them all away, and given him over to hardness of heart, and blindness of mind. He is neither moved by mercy, nor terrified by judgment, may this be a lesson to me, thought I, to improve to the glory of God, and the salvation of my own soul. About two years after, he was laid on a dying bed, and his conscience roared like thunder against him, and every sense within him appeared to he awakened to torment him. His sickness was short, and his end awful. His Christian friends came to visit him, and wanted to administer to his comfort, but he was comfortless. They told him, perhaps he was mistaken, it was not as bad with him as he imagined. "Oh!" said he, "would to God I was mistaken, happy would it be for me, but," continued he, "can I be mistaken about my affliction? Is it imagination that confines me here? Are my pains imaginary? No, no, they are a reality, and I am as certain of my damnation as I am of my affliction." Some persons offered to go to prayer with him, but he forbid it. He charged them not to attempt it; "For," said he, "that moment you attempt to lift up your hearts to God in my behalf, I feel the flames of hell kindle in my breast. You might as well pray for the devil as for me-You would have as much success. Do you think to force God? Do you think to force the gates of heaven that are barred by Justice against me? No, your prayers shall return upon your own heads, I want none of them." The distress of his mind seemed to swallow up that of his body, and he continued nearly in the same situation till the day he made his exit. All that Christians or Christian ministers could say to him, made no impression on his mind. He never asked any one to pity, or pray for him. Just before he departed, after he had been rolling for some time from side to side, with horror depicted in every feature of his face, he called out to his wife, to bring him a cup of cold water, "For" said he, "in one hour I shall be where I shall never get another drop."-She brought him the water, he took and drank it with greediness--he reached back the cup with his trembling hand, and stared her in the face; his eyes flashing terror all around him, he cried out, "Becky, Becky, you are the cause of my eternal damnation." He turned over, and with an awful groan left the world, and launched into a boundless eternity. If the reader should ask after his wife, what impressions it made upon her mind; all I have to say is, I fear she died as she lived.

This melancholy history should prove precautionary to two descriptions of people, in an especial manner. 1st, Persecu tors of religion may see what will probably be the result of opposing their relations, who wish to save their souls alive, viz. That the eternal destruction of those they turn aside will be measurably laid to their charge. Better (said the Saviour)

were it for that man that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he drowned in the depth of the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones that believe in me." 2dly, Professors of religion are hereby cautioned against "Being unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Whatever may be their accomplishments, beauty, family or fortune, they are dangerous companions; and one of this character can do you more harm, than a thousand enemies whose society you may shun-but once bound to an ungodly companion, you plant your bed full of thorns for life without a miracle of God's grace in changing

the heart.

Religious and Missionary Intelligence.

For the Methodist Magazine.

A descriptive view of the Western Country previously to its discovery and settlement by English settlers, or the citizens of the United-States, as additional or supplementary to Introductory Remarks, to the Rise and Progress of religion in the Western Country.

No. V.

PREVIOUSLY to the bloody catastrophe which we are about to relate, the Indian congregations were much terrified with reports which were brought in of some of the Moravian Indians being taken prisoners by the whites, carried off to Pittsburg, and some of them murdered.

The humane conduct of Col. Gibson, the Commander at Pittsburg, toward the Christian Indians, greatly incensed those people who represented all the Indians as Canaanites, who without mercy ought to be destroyed from the face of the earth, and who considered America as the land of promise, given to the whites.* Hearing that different companies of the believing Indians came occasionally from Sandusky to the settlements on Muskingum to fetch provisions, a party of murderers, about one hundred and sixty in number, assembled in the country near Wheeling and Buffaloe, determined first to surprise these Indians, and to destroy the settlements, and then to march to Sandusky where they might cut off the whole congregation. As soon as Col. Gibson heard of this black design, he sent messengers to our Indians on the Muskingum to give them timely notice of their danger: but they came too late. They however received

*Loskiel's Missions.

in all the settlements early intelligence of the approach of the murderers, time enough for them to have saved themselves by flight; for a white man, who had narrowly escaped from the hands of some savages, warned them with great earnestness to fly for their lives. These savages having murdered and impaled a woman and child, not far from the Ohio, arrived soon after at Gnaddenhutten, where they expressed to our Indians their fears, that a party of white people who were pursuing them, would certainly kill every Indian they met on the road. But our Indians who at other times behaved with great caution and timidity, if only the least appearance of danger existed, showed no signs of fear, but went to meet real danger with incredible confidence.

This was undoubtedly owing to an idea, that they had nothing to fear from the Americans, but only from Indians.However, on the 5th of March (1782) Samuel an assistant was called from Shoenbrunn to Salem, where all the assistants in those parts met, to consult whether they should fly upon the approach of the white people; but both those of Salem and Gnaddenhutten, were of opinion that they should stay. Samuel advised that every one should be left to act according to his own sentiments, and thus they parted. When Samuel returned to Shoenbrunn, some brethren accompanied him part of the way, and he declared that such love and harmony prevailed among the believing Indians, as he had never seen before.

Meanwhile the murderers marched first to Gnaddenhutten where they arrived on the 6th of March. About a mile from the settlement they met young Schebosch in the wood, fired at him and wounded him, so much so that he could not escape. He then according to the account of the murderers themselves, begged for his life, represented, that he was Schebosch son of a white Christian man. But they paid no attention to his entreaties, and cut him to pieces with their tomahawks. They then approached the Indians, most of whom were in their plantations, and surrounded them, but almost imperceptibly, but feigning a friendly behaviour, told them to go home, promising to do them no injury. They then pretended to pity them on account of the mischief done to them by the English and the savages, assuring them of the protection and friendship of the Americans. The poor believing Indians knowing nothing of the death of young Schebosch, believed every word they said, went home with them and treated them in the most hospitable manner. They likewise spoke freely concerning their sentiments as Christian Indians, who had never taken the least share . in the war. A small barrel of wine being found among their goods, they told their persecutors on inquiry, that it was intended for the Lord's Supper, and that they were going to car

ry it to Sandusky. Upon this they were informed that they should not return thither, but go to Pittsburg, where they should be out of the way of any assault made by the English or the savages. This they heard with resignation, concluding, that God perhaps would choose this method to put an end to their present sufferings. Prepossessed with this idea, they cheerfully delivered their guns, tomahawks and other weapons to the murderers, who promised to take care of them, and in Pittsburg to return every article to its rightful owner. Our Indians even showed them all those things which they had secreted in the woods, assisted in packing them up, and emptied all the bee hives for their pretended friends,

In the meantime the assistant, John Martin, went to Salem, and brought the news of the arrival of the white people to the believing Indians, assuring them that they need not be afraid to go with them, for they were come to carry them to a place of safety, and afford them protection and support. The Salem Indians did not hesitate to accept of this proposal, believing unanimously that God had sent the Americans to release them from their disagreeable situation at Sandusky, and imagining that when they had arrived at Pittsburg, they might soon find a safe place to build a settlement, and easily procure advice and assistance from Bethlehem. Thus John Martin with two Salem brethren returned to Gnaddenhutten, to acquaint both their Indian brethren and the white people with their resolution. The latter expressed a desire to see Salem, and a party of them was conducted and received with much friendship, (Gnaddenhuttten, Salem and Shoenbrunn, all being in one vicinity.) Here they pretended to have the same good will and affection toward the Indians as at Gnaddenhutten, and easily persuaded them to return with them. In the meantime the defenceless Indians were suddenly attacked and driven together by the white people, and without resistance seized and bound. The Salem Indians, now met the same fate. Before they entered Gnaddenhutten, they were at once surprised by their conductors, robbed of their guns, and even of their pocket knives, and brought bound into the settlement. Soon after this the murderers held a council, and resolved by a majority of votes to murder them all the next day.

Those who were of a different opinion, wrung their hands, calling God to witness, that they were innocent of the blood of these harmless Christian Indians. But the majority remained unmoved, and only differed as to the mode of execution. Some were for burning them alive, others for taking their scalps, and the latter was at last agreed upon; upon which some of the murderers were sent to the prisoners, to tell them, that as they VOL. III.

45

were Christian Indians, they might prepare themselves in a Christian manner, for they must all die to morrow.

It may be easily conceived how great their terror was at hearing a sentence so unexpected. However they soon recollected themselves, and patiently suffered the murderers to lead them into two houses, in one of which the brethren, and in the other the sisters and children were confined, like sheep ready for slaughter. They declared to the murderers, that though they could call God to witness, that they were perfectly innocent, yet they were prepared and willing to suffer death. But as they had at their conversion and baptism made a solemn promise to the Lord Jesus Christ that they would live unto him and endeavour to please him alone in this world, they knew that they had been deficient in many respects, and therefore wished to have some time granted to pour out their hearts before Him in prayer, and crave His mercy and pardon. This request being complied with, they spent their last night here below in prayer, and in exhorting each other to remain faithful to the end. One brother, called Abraham, who for some time past had been in a lukewarm state of heart, seeing his end approaching, made the following public confession before his brethren: "Dear brethren! it seems as if we all shall soon depart unto our Saviour, for our sentence is fixed. You know that I have been an untoward child, and have grieved the Lord and my brethren by my disobedience, not walking as I ought to have done. But yet I will now cleave to my Saviour with my last breath, and hold him fast, though I am so great a sinner. I know assuredly that he will forgive me all my sins, and will not cast me out." The brethren assured him of their love and forgiveness, and both they and the sisters spent the latter part of the night in singing the praises of God their Saviour, in the joytul hope, that they soon should be able to praise him without sin.

When the day of execution arrived, namely, the 8th of March, two houses were fixed upon, one for the brethren, the other for the sisters and children, to which the wanton murderers gave the name of slaughter houses. Some of them went to the Indian brethren and showed great impatience that the execution had not yet begun, to which the brethren replied, that they were all ready to die, having commended their souls to God.

Immediately after this declaration the carnage commenced. The poor innocent people, men, women, and children were led, bound two and two together with ropes, into the before mentioned slaughter houses and there scalped and murdered.

According to the testimony of the murderers themselves, they behaved with uncommon patience, and went to meet death with cheerful resignation. Abraham was the first victim. A sister called Christina, who spoke both English and German well,