Page images
PDF
EPUB

WESLEYAN MISSIONARIES.

297

cast all my sins away. It is but a short time since that I found this good religion, which makes my soul so joyful."

The Wesleyan Missionaries are indefatigable in their labours among the people of colour, and the Indian Tribes; and are often known to advance as light troops, or pioneers, penetrating into the very heart of the wilderness, before the slow movements of heavy corporate bodies, in the army of Christian missionaries. They follow the first influx of emigration into a new country, and through the labours of an itinerant ministry, the sound of the Gospel is heard with the sound of the axe; and log cabins, and chapels of devotion are seen to rise up together. Success has marked the progress of their missionary enterprizes and operations, and they have many heathen in their communion, whose souls have been converted to God; many, who a short time ago had no term in their language to express the Redeemer's name, but who now call God their Father, by the Holy Ghost given unto them. While thousands scattered through remote and destitute Settlements, would not, but for their missionary labours, hear the glad tidings of redemption, or meet with a faithful shepherd's care.

During my stay with the Mississaugah tribe,

298

INDIAN PREACHER'S ADDRESS.

I was favoured with a copy of an Indian preacher's address, in the Wesleyan connexion. It was delivered at one of their general meetings, in a settlement of Ohio, not long since, and may be relied on for its authenticity. Having engaged in prayer, he rose up in the desk, and looking round upon the crowded house, he began in a humble, but steady tone of voice.

66

My Brothers and Sisters! It is a strange thing that a man from the wilderness should appear before this assembly in the place of a teacher. The great Father of us all has wrought the changes that have brought it to pass. My Brothers and Sisters! I come not to teach, but to learn of you. I am from the forest, with few opportunities: you are surrounded with the highest privileges. Oh, let me exhort you to improve them; let me remind you how great must be his condemnation who neglects them. My Friends! I bring you good news from the wilderness.-The God of mercy has wrought a great change there. We adore Him for his unmerited goodness. To you our thanks are due as the ministers of his grace. This Book (raising up the Bible) brought the truth into the wilderness.-O that we might all walk in its precepts. My Brothers and Sisters! There

INDIAN PREACHER'S ADDRESS.

299

are two classes in the wilderness: one opposes and reviles, and would destroy the word; the other loves it as their life. I fear there are two classes among you. My Friends! This word goes where it will:-I rejoice that it has come into the wilderness, making it glad. None can stop it. Those who oppose themselves to the progress of this Word, are like the man that would stop a thunder-gust with his hand. My Brothers and Sisters! Before we knew this Word, we and our fathers worshipped after our own ignorant manner :-now we rejoice in a better way, and worship the God of our salvation. We had priests, and sacrifices, and dances, and ceremonies: these never softened or improved our hearts. Our eyes never melted into tears while worshipping, until we heard the name of Jesus. His love and compassion touched our hearts, and overwhelmed us like a flood. My Brothers and Sisters! Praying neither tires nor grows old in the wilderness. A story or a song, often repeated, becomes wearisome; but it is not so with prayer. The more we pray, the more we love to pray,—it is so with us in the wilderness. My Friends! A coloured man first brought us the Word:we were assembled, feasting, and singing, and dancing he tried to reason with us; but we

300 INDIAN PREACHER'S ADDRESS.

continued our merry-making until he knelt down to pray then we paused to look on and see what would come of this strange ceremony. He was soon called to the reward of his labours, and immediately a white man, one of your missionaries took his place. My Brothers and Sisters! I cannot enough thank you for your kindness to the sons of the forest.-The forest smiles with the labours of the Indian husbandman in the West. Our children attend school, and dress neatly, and labour, and sing, and pray together: quarrelling, and drinking, and gaming are banished from among us: the young walk in straight paths, and the aged rejoice in the prospect that our race shall not be altogether lost from the face of the earth. My Brothers and Sisters! I say no more. Have compassion on one who comes from the wilderness to tell you something good is doing there. May we all meet at the right-hand of God in Heaven."

It need not be remarked, that this Indian's address was heard with great interest, and abundantly proves that the North-American Indian has intellect, Christian sympathy, and address, equal to any other people of similar advantages.

Of their bravery and address in war, we have

[blocks in formation]

multiplied proofs.-A war-chief addressed his warriors, waiting for the attack, in the following bold, figurative language :-" I know that your guns are burning in your hands-your tomahawks are thirsting to drink the blood of your enemies-your trusty arrows are impatient to be upon the wing-and, lest delay should burn your hearts any longer, I give you the cool refreshing word, Away!" And " we may challenge the whole orations of Demosthenes and Cicero, and of any more eminent orator, (if Europe has furnished more eminent,)" says Jefferson, in his Notes on the State of Virginia, "to produce a single passage superior to the speech of Logan, a Mingo chief, to Lord Dunmore, when governor of this state." The incidents which led to it are as follows. In the spring of the year 1774, a robbery was committed by some Indians on certain land-adventurers on the river Ohio. The whites in that quarter, according to their custom, undertook to punish this outrage in a summary way. A certain captain, with another person of some influence, led on these parties, and surprizing at different times travelling and hunting parties of the Indians, having their women and children with them, murdered many. Among these were unfortunately the family of Logan,

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »