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had been formed, their mode of living as to cleanliness and comfort improved, their farms better fenced and cultivated, their stock of neat cattle and horses greatly increased. He observed that a large proportion of the fuel and other articles sold in Buffalo were furnished by them; and added, that, before the missionary establishment was formed, the inhabitants of Buffalo were greatly annoyed on the Sabbath, by crowds of boisterous and often intoxicated Indians, but now, scarcely an Indian on that day was to be seen in their streets. He closed by expressing the hope, that a family of teachers, who had been instrumental in accomplishing so much good, might be permitted to return to the buildings which had been erected at much expense for

their use, and to the important duties to which they had consecrated their lives.

The Section, however reasonable and important, was vehemently opposed in various quarters of the house. It was alleged that missionaries and teachers, instead of improving the Indians, made them ten times worse; and a letter, said to have been written many years ago by the notorious Red-Jacket, and other similar papers, were read in support of the allegation. In consequence of the number of his opponents, and their mode of attack, the honorable mover of the section, despairing of success, hastily withdrew it.

Thus, to the disappointment and mortifica. tion of your committee, their efforts have || failed.

Miscellanies.

ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE OF CHRISTIAN INDIANS AT GNADENHUTTEN IN THE YEAR

1782.

IN the year 1781 the Christian Indians under the instruction of the Moravian missionaries were in possession of three flourishing villages on the river Muskingum, called Gnadenhutten, Shonbrun and Salem, where they enjoyed the privileges of religion, and cultivated the arts of civilized life. In the autumn of that year they were compelled by a party of Wyandot and other Indians, under the influence of unprincipled whites, to remove from the Muskingum, and settle with them at upper Sandusky. The Wyandots had pretended friendship, had assured them that their only object was to remove them from the danger to which they were exposed by living in the scene of war, exposed to the attacks both of whites and Indians, many of whom on both sides were their enemies;-and that they should be furnished with every thing necessary for their comfort at Sandusky, which they represented as a delightful spot, beyond the region of war, and filled with plenty. When there, however, they were in a few months reduced to famine, and compelled to revisit their forsaken towns, for the purpose of securing the crops which they had left ungathered in the fields. When they had secured as much as they hoped would serve them for the season, and were about returning to Sandusky, the events occurred, which are thus described in Heckewelder's "Narrative of the Mission of the United Brethren among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians."

On the day our Indians were bundling up their packs, intending to set off on the

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next morning, a party of between one and two hundred white people, from the Ohio settlements, made their appearance at Gnadeuhutten. They had already, when within a mile of the place, met with Joseph Shabosh, son of our brother Shabosh, (while he was catching his horses,) and murdered him in a most cruel manner, notwithstanding his telling man's son, and begging them to spare his life. them who he was, and that he was a white Jacob, brother-in-law to young Shabosh, whilst tying up his corn sacks, on the bank, and fifty yards from the town, and thirty from at the sweat-house, and about one hundred the river, was the first person who saw the party coming on, between himself and the river, and so near him that, (as he expressed their eyes, had they looked in the direction himself,) he might have seen the black in where he was standing. He even knew some of the men of the party to be the same who had taken the Christian Indians from Shonbrun in the last fall; among whom both he and young Shabosh were; and believing the good Captain Biggs to be again with them, he was about hailing them, when, to his astonishment, they at that instant shot at one of the brethren, who was just crossing the river in a canoe, to go to the cornfield, and who dropping down at the shot, Jacob supposed him to be killed. Seeing this act of theirs, he fled precipitately, and before they had turned their faces the way he was, he was out of sight. Jacob, might have been the means of saving many lives, especially at Salem, where his old father was; but not having the presence of mind, be ran several miles the contrary way, and hid himself for a day and a night.

The murdering party, seeing most of the Indians scattered over the corn field at work

(or preparing for the journey,) hailed them as their "friends and brothers, who had purposely come out to relieve them from the distress brought on them by the enemy, on account of their being friends to the American people.' 99 The Christian Indians, not in the least doubting their sincerity, walked up to them, and thanked them for being so kind, while the whites again gave assurances that they would meet with good treatment from

them. They then advised them to discontinue their work, and cross over to the town, in order to make the necessary arrangements for the journey, as they intended taking them out of the reach of their enemies, and where they would be supplied abundantly with all they stood in need of: all which was pleasing to them to hear.

During these transactions at Gnadenhutten, the national assistant, John Martin, and his son, were not yet returned from the woods, from where they were taking corn to deposit it at some distance; but on their return that day to the field, they were not a little surprised at seeing so many tracks of shodden horses, and not a single person remaining in the field, where they had left them the day before, busily employed. Not knowing the cause of this, he repaired to an eminence, whence he had a full view of the town, on the opposite side of the river; and there, seeing the Indians and white people together, apparently very sociable, some walking about, and others as if engaged in friendly conversation, he sent his son across to them, while he went to Salem, to inform the brethren and sisters there of what had taken place at Gnadenhutten, giving it as his opinion, that perhaps God had ordained it so, that they should not perish in the barrens of Sandusky, and that these people were sent to relieve them. After having held a consultation with the brethren at that place, they united with him in opinion, and sent the two brethren Adam and Henry with him to Gnadenhutten, for the purpose of learning the true cause of the white people coming out; concluding that, if it turned out as they expected and wished, they would also join them. They finding every thing agreeable, they were not only satisfied with what the white people had told them, but were also urged by the brethren at this place, to join them in going into the settlements of the white people, where the brethren at Bethlehem, on a proper representation being made, would cheerfully supply them with teachers. The whites, encouraging them in these hopes, now ap pointed a body out of their number, to go with the messengers to Salem to assist in bringing the inhabitants, with their effects, to Gnadenhutten.

The language of the white people being the same at Salem as at Gnadenhutten, the brethren and sisters were easily persuaded to go with them; especially as many professed to be very religious, admiring their fine and spacious place of worship, and discoursing constantly on religion, both here and on the way to Gnadenhutten; frequently saying to the Indians: "You are indeed good Christians!" and made use of the same language to one another in their hearing. Some of them, on leaving Salem, set fire to the houses and church, which was disapproved of by our Indians; they, however, pretended that they meant no harm, but had merely done it to deprive the enemy of a harboring place.

Arriving at the river bank opposite Gnadenhutten their eyes began to open; but it was now too late. They discovered a spot in the sand, where, to appearance, a wounded Indian had been weltering in his blood, and

Poor

near this marks of blood on the canoe. creatures! being disarmed; as they, with those of Gnadenhutten, had freely given up their guns, axes, and knives to those who had solemnly promised, that, on their arrival at Pittsburg all should be returned to them again. But had they even been in possession of their arms, they could not conscientiously, and probably would not have attempted to resort to these in their defence.-Being taken over to the town, O how the prospect was changed! The language now held to them, was the reverse of what it had been at Salem, and on the road hither.-The Gnadenhutten brethren, sisters and children, were already confined for the purpose of being put to death; they were no longer called Christians as before, but warriors!-and the same language was also held to the Salem Indians;-all were declared enemies and warriors, and all they could offer in their defence was of no avail. They were further told, that the horses found with them had been taken from white people, they being branded with letters, with which Indians were unacquainted; that the axes found with them had the names of white people stamped upon them. Pewter basins and spoons were stolen property; the Indians making use of wooden bowls and spoons. Teakettles, pots, cups and saucers were also declared stolen property. In short every thing they possessed was said to have been taken from the white people whilst at war with them; and to this they would swear.

How must those poor creatures have felt, being sensible of their innocence! They could have given a satisfactory account of every article found in their possession, where, and from what trader or mechanic they had purchased it. As for the branding irons, it was common among them to get these made by the smiths, with the initials of their names, to enable them to know the horses and colts belonging to each other. But many of these accusers knew well, that the Christian Indians were becoming an agricultural people;-were making use of the plough, raised large crops, and lived chiefly by the produce of the field, and the cattle they raised. That more or less of them could set a decent table to a stranger, furnished with bread, meat, butter, cheese, milk, tea, coffee, chocolate, &c. together with such other articles as the season afforded. Besides this, the Christian Indians were well known by their dress, which was plain and decent, no sign of paint to be seen on their skin or clothes, they wore no feathers about their heads, neither did they shave and trim them as every Indian warrior does; but wore their hair as the Christians did. These, with other marks on them, were alone sufficient to prove that they were not warriors. But the number of horses and other property which they possessed was an object with these mur. derers, who concluded, that "when they killed the Indians, the country would be theirs; and the sooner this was done, the better!"* Accordingly they told the poor creatures that they must die.

Finding that all entreaties to save their lives was to no purpose, and that some, more

The language of back-woods-men.

bloodthirsty than their comrades, were anx ious to begin upon them, they united in begging a short delay, that they might prepare themselves for death;-which request was at length granted them. Then asking pardon for whatever offence they had given, or grief they had occasioned to each other, they kneeled down, offering fervent prayers to God their Savior;-and kissing one another, under a flood of tears, fully resigned to his will, they sang praises unto him, in the joyful hope that they would soon be relieved from all pains, and join their Redeemer in everlasting bliss.

During the time of their devotion the murderers were consulting on the manner, in which they would put them to death. Some were for setting fire to the houses they were in, and burning them alive. Others wanted to take their scalps home with them, as a signal of victory; while others remonstrated against either of these plans,-declaring that they never would be guilty of murdering a people, whose innocence was so satisfactorily evinced; and these proposed to set them at liberty, or, if they would not do that, at least to take them as prisoners, and deliver them up to the proper authority; but finding that they could not prevail on these monsters to spare their lives, they wrung their hands, and calling God to witness that they were innocent of the blood of these harmless Christian Indians, they withdrew to some distance from the scene of slaughter.

The murderers, impatient to make a beginning, came again to them, while they were singing, and inquiring whether they were now ready for dying, they answered in the affirmative; adding, "that they had commended their immortal souls to God, who had given them the assurance in their hearts that he would receive their souls." One of the party now taking up a cooper's mallet, which lay in the house, (the owner being a cooper,) saying, "How exactly this will answer for the business,' ," he began with Abraham, and continued knocking down one after the other, until he had counted fourteen, that he had killed with his own hands. He now handed the instrument to his fellow murderers, saying, "My arm fails me! Go on in the same way! I think I have done pretty well!" In another house, where mostly women and children were confined, Judith, a remarkably pious aged widow, was the first victim. After they had finished the horrid deed, they retreated to a small distance from the slaughter houses, but after a while returning again to view the dead bodies, and finding one of them, (Abel,) although scalped and mangled, attempting to raise himself from the floor, they so renewed their blows upon him, that he never rose again. Then having set fire to the houses, they went off, shouting and yelling on having been so victorious.

The number of Christian Indians murdered by these miscreants exceeded ninety; all of whom, except four, were killed in the slaughter houses. The four were young Shabosh, who was killed before the murderers reached the town, the one whom Jacob had seen shot down in the canoe, and two young brethren, Panl and Anthony, who, perceiving the mur

derers' intentions, were shot down under the bank of the river, whilst attempting to escape.

Of the above number, sixty-two were grown persons, one third of whom were women; the remaining thirty-four were children.

Two youths, each of them about fourteen or fifteen years of age, who were shut up with the rest in the houses where the murders were committed, escaped. The one, (Thomas,) thrown in the house where most of the men were, was knocked down and scalped with the rest; but after a while recovering, and looking around, he saw Abel also scalped, and with the blood running down his face, supporting himself with his hands against the floor in order to rise. With great presence of mind he quickly laid himself down again, as if he was dead, thinking that perhaps some of the murderers might return again, to examine if all were really dead; scarcely had he lain a minute or two, when several men did come, who seeing Abel in this situation, they chopped his head with their hatchets, to prevent his rising again, and having done this, they went off. Believing this the proper time for him to attempt Ian escape, he crept over the dead bodies to the door, still keeping himself in a posture to be able to deceive them a second time, should they come again, when neither seeing or hearing any body coming, and it beginning to be dusk, he quickly got out at the door and went to the back side of the house, where he hid himself until it was quite dark, when he escaped. The other lad, who was in the house where the women were, had found means to raise a plank, which served as a trap door to the cellar which was under the floor, where he and another lad, who had followed him, lay concealed during the time the butchery continued-the blood from above running in streams through the crevices upon them, the planks being but loosely laid, and not groved. Here waiting for the dusk of the evening to come on, that they might effect an escape, they next attempted to get out through a small hole, cut for a window, and through which this boy, though with difficulty, escaped; but his comrade, being bulkier than he was, could not force himself through, but stuck fast, and as the boy supposed, was burnt alive; as he observed both the slaughter houses on fire, shortly after he left the house.

American Board of Foreign Missions.

FORMATION OF ASSOCIATIONS.

CONNECTICUT. West Suffield. Gentlemen's Asso.
Mr. Andrew Denison, Pres., Mr. Viranus Stephens,
V. Pres., Mr. Gurdon C. Gould, Sec., Mr. John Sheldon,
Treas.; four Collectors.
Asso. Mrs. Joseph Mix,
Pres., Mrs. Gurdon C.
don, Treas.; four Coll.

Formed Apr. 14. Ladies'
Pres., Miss Anna King, V.
Gould, Sec., Miss Eliza Shel-
Formed Apr. 15.

Simsbury. Gent. Asso. Rev. Allen McLean, Pres., Mr. George Cornish V. Pres., Benjamin Ely, Esq., See., William Mather, Esq., Treas.; seven Coll. Formed Apr. 16. Lad. Asso. previously formed.

East Hartland. Gent. Asso. Rev. Ammi Linsley, Pres., Mr. Ephraim Selby, V. Pres., Mr. Willians Selby, Jr., Sec., Mr. Thomas Sugden, Treas.; six Col

200 Recent Intelligence:-Palestine Mission...Arrival of Greek Youths...Poetry.

Lad. Asso. Mrs. Aaron Church, Pres., Mrs. Philander
Humphreys, V. Pres., Miss Mary Selby, Sec., Mrs. Asa
Cowdery, Treas; six Coll. Formed Apr. 20.

West Hartland. Gent. Asso. Rev. Nathaniel Gaylord,
Pres., Mr. Timothy Coe, V. Pres., Mr Israel Williams,
Sec., Mr. Samuel Woodbridge, Treas.; five Coll. Form-
ed Apr. 21. Lad. Asso. previously formed.

Granby. Gent. Asso. Rev. Isaac Porter, Pres., Mr. Levi Price, V. Pres., Mr. Allen Clemens, Sec., Mr. Bethuel Holcomb, Treas.; ten Coll. Formed Apr. 22. Lad. Asso. previously formed.

Recent Intelligence.

PALESTINE MISSION.

A LETTER from the Rev. Pliny Fisk, dated Nazareth, Nov. 9, 1823, says;

It gives me great pleasure to address you from the place where our Lord spent the early part of his life. May I learn to imitate Him, who, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor.

I left Beyrout about ten days since, in company with the Rev. Mr. Jowett. Mr. King remains at Beyrout. We intend to visit Tiberias and Safet, and then proceed to Jerusalem. My health remains good amidst all my travels.

Mr. King writes, under date of Nov. 4, that he expected to leave Beyrout for Jerusalem in a few weeks.

Mr. Temple and his family at Malta were well on the 24th of January last. They had just heard of the safe arrival of Messrs. Bird and Goodell at Beyrout.

in reduced circumstances. The mother of Alexander, a widow, and her family were taken captive at Scio by the Turks; one brother, old enough to bear arms, was put to death; Alexander and his mother, one brother and three sisters have been redeemed; and one brother remains in captivity.

Constantine and Nicolas are about 16 years of age, Pandias 13, and Alexander 12. They are all youths of good talents, respectable acquirements and correct deportment. They understand ancient as well as modern Greek, have all more or less acquaintance with Italian, and having been for a short time under the instruction of our missionaries, read and converse in English.

These lads as well as the four now residing at New-Haven, wish to remain among us till they are prepared for usefulness by a collegiate education. The resources of the board do not warrant their conferring such privileges upon them, without specific appropriations by donors to the object. From those of our readers, therefore, who would delight to see eight young men from among this interesting people, enjoying the highest literary advantages which our country affords, in hope that the grace of God will prepare them for eminent usefulness, donations for this object are respectfully solicited.

ARRIVAL OF GREEK YOUTHS.

It is known to our readers that four Greek youths, who arrived in this country in the course of the last year, are now pursuing a course of study under the patronage of the American Board of Foreign Missions. Four others, natives of Scio, arrived from Malta on the 17th ult, commended by our missionaries to the same patronage. The names of these four are Constantine and Pandias Ralli, Nicolas Petrokekino and Alexander Paspati. The two first are brothers. Their father was one of the hostages from Scio, who were hung at Constantinople by order of the Grand Seignor. His effects were chiefly destroyed by the Turks. The lads with their mother escaped from the island of Scio in the same company with Stephano and Pandoleon Galati, now at New Have, Con., to whom they are cousins. An account of this providential escape is given at p. 32 of our present volume. Nicolas and his mother and a younger brother were also among them. His father was previously at Malta, where the family now live,

Poetry.

MISSIONARY HYMN.

Our readers will have noticed, in the letter from the missionaries who last sailed for the Sandwich Islands, (p. 181,) that the following hymn was sung by them on first coming in sight of Owhylee. We insert it here from "Hymns for the Monthly Concert."

O'er the gloomy hills of darkness,
Look, my soul, be still and gaze;
All the promises do travail

With a glorious day of grace.
Blessed jubilee,
Let thy glorious morning dawn!
Let the Indian, let the Negro,

Let the rude barbarian see
That divine and glorious conquest,
Once obtain❜d on Calvary;

Let the Gospel,
Loud resound from shore to shore.

Kingdoms wide that sit in darkness,
Grant them, Lord, the glorious light;
And from eastern coast to western,
May the morning chase the night;
And redemption,
Freely purchas'd, win the day.
Fly abroad, thou mighty Gospel,

Win and conquer, never cease;
May thy lasting wide dominions
Multiply and still increase;

Sway thy sceptre, Savior, all the world around.

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MEMOIR OF THE LATE CHARLES GRANT, ESQ., OF London.

CHARLES GRANT, Esq., of London, England, one of the Foreign Corresponding Members of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, closed a useful life on the 31st of October, 1823. The following brief memoir we insert from the London Missionary Chronicle of April last.

THIS very eminent and respectable indi- || vidual was a native of North Britain, being born in the county of Inverness, in the year 1746.

He received his education in

the town of Elgin, for which he was indebted to the kindness of an uncle, having lost | his father in his infancy. At the age of twenty-one he went to India in a military capacity, but on his arrival in that country he was taken into the service of Mr. Becher, a member of the Bengal Council, and continued there about three years.

||

In 1770 Mr. Grant returned to his native country, and married a Miss Frazier,|| with whom, her sister and mother, and a friend of the family, he re-embarked for India in 1772, having obtained the appointment of a writer on the Bengal Establishment. About this period he formed an acquaintance with the excellent missionary, C. F. Schwartz, with whom he afterwards corresponded, and to whose memory, at his suggestion, a monument was erected at Fort St. George by the Hon. East India Company.

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In 1770 he subscribed 500 rupees to the erection of a new church for protestant worship at Calcutta, the old one having been destroyed by a hurricane many years before; and in 1787, when this church was placed under sequestration for the debts of the missionary, he advanced 10,000 rupees to redeem it, and placed it in trust for sacred purposes for ever. In England the same object still engaged his attention; and in 1797, he laid on the table of the Board of Directors, "Observations on the state of Society among the Asiatic subjects of Great Britain,” which he had drawn up immediately on his return, with a view to procure leave for missionaries to be sent to India from this country; and he uniformly supported the same object while he lived.

In 1804 he was elected Deputy Chairman, and next year Chairman of the Court of Directors, to which office he was afterwards several times re-elected. In this situation he always contended against plans of conquest and aggrandizement, wishing to see our government in Hindostan founded Soon after Mr. G.'s arrival at Calcutta on character and integrity, and supported he was appointed Secretary to the Board of by liberal and benevolent principles; in Trade, of which he was chosen to be a which respects he was a steady admirer of member in 1787. Within three years after the course pursued by his friend and patron, this, however, the impaired health of his || Lord Cornwallis. He also suggested and family obliged him to solicit permission to supported the plan of a College at Haylereturn to England, which Lord Cornwallis | bury, Herts, in order to fortify the minds granted with regret, and not without ex- of young men in the Christian faith, before pressing his sincere regard, and a high sense they were exposed to the temptations of of his zealous and faithful services. With-idolatry and the arts of Brahmins. Mr. in four years after his return to England, (namely, in 1794,) he was chosen a Director of the East India Company, and in six years afterwards a representative in Parlia-object in Hindostan. ment for his native county.

Grant was also a zealous friend to education, and promoted the appropriation of a lack of rupees [100,000] annually to that

In 1807, on a motion in the House of During Mr. G.'s residence in India, its | Commons relative to the conduct of our spiritual interests were very near his heart. || Government towards the Poligars, "Mr

VOL. XX.

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