From Natick in New-England 4. July 1651.
You well know the wild kind of life the Indians live, and how necessary it
is to bring them to Cohabitation, labour, Civillity, and Government, as concurrent
works with their receiveing of the Gospell. It can scarce be shewed in
the world, where the Gospell is received with Power, but it doth civillize them
unto a more Fixed kind of life then yet these People have; after much Prayer
to God, and search for a fit Place for the work. It pleased God to pitch us in a
place which yet seems very convenient about 14. or 16. miles from Bogby,
and its ancient name is Natick, where wee are about to make a Palisado
Fort, for our Security against any Invasion of the wilder Indians.
Wee are likewise about to set up a Schoole among the Indians, and whereas
I was in much care where to get a schoole-Master, I hope the Lord will raise
up among themselves such as will (with my over sight and care to teach them)
be able to teach the Children and youth, for they can both read and Write,
and my scope is to traine up all I can to be able so to be; and when many of them
can write well, then they shall (altogether) write out so much of the Scriptares
in their language; which when they have done, such of them as are able, may be
sent out into the Country in all places therof, to teach them the knowledg of God,
and of the Scriptures; our work is as yet a day of small things; but I see that
it is the Lords minde that the work should go on slowly, and little of the arm
of Flesh in it, that so all the glory thereof may be ascribed to him. The State
of things here amongst us seems more troublesome, and we have sad frowns of
the Lord upon us, chiefly in regard of fascinations, and witchcraft, for now God
calls his people into near communion with himself in visible and explicite Covenart
with him, onely be doth not love it should be visible. Four in Spring-Field
were detected, whereof one was executed for murther of her own childe,
and was doubtless a witch; another is condemned, a third under trial, a fourth
under suspition: One in Dorchester condemned, another under suspition, some
say also that there are divers under suspition at Ipswitch. Here are also other
sorts of Fascination by strange errors, not a few; and of late there are at Salon
a sort of people (some Church-Members) when they call Shakers, who seem to
be taken with strange gripings and fits, and afterwards they speak poolish and
strange words, but some speak wiser, and are conceited of revelations: The Church
hath given some of them admonition. SIR, Let me be hold to commend unto
your wisdome and consideration thus much, We are in expectation of the Reigne
of Christ, which I believe is, when Governors not onely in Church but in Commonwealth
also, shall deduce all their Acts and Orders from the Scripture, doing
all by the divine direction of the word of Christ in his mouth, for then Christ
reigneth. Now it seems to me a divine wisdome in Governors to search the Scriptures
for their Sentences, and to shew how their Laws are grounded upon the
Equity of the Scriptures: Which when a Ruler shal do, all his Sentences and
Judgements will be divine Oracles, and carry with them a Majesty and power of
God, and such Governors, who shall thus magnifie and exalt Christ in his holy
word, he will undoubtedly exalt and bless, with great acceptance, and comfort
The Parliament, the Army, and all other whom the Lord hath of late highly improved,
by how much the more they have thus done, by so much the more honorable
they be in the eys of all and whence come doubts, shakings, unsettlement,