of divine power and grace, a desirable degree of tenderness, religious
affection, and devotion in our assemblies.
And
as God has continued and renewed the showers of his grace among this people for
some time; so he has with uncommon quickness set up his visible kingdom,
and gathered himself a church in the midst of them. I have now baptized,
since the conclusion of my last Journal, (or the First Part,) thirty
persons, fifteen adults and fifteen children. Which added to the
number there mentioned, makes seventy-seven persons; whereof thirty-eight
are adults, and thirty-nine children; and all within the space of eleven
months past.--And it must be noted, that I have baptized no adults, but such as
appeared to have a work of special grace wrought in their hearts; I mean such
who have had the experience not only of the awakening and humbling, but, in a
judgment of charity, of the renewing and comforting, influences of the divine
Spirit. There are many others under solemn concern for their souls, who (I
apprehend) are persons of sufficient knowledge, and visible seriousness, at
present, to render them proper subjects of the ordinance of baptism. Yet,
since they give no comfortable evidences of having as yet passed a
saving change, but only appear under convictions of their sin and misery, and
having no principle of spiritual life wrought in them, they are liable to lose
the impressions of religion they are now under. Considering also, the great
propensity there is in this people naturally to abuse themselves with
strong drink, and fearing lest some, who at present appear serious and
concerned for their souls, might lose their concern, and return to this
sin, and so, if baptized, prove a scandal to their profession, I have therefore
thought proper hitherto to omit the baptism of any but such who give some hopeful
evidences of a saving change, although I do not pretend to determine positively
respecting the states of any.
I
likewise administered the Lord’s supper to a number of persons, who I have
abundant reason to think (as I elsewhere observed) were proper subjects of that
ordinance, within the space of ten months and ten days after my
first coming among these Indians in New Jersey. And from the time that, I am
informed, some of them were attending an idolatrous feast and sacrifice
in honour to devils, to the time they sat down at the Lord’s table, (I
trust,) to the honour of God, was not more than a full year. Surely
Christ’s little flock here, so suddenly gathered from among pagans, may justly
say, in the language of the church of old, “The Lord hath done great things for
us, whereof we are glad.”
Much of the goodness of God has also appeared in
relation to their acquirement of knowledge, both in religion and in the affairs
of common life. There has been a wonderful thirst after christian knowledge
prevailing among them in general, and an eager desire of being instructed in
christian doctrines and manners. This has prompted them to ask many pertinent
as well as important questions; the answers to which have tended much to
enlighten their minds, and promote their knowledge in divine things. Many of
the doctrines I have delivered, they have queried with me about, in order to
gain further light and insight into them; particularly the doctrine of predestination:
and have from time to time manifested a good understanding of them, by their
answers to the questions proposed to them in my catechetical lectures.
They
have likewise queried with me, respecting a proper method as well as
proper matter of prayer, and expressions suitable to be used in that
religious exercise; and have taken pains in order to the performance of this
duty with understanding.--They have likewise taken pains, and appeared
remarkably apt, in learning to sing psalm tunes, and are now able to
sing with a good degree of decency in the worship of God.--They have also
acquired a considerable degree of useful knowledge in the affairs of common
life: so that they now appear like rational creatures, fit for human
society, free of that savage roughness and brutish stupidity, which rendered
them very disagreeable in their pagan state.
They
seem ambitious of a thorough acquaintance with the English language, and for
that end frequently speak it among themselves; and many of them have made good
SECT IV. CONTINUANCE, &c. OF THE WORK. 419
proficiency in their acquirement of it, since my coming among
them; so that most of them can understand a considerable part, and some the
substance of my discourses, without an interpreter, (being used to my
low and vulgar methods of expression,) though they could not well understand
other ministers.
And
as they are desirous of instruction, and surprisingly apt in the reception of
it, so Divine Providence has smiled upon them in regard of proper means
in order to it.--The attempts made for the procurement of a school among
them have been succeeded, and a kind Providence has sent them a schoolmaster
of whom I may justly say, I know of “no man like minded, who will naturally
care for their state.”--He has generally thirty or thirty-five
children in his school: and when he kept an evening school (as he did while the
length of the evenings would admit of it) he had fifteen or twenty
people, married and single.
The
children learn with surprising readiness; so that their master
tells me, he never had an English school that learned, in general, comparably
so fast. There were not above two in thirty, although some of
them were very small, but what learned to know all the letters in the alphabet
distinctly, within three days after his entrance upon his business; and divers
in that space of time learned to spell considerably: and some of them,
since the beginning of February last,* (at which time the school was set up,)
have learned so much, that they are able to read in a Psalter or Testament,
without spelling.
They
are instructed twice a week in the Reverend Assembly’s Shorter Catechism,
viz. on Wednesday and Saturday. Some of them, since the latter
end of February, (at which time they began,) have learned to say it pretty
distinctly by heart considerably more than half through; and most
of them have made some proficiency in it.
They
are likewise instructed in the duty of secret prayer, and most of them
constantly attend it night and morning, and are very careful to inform their
master if they apprehend any of their little school-mates neglect that
religious exercise.
SECT.
IV.
But little appearance of false religion.
IT
is worthy to be noted, fourthly, to the praise of sovereign grace, that amidst so
great a work of conviction--so much concern and religious affection--there
has been no prevalency, nor indeed any considerable appearance of
false religion, if I may term it, or heats of imagination, intemperate
zeal, and spiritual pride; which corrupt mixtures to often attend the revival
and powerful propagation of religion; and that there have been so very few
instances of irregular and scandalous behaviour among those who have appeared
serious. I may justly repeat what I observed in a remark at the
conclusion of my last Journal,† viz. That there has been no appearance
of “bodily agonies, convulsions, frightful screaming, swoonings,” and the like:
and may now further add, that there has been no prevalency of visions,
trances, and imaginations of any kind; although there has been some
appearance of something of that nature since the conclusion of that Journal. An
instance of which I have given an account of in my Journal of December 26.
But
this work of grace has, in the main, been carried on with a
surprising degree of purity, and freedom from trash and corrupt
mixture. The religious concern that persons have been under, has generally been
rational and just; arising from a sense of their sins, and
exposedness to the divine displeasure on the account of them; as well as their
utter inability to deliver themselves from the misery they felt and feared. And
if there has been, in any instances, an appearance of irrational concern
and perturbation of mind, when the subjects of it knew not why, yet there has
been no prevalency of any such thing; and indeed I scarce know of any
instance of that nature at all.--And it is very remarkable, that although the
concern of many persons under convictions of their perishing state has been
very great and pressing, yet I have never seen any thing like desperation
attending it in any one instance. They have had the most lively sense of
their undoneness in themselves; have been brought to give up all hopes
of deliverance from themselves; and their spiritual exercises leading hereto,
have been attended with great distress and anguish of soul: and yet in the
seasons of the greatest extremity, there has been no appearance of despair
in any of them,--nothing that has discouraged, or in any wise hindered, them
from the most diligent use of all proper means for their conversion and
salvation; whence it is apparent there is not that danger of persons being
driven into despair under spiritual trouble, (unless in cases of deep
and habitual melancholy,) that the world in general is ready to imagine.
The
comfort that persons have obtained after their distresses, has likewise
in general appeared solid, well grounded, and scriptural; arising from a
spiritual and supernatural illumination of mind,--a view of divine
things in a measure as they are,--a complacency of soul in the divine
perfections,--and a peculiar satisfaction in the way of salvation by
free sovereign grace in the great Redeemer.
Their
joys have seemed to rise from a variety of views and considerations of divine
things, although for substance the same. Some, who under conviction
seemed to have the hardest struggles and heart-risings against divine sovereignty,
have seemed, at the first dawn of their comfort, to rejoice in a peculiar
manner in that divine perfection,--have been delighted to think that
themselves, and all things else, were in the hand of God, and that he would
dispose of them “just as he pleased.”
Others,
who just before their reception of comfort, have been remarkably oppressed with
a sense of their undoneness and poverty, who have seen themselves, as it
were, falling down into remediless perdition, have been at first more
peculiarly delighted with a view of the freeness and riches of
divine grace, and the offer of salvation made to perishing sinners “without
money, and without price.”
Some
have at first appeared to rejoice especially in the wisdom of God,
discovered in the way of salvation by Christ; it then appearing to them “a new
and living way,” a way they had never thought, nor had any just conception of,
until opened to them by the special influence of the divine Spirit. And
some of them, upon a lively spiritual view of this way of salvation,
have wondered at their past folly in seeking salvation other ways, and have
admired that they never saw this way of salvation before, which now
appeared so plain and easy, as well as excellent to them.
Others
again have had a more general view of the beauty and excellency of
Christ, and have had their souls delighted with an apprehension of his divine
glory, as unspeakably exceeding all they had ever conceived of before;
yet without singling out any one of the divine perfections in particular; so
that although their comforts have seemed to arise from a variety of
views and considerations of divine glories, still they were spiritual
and supernatural views of them, and not groundless fancies, that were
the spring of their joys and comforts.
Yet
it must be acknowledged, that when this work became so universal and prevalent,
and gained such general credit and esteem among the Indians, that Satan seemed
to have little advantage of working against it in his own proper garb; he then transformed
himself “into an angel of light,” and made some vigorous attempts to introduce
turbulent commotions of the passions in the room of genuine convictions
of sin; imaginary and fanciful notions of Christ, as appearing to the mental
eye in a human shape, and being in some particular postures, &c. in the
room of spiritual and supernatural discoveries of his divine
glory and excellency; as well as divers other delusions. And I have reason to
think, that if these things had met with countenance and encouragement, there
would have been a very considerable harvest of this kind of converts
here.
Spiritual pride also discovered itself in various instances. Some
persons who had been under great affections, seemed very desirous from thence
of being thought truly gracious; who when I could not but express to them my
* In
less than five mouths, viz. from Feb. 1, to June 19.
† That
is, the First Part of the Journal.
420 BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. I.
fears
respecting their spiritual states, discovered their resentments to a
considerable degree upon that occasion. There also appeared in one or two
of them an unbecoming ambition of being teachers of others. So that Satan
has been a busy adversary here, as well as elsewhere. But blessed be
God, though something of this nature has appeared, yet nothing of it has prevailed,
nor indeed made any considerable progress at all. My people are now apprised of
these things, are made acquainted that Satan in such a manner
“transformed himself into an angel of light,” in the first season of the great outpouring
of the divine Spirit in the days of the apostles; and that something of this
nature, in a greater or less degree, has attended almost every revival
and remarkable propagation of true religion ever since. And they have
learned so to distinguish between the gold and dross, that
the credit of the latter “is trodden down like the mire of the streets:” and it
being natural for this kind of stuff to die with its credit,
there is now scarce any appearance of it among them.
And as
there has been no prevalency of irregular heats, imaginary notions, spiritual
pride, and satanical delusions among my people; so there has been very few
instances of scandalous and irregular behaviour among those who
have made a profession or even an appearance of seriousness. I do
not know of more than three or four such persons that have been guilty
of any open misconduct since their first acquaintance with Christianity, and not
one that persists in any thing of that nature. And perhaps the remarkable
purity of this work in the latter respect, its freedom from frequent
instances of scandal, is very much owing to its purity in the former
respect, its freedom from corrupt mixtures of spiritual pride, wild-fire, and
delusion, which naturally lay a foundation for scandalous practices.
“May
this blessed work in the power and purity of it prevail among the poor Indians
here, as well as spread elsewhere, till their remotest tribes shall see the
salvation of God! Amen.”*
SECOND
APPENDIX
TO
MR.
BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF HIS
METHOD
OF LEARNING THE INDIAN LANGUAGE, AND OF INSTRUCTING THE INDIANS;
TOGETHER
WITH THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH
LIE IN THE WAY OF THEIR CONVERSION.
INTRODUCTION.
I SHOULD have concluded what I had at present to
offer, upon the affairs respecting my mission, with the preceding
account of the money collected and expended for the religious interests
of the Indians, but that I have not long since received from the reverend
president of the correspondents, the copy of a letter directed to him from the
Honourable Society for propagating Christian Knowledge, dated at Edinburgh,
March 21, 1745. Wherein I find it is expressly enjoined upon their
missionaries, “That they give an exact account of the methods they make use of
for instructing themselves in the Indians’ language, and what progress they
have already made in it. What methods they are now taking to instruct the
Indians in the principles of our holy religion. And particularly that
they set forth in their Journals what difficulties they have already met with,
and the methods they make use of for surmounting the same.”
As to the two former of these particulars, I
trust that what I have already noted in my Journals from time to time, might
have been in a good measure satisfactory to the Honourable Society, had these
Journals arrived safely
* Money collected and expended for the Indians.--As
mention has been made in the preceding Journal, of an English school
erected and continued among these Indians, dependent entirely upon charity; and
as collections have already been made in divers places for the support
of it, as well as for defraying other charges that have necessarily arisen in
the promotion of the religious interests of the Indians, it may be
satisfactory, and perhaps will be thought by some but a piece of justice to the
world, that an exact account be here given of the money already received by way
of collection for the benefit of the Indians, and the manner in which it
has been expended.
The following is therefore a just account of this
matter:--
Money
received since October last, by way of public collection, for promoting the
religious interests of the Indians in New Jersey, viz.
£
s. d.
From New York . . . . 23 10 2
Jamaica on Long Island . . . 3
0 0
Elizabeth-town . . . . 7
5 0
Elizabeth-town farms . . . . 1 18 9
Newark . . . . . 4
5 7
Woodbridge . . . . . 2 18 2
Morris-town . . . . . . 1
5 3
Freehold . . . . . 12 11 0
Freehold Dutch congregation . . 4 14 3
Shrewsbury and Shark river . . 3
5 0
Middle-town Dutch congregation . . 2
0 0
--------------
Carried
forward . . . £66 13 2
£ s. d.
Brought
forward . . . £66 13 2
The Dutch congregation in and about New
Brunswick . . . 3
5 0
King’s-town . . . 5 11 0
Neshaminy, and places adjacent in Pennsylvania 14 5 10
Abington and New Providence, by the hand of
the Reverend Mr. Treat . . . 10
5 0
--------------
The
whole amounting to . . £100 0 0
--------------
Money
paid out since October last for promoting the religious interests of the
Indians in New Jersey, viz.
Upon the occasion mentioned
in my Journal
of January 28 . . . 82
5 0
For the building a
School-house . . 3
5 0
To the schoolmaster as a
part of his reward
for his present year’s
service . 17 10 0
For books for the children
to learn in 3
0 0
--------------
The
whole amounting to . . £106 0 0
--------------
DAVID
BRAINERD
SECT. I. METHOD OF LEARNING
THE INDIAN LANGUAGE. 121
and seasonably,
which I am sensible they have not in general done, by reason of their falling
into the hands of the enemy, although I have been at the pains of sending two
copies of every Journal, for more than two years past, lest one might miscarry
in the passage. But with relation to the latter of these particulars, I
have purposely omitted saying any thing considerable, and that for these two
reasons. First, because I could not oftentimes give any tolerable
account of the difficulties I met with in my work, without speaking
somewhat particularly of the causes of them, and the circumstances
conducing to them, which would necessarily have rendered my Journals very
tedious. Besides, some of the causes of my difficulties I thought more fit to
be concealed than divulged. And, secondly, because I thought a frequent
mentioning of the difficulties attending my work, might appear as an unbecoming
complaint under my burden; or as if I would rather be thought to be endowed
with a singular measure of self-denial, constancy, and holy resolution, to meet
and confront so many difficulties, and yet to hold on and go forward amidst
them all. But since the Honourable Society are pleased to require a more exact
and particular account of these thing, I shall cheerfully endeavour
something for their satisfaction in relation to each of these particulars:
although in regard of the latter I am ready to say, Infandum--jubes renovare
dolorem.
SECT. I.
Method of learning the
Indian language.
THE most successful method I have taken for
instructing myself in any of the Indian languages, is, to translate English
discourses by the help of an interpreter or two, into their language as near
verbatim as the sense will admit of, and to observe strictly how they use
words, and what construction they will bear in various cases; and thus to gain
some acquaintance with the root from whence particular words proceed, and to
see how they are thence varied and diversified. But here occurs a very great
difficulty; for the interpreters being unlearned, and unacquainted with the
rules of language, it is impossible sometimes to know by them what part of
speech some particular word is of, whether noun, verb, or participle;
for they seem to use participles sometimes where we should use nouns,
and sometimes where we should use verbs in the English language.
But I have, notwithstanding many
difficulties, gained some acquaintance with the grounds of the Delaware
language, and have learned most of the defects in it; so that I know
what English words can, and what cannot, be translated into it. I have also
gained some acquaintance with the particular phraseologies, as well as peculiarities
of their language, one of which I cannot but mention. Their language does not
admit of their speaking any word denoting relation, such as, father, son,
&c. absolutely; that is, without prefixing a pronoun-passive to it,
such as my, thy, his, &c. Hence they cannot be
baptized in their own language in the name of the Father, and the
Son, &c.; but they may be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and his
Father, &c. I have gained so much knowledge of their language, that I can
understand a considerable part of what they say, when they discourse upon
divine things, and am frequently able to correct my interpreter, if he mistakes
my sense. But I can do nothing to any purpose at speaking the language
myself.
And as an apology for this defect, I must renew, or
rather enlarge, my former complaint, viz. That “while so much of my time
is necessarily consumed in journeying,” while I am obliged to ride four
thousand miles a year, (as I have done in the year past,) “I can have little
left for any of my necessary studies, and consequently for the study of the
Indian languages.” And this, I may venture to say, is the great, if not the
only, reason why the Delaware language is not familiar to me before this time.
And it is impossible I should ever be able to speak it without close
application, which, at present, I see no prospect of having time for. To preach
and catechise frequently; to converse privately with persons that need so much
instruction and direction as these poor Indians do; to take care of all their secular
affairs, as if they were a company of children; to ride abroad frequently in
order to procure collections for the support of the school, and for
their help and benefit in other respects; to hear and decide all the petty
differences that arise among any of them; and to have the constant oversight
and management of all their affairs of every kind, must needs engross most of
my time, and leave me little for application to the study of the Indian
languages. And when I add to this, the time that is necessarily consumed upon
in my Journals, I must say I have little to spare for other business. I have
not (as was observed before) sent to the Honourable Society less than two
copies of every Journal, for more than two years past; most of which, I
suppose, have been taken by the French in their passage. And a third copy I
have constantly kept by me, lest the others should miscarry. This has caused me
not a little labour, and so straitened me for time, when I have been at liberty
from other business, and had opportunity to sit down to write, which is but
rare, that I have been obliged to write twelve and thirteen hours in a day;
till my spirits have been extremely wasted, and my life almost spent, to get
these writings accomplished. And after all; after diligent application to the
various parts of my work, and after the most industrious improvement of time I
am capable of, both early and late, I cannot oftentimes possibly gain two hours
in a week for reading or any other studies, unless just for what appears of
absolute necessity for the present. And frequently when I attempt to
redeem time, by sparing it out of my sleeping hours, I am by that means thrown
under bodily indisposition, and rendered fit for nothing.--This is truly my
present state, and is like to be so, for aught I can see, unless I could
procure an assistant in my work, or quit my present business.
But although I have not made that proficiency I could
wish to have done, in learning the Indian languages; yet I have used all
endeavours to instruct them in English tongue, which perhaps will be more
advantageous to the christian interest among them, than if I should preach in
their own language; for that is very defective, (as I shall hereafter observe,)
so that many things cannot be communicated to them without introducing English
terms. Besides, they can have no books translated into their language,
without great difficulty and expense; and if still accustomed to their own
language only, they would have no advantage of hearing other ministers
occasionally, or in my absence. So that my having a perfect acquaintance with
the Indian language would be of no great importance with regard to this
congregation of Indians in New Jersey, although it might be of great service to
me in treating with the Indians elsewhere.
SECT. II.
Method of instructing the Indians.
THE method I am taking to instruct the Indians in
the principles of our holy religion, are, to preach, or open and improve some
particular points of doctrine; to expound particular paragraphs, or sometimes
whole chapters, of God’s word to them; to give historical relations from
Scripture of the most material and remarkable occurrences relating to the church
of God from the beginning; and frequency to catechise them upon the principles
of Christianity. The latter of these methods of instructing I manage in a
twofold manner. I sometimes catechise systematically, proposing
questions agreeable to the Reverend Assembly’s Shorter Catechism. This I
have carried to a considerable length. At other times I catechise upon any
important subject that I think difficult to them. Sometimes when I have
discoursed upon some particular point, and made it as plain and familiar to
them as I can, I then catechise them upon the most material branches of my
discourse, to see whether they had a thorough understanding of it. But as I
have catechised chiefly in a systematical form, I shall here give some
specimen of the method I make use of in it, as well as of the propriety and
justness of my people’s answers to the questions proposed to them.
422 BRAINERD’S JOURNAL. APPEND. II.
Questions
upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at death.
Q.
I have shown you, that the children of God receive a great many good things
from Christ while they live, now have they any more to receive when they come
to die?--A. Yes.
Q.
Are the children of God then made perfectly free from sin?--Yes.
Q.
Do you think they will never more be troubled with vain, foolish, and wicked
thoughts?--A. No, never at all.
Q.
Will not they then be like the good angels I have so often told you of?--A.
Yes.
Q.
And do you call this a great mercy to be freed from all sin?--A.
Yes.
Q.
Do all God’s children count it so?--A. Yes, all of them.
Q.
Do you think this is what they would ask for above all things, if God
should say to them, Ask what you will, and it shall be done for you?--A.
O yes, be sure, this is what they want.
Q.
You say the souls of God’s people at death are made perfectly free from sin,
where do they go then?--A. They go and live with Jesus Christ.
Q.
Does Christ show them more respect and honour, and make them more happy* than
we can possibly think of in this world?-A. Yes.
Q.
Do they go immediately to live with Christ in heaven, as soon as their
bodies are dead? or do they tarry somewhere else a while?--A. They go
immediately to Christ.
Q.
Does Christ take any care of the bodies of his people when they are dead, and
their souls gone to heaven, or does he forget them?--A. He takes care of
them.
These
questions were all answered with surprising readiness, and without once
missing, as I remember. And in answering several of them which respected
deliverance from sin, they were much affected, and melted with the hopes of
that happy state.
Questions
upon the benefits believers receive from Christ at the resurrection.
Q.
You see I have already shown you what good things Christ gives his good people
while they live, and when they come to die; now, will he raise their bodies,
and the bodies of others, to life again at the last day?--A. Yes, they
shall all be raised.
Q.
Shall they then have the same bodies they now have?-A. Yes.
Q.
Will their bodies then be weak, will they feel cold, hunger, thirst, and
weariness, as they now do?--A. No, none of these things.
Q.
Will their bodies ever die any more after they are raised to life?--A.
No.
Q.
Will their souls and bodies be joined together again?--A. Yes.
Q.
Will God’s people be more happy then, than they were while their bodies were
asleep?--A. Yes.
Q.
Will Christ then own these to be his people before all the world?--A.
Yes.
Q.
But God’s people find so much sin in themselves, that they are often ashamed of
themselves, and will not Christ be ashamed to own such for his friends at that
day?--A. No, he never will be ashamed of them.
Q.
Will Christ then show all the world, that he has put away these people’s sins,†
and that he looks upon them as if they had never sinned at all?--A. Yes.
Q. Will he look upon them as if they had never
sinned, for the sake of any good things they have done themselves, or for the
sake of his righteousness accounted to them as if it was theirs?--A. For
the sake of his righteousness counted to them, not for their own goodness.
Q.
Will God’s children then be as happy as they can desire to be?--Yes.
Q.
The children of God while in this world, can but now and then draw near to him,
and they are ready to think they can never have enough of God and Christ, but
will they have enough there, as much as they can desire?--A. O yes,
enough, enough.
Q.
Will the children of God love him then as much as they desire, will they find
nothing to hinder their love from going to him?--A. Nothing at all, they
shall love him as much as they desire.
Q.
Will they never be weary of God and Christ, and the pleasures of heaven, so as
we are weary of our friends and enjoyments here, after we have been pleased
with them awhile?--A. No, never.
Q.
Could God’s people be happy if they knew God loved them, and yet felt at the
same time that they could not love and honour him?--A. No, no.
Q.
Will this then make God’s people perfectly happy, to love God above all, to
honour him continually, and to feel his love to them?--A. Yes.
Q.
And will this happiness last for ever?--A. Yes, for ever, for ever.
These
questions, like the former, were answered without hesitation or missing, as I
remember, in any one instance.
Questions upon the duty
which God requires of men.
Q.
Has God let us know any thing of his will, or what he would have us to do to
please him?--A. Yes.
Q.
And does he require us to do his will, and to please him?--A. Yes.
Q.
Is it right that God should require this of us, has he any business to command
us as a father does his children?--A. Yes.
Q.
Why is it right that God should command us to do what he pleases?--A.
Because he made us, and gives us all our good things.
Q.
Does God require us to do any thing that will hurt us, and take away our
comfort and happiness?--A. No.
Q.
But God requires sinners to repent and be sorry for their sins, and to have
their hearts broken; now, does not this hurt them, and take away their comfort,
to be made sorry, and to have their hearts broken?--A. No, it does them
good.
Q.
Did God teach man his will at first by writing it down in a book, or did he put
it into his heart, and teach him without a book what was right?--A. He
put it into his heart, and made him know what he should do.
Q.
Has God since that time writ down his will in a book?--A. Yes.
Q.
Has God written his whole will in his book; has he there told us all that he
would have us believe and do?--A. Yes.
Q.
What need was there of this book, if God at first put his will into the heart
of man, and made him feel what he should do?--A. There was need of it,
because we have sinned, and made our hearts blind.
Q.
And has God writ down the same things in his book, that he at first put into
the heart of man?--A. Yes.
In
this manner I endeavour to adapt my instructions to the capacities of my
people; although they may perhaps seem strange to others who have never
experienced the difficulty of the work. And these I have given an account of,
are the methods I am from time to time pursuing, in order to instruct them in
the principles of Christianity. And I think I may say, it is my great concern
that these instructions be given them in such a manner, that they may
not only be doctrinally taught, but duly affected thereby, that
divine truths may come to them, “not in word only, but in power, and in the
Holy Ghost,” and be received “not as the word of man.”
* The only way I have to express their “entering into glory,” or
being glorified; there being no word in the Indian language answering to that
general term.
† The only way I have to express their being openly-acquitted.
In like manner, when I speak of justification, I have no other way but to call
it God’s looking upon us as good creatures.
SECT. III AVERSION OF THE INDIANS TO CHRISTIANITY.
423
SECT.
III.
Difficulties attending the
christianizing of the Indians--First difficulty, the rooted aversion to
Christianity that generally prevails among them.
I
SHALL now attempt something with relation to the last particular required by
the Honourable Society in their letter, viz. To give some account of the
“difficulties I have already met with in my work, and the methods I make use of
for surmounting the same.” And, in the first instance, first, I have met
with great difficulty in my work among these Indians, “from the rooted aversion
to Christianity that generally prevails among them.” They are not only brutishly
stupid and ignorant of divine things, but many of them are obstinately set
against Christianity, and seem to abhor even the christian name.
This
aversion to Christianity arises partly from a view of the “immorality and
vicious behaviour of many who are called Christians.” They observe that horrid
wickedness in nominal Christians, which the light of nature condemns in
themselves: and not having distinguishing views of things, are ready to look
upon all the white people alike, and to condemn them alike, for
the abominable practices of some.--Hence when I have attempted to treat
with them about Christianity, they have frequently objected the scandalous
practices of Christians. They have observed to me, that the white people
lie, defraud, steal, and drink worse than the Indians; that they have taught
the Indians these things, especially the latter of them; who before the coming
of the English, knew of no such thing as strong drink: that the English have,
by these means, made them quarrel and kill one another; and, in a word, brought
them to the practice of all those vices that now prevail among them. So that
they are now vastly more vicious, as well as much more miserable, than they
were before the coming of the white people into the country.--These, and such
like objections, they frequently make against Christianity, which are not
easily answered to their satisfaction; many of them being facts too
notoriously true.
The
only way I have to take in order to surmount this difficulty, is to
distinguish between nominal and real Christians; and to show
them, that the ill conduct of many of the former proceeds not from their
being Christians, but from their being Christians only in name, not in heart,
&c. To which it has sometimes been objected, that if all those who will
cheat the Indians are Christians only in name, there are but few left in
the country to be Christians in heart. This, and many other of the
remarks they pass upon the white people, and their miscarriages, I am forced to
own, and cannot but grant, that many nominal Christians are more
abominably wicked than the Indians. But then I attempt to show them, that there
are some who feel the power of Christianity, and that these are not so. I ask
them, when they ever saw me guilty of the vices they complain of, and charge
Christians in general with? But still the great difficulty is, that the people
who live back in the country nearest to them, and the traders that go
among them, are generally of the most irreligious and vicious sort; and the
conduct of one or two persons, be it never so exemplary, is not sufficient to
counterbalance the vicious behaviour of so many of the same denomination, and
so to recommend Christianity to pagans.
Another thing that serves to make them more averse to Christianity, is a “fear of being enslaved.” They are, perhaps, some of the most jealous people living, and extremely averse to a state of servitude, and hence are always afraid of some design forming against them. Besides, they seem to have no sentiments of generosity, benevolence, and goodness; that if any thing be proposed to them, as being for their good, they am ready rather to suspect, that there is at bottom some design forming against them, than that such proposals flow from good-will to them, and a desire of their welfare. And hence, when I have attempted to recommend Christianity to their acceptance, they have sometimes objected, that the white people have come among them, have cheated them out of their lands, driven them back to the mountains, from the pleasant places they used to enjoy by the sea-side &c.; that therefore they have no reason to think the white people are now seeking their welfare; but rather that they have sent me out to draw them together, under a pretence of kindness to them, that they may have an opportunity to make slaves of them, as they do of the poor negroes, or else to ship them on board their vessels, and make them fight with their enemies, &c. Thus they have oftentimes construed all the kindness I could show them, and the hardships I have endured in order to treat with them about Christianity. “He never would (say they) take all this pains to do us good, he must have some wicked design to hurt us so