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water, if any of them desired wages for their work, I would give them; yet, seeing that it was for their own use, if they should do all this labour in love, I should take it well, and, as I may have occasion, remember it. They answered me, they were far from desiring any wages when they do their own work; but, on the other hand, were thankful to me that I had assembled them, and counselled them in a work so needful for them. Whereto I replied, I was glad to see them so inge

nuous.

:

Our work in civilizing them goes on slowly for want of tools for though I have bought a few for them, we can do but little; for a few will set but a few to work, and they are very dear too. Had I store of hoes this Autumn, either to lend them, or to sell to them at moderate prices, we should prepare, by God's blessing, good store of ground for corn against next year: and had I wherewith to buy corn to carry up to the place, and have it in readiness to supply them, that so they might tarry at their work, and not be taken off by the necessity of going to get food, it would be a great furtherance: and had we but the means of maintaining a discreet, diligent man to work with them, and guide them in their work, that also would much promote our success. And many such things I could propose as very requisite unto this work; but I lay my hand upon my mouth. I will say no more. I have left it with the Lord. I see that he will have us to content ourselves with little, low, poor things, that all the power and praise may be given to his great Name. He hath hitherto appeared, and he will appear, for his own eternal praise, in shining, in his due season, on the day of our small things.

When the Indians had settled themselves at Natick, they applied to Mr. Eliot for a form of Civil Government. He referred them to the advice which Jethro gave to Moses:-Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. (Exod. xviii. 21).

In compliance with this counsel, about 100 of them held an assembly, and chose one ruler of the 100, two rulers of 50, and ten rulers of 10. After the rulers of 10 were chosen, they placed themselves in order, and every individual ranged himself under the one whom he chose.

When this was settled, they entered into the following covenant :

We do give ourselves and our children unto God to be his people. He shall rule us in all our affairs; not only in our religion and the affairs of the Church, but also in all our works and affairs in this world. God shall rule over us. The Lord is our Judge: the Lord is our Lawgiver: the Lord is our King: he will save us. The wisdom which God has taught us in his Book, that shall guide us and direct us in the way. O Jehovah, teach us wisdom to find out thy wisdom in thy Scriptures. Let the grace of Christ help us, because Christ is the wisdom of God. Send thy Spirit into our hearts, and let it teach us. Lord, take us to be thy people, and let us take thee to be our God.

A great Assembly held at Natick.

The new converts continued several years under the character of Catechumens; and were visited; during their probation, by Mr. Eliot, or some other Divine, every week, who catechized their children, preached on some article of the Christian Faith,. and answered such questions as the Indians proposed to them. A day was, at length, appointed, which they called "Natootomakteackesuk," or, "the day of asking questions;" when many Ministers and their friends, assisted by the best interpreters, met at Natick, to judge of the fitness of the Indians to be admitted to Christian Communion.

This great assembly was held on the 13th of October, 1652, when about fifteen Indians made distinct

and open Confessions of their Faith in Christ, and of the efficacy of the Word on their minds. In Mr. Eliot's report of these Confessions, published in the Tract entitled "Tears of Repentance," he says, "That he had not knowingly, or willingly, made their confessions better than they made them themselves; but he is verily persuaded, on good grounds, that he has rather rendered them weaker than they delivered them; partly by missing some words of weight in some sentences, partly by abbreviating some passages, and partly by reason of the different idioms of their language from ours.”

Our readers may form a judgment of these Confessions, by one which we shall here extract.

The Confession of Ponampum, on the Fast-day, before the Great Assembly.

Before I prayed to God, I committed all manner of sins; and when I heard in the Catechism, that God made me, I did not believe it, because I knew I sprang from my father and mother: and, therefore, I despised the word, and, therefore, again I did act all sins, and I did love them.

Then God was merciful to me to let me hear that word, that all shall pray from the rising to the setting sun; and then I considered whether I should pray, but I found not in my heart that all should pray: but then I considered of praying, and what would become of me if I did not pray, and what would become of me if I did pray. But I thought if I did pray, the Sachems would be angry; because they did not say, Pray to God; and, therefore, I did not yet pray: but, considering of that word, that all shall pray, I was troubled, and I found in my heart, that I would pray to God; and yet I feared that others would laugh at me; and, therefore, I did not yet pray

Afterward God was yet merciful to me, and I heard that God made the world and the first man, and I thought it was true, and, therefore, I would pray to God, because he hath made all; and yet when I did pray, I thought I

did not pray aright, because I prayed for the sake of man, and I thought this was a great sin: but then I wondered at God's free mercy to me, for I saw God made me, and gives me all mercies, and then I was troubled, and saw that many were my sins, and that I do not yet believe. Then I prayed; yet my heart sinned, for I prayed only with my mouth: and then I repented of my sins, and then a little I considered, and remembered God's love to us. But I was a sinner, and many were my sins, and a little I repented of them, and yet again Ï sinned, and quickly was my heart full of sin; and then again was my heart angry with myself; and often I lost all this again, and fell into sin.

Then I heard that word that God sent Moses into. Egypt, and promised, I will be with thee. That promise I considered; but I thought that in vain I did seek, and I was ashamed that I did so: and I prayed, "O God,. teach me truly to pray, not only before man, but before God; and pardon all my sins.":

Again, I heard that word that Christ taught through every town and village, Repent, and believe, and be saved: and a little I believed this word, and I loved it; and then I saw all my sins, and prayed for pardon.

Again, I heard that word, He that casteth off God, him will God cast off; and I found in my heart that I had done this, and I feared because of this my sin, lest God should cast me off, and that I should for ever perish in hell, because God hath cast me off, I having cast off God. Then I was troubled about hell, and what shall I do if I be damned.

Then I heard that word, If ye repent and believe, God pardons all sins: then I thought, "Oh that I had this!" I desired to repent and believe; and I begged of God, "Oh give me repentance and faith! freely do it for me!" and I saw God was merciful to do it. But I did not attend the Lord only sometimes, and I now confess that I am ashamed of my sins: my heart is broken and melted in me: I am angry at myself: I desire pardon in Christ: I betrust my soul with Christ, that he may do it for me.

These Indians, it must be recollected, could, as yet, neither read nor write. Their Confessions were made before a large assembly of English, and were

often interrupted by the interpreters for the more full understanding of the meaning, which is a sufficient apology for any want of method or clearness of expression.

These Confessions were considered by Mr. Eliot and his friends as indicating the efficacious influence of the word of God, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, on the hearts of those who made them. Various Indians were, in consequence, baptized, and admitted to the Holy Communion; and thus was the first Indian Church formed at Natick, in the year of our Lord 1660.

Mr. Eliot's laborious Attention to Schools.

In this department of service, as in all the rest, Eliot was an example to other Missionaries.

If the Lord please to prosper our poor beginnings, (he writes in 1650), my purpose is, to have school-exercises for all the men, by daily instructing them in reading and writing. My desire is, that all the women may be taught to read. I know the matter will be difficult every way, for English people can only teach them to read English; and, for their own language, we have no book. My desire, therefore, is to teach them all to write and read written-hand; and thereby, with pains-taking, they may have some of the Scriptures in their own language. I have one already who can write, so that I can read his writing well; and he, with some pains and teaching, can read mine. I hope the Lord will both enlarge his understanding, and enable others also to do as he doth: and if once I had some of them who were able to spell aright, and read and write, it would further the work exceedingly, and in the most speedy manner.

It hath pleased God this winter (he writes at the beginning of 1651) much to enlarge the ability of him whose help I use in translating the Scriptures. Besides, it hath pleased God to stir up the hearts of many of them to learn to read and write, wherein they do much profit with little help, for they are very ingenious. And

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