The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
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In November. l7+9. Samson Occom went 10
the region a, the eastern extremity Of Long Isl
aud, known as Monteuk, which had been, from
tine immemorial, a iavonte resort Of Ind ms
OF the natives settled on a tract west OF the Great
Pond a census was taken In l7il, and they were
reported 10 comprise l62 souls Among them
Octom lived as schoolmas,er, teacher and Judge
Tor nearly twelve years. In the first winter he
gathered abou, thirty scholars, and instructed
IN the evening such as could not attend dufng
the day lie had a kindergarten method Of his
own for teaching the alphabet Finding that
the children could Distinguish the characters
by ear but no, 80 we'll by sight. he cut letters out
Of p,p,r, and pasted them on cedar chips; a, his
word the letter named would be brought 10 him
out Of a pile. In addition 10 Lis pedarogic labors
he began religious mini tratuns among the In
dams ON the abbath he conducted three ser
vices for worship, and he held = wigwam meeting
every Wednesday evening On such OCCASIONS
h, prayed, eHpoundcd the Scriptures In his native
tongue and led in the singing Of Chri,,isn hymns
The influence which h" attained among the natives
in The eastern part OF Long Island was presently
recognized by the Society for PropaCating the
Gospel. which made him a small pecuuiary allow
dlA't NllNlt u NUS NV ~ III Yes "
Presbyterian minister
The most attractive field for the missionary
enterprise of New England about the middle OF
the eighteenth century was among :he Six Nations
of New York. The influence of this red mems
confedaracy had long teen recognized, and their
conversion 10 Christianity had been many years
before the fond dream u tho Jesui's Interest
Ia these tribes had been revived in conseq uencc
of the French and Indian War, The attention Of
the New York corresI ondent of the Scots Society
for The PROV agauon Of the Gospel had been turned
toward Occom for some time, aud in 1860 he
was invited by them 10 undertake a mission among
the Oneida Indians. lie left Montauk In May,
l7Gl, and reached the enyirOns OF The city Of New
York in june Of the same year. His early obser-
valions are thus recorded in his diary Il never
saw a Sabbath spent 80 by any Christian people
in my life rs some spent 1t here. Some were
l.dirg IN chairs. some upon hOrS. hack, others
travelling a'oot. passing and rephssing all day
long, and all sorts Of evil noises carried on by
drunkards who were Keeling and staggering
in The streets. others tumbling of their horses;
there were others at work IN their farms, and,
If ever any people under the heavens spOke Ilell's
language, these people did, for their mouths were
fun of curses, rro'aning Gods holy name. |
greatly mistake II these are not the sons and
daughters Of Eelisl" A little later, our naive
missionary writes Il have thought there was no
heather but the wild Indian. but | think now there
il some English heather, where they enjoy the
Gospel OF Jesus Christ, too; yea, ! believe they
are worse than the savage Indian NJ the wilder.
ness thought that would rather 60 with
the meanes' and most despised creature on earth
to heaven than 10 go with the greatest monarch
down to hell after a short enjoy nent Of sinful
pleasures with them in this world. I am glad
there is me defect in the Indian language; | b.
lieve in all their languages they cannot curse or
swear or take Gods name In vain In their own
tongue"
Viii, Occom vas At Oneida, he wrote a letter
to a Mr. Bostwick, giving some account Of his
EXPERIENCES The latter tbereuIon addressed
a communication TO the directors OF tie Scots
Society for the Propagation Of the Gospel, from
which We quote the writer's opinion OF the mission
and the missionaries lie lUccoml has met with
a very favorable reception, perhaps the more 10
on account Of his beng IN Indian. He writes
that Their are four considerable towns on the
Oneida Lake, that they have already built a
house for religious worship where lie breaches
every Lords Day that he las tapuI,d hyo or
six persons tins summer lliCll and That there are
many adjacent tribes among whom he intends
70 MAKE EXCURSIONS Ia can speak the language
Of his own tribe, which is the Mohegan, some
thing better than he can the English. But the
Oneida language differs So much from the Michigan
that h. IL obliged e. use an Interpreter for the
present, though. doubtless, he would leern their
language we'll IN a little time could Lee reside
among them lie IL married TO an Indian woman.
who is also esteemed truly pious, and has siy
children, with whom he would gladly dwell in
the wilderness II he could he supported as a mis-
sionAry. and very easily might his children Re
educated in that language lie well understands
the business Of farming. having chiefly supported
his family bv II while he preached to the handful
" Indians on Long Island he, therefore, could
ln.ruct the Indians in culuyatng their lands
which are very good. lie has acquired a tolcrable
ACQUAINTANCE with Latin, Greek and Hebrew,
with the sciences, and 50 forth. and is really a
good divine. HIS piety is unquestionable, hav.
ing bcsn manifested by a more than ten years
exemplary conduct His temper Is very amiable
and Christianlike, full Of humility and neeLncss.
His heart is much Set on PREACHING the Gospel
10 the Indians, and he Is willing 10 spend and he
spent, 10 do or suffer anything fos their oonvszxtoa