SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH MINISTERS IN MARTHA’S VINEYARD.
From the APPENDIX TO MAYHEW’S INDIAN CONVERTS.
The book itself has an attestation prefixed by eleven ministers
at Boston, dated June 14th,
1726. And
the Appendix is written by Mr Prince, one of their number.
1.
THE
REV.
Mr THOMAS
MAYHEW
jun. the only son of Thomas Mayhew, Esq.; he was a
young gentleman of liberal education, and of such repute for piety as well as
natural and acquired gifts, having no small degree of knowledge in the Latin
and Greek languages, and being not wholly a stranger to Hebrew, that soon
after their settlement on the island, the new plantation called him to the
ministry among them. But his English flock being then but small, he beheld,
with great compassion, the wretched natives, who then were several thousands
on those islands, perishing in utter ignorance of the true God, and eternal
life, labouring under
strange delusions, enchantments, and fears of the devils, whom they most
passionately worshipped, and in such a miserable case as those, Eph. ii. 12.
“Without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth
of
Israel, from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world.” And God who had ordained him an evangelist, for the conversion of
those Indian Gentiles, stirred him up with an holy zeal and resolution, to
labour their illumination and deliverance. He first endeavours to get
acquainted with them, and then earnestly applies himself to learn their
language. He treats them in a condescending and friendly manner. He takes all
occasions to insinuate and show the sincere and tender love and goodwill he
bare them; and, as he grows in their acquaintance and affection, he proceeds
to express his great concern and pity for their immortal souls. He tells them
of their deplorable condition under the power of malicious devils, who not
only kept them in ignorance of earthly good things, but of those things which
might bring them to heaven for ever, what a kind and mighty God the English
served, and how the Indians might happily come into his favour and protection.
The first Indian that embraced the motion of forsaking their false gods, and
adoring the true God, was Hiacoomes, which was in the year 1643; an account of
whom we have in the first of the following examples. The Indian living near
the English settlement, quickly grew into an acquaintance with them; and,
being a man of a sober, thoughtful, and ingenious spirit, he not only visited
their houses, but also their public and religious meetings, at which time Mr
Mayhew took particular notice of him, discoursed often with him, invited him
to his house every Lord’s-day at evening, gave him a clear account of the
nature, reasonableness, and importance of the Christian faith, and quickly
brought him to a firm and resolute adherence to it. Mr Mayhew having gained
Hiacoomes, he first employs him as a faithful instrument to prepare his way to
the rest of the natives, instructing him more and more in this new religion,
showing him how to recommend it to them, and to answer all their arguments and
objections against it. And then, in 1644, he proceeds to visit and discourse
them himself; and whereas, at first he could not hope to be heard in public,
he therefore begins to instruct them in a more private way, sometimes going to
the houses of those he esteemed most rational
and well qualified, and at other times treating with particular
persons. And, as Mr Mayhew endeavoured the good of these Heathens, by
discoursing with as many as were willing to have any conference with him; so
with Hiacoomes in particular, whom he from time to time directed to
communicate the knowledge received to those that Mr Mayhew could not so easily
meet with. And they united their counsels, and wrought together, and, by the
blessing of God, soon gained some others. But that which especially favoured
the progress of religion among them, was an universal sickness, wherewith they
were visited in the following year; wherein it was observed by the Heathen
Indians themselves, that those who hearkened to Mr Mayhew’s pious
instructions, did not taste so deeply of it, and Hiacoomes and his family in a
manner nothing at all. This put the natives, who within lived six miles off
the English, upon serious consideration about this matter, being much
affected, that he who had professed the Christian religion, and had thereby
exposed himself to much reproach and trouble, should receive more blessings
than they; whereupon Myoxeo, the chief man of that place, and Towanquatick,
the Sagamore, with many others, sent for Hiacoomes, to tell them what he knew
of the God which the English worshipped. At this very meeting, which was in
1646, Myoxeo was happily enlightened, and turned to chuse and acknowledge this
God for his own, and Towanquatick soon after, encouraged by some others,
desired Mr Mayhew to give them a public meeting, to make known to them the
word of God in their own tongue; and, among other incitements, addressed him
thus: “You shall be to us as one that stands by a running river, filling
many vessels, even so shall you fill us with everlasting knowledge.” So Mr.
Mayhew undertook to give them a meeting once a month; but as soon as the first
exercise was over, they desired oftener than he could well attend; however,
once a fortnight was the settled course; and, as this was the first public
audience among them, so from hence, both Mr Mayhew on the week-days lecture,
and Hiacoomes on the Sabbaths, were constantly heard in public as long as they
lived. However, Mr Mayhew here met with three very great obstacles: for, 1st,
Many strongly stood for their own meetings, ways, and customs, as being in
their account much more advantageous and agreeable than ours, wherein they
have nothing but talking and praying, and this in a manner too sober for them.
2nd, Others alleged that the Sagamores were generally against this
new way. But the 3rd, and greatest of all, was, how they should
come off from the Pawaws. This was the strongest cord that bound them; for the
Pawaws, by their diabolical sorceries, kept them in the most slavish fear and
subjection to them. There were about twelve at the meeting who were halting
between two opinions, and others only came to see and hear; for, though they
had heard something of the one God of Heaven, yet was there such unspeakable
darkness and bondage to sin and the Pawaws, that they durst not for fear
desert them; and though a few were better enlightened, yet the natives round
about struck fast in their brutishness. The Sagamore Towanquatick was
exceedingly maligned by them; and, in 1647, his life was villainously
attempted, for his favouring the Christian religion: but his great
deliverance, with a due reflection on the villainy, the rather confirmed him
in it, and enflamed him with the more active zeal to espouse and assert it;
and the meeting went on, to the joy of some Indians, and the envy of the rest,
who derided and scoffed at those who attended the lecture, and blasphemed the
God whom they worshipped, which very much damped the spirits of some for a
time in his ways, and hindered others from looking towards them. But
Towanquatick and Hiacoomes were inspired with a wonderful courage and
constancy; and, in the following year, had a general meeting of all that were
inclined for Christianity, to confirm and assist one another in their abiding
by it. This assembly was held in Mr Mayhew’s presence; and therein he tells
us, That twelve of the young men went and took Sacochanimo, Towanquatick’s
eldest son, by the hand, telling him, they loved him, and would go with him in
God’s way, and the elder men encouraged them, and desired them never to
forget these promises. And so, after they had eaten, and sung part of a Psalm
in their own language, and Mr Mayhew had prayed, they returned home with
expressions of great joy and thankfulness. The next year there was a greater
convention, wherein was a mixed multitude, both of Infidel and Christian
Indians, and those who were in doubt of Christianity; but Mr Mayhew, it seems,
was not now present. In this assembly the dreadful power of the Pawaws was
publicly debated, many asserting their power to hurt and kill, and alleging
numerous instances that were evident and undoubted among them; and then some
asking aloud, “Who is there that does not fear them?” Others replied,
“There is not a man that does not,” Upon which Hiacoomes breaks forth, and
boldly declares, “That though the Pawaws might hurt those who feared them,
yet he believed and trusted in the great God of heaven and earth; and
therefore all the Pawaws together could do him no harm, and he feared them
not.” At which they all exceedingly wondered, and expected some dreadful
thing to befall him; but observing he remained unhurt, they began to esteem
him happy in being delivered from their terrible power. Several of the
assembly declared they now believed in the same God too, and would be afraid
of the Pawaws no more: and desired Hiacoomes to tell them what this great God
would have them to do; and what were the things that offended him; he
immediately fell to prayer and preaching; and, by a rare and happy invention,
he readily discovered and mentioned forty-five or fifty sorts of sins
committed among them, and as many contrary duties neglected; which so amazed
and touched their consciences, that, at the end of the meeting, there were
twenty-two Indians who resolved against those evils, and to walk with God, and
attend his word; among whom was Momonequem, a son of one of the principle
Indians, who sometime after became a preacher. (Of whom in the second of the
following examples.)
And
now, in 1650, comes on the critical point of the credit and power of the
Pawaws among them; for Hiacoomes thus openly renouncing and protesting against
the false gods he had worshipped, with all the Pawaws their familiar
ministers; and with an amazing courage despising and defying their power, the
Pawaws were greatly enraged, and threatened his utter destruction; but to
their own and their people’s surprise and confusion, were unable to hurt
him. Mr Mayhew improves the advantage, and redoubles his diligence; is
incessant in his pious endeavours; and now, while many are in doubt of their
way, he offers to show them the right one; he spares not his body either by
day or by night. He readily travels, and lodges in their smoaky wigwams; when
he usually spends a great part of the night in relating the ancient stories of
God in the scriptures, which were surprising and entertaining to them, and in
other discourse, which he conceives proper. He proposes such things to their
consideration, which he thinks first requisite; he fairly solves their subtle
objections, and tells them they might plainly see it was purely in good-will
to them, from whom he could expect no reward, that he spent so much time and
pains, and endured so much cold and wet, fatigue and trouble. But God was
pleased to animate, uphold, and preserve him, and quickly to give success to
his painful labours: for soon after, an Indian standing up at the lecture
confessed his sins, declared his repentance, and desire to forsake them, and
to go in God’s way; and then going to Towanquatick, took him by the hand,
and in his native simplicity said, “I pray you to love me, and I do love
you, and desire to go with you for God’s sake;” upon which they received
him with gladness of heart. After this, there came five more; and by the end
of the summer, there were thirty-nine Indian men in this meeting, who had not
only the knowledge of the main points of religion, and professed their belief
of them, but had also solemnly entered into a covenant to live agreeably to
them: besides the well-instructed and believing women, who were supposed to
exceed the number of the men, though they had not yet entered the covenant.
Mr
Mayhew’s way in public now is, by a lecture every fortnight, whereto men,
women, and children come; and first he prays, and then preaches, then
catechizes, then sings a psalm, and all in their own language. After sermon,
he generally spends more time than in the sermon itself, in a more familiar
reasoning with them. And every Saturday morning, he confers with Hiacoomes
more privately about his subject-matter of preaching to the natives on both
the parts of the following day.
About
this time, Mr Henry Whitfield pastor of the church at
Guildford, New-England, in his voyage to
Boston, in order to return to
England, happened to put in at the Vineyard, and to stay there ten days. There, he
tells us, he found a small plantation, and an English church gathered, whereof
this Mr Mayhew was pastor; that he had attained a good understanding in the
Indian tongue, could speak well, and had laid the first foundation of the
knowledge of Christ among the natives there by preaching, &c. Mr H.
Whitfield attends Mr Mayhew to a more private meeting, and the next day to the
Indian lecture, where Mr Mayhew preached; and then catechised the Indian
children, who answered readily and modestly in the principles of religion;
some of them answering in English, and others in the Indian tongue; and then
Mr H. Whitfield adds the following lines: “Thus having seen a short model of
his way, and of the pains he took, I made some inquiry about Mr Mayhew
himself, and about his subsistence; because I saw but a small and slender
appearance of outward conveniences of life in any comfortable way: the man
himself was modest, and I could get little from him; but afterwards I
understood from others how short things were with him, and how he was many
times forced to labour with his own hands, having a wife and three small
children who depended upon him, to provide necessaries for them; having not so
much yearly coming in, in a settled way, as an ordinary labourer gets there
among them; yet he is cheerful amidst these straits, and none hear him
complain. The truth is, he will not leave the work in which his heart is
engaged; for on my knowledge, if he would have left the work, and employed
himself elsewhere, he might have had a more comfortable maintenance. I mention
this the rather, because I have hope that some pious mind, who reads this,
might be inwardly moved to consider his condition, and come to his succour,
for his encouragement in this great work.” Thus Mr H. Whitfield.
But
quickly after he left Mr Mayhew, there happened a thing which amazed the whole
island, and turned to the great and speedy advancement of the Christian
religion. For it pleased God, who had drawn the Indians from the Pawaws to
worship himself, whereat the Pawaws were greatly offended, yet now to persuade
even two of themselves to run after those who sought him, and desire they
might also go with them in the ways of that God whose name is Jehovah. They
came very deeply convinced of the sins they had lived in, and especially
pawawing, revealing the diabolical mysteries, and expressing the utmost
repentance and detestation of them; entreating that God would have mercy upon
them, pardon their sins, and teach them his ways, for Christ Jesus his sake.
And very affecting it was to Mr Mayhew and all who were present, “to see
these poor naked sons of Adam, and slaves to the devil from their birth, to
come towards the Lord as they did, with their joints shaking and their bowels
trembling; their spirits troubled, and their voices with much fervency
uttering words of sore displeasure against sin and Satan; which they had
embraced from their childhood with great delight. And now accounting it also
their sin that they had not the knowledge of God, that they had served the
devil, the great enemy both of God and man, and had been so hurtful to their
lives; but yet being very thankful that through the mercy of God, they had an
opportunity to be delivered out of their dangerous condition.” The Christian
Indians rejoiced to see the Pawaws begin to turn from their wicked ways to the
Lord; and in a little time after, on a lecture-day, at the close of the
exercise, there were several more of the natives who expressed their desire to
become the servants of the most high God; among whom was Tequanonim, another
Pawaw of great esteem and very notorious. And now indeed both the common
Indians, and the Pawaws themselves, began to observe and confess, that since
the gospel had been preached to them, the Pawaws had been very much foiled in
their diabolical essays; and instead of curing as formerly, they now had
rather killed many. At the same time there came pressing in about fifty
Indians more in one day, desiring to join with the worshippers of God in his
service, confessing their sins; some, those actual sins they had lived in; and
others, the naughtiness of their hearts: desiring to be made better; and for
this end, to attend on the word of God, and looking only to Christ for
salvation. And upon this occasion, Mr Mayhew observes that they came in by
families; the parents also bringing their children with them, saying, I have
brought my children too; I would have my children serve God with us; I desire
that this son and this daughter may worship Jehovah; and if they could but
speak, their parents would have them say something to shew their willingness
to serve the Lord: and when the commandments were repeated, they all
acknowledged them to be good, and made choice of Jehovah to be their God,
promising by his help to walk according to his counsels. And when they were
received by those that were before in this general covenant, it was by loud
voices, giving thanks to God that they were met together in the ways of
Jehovah.
This
was all before the end of the year 1650; and by the midst of October 1651,
there were one hundred and ninety-nine men, women and children, who had
professed themselves to be worshippers of the great and ever-living God. And
now there were two meetings kept every Lord's day, the one three miles, the
other about eight from Mr Mayhew's house. Hiacoomes taught twice a day at the
nearest, and Mononequem as often at the farthest; and God greatly assisted
them. And Mr Mayhew had them undertaken, in a dependence on God, to keep two
several lectures among them, which would be at each assembly once a fortnight.
On
January 11th, 1651-52, Mr Mayhew set up a school, to teach the natives to
read, viz. the children, and any young men who were willing to learn, whereof
they were very glad: and as there quickly came in about thirty Indian
children, he found them apt to learn; and more and more were coming in every
day.
In
the spring of the year 1652, the Indians, of their own accord made a motion to
Mr Mayhew, that they might have some method settled among them for the
exercise of order and discipline, that so they might be obliged to live in a
due subjection to the laws of God; whereto they desired to enter into a
covenant; they desired him also to inform them what were the punishments which
God had appointed for those who broke his laws, to which they were also
willing to subject themselves; and that they might have some men chosen among
them, with his father and himself, to see that the Indians walked in an
orderly manner; encouraging those who did so, and dealing with those who did
not, according to the word of God. In order to this, a day of fasting and
prayer was appointed to repent of their sins, and seek the Divine presence and
help; and another shortly after to finish the work. Being then assembled
together, some Indians spake for their excitation, and about ten or twelve of
them prayed, as Mr Mayhew describes it, not with a set form, like children,
but like men endued with a good measure of the knowledge of God, their own
wants, and the wants of others, with much affection, and many spiritual
petitions, favouring of an heavenly mind. The same morning Mr Mayhew drew up
an excellent covenant in their native language, which he often read and made
plain to them: and they all with free consent and thankfulness united in it,
and desired the grace and help of God to keep it faithfully; which, were it
not for making this account too large, I should have here inserted. And Mr
Mayhew observed, that when they chose their rulers, they made choice of such
as were best approved for piety, and most like to suppress all wickedness, and
encourage goodness; and that afterwards they were upon all occasions forward
to show their earnest desire of the same.
In
short, by the end of October 1652, there were two hundred and eighty two
Indians, not counting young children in the number, who were brought to
renounce their false gods, devils and pawaws, and publicly, in set meetings,
before many witnesses, had freely disclaimed and defied their tyrannical
power; yea, eight of their pawaws had now forsaken their diabolical craft, and
profitable trade, as they held it, to turn into the ways of God. And as not
any of these were compelled thereto by power, so neither were they allured by
gifts, having received none from the very beginning. Indeed the natives in
general observed, to their wonder, that the Christians were all along exempted
from being hurt by the pawaws; even some of the Heathen pawaws themselves came
at length to own, that they could not make their power to seize on a
Christian: and those who were enemies to the Christian Indians, could not but
acknowledge that the blessing of Heaven was in an eminent manner among them.
But this was entirely the distinguishing favour of Providence to recommend
this religion to those who were not otherwise yet induced to see the
excellence of it.
The
praying Indians, as the christianized Indians were commonly called, being
distinguished by this pious exercise, were constant attenders on the public
worship; and even the barbarous Indians, both men and women, came often to Mr
Mayhew's lectures, bewailing their ignorance, disliking their sinful liberty,
and seeking subjection to God, to be taught and saved by him, for Jesus
Christ's sake. Thus this worthy gentleman continued his almost inexpressible
labour, and vigilant care for the good of the Indians, whom he justly esteemed
his joy and crown. And God was pleased to give such success to his painful and
unwearied labours, that by the year 1656, there were many hundred men and
women added to the Christian society, of such as might truly be said to be
holy in their conversation; and for knowledge, such as needed not to be taught
the first principles of the oracles of God; besides the many hundreds of
looser and more superficial professors.
While
he was labouring in this blessed work with indefatigable pain and
difficulties, expecting no reward, but from Him who said, "Go and teach
all nations, lo I am with you," God was pleased to move the hearts of
many good people in England, who had heard of the same, to advance a
considerable sum, to encourage the propagation of the gospel among the
New-England Indians. And having seen so great a blessing on his painful
labours, and seeing the Spirit given to sundry Indians, with the gift of
prophesying, according to the promise made by Him who ascended on high and
gave gifts to men; having also an able, godly Englishman, named Peter Foulger,
employed in teaching the youth in reading, writing, and the principles of
religion by catechizing; being well learned likewise in the Scriptures, and
capable of helping them in religious matters: and Mr Mayhew, the father, being
pretty competently skilled in the Indian language, and highly honouring the
labour for their conversion, whereby, if any difficulties should arise, they
might have suitable assistance: in the year 1657, which was the 37th year of
his age, he intended a short voyage to England, to give a more particular
account of the state of the Indians than he could well do by letters, and to
pursue the most proper measures for the further advancement of religion among
them. He accordingly took passage in a ship, with his wife's brother, and with
an Indian who was a preacher among the natives. But alas! the mysterious ways
of
Providence
! neither the ship, nor any of the passengers
were ever heard of more! Thus came to an immature death Mr Mayhew, junior, who
was so affectionately beloved, and esteemed of the Indians, that they could
not easily bear his absence so far as
Boston, before they longed for his return; and for
many years after his departure, he was seldom named without tears. I have
myself seen the rock on a descending ground, upon which he sometimes used to
stand and preach to great numbers crowding to hear him. And the place on the
wayside, where he solemnly and affectionately took his leave of that poor and
beloved people of his, was for all that generation remembered with sorrow. In
a letter of Mr Eliot, of December 28th, of the following year, and published
at London in 1659, he thus expresses himself: "The Lord has given us this
amazing blow, to take away my brother Mayhew. His aged father does his
endeavour to uphold the work among the poor Indians, whom by letters I have
encouraged what I can," &c, This brings us to
2.
THOMAS MAYHEW, Esq., the father of the former.
Reference
“HISTORICAL
COLLECTIONS OF ACCOUNTS OF REVIVAL,”
compiled
by the Rev. John Gillies, D.D., 1754. Published by
The Banner of Truth Trust, 1981.
pp 219-223.
