of day, readily went to Mioxoo's houfe. When he came, he found many Indians collected there, among whom was Tawanquatuck, the chief Sachem of that end of the island. were visited with a fevere diftem- | receiving the meffage about break per, which proved mortal to many of them; but apparently less fo to them who had given any countenance to the great truths, which had been propofed to them, and fhewed any regard to them; thofe were far more gently vifited with the diforder, than others; and Hiacoomes, and his family, who openly profeffed the gofpel, were fcarcely, at all, hurt by it. Whether mere natural caufes in the ufual mode of operation, according to general laws, or the particular and fpecial providence of God made the diftinction, we fhall not ftand to inquire. This is very worthy of notice, that a wife and gracious God over-ruled this difcrimination for the good of the heathen. They, who fometime before attributed a strange disease among them to the anger of their deities, because fome of the people forfook their old religion, and chofe a new one, now questioned with themselves, whether the prefent fickness, with the concomitant circumstances, was not brought upon them by Jehovah, as a token of his displeasure, on account of their generally rejecting Chriftianity. By means of this fickness, and the diftinction made in it, many of them were put upon ferious confideration of the things, which before they flighted; and fome began earnestly to defire to have the truths of the Christian religion explained to them; and to hearken, with great attention, to the things which were, by Mr. Mayhew, and Hiacoomes, preached among them. About this time, Mioxoo, being the chief man of the place where he lived, fent a meffenger in the night to Hiacoomes, about five, or fix miles, entreating him to come to him; and Hiacoomes Mioxoo received Hiacoomes with great apparent pleasure, and told him, what he defired of him ; the fum of which was, "that he would fhew his heart to them, and let them know, how it ftood towards God, and what they ought to do." Hiacoomes very cheerfully attended to the propofal: He immediately laid hold of the opportunity to inftruct them; explaining fome important points of natu ral, and revealed religion. Having finished his fpeech, Mioxoo afked him, "how many gods the English worshipped?"" Hiacoomes answered, "One, and no more." Upon which Mioxoo reckoned up about 37 principal gods, which he had: "And fhall I, faid he, throw away all these thirty feven for the fake of one only?" "What do you yourself think?" faid Hiacoomes. my part, I have thrown away all thefe, and many more fome years ago, and yet I am preferved, as you fee, this day." "You fpeak true, faid Mioxoo ; and therefore I will throw away all my gods too, and ferve that one God with you." "For Mioxoo having expreffed this refolution, Hiacoomes proceeded more fully to inftruct him, and the reft of the company with him, and did, as Mioxoo defired, open his heart to them. He told them, that he did fear the great God only; and did greatly reverence his Son, who had fuffered death to make fatisfaction for fin for all thofe, who trust in him and forfake their finful ways; and that the fpirit of God did work these things in the hearts of the children of men. He told them alfo, that he was very forry for his own fins, and defired to be redeemed by Jefus Chrift from them, and to walk according to God's commandments. "That a long time ago, the Indians had wife men among them, who did in a grave manner, teach the people knowledge; but they, said he, are dead, and their wif dom is buried with them; and now, men lead a giddy life, in ig. norance, till they are white-head Hiacoomes alfo now told thefe, his poor countrymen, of the fined; and tho' ripe in years, yet and fall of Adam, and what a they go without wisdom to their dreadful state mankind were there- graves :" But added, "He hoped by brought into; and did alfo, the time of knowledge was now with Chriftian freedom, reckon up come." He then alfo (others their own fins to them, and char-joining with him) defired Mr. ged them home upon their confciences, as that of having many gods, going after powows, &c. And having thus opened his heart to his hearers, he concluded his difcourfe, by telling them, that if they could obtain fuch hearts, as thro' grace he had, they fhould receive fuch mercies as he did.* This difcourfe of Hiacoomes being ended, feveral of his hearers were much affected; and fome of them faid, "That now they had feen their fins." Such impreffions were made upon the heart of Mioxoo as were deemed to be abiding. He fupported a Chriftian character thro' a long life. Tawanquatuck, an Indian Sachem being prefent, as an hearer at the meeting juft mentioned, was, it would feem, fo affected with the difcourfe of Hiacoomes, in connexion with the fickness, which had been fo prevalent and diftref fing, that a fhort time after, he invited Mr. Mayhew to preach publicly to his people; and he himfelf became a conftant hearer of him.t On Mr. Mayhew's first going to preach to the Indians upon this invitation, the Sachem told him, * Indian Converts p. 78. Indian Converts, p. 20. Mayhew to preach in a stated He also told Mr. Mayhew, that moted the fpiritual health of not, whereby the Islanders were necef a few of the furvivors. It has been obferved, that the Sachems at firft, and for fome years, made ftrenuous oppofition to the gofpel.. Mr. Mayhew fenior, the governor, obferved this. He had the Chriftian caufe much at heart; and was very defirous to ftrengthen the hands of his fon, and encourage him in the good work of gofpelizing the heathen. He was fenfible, that to remove the prejudices of the Sachems was of no fmall confequence to fuccefs. He, as he had opportunity, took much pains with them, that he might facilitate their reception of the gofpel, and induce them to permit, and encourage their fubjects to hear, and pay attention to it. By his wife management, many of the Sachems were induced to think more favorably of Christianity, than they had done; and finally to renounce heathenifm, and become difciples of Jefus Chrift, and to encourage their fubjects to embrace Christianity. In thefe things he was a fellow-helper to the truth. This gentleman obferving, that the Indian governments were abfolute monarchies ; one main obAruction to the progrefs of the Gofpel on the Ifland, feemed to be, the jealoufy the princes conceived of the invafion of their government, thro' the pretence of religion, and the eclipfing their monarchical dignity; and finding that the princes on thefe Iflands, tho' they maintained their abfolute power, as kings, yet were bound to do certain homage to a more powerful prince on the bordering continent; and tho' they were no great people, had yet been wafted by inteftine wars, wherein the great princes on the main, not unlike the European princes, for like reafons of state, were not unaffifting, fitated to make thofe princes the balance, or umpires to decide their controverfies, by prefents annually fent to oblige them to give their affiftance as occafion required; and feeing his fon ufing zealous endeavors for their converfion, he judges it fit that they fhould unite in their feveral places to promote the great defign: And therefore he wifely takes the advantage of this fituation of the Indian affairs to attach them to him by the following method: He tells the Island Indians, that by order of the crown of England, he was to govern the English who should inhabit thefe Iflands: That his royal master was, in power, far above any of the Indian monarchs; but that as he was great and powerful, fo he was a lover of justice; that therefore he would in no meafure invade their jurifdictions; but, on the contrary, affift them, if need required; that religion and government were dif tinct things; and their Sachems might retain their juft authority, tho' their fubjects were Chriftians. And thus, in no long time, he brought them to conceive no ill opinion of the Chriftian religion.* After a few years fome Sachems, and other principal men became Chriftians, and fome of them preachers to their countrymen. Another thing which conduced much to remove impediments, and to promote the great work of propagating the gofpel, was the inftitution of a fchool for the instruction of the Indian children and youth, in reading, writing, and the first principles of Christianity. Mr. Mayhew very well knew, that humanly fpeaking, the gofpel must make a much flower prog * Matthew Mayhew's Narrative. refs among thofe, who are wholly deftitute of letters, than among thofe who have fome acquaintance with them. That the Indians might become more intelligent Chriftians, a confiderable number of their children at the first fetting up of the school; and many years after, the generality were taught to read, and many of them to write. The fchool was opened in January 1652; at which time, not only were parents invited to fend their children; but any young men, who were willing to learn, were asked to attend. They were pleafed with the propofal: About thirty Indian children foon came in; they were found apt to learn; and more and more were coming in every day for fome time.* This fchool, it may be prefumed, was of great fervice to promote the knowledge, and practice of Chriftianity. Thofe adults, who did not learn to read, might reap much benefit by attending upon the reading of thofe, who did. By the fpeculative knowledge of Christianity gained at fchool under a pious and faithful mafter; by the public and private inftructions of Mr. Mayhew, and by the operation of divine grace upon their hearts, not a few of the pupils were, after fome time, qualified to become public teachers of Christianity among their countrymen; and others to promote the fame general caufe among their neighbors in a more private way, as Aquila and Prifcilla gave inftructions to Apollos.f * Indian Converts p. 289. It is of no fmall moment, that they who are employed as fchoolmafters among the Indians fhould be men, not only well qualified to teach the common arts; but perfons of real religion, and good proficients in facred feience. The faith, fortitude, and conftancy of Hiacoomes had no fmall influence to remove some obftacles, and prepare the way for the more general propagation of the gospel among the natives. Neither the ridicule nor reproaches of his infidel countrymen; nor their threatenings, nor thofe of the powows themfelves, dreaded, in the extreme, by the other Indians; nor his fufferings of any other kind, could fhake his faith and conftancy. He nobly refolved to be obedient, and faithful to Jehovah, and firm in the Chriftian caufe, tho he fhould be fingular in his purpofe, incur the displeasure of his friends, and even fall a victim in the caufe of truth. At a Meeting of the praying Indians, fome of their heathen neighbors came together, with a view to intimidate them, if possible, from paying any further attention to Chriftianity, by reprefenting the perfonal dangers to which they would expofe themfelves by means of the refentment of thofe formidable men, the powows; which, tho' mentioned on another occafion, may yet be repeated on account of what took place immediately after. One, who efpoufed the caufe of the powows, asked this question, this question, "Who is there, that does not fear the powows?" To which another of them anfwered, "There is no man, who is not afraid of them." Upon faying this, he looked upon Hiacoomes, who protefted moft against them, and told him, that "the powows could kill him ;" but he anfwered, that "they could not ;" and ad By teaching the Indian youth the first principles of Chriftianity, and preffing upon them the importance of holiness, they may much facilitate the labors of the miffionaries, by laying a folid foundation for them to build upon, ded, "I believe in God, and put | my truft in him; and therefore all the powows can do me no hurt." The Indians then wondering to hear Hiacoomes speak thus fo openly, feveral of them faid to one another, "That tho' they were before afraid of the powows; yet now, because they heard Hiacoomes's words, they did not fear them, but believed in God too." Some time after this, on a Lord's day, after meeting was clofed, where Hiacoomes had been preaching, there came in a powow very angry and faid, "I know all the Mecting Indians are liars; you fay, you don't care for the powows;" then calling two, or three of them by name, he railed at them, and told them," that they were deceived, for the powows could kill all the Meeting Indians, if they fet about it:" But Hiacoomes then told him, "That he would be in the midst of all the powows on the Ifland, that they could procure; and that they fhould do their utmost, by their witchcraft to kill him, he would, without fear, fet himself against them by remembering Jehovah." By this anfwer he put the powows to filence, as to any injury they could do him by their skill and ability; tho' they pretended, that none but he could refift their power, and elude their arts. He declared before the Sachems, powows, and a great affembly, that he was ready to acknowledge, that the God, whom they worshipped had great power, yet it was limited, and fubfervient to the God he had now chofen: Therefore, tho' by means of the powows, many had fuffered much, and fome were killed; yet he defpifed their power, as being himself a fervant of Him, whofe power overruled all power, and ordered all things." VOL. II. No. 10. The expecting multitude wait the event, which they concluded would be fickness, or death; but to their aftonishment, he remained unhurt.* Upon this they esteemed him happy, in being delivered from their terrible power, as they view ed it. Several of the affembly defired Hiacoomes to tell them, what this great God would have them to do; and what were the things that offended Him: He immediately ap plied himself to prayer and preaching; and by an happy recollection, readily mentioned a great number of particular fins committed among them, and as many contrary duties neglected; which fo furprised them, and touched their confciences, that many of them refolved against thofe evils, and to walk with God, and attend his word. Thus the faith, fortitude, and conftancy of this good man had an happy influence in removing fome impediments, and preparing the minds of not a few to receive inftructions in the truths of the gofpel, and to ftrengthen them against thofe objects of fear, which, as a lion in the way, had prevented them from entering into, and purfuing the paths of wisdom. Their fentiments of the great ability of the powows were changed; and they concluded, that there was fome invincible power, fuperior to that, who, as they thought, actuated the powows; and that the God, whom Hiacoomes worshipped, was that Great Being t The converfion of fome of the powows had an happy afpect upon the propagation of Chriftianity. We have feen, that they were the * Matthew Mayhew's Narrative. + Indian Converts, p. 6, and 284 Matthew Mayhew's Narrative, YY |