Mr. Eliot, the Apostle of N. England. 229

colonies, who were employed as agents for the society. In consequence, exertions were made to christianize the Indians. The Rev. Mr. Eliot, minister of Roxbury, had distinguished himself in this pious work. He had established towns, in which he collected Indian families; taught them husbandry, the mechanic arts, and a prudent management of their affairs, and instructed them with unwearied attention in the principles of the christian religion. His zeal and success have justly obtained for him the title of the Apostle of New England.

He began his labours about the year 1646, being in the forty second year of his age. The first pagans, who enjoyed his labours, resided at Nonantum, now the east part of Newton. Waban, a principal chief there, became a convert, and was distinguished for his piety. Being encouraged by the success of his first attempt, he soon after opened a lecture at Neponsit, within the present bounds of Dorchester. These two lectures he continued several years without any reward or encouragement, but the satisfaction of doing good to the souls of men. Beside preaching to them, he formed two catechisms, one for the children, the other for adults. They readily learned these, seriously attended his public lectures, and very generally prayed in their families, morning and evening.

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Translates the Bible.

After a number of years, certain individuals in England, affected by his pious and disinterested labours, raised some generous contributions for his encouragement; he gratefully received these, declaring that he had never expected any thing. By such timely aid he was enabled to educate his five sons at college. All these were distinguish. ed for their piety, and all, excepting one, who died while a member of college, were preachers of the gospel. His eldest son preached several years to the Indians at Pakemit, now Stoughton, and at Natick, and other places. Other ministers, in different parts of New England, by the example of Mr. Eliot, zealously engaged in the missionary work. Mr. Bourne and Cotton, in Plymouth colony, studied the Indian language, and preached at Martha's Vineyard, and other places. At Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Mr. Mayhew and son entered on the work; and in Connecticut, Mr. Pierson and Fitch, preached Jesus and the resurrection to the heathen in their vicinity.

That the natives might have the word of life in their own language, which alone was able to make them wise unto salvation, Mr. Eliot began the arduous work of translating the Bible for their use. The New Testament was published in 1661, and the whole Bible soon after. The expense was borne by the society for propagating the gospel in New England. Beside this, he translated and composed several other books, as a primer, a

Success of his labours.

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grammar, singing psalms, the practice of piety, Baxter's call, and several other things. He took care that schools should be opened in the Indian settlements, where their children were taught to read; some were put into schools of the English, and studied Latin and Greek. A building was erected for their reception, and several of them sent to Cambridge college. The legislature instituted judicial courts among the natives, answering to the county courts of the colony. In these courts, one English judge was united with those chosen by the natives. They had rulers and magistrates elected by themselves, who managed their smaller matters.

The first church of christianized pagans was gathered at Natick, they had two instructors of their own body, when the English preachers could not attend. In 1670, they had between forty and fifty communicants. The second praying town was Pakemit, or Punkapaog, now Stoughton; their first teacher was of their own number, William Ahawton, "a pious man, of good parts.” The second church of Indians was at Hassanamessit, now Grafton; their teacher's name was Tackuppa-willin, "a pious and able man, apt to teach." They had a meetinghouse, built after the English manner; their communicants were sixteen, their baptized persons, thirty.

At Okommakumesit, or Marlborough, was a society, with a teacher. Wamesit, or Tewks

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Indians christianized.

bury, was the fifth praying society; their teachier was called Samuel, who could read and write. Annually a judicial court was held there. Here Mr. Eliot used to go and preach at that season on account of the strangers, who resorted there. In 1674, after he had been preaching from Matt. xxii. concerning the marriage of the king's son, at the wigwam of Wannalancet, near the falls, this man, who was the oldest son of the sachem, or king, and who had always been friendly to the English, but openly rejected the gospel, after sermon, rose and said, "Sirs, you have been pleased for four years, in your abundant love, to apply yourselves particularly to me and my people, to exhort, press, and persuade us to pray to God. I am very thankful to you for your pains. I must acknowledge, I have all my days used to pass in an old canoe, and you exhort me to change and leave my old canoe, and embark in a new canoe, which I have always opposed; but now I yield myself up to your advice, and enter into a new canoe, and do engage to pray to God hereafter.” He ever after persevered in a christian course, though on this account, several of his people deserted him. The sixth society, gathered from the Indians, was at Nashobah, now Littleton; their teacher was called John Thomas. In this place, and at Marlborough, the Indians had orchards, set out by themselves. Mungunkook, or Hopkinton, was the next place where a christian soci

Indians christianized.

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ety was gathered, the families were twelve, their teacher was Job.

Several years after, seven other societies of praying Indians, with Indian teachers, were formed further west. One in Oxford, one in Dudley, three in different parts of Woodstock, which then was claimed by Massachusetts, one in Worcester, and one in Uxbridge. Several other places, about the same time, received christian preachers. The places mentioned, received teachers selected from the natives, who had been instructed by Mr. Eliot. The whole number of those, called praying Indians, in these places, was about 1100.

One

But the gospel was preached with still greater effect in Plymouth colony. The Rev. Mr. Bourne had under his care, on Cape Cod and.its vicinity, about 500 souls; of whom about 200 could read, and more than 70 could write. church he had formed of twenty seven communinicants, ninety had been baptized. Beside these, Mr. Cotton of Plymouth preached occasionally to about half a hundred on Buzzard's Bay. Mr. Mayhew and son, began to instruct the Indians of Martha's Vineyard, in 1648 or 9. They were remarkably successful. The greatest part of them were soon considered as praying Indians. On this island and Chappaquidgick, were 300 families; on the latter, sixty, of whom fifty nine were praying families. On Nantucket was a church and many praying families. In 1694, there were