Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-12-23
TALES AND SKETCHES.
CORRECT VERSION OF TusE,
HISTORY OF FOCAplONTAS.

During the lovely Indian summer time, in
the autumn of 1908, there was marriage
on the banks of Powlintan, where the Eng
lish had laid the great corner stone of the
great fabric of Ang Saxon empire i'll the
New World. 1t was celebrated in the
second church which the English settlers
had erected-ihere. Like their first, which
fire had devoured the previous winter, it
was rude structure, whose roof rested
upon rough pine columns, fresh from the
virgin forest, mud whose adornings were
little indebted to the hand of art The
officiating priest WAS ''good Master Hunter"
VINO had lest all his books 10y the conlngra
tion. History, poetry, and song have kept
dutiful silence respecting the English mar
riage first in America, because John Laydon
and Anne Burrows were commun people
The bridegroom was Il carpenter, among the
first atlyeIturtrs who assembled the PoMha-
tan, then named James, in honor OF bad
king; and he bride WAS waiting maid TO
"Mistress Forrest" wife of Thomas Forrest,
gentlemen. These were the first white wo-
men ever seen ut the jamestown settlement.
: Almost five years later, there was another
marriage at old Jane town. in honor of
which history, poetry, and song have Deen
employed. The bridegroom Nus Master
gnnn behaviour" frum the realm OF Eng
land; an the hridc was princess royal.
named Maota, or P0cuhontus, the well-be.
| we'd daughter of the Emperor of the great
Powhutan Conivtlcracy, on the Virginia
peninsula. The otiicis,ing priest was Mas
tr Alexander Whitaker, u noble apostle of
Christianity, who went to Virginia for the
cure of souls. Sir Thomas Dale, then Gov
crnor of the colony, thus briefly tells his
masters of the Company in London the
story OF Pocahontas.- .st.. a.. ....r y
"powlutau's daughter l caused to lie
carefully instructed in the Christian religion.
who. after she had made good progrrss
thcicin, renounccd publicly her tonntry's
i,iola,ry, openly confessed her Christian
faith, 'ras. as she desired, iaptiz,d, and IL
since married to an English gentleman of
good understanding. Her luther and friends
gave appreciation to it, and her unclc gave
her to him in the church. She lives ci,iliy
and lovingly with him, and, trust, wh!
increase in goodness, as the knowi-
edge of God increaset th in her. she VIII go
to England with me, and, were IT hut the
gaining Of this one soul. 1 will think my
time, foil, aud present stay we'll spent.
SO ,iiscoursctt Sir Thomas Dale. Curiosity
would know more of the princess and her
marriage, and curiosity may here be graitied
to the extent of the revelations vi recorded
history. ... ......... ..--.,..... ..-....s.
The finger Of special Providence, pointing
down the vista oi.ugcs, Is seen IN the charac-
ter aud acts of P"oahontas. She was the
daughter OF y pagan king who had never
heard of Jesus Of Nazarrth, yet her heart
was overfowing with TIC cagdenal virtues
of II Christian life. ,rt- -.-,-V
When Captain Smith, the boldcst and tie
best OF early adventures in Virginia, pcpe-
| tratcd the dense forest, he WAS made II pri-
soner, Was conducted in triumph from vii
| lage to village, until he stood in the presence
of Powhatan, the supreme ruler, and va.
| the ncoudcmncd tn die!