A plain and faithful narrative of the original design, rise, progress and present state of the Indian charity-school at Lebanon, in Connecticut
Eleazar Wheelock
Eleazar Wheelock
A plain and faithful narrative of the original design, rise, progress and present state of the Indian charity-school at Lebanon, in Connecticut
NARRATIVE
"The Liberal deviseth liberal Things, and by liberal Things
"shall he stand."–Isai. xxxii. 8.
"The liberal Soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth
"shall also be watered himself."–Prov. xi. 25.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM, MARQUIS OF LOTHIAN
May it please your Lordship,
That Charity and disinterested Care for the Souls of Men, which make so amiable a Part of your Lordship's Character, and give a Lustre and Grace to all those worldly Honours with which God has dignified you, and entitle you to the kindest Wishes, and sincerest Prayers of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ, and long for the Enlargement of his Kingdom in the World; do now embolden me to inscribe the following Narrative to your Lordship, as a Testimonial of my Gratitude, for that repeated Liberality, whereby you have testified your Approbation of our feeble Attempts in the important Affair here related, and given your Sanction to the Plan we have been prosecuting.
And as you have animated and encouraged our small Beginnings, when we had most need of such Countenance and Assistance; so your Condescention and Generosity have made me solicitous how to manifest my Gratitude suitably to a Personage of such Distinction.
But as your Lordship could propose no other End, besides that which we were pursuing, when you thus opened your Hand for our Assistance therein, while it was yet small and obscure; so I may reasonably suppose, nothing I can return will give your Lordship more Satisfaction, than a plain, and concise Account of the Progress of it, and our still growing and encreasing Prospects of those good Effects, which will be the only Reward which your Lordship could have in View.
And though it be presented to your Lordship in a very plain and unfashionable Dress, agreeable to the Country from whence it comes, yet I am perswaded your Lordship will not despise it on that Account, since the Dress, plain and unfashionable as it is, does so much excel the savage, and sordid Habit, and Appearance of those miserable Creatures, who have so moved your Lordship's Compassion as to become the Objects of your Charity and Beneficence. Nor will Modesty itself under such endearing and inviting Expressions of your Lordship's Condescention and Goodness, forbid our reposing Confidence in you as our Patron, or indulging the animating Expectation of future Benefit by your Smiles on this infant Institution.
May the Blessing of many, who shall, in the present and succeeding Generations, reap the Benefit of your generous Donations, come upon you.
And that God may graciously lengthen out your valuable and important Life, to refresh the Bowels of his Saints, and encourage THIS, and every Attempt to make known the Name of Christ, "and manifest the Savour of his Knowledge in every Place," and late confer upon you a Crown of Life with distinguished Honours, is the earnest Prayer of,
May it please your Lordship,
Your Lordship's
much obliged, and
most obedient
humble Servant,
Eleazar Wheelock.
Lebanon, Dec. 16. 1762.
A NARRATIVE OF THE
Original Design, Rise, Progress and present State of the INDIAN CHARITY-SCHOOL in Lebanon.
Understanding there are Numbers of religious and charitably disposed Persons, who only wait to know where their Charities may be bestowed in the best Manner for the Advancement of the Kingdom of the great Redeemer; and, supposing there may also be in some, evil Surmisings about, and a Disposition to discredit a Cause which they don't love, and have no Disposition to promote; I have, to gratify the one, and prevent the Mischiefs of the other, thought it my Duty to give the Publick a short, plain, and faithful Narrative of the Original