HIRAM BINGHAM TO SAMUEL WORCESTER

February 11 1819

Andover Theol. Sem.

Rev. & Dear Sir

At the close of a little interview for prayer last evening, Brother Hart suggested to me a few hints respecting a plan for doing good. He observed that if our government were only requested to cede to the American Board a township of that land which has been ceded by the Cherokees to the U.S. they would probably do it without hesitation, & if so, or even if the Board should purchase such a township, a plan might be adopted which would completely defray the expenses of the western Missions.

As I had heard that you intended visiting Washington soon I told him it might be proper to suggest the plan to you, & if he would put it on paper I would forward it to you immediately.

He says he knows a number of good families in Penn. who would willingly devote themselves & their property to the Board on such a plan.--Br. Goodell says that a number in Holden appear to be ready to go with Mr. Risk if they could do any good. It is presumed that if some such plan were to be put in operation, there would be in a very short /time/ volunteers enough for a little colony of missionary farmers & mechanics. Let one company be at Chickamauga and another soon at the mouth of the Arkansas & thus the arts of civilization & the blessings of Christianity might be more easily introduced among the savages and any number of missionary stations however (one word illegible) or multiplied might be permanently supported.

I have taken this early opportunity to communicate these hints, supposing the Dr. would have opportunity to feel the pulse of Government, with reference to this plan if he should think it possible to accomplish any thing or expedient to attempt it or any plan of this kind.

Praying for a divine blessing on you, Sir, & the cause in which you are engaged, I subscribe myself

Yours very affectionately

P.S. If the Gov. should not cede a township--perhaps they might appropriate it /to/ the civilization of the Indian tribes and give the Board the care of it.

122 To Rev. Samuel Worcester, D.D., Salem, Mass.

Boston, April 28, 1819.

Rev. & dear Sir,

I have just time to say that I received
with lively interest you communication by the hand of Br.
Deinmick. I sincerely thank you for the interst you take
in my welfare with respect to my future course, & I need
not ask you to pray that I may be directed in my enquires
respecting my duty by one whose wisdom cannot err. I hope
I shall be willing to go when he shall direct. But dear
sir my heart trembles at the thought that it is even possi-
ble for me to be called to so awfully responsible a station
as that hinted at in your letter. Though I do not neglect
that most diligent and solicitous attention to the subject
of the mission to the Sandwich Islands yet I do pray that
the Head of the church would send a better man to superin-
tend that Mission than your very affection and obliged friend,

H. Bingham.

P.S. I hope to reach Goshen and Corn-
wall this week.

Boston, April 28, 1819

Rev. & Dear Sir

I have just time to say that I received with lively interest your com-
munication by the hand of Dr. Dimmick. I sincerely thank you for the inter-
est you take in my welfare with respect to my future course, & I need not
ask you to pray that I may be directed in my inquiries respecting my duty
by one whose wisdom cannot err. I hope I shall be willing to go where he
shall direct--But dear Sir my heart trembles at the thought that it is even
possible for me to be called to so awfully responsible a station as that
hinted at in your letter. Tho' I dare not neglect the most diligent &
solicitous attention to the subject of the mission to the Sandwich Islands,
yet I do pray that the Head of the Church would send a better man to super-
intend that Mission than your very affectionate & obliged friend

I hope to reach Goshen and Cornwall this week.

121 To Mr. Samuel Worcester, D.D., Salem, Mass.

Goshen (Conn.) May 11, 1819

Rev. & Dear Sir,

Immediately after dropping a line to you
from Boston I left that place and arrived in Hartford the
next morning - & in Litchfield on Friday. Dr. Beecher insist-
ed on my staying with him over the Sabbath. There is a
gentle shower descending on his people Ten persons were ad-
mitted to his church on that Lord's day. Connecticut is now
in a state of convulsion. Mr. B. thinks nothing special can be
done in this country to increase benevolent exertion in favor
of foreign missions, unless there should be special occasion
for making an effort, & in such a case, their system is so
complete that an effort made when the occasion demands it
would doubtless be successful. I have therefore had the
better opportunity while in this region to fix my attention
on the contemplated mission to make myself acquainted with
the members of the school, the Principal of the Agents. Mon-
day I walked from Litchfield through Goshen to Cornwall and
was made acquainted with Mr. Harvey & Mr. Daggett & Mr. Stone
and many of the boys at the school. Attended the monthly
concert this evening at C. The next day attended the examin-
ation of the school which was highly interesting. It was con-
ducted very ably by the Principal in the presence of the
Agents. The students acquitted themselves well in the various
branches to which they had attended. I felt particularly in-
terested in the examination of Adin Gibbs & Thomas Hopoo in
theology & of G.P. Tamoree in navigation and astronomy. Tamo-
ree has calculated and projected a lunar eclipse which is to
take place in Atooi in Sept. 1820. On Wednesday I attended
with increasing interest and satisfaction their semi annual
exhibition, preceded by a sermon from Dr. Chapin & accompan-
ied with appropriate music. One of the hymns sung was "the
fall of idols in Otahiete". Most of the members of the school
gave a specimen of their talents and improvements in speaking
which far exceeded my expectations. I could not but be filled
with admiration (and I believe with gratitude to God) to see
these youth, the sons of the forest and pagan isles, appear-
ing on a public stage, in the bosom of this Christian land, with
as much propriety as students in college & this giving to
the church a pledge of their future activity & usefulness.
Several of them spoke only in their native language, others
both in their native language & in English. Hoopoo pronounced
a part of the first Chapter of Gen. in Heb. & subjoined re-
marks prepared by Mr. Daggett Redge - Pope's Messiah, Tamoree
a part of the sermon "Great effects from little causes," with
good effect. Mr. Ely an account of Owhyhee, Adin Gibbs and Mr.
Ruggles divided between them the speech of Mr. Evarts which an-
swers ably the hackneyed objection to Mission and urges to
prompt and vigorous action to publish the Gospel through the
world. This coincided well with the sermon which was founded

Bingham to Worcester, May 11, 1819 - 2

on the delightful passage Fear not for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. Mr. Gallaudet who was present said the exhibition was more interesting to him than a hundred college commencements. Gov. Treadwell was completely carried away with the examination and exhibition and thought it beyond everything he had seen or ever expected to see here.

The agents had much important business to attend to, a part of which was the case of Dr. Thos. Holman of Cooperstown N.Y. who has just received his diploma as a physician & has offered himself to be attached to the Owhyhean Mission, with very solid testimonials as a discreet, solid & pious young man, devoted to the cause of Missions, and qualified to be useful both as a Christian and a physician among the heathen. A young printer also Mr. Elisha Loomis who has offered his services to the mission and his case came before the Agents. Both of these young men are admitted to the school and are expected to join it soon. A letter from Capt. Buntnell [?] to the principal states that 2 youths from Madison Island had arrived in Providence about 16 yrs of age sprightly and promising and considered by Capt.B as proper candidates for the charities of the school. They will probably be admitted and an Owhyhean also now at Mr. Carrington's in Providence. Several of these lads from the west are invited to join the school. Your letter to Mr.Daggett was received with joy, but it was not received until the day after the exhibition when the agents were dispersed. The intelligence that you were thinking of the mission to the Sandwich Islands and calculating to have it embark before another winter seemed to be just what they were longing to hear. The youths who expect to go were animated and comforted and disposed to wait now patiently and do what they can to prepare themselves. Perhaps I should abate somewhat from this last remark with respect to Tamoree. He appears like one who has a little royal blood. He fears too his father will die before he shall see him. Will it not be desireable that two or more educated missionaries should go out in case the mission should be divided? But the Lord who seems to have risen up to provide wonderfully for this mission must direct. With the Sandwich Islands distinctly in view, I feel a satisfaction in holding myself entirely at his disposal. I do not know what he intends to do with me. But it I can read the language of divine providence it does seem as if he meant to give me the opportunity of serving him among the heathen of those islands. When - and how - I say again he must direct and behold here am I. But I tremble and yet I cannot turn to the right hand nor the left. "Let him do with me whatsoever seemeth good in his sight". I am not conscious of sinking at all from the toils and hardships and privations unavoidably connected with the establishment of a new missionary station among a savage race. But a sense of my unfitness and unworthiness to

Bingham to Worcester, May 11, 1819. - 4

satisfactorily settled. Our alphabet is used with the addition
of 3 characters viz the figure 3 for the sound a in father, 4
for a in hall and 8 for oo in room. The fact that these are
employed for a different purpose is an objection & another is
that they are not used for this in Otaheite.

I intend to reach Bennington Vt. in about 10 days. It
would be pleasant to receive a letter from you there. I do not
know whether I shall do much in the way of soliciting charity
directly. I must visit my parents and I may be required to
make some arrangements during the vacation which I may not find
a more convenient time to do. I wish for your counsel and your
prayers. I do not recollect whether I have learned you opinion
with respect to the expediency or the duty of a missionary's
taking a wife with him to Owhyhee as a particular case. It
would be pleasant to know your opinion with respect to this
and the general plan of preparation. Should I be called to go
so soon to the heathen as next [] which I had not expected I
perceived that there will be need of some haste in my prepara-
tion. I should be unwilling to lose a day from the next term at
Andover. I wish to visit the family of Capt.Chamberlain at B.
I ought to attend a course of medical lectures. I have in my
acquaintance with Mr. Galludet become so far acquainted with the
language of signs as to fully convinced that it must be of im-
mense importance to the missionary to the unlettered heathen.
He thinks I ought to spend a little time at Hartford and this
would certainly be desireable if there were time. But I have
strangely overstepped my bounds.

Excuse me dear sir and believe me

Goshen, Conn. May 11, 1819

Rev'd & Dear Sir,

Immediately after dropping a line to you from Boston I left that place and arrived in Hartford the next morning--& in Litchfield on Friday. Dr. Beecher insisted on my staying with him over the Sabbath. There is a gentle shower descending on his people. Ten persons were admitted to his church on that Lord's day. Connecticut is now in a state of convulsion. Mr. B. thinks nothing special can be done in the county to increase benevolent exertion in favor of foreign missions unless there should be special occasion for making an effort, & in such a case, their system is so complete that an effort made when the occasion demands it would doubtless be successful. I have therefore had the better opportunity while in this region to fix my attention on the contemplated mission, to make myself acquainted with the members of the school, the Principal & the Agents. Monday I walked from Litchfield through Goshen to Cornwall and was made acquainted with Mr. Harvey and Mr. Daggett - & Mr. Stone and many of the boys at the School. Attended the Monthly concert that evening at C.--The next day attended the examination of the school, it was highly interesting. It was conducted very ably by the Principal in presence of the Agents. The students acquitted themselves well in the various branches to which they had attended.

I felt peculiarly interested in the examination of Allen(?) Gibbs & Thomas Hoopoo in theology, & of G.P. Tamoree in navigation & astronomy. Tamooree has calculated and projected a lunar eclipse which is to take place at Mooi in Sept. 1820. On Wednesday I attended with increasing interest & satisfaction their semiannual exhibition, preceded by a sermon from Dr. Chapin & accompanied with appropriate music. One of the hymns sung was entitled 'The fall of Idols in Otaheite' - Most of the members of the school gave a specimen of their talents and improvement in speaking which far exceeded my expectations. I could not but be filled with <u>admiration</u> (& I believe with <u>gratitude</u> to God) to see these youth, the sons of the forest & of pagan isles, appearing on a public stage, in the bosom of this Christian land, with as much propriety as students in college, & thus giving to the church a pledge of their future activity and usefulness. Several of them spoke only in their native language, others both in their native language and English. Hoopoo pronounced a part of the first chapter of Gen. in Heb. and subjoined remarks prepared by Mr. Daggett-- Ridge, Pope's Missiah (sic) - Tamooree, a part of the sermon "Great effects from little causes" with good effect. Mr. Ely an account of Owhyhee--Allen Gibbs and Mr. Ruggles divided between them the speech of Mr. Evarts which answers so ably the hackneyed objection to missions & urges to prompt and vigorous exertion to publish the gospel through the world. This coincided well with the sermon, which was founded on the delightful passage 'Fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people' - Mr. Gallaudet who was present, said the exhibition was more interesting to him than a hundred college commencements. Gov. Treadwell

2

May 11, 1819

was completely carried away with the examination and exhibition, & thought
it beyond everything he had seen, or ever expected to see here.

The Agents had much important business to attend to, a part of which
was the case of Dr. Thos. Holman of Cooperstown, N.Y. who has just received
his diploma as a physician & has offered himself to be attached to the
Owhyheean Mission, with very satisfactory testimonials as a discreet, sober,
and pious young man, devoted to the cause of missions & qualified to be
useful both as a Christian and physician among the Heathen. A young
printer also, Mr. Elisha Loomis who has offered his services to the
mission and his case came before the Agents. Both of these young men
are admitted to the School & are expected to join it soon. A letter
from Capt. Buntnell to the principal states that 2 youths from Madison
Island had arrived in Providence, about 16 years of age, sprightly and
promising and considered by Capt. B. as proper candidates for the opera-
tions of the school. They will probably be admitted & one Owhyheean also,
all now at Mrs. Carrington's in Providence-- Several other lads from the
west are invited to join the school.

Your letter to Mr. Daggett was received with joy, but it was not
received until the day after the exhibition when the Agents were dispersed.
The intelligence that you were thinking of the mission to the Sandwich
Islands and calculating to have it embarked before another winter seemed
to be just what they were longing to hear. The youths who expect to go
were animated & comforted & disposed to wait more patiently & do what they
can to prepare themselves. Perhaps I should abate somewhat from this
last remark with respect to Tamoree. He appears like one who has a little
royal blood - He fears too his father shall die before he shall see him--
Will it not be desirable that two or more educated missionaries should go
out in case the mission should be divided? But the Lord, who seems to have
risen up to provide wonderfully for this mission, must direct. With the
Sandwich Islands distinctly in view, I feel a satisfaction in holding myself
entirely at his disposal. I do not know what he intends to do with me. But
if I can read the language of divine providence, it does seem as if he
meant to give me the opportunity of serving him among the heathen of those
islands. When - and how - I say again, he must direct - & behold here am I--
But I tremble--and yet I cannot turn to the right hand nor to the left.-
"Let him do with me whatsoever seemeth good in his sight." I am not conscious
of shrinking at all from the toils & hardships & privations unavoidably
connected with the establishment of a new missionary station among a savage
scene. But a sense of my unfitness & unworthiness to assume the important
trust, while the eyes of many seem to be turning toward me almost restrains
me from communicating my feelings & views on the subject, lest I should
hindering rather than help this work, or seem like assuming that which must
be left for wiser men to commit to me or to others abler than myself...The
Agents attended to the question with regard to the expediency of sending one or
two of the youths into your vicinity this vacation.

2 A

Though the proposition seemed to strike them favorably, yet considering
the danger to which they would be exposed without a constant guide, the
necessity of employing most of them in the garden at this season, & of send-
ing some on business, & the probability that Mr. Harvey might take one or two with
him next fall to Boston if it should then be thought best, it was thought
inexpedient to send any to Boston now. I have requested that Hoopoo might
accompany me to Bennington to spend a little time at my Father's home. Mr.
Harvey wishes him to go on business to Berkshire Co. and to W. (?) & it is
probable my wishes will be gratified. Hoopoo & Mr. Ely it is probable will
be recommended as candidates for licence next fall. Mr. Harvey seems to
rejoice in the prospect that the mission will be ready so soon, & is much
disposed to favor its speedy embarkation. He sat down with me on Saturday
after Mr. Beecher & Mr. Cornelius left his house, to sketch the outline of
the plan of the mission and outfit. we noted down under the article

Personae

<table>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>1.</td>
      <td>Educated Missionaries &amp;c.</td>
      <td>3</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2.</td>
      <td>Farmer &amp; family</td>
      <td>7</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>3.</td>
      <td>Carpenter &amp; wife</td>
      <td>2</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>4.</td>
      <td>Physician &amp; Printer</td>
      <td>2</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>5.</td>
      <td>Schoolmasters )<br>Ruggles &amp; Ely )</td>
      <td>3</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>6.</td>
      <td>Native teachers )<br>Hoopoo<br>Tamoree<br>Honoree )</td>
      <td>3</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

20

The first article was not considered as designated nor the third. The
rest were all in <u>sight</u>. Mr. Dagget (sic) told me I think that we might
expect one or both of the schoolmasters to be married. I have no room for
other articles.

I am told that Capt. Buntnell is expected to embark in the fall on a trad-
ing voyage, to reach Owhyhee in 3 years. & that Capt. Davis, Hartford, is
expected to sail about the same time for the Northwest Coast to touch at 0.
As to elementary books in the language of 0 something has been done, & some
passages of Scripture have been translated after a sort. I do not think the
character in which the language is to be written is yet satisfactorily settled.
Our alphabet is used with the addition of three characters, viz. the figure 3
for the sound of a in <u>father</u>, 4 fora in <u>hall</u> and 8 for <u>oo</u> in <u>room</u>. The fact
that these are employed for a different purpose is an objection and another
is that they are not used for this in Otaheite.

3

may 11, 1819

I intend to reach Bennington in about 10 days. It would be pleasant to have a line from you there. I do not know whether I shall attempt to do much in the way of soliciting charity directly - I must visit my parents - and I may be required to make some arrangements which I may not find more convenient time to do. I wish for your counsel & your prayers - I do not recollect whether I have learned your opinion with respect to the expediency or the duty of a missionary's taking a wife with him to whyhee as a particular case. It would be pleasant to know your opinion with respect to this & the general plan of preparation. Should I be called to go so soon to the heathen as next (sic) which I had not expected I presume that there will be need of some haste in my preparation. I should be willing to lose a day from the next term at Andover. I should wish to visit the family of Capt. Chamberlain at B. I ought to attend a course of medical lectures. I have in my acquaintance with Mr. Wallaudet become so far acquainted with the language of signs as to be fully convinced that it must be of immense importance to the missionary to the untutored heathen. He thinks I ought to spend a little time at Hartford and this would certainly be desirable if there were time. But I have strongly overleaped my bounds. Excuse me, dear sir, & believe me

Yours very affectionately,

un

To Rev.S.Worcester,D.D. Cor.Sec.A.B.C.F.M.

Theological Seminary Andover July 16
1819

To the Corresponding Secretary of the A.B.C.F.M.

Re'd & very Dear Sir,

Having asked counsel of God and obtained the consent of my most intimate and judicious friends, I have at length concluded to communicate to you a statement of my views relative to the subject of devoting myself to the service of the church and her Redeemer as a Missionary to the heathen. In doing this, I hope to be considered not as attempting to recommend myself, or to push myself into notice, but as endeavoring to lay before you such a collection of facts relative to my case as may be proper & even needful for the Prudential Committee to know. God has indeed led me in a way that I knew not. He gave me a rich inheritance of Christian privileges, & made parental faithfulness & piety the guardians of my childhood & youth. During the first 21 years of my life, while I kept my father's little flock, & tillied his ground, & repaired his buildings & utensils, &c, or was employed in the delightful and important business of instructing the rising generation to which I was occasionally called, I indulged but little hope that the privileges of a public education would ever be conferred on me. My situation seemed to forbid it, & the impulse of indefinite motive was not sufficient to surmount the obstacles.

Though from my childhood I had received the evangelical doctrines of the Christian religion, & felt the influence of religious instruction, passing through repeated seasons of serious impressions and of divine influence on my heart, it was not till after the close of the above period, & after a special season of divine searching that I was emboldened to take upon me publicly the vows of the Lord & with the hope of enjoying the favor & promoting his glory, united with the Congregational Church of Christ at Bennington, from which I have lately removed my relation, to the Church of this Institution. The hope of obtaining a liberal education had expired & I had concluded to pursue the business of agriculture in which I then expected soon to be established in some of the new settlements of the west. But in the course of a few months my mind was turned towards the great object of preaching the gospel, my hope revived, & I began to feel that the difficulties of obtaining an education, which I deemed indispensable to that work, were not altogether insurmountable. God had crowned my life undeserved mercies, he then blest me with a good constitution and good health, & with mediocrity of talents, & as I was led to believe, had given me a desire to serve him in the gospel of his Son, & I

Bingham to Worcester, July 16, 1819 - 2

hoped that with his continued blessing, by diligence & economy & active perseverance I might be carried through college at least & thus be prepared for greater usefulness. After careful deliberation I was resolved to make the experiment of a few months study, to watch the dealings of providence, & to proceed as far as the way should be open. With this view I began on the 21 Dec.r 1811 to prepare for college, under the instruction of the Rev.d Mr.Yale, Johnstown, N.Y. This was an important era in my life, the commencement of my academic course, & of my acquaintance with that excellent man whose influence has had & must continue to have an important bearing on my condition and character, an influence, (similar to that of Cotton Mather's "Bonifacius", in earlier years) which enlarged my views relative to the great work of beneficence that is to be accomplished in our ruined world, & gave impulse & direction to the little energy which I possessed. When the point was fairly settled in my own mind that the preaching of the gospel was the business to which I was called, the next question, whether it should be to Christians or pagans, began to press upon my thoughts & was kept steadily in view in all my studies and pursuits. While in college it seemed necessary to settle another question, before I could satisfactorily decide this, & that was whether I should be allowed to enjoy the privileges of this Seminary. Just as I left college the way was providentially opened for me to come to this beloved Mount Zion to receive here from the hands of Zion's King, the broad commission "Go ye into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature. And here I have had opportunity carefully to examine the momentous question, whether I ought personally to engage in the work of preaching the gospel to the heathen. I have endeavored to take a deliberate and impartial view of the subject & in the first place to survey the great field of action; to compare the present state of the world with the commands & promises of Christ, & with the obvious design of the gospel; to ascertain the comparative wants of mankind & the probable means of supplying them most speedily & successfully, & on this part of the part of the subject I became fully satisfied that the proportion of preachers who go to the heathen is by far too small, & that the American Church cannot answer to God that the number she has sent is so comparatively & really small.

In the second place I have endeavored to weigh every consideration which could have a bearing on my personal duty. Though I have indeed to much reason to fear that I must fall far below the high standard of a foreign Missionary whose character ought to unite the ordinary qualifications of an able, pious & orthodox minister of the gospel, with a "passion for Missions" & a versatility of genius - a talent that may be applied with success to any study or employment which the circumstances of the time & place may require, or the subtlety & forwardness, the ignorance & superstition of Greek or Jew, Barbarian or Scythian may demand; yet finding

Bingham to Worcester, July 16, 1819 - 3

nothing in the circumstances of my case, as to health, friends engagements, or the prospect of patronage & success which would excuse me from going to the heathen. I endeavored to ascertain when my talents could be employed with the greatest prospect of success, & deliberately considered the claims of friends & of my country, the claims of destitute churches & of the waste unorganized population of our land, the claims of uncounted millions of benighted pagans, neglected, infatuated, wretched & perishing, the claims of many generations yet unborn, & the *Claims of Christ* who died for all, & commissioned his disciples to "teach all nations", & on this part of the subject I have come with satisfaction to the conclusion that I can probably best serve my friends & country, whom I love; the destitute churches at home & the waste population of our land over whom I weep; the uncounted millions of perishing pagans whose salvation I do ardently desire; the unborn generations of men whose prosperity I seek & already anticipate in the predicted & growing prosperity of Zion - & my Dear Redeemer too whose glory I wish to promote & whose presence & approbation I hope to enjoy - There, I do believe, I can best serve by devoting my life to the propagation of the gospel among the unevangelized nations of the earth. And it is now about a year since I formed the resolution & made known my purpose, which I have had no occasion to alter, to hold myself free from engagements incompatible with this grand object, & now entirely at the disposal of the great Head of the Church, for this particular object, & with his permission to devote myself to his service as a Missionary to the heathen.

With these views, dear Sir, acknowledging my infinite obligations to God, & my inability to direct my own steps; that I may enjoy the counsels of experience & wisdom, & the approbation and support of the Christian Church, - that I may enter systematically into the benevolent plans, & bring my feeble efforts to bear with more efficiency upon the grand objects of your Association, & thus the more effectually to accomplish my own designed in the service of the heathen, I wish to commit myself to the direction & patronage of the A.B.C.F.M. and I do hereby tender my services to that Board, with the hope that, to me, if the "Prudential Committee" shall please to accept my offer & receive me under their patronage, even unto me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace will soon be given, that I should preach among the unenlightened gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ'.

Should this hope be cherished by the decisions of the Pru. Com. or should they deem it expedient to employ me in this arduous & important work, perhaps I may with propriety, & without the fear of embarassing them in the designation of my field, be allowed here to state my views on this point,

Bingham to Worcester, July 16, 1819 - 4

together with some of the circumstances which may have had
influence in directing my choice.

Near the close of my collegiate course of study 1816,
I received an application from the Rev. d. Jos. Harvey of Goshen,
Conn. & my Brother, then preaching for Mr. Harvey, to take
charge of a School in that neighborhood, with a view to assist
in training up & preparing for usefulness as missionaries,
some of the youths from the Sandwich Islands. Though I felt
a disposition to comply, yet my de sire to finish my education
& to be myself better prepared for usefulness, & the opportu-
nity providentially allowed me by the kindness of a friend, of
entering immediately upon the study of theology in this Semin-
ary, were sufficient to lead me to decline. Harvey spent one
term here & having my feelings a little more in listed in the
cause of foreign Missions by my connexion with the Society of
Inquiry, & by increasing information on the general subject, I
visited my Brother who again introduced the subject of the in-
tended mission to the Sandwich Islands. He adverted to the
importance of sending some person to take charge of those
youths in attempting to propagate the gospel in their native
land, seeming to imply a desire that in case I should be a
missionary, I might direct my attention to that object.
Though it seemed hardly possible then that I should be the
person for that service, yet from that time I think there
has been in my mind something like a permanent desire that I
might be employed in that field. Something less than a year
from that period, the unexpected & afflictive death of Oboo-
kiah, caused my attention to the subject, & perhaps by writing
and delivering some thoughts occasioned by his death I became
more deeply interested than before in that cause for which he
desired to live, & from that time it seemed by no means im-
possible that I should be employed in the field which Henry
had intended to occupy. But a few months had elapsed, as you
have already seen, before I had resolved (if the Lord will)
to be a missionary; then it began to appear probable that I
might be stationed there. Though I surveyed other fields
which demanded laborers & felt a willingness to go if I should
be sent to Bombay or Ceylon, or Salsette, or the western wilds,
or Jerusalem, yet the probability that this little field in the
vast Pacific would be mine is the greatest, in my own view.
But it was distant; - away in one corner of the world, - far
removed from other Missionaires, & from the circles and com-
forts of civilized life; - it was a new & untried field & I
felt incompetent to lead the way, & I advanced but slowly.
The death of our lamented friend Mr. Mills, rather urged me
forward, & the subsequent visit of Mr. Ruggles to this place
increased the probability that I might yet be called to go to
Oahyhee. Since that time I have had some struggling, but
perhaps have more occasion to mark and admire the providence
of an overruling hand. Last spring I had a pressing applica-
tion from my friends in Vermont & an appointment from the

Bingham to Worcester, July 16, 1819 - 5

Vermont Juvenile Missionary Society to labor as an agent for that Society during the vacation & to engage for a year in their employment after I should leave Andover - There were many reasons to induce me to accept of my appointment for the vacation, & I was desirous to do something more than I had done for my native State & for the suffering cause of Zion there, & was also advised to go by Brother Winslow who had just made a tour through the State. I had for a long time cherished a desire to visit the Foreign Mission School before I should leave this Institution & had fixed on the last vacation as the time & had become so much interested that I could not willingly relinquish that object, nor could I willingly turn aside from Vermont while the business stood as it was. I communicated my view to Mr. Merrill & declined giving a direct answer until I could see the Cor.Sec. A.B.C. F.M. - But so it happened after much agitation that when I had about resolved to labor in Vt. 4 weeks, reserving 2 weeks for my visit to Cornwall, I learned that Mr. Merrill the principal agent of the Vt.Soc. by some means unknown to me having been told that I had declined their service & was engaged to the A. Board, proceeded to appoint another man in my stead and left me at liberty to take an commission of agency for the A.B. and as you know I soon had the opportunity of gratifying my wishes by attending the examination & exhibition of the F.M. School where the Banner of God has lately been erected with manifest tokens of divine approbation.

When I saw that fountain of light whose benignant rays are to enlighten and bless many of the dark places of the earth now covered with the shadow of death & filled with the habitation of cruelty, when I saw those dear youth whom God in his providence had brought from pagan lands, in possession of that rich inheritance of Christian privileges far advanced in a cause of preparation for usefulness, having caught in some instances the spirit of the gospel, panting for an opportunity to publish its doctorines & diffuse its hopes & consolations among their dying countrymen, & looking anxiously around them for some one to take them by the hand & lead them forward in this great and good work; in short when I saw that God had done to prepare for the introduction of the gospel among the idolatrous natives of the Sandwich Islands, the language of his providence if I could understand it seemed to be plain & imperious, "Who will go for us - Obookiah is dead - his lauded benefactor is dead - his excellent Instructor has declined - & the able, faithful & enterprizing patron of that Institution the eminently qualified to engage in that employment is not at liberty to leave the flock of Christ over which the Holy Ghost has made him overseer,- other laborers are ready to press into that field - but no educated missionary has yet volunteered to accompany or conduct them."-- The eyes of

Bingham to Worcester, July 16, 1819 - 6

their friends of missions & of the Oahyheean youths seemed to be turned toward me, & when I looked back on the course by which a wonderful but gracious providence had led me, & forward on the prospect of usefulness now opening before me, I could not but feel that the language of that interesting inquiry "who will go for us" was addressed to me with irresistible emphasis, - nor could I long hesitate to reply- "Here am I - send me" - And then the journey appeared too great for me & I trembled in view of the magnitude of the work, I was ready to work in view of its awful responsibility, I was strengthened by the hope that he who called for laborers could support them & make his grace sufficient for them. I found much comfort in the reflection that God had committed the propagation of the gospel to feeble men & not to Angels who excel in strength; choosing to put this treasure into earthen vessels, that he might the more illustiously exhibit his own operations & display his own perfections. In addition to the encouragement arising from the many prayers for Missionaries offered by those who love Zion. I have the support of the precious promise of Christ, "Lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world".

By these things, together with my partial acquaintance with the views of the Pru. Com. & of my Missionary Brethren,- with the Agents of the F.M.S.- with the Oahyheean Youths,- with the several gentlemen who have visited the Sandwich Islands, & with some of the best publications of the character & condition of their inhabitants, I have been constrained to volunteer as a soldier for Christ to enter that field, should my services there be demanded; with your approbation & patronage I desire then to set up his Banners in the name of God. Relying on the superior wisdom of my patrons for direction & praying for direction & praying that the Pru. Com. in their deliberations may be favored with divine guidance, & that the blessing of Israel's God may rest on the Board & on all their benevolent plans & operations, I am happy to subscribe myself, Dear Sir, with sincere affection & esteem, your friend & servant, in the gospel of our Lord.

Hiram Bingham

Rev. S. Worcester D.D.
Cor.Sec. A.B.C.F.M.

Theological Seminary, Andover

July 16, 1819

Rev'd & Very Dear Sir,

Having asked counsel of God & obtained the consent of my dear relatives & the advice of my most intimate & judicious friends, I have at length concluded to communicate to you a statement of my views relative to the subject of devoting myself to the service of the Church & her Redeemer as a Missionary to the heathen. In doing this, I hope to be considered not as attempting to recommend myself, or to push myself into notice, but as endeavoring to lay before you such a collection of facts relative to my case as may be proper and even needful for the Prudential Committee to know.

God has indeed led me in a way that I knew not. He gave me a rich inheritance of Christian privileges, & made parental faithfulness and piety the guardians of my childhood & youth. During the first 21 years of my life, while I kept my father's little flock, and tilled his ground, & repaired his buildings and utensils &c. I was employed in the delightful and important business of instructing the rising generation to which I was occasionally called. I indulged but little hope that the privileges of a public education would ever be conferred (sic) on me. My situation seemed to forbid it, & the impulse of indefinite motive was not sufficient to surmount the obstacles. Though from my childhood I had received the evangelical doctrines of the Christian religion, & felt the influence of religious instruction, passing through repeated seasons of serious impressions and of divine influence on my heart, it was not till after the close of the above period, & after a special season of divine searching that I was emboldened to take upon me publicly the vows of the Lord & with the hope of enjoying his favor & promoting his glory, united with the Congregational Church of Christ at Bennington, from which I have lately removed my relation to the Church in this Institution. The hope of obtaining a liberal education had expired & I had concluded to pursue the business of agriculture in which I then expected soon to be established in some of the new settlements of the west. But in the course of a few months my mind was turned towards the great object of preaching the gospel, my hope revived, and I began to feel that the difficulties of obtaining an education, which I deemed indispensable to that work, were not altogether insurmountable. God had crowned my life undeserved mercies, he had blest me with a good constitution and good health, & with mediocrity of talents, & as I was led to believe, had given me a desire to serve him in the gospel of his Son, & I hoped that with his continued blessing, by diligence & economy & active perseverance I might be carried through college at least and thus be prepared for greater usefulness. After careful deliberation I was resolved to make the experiment of a few months, study, to watch the dealings of providence, & to proceed as far as the way should be open.

2

July 16, 1819

With this view I began on the 21 Dec. 1811 to prepare for college, under the instruction of the Rev'd Mr. Yale, Johnstown, N.Y. This was an important era in my life, the commencement of my academical course, & of my acquaintance with the excellent man whose influence has had and must continue to have an important bearing on my condition and character, an influence, (similar to that of Cotton Mather's "Bonifacius", in earlier years) which enlarged my views relative to the great work of beneficence that is to be accomplished in our ruined world and gave impulse and direction to the little energy which I possessed. When the point was fairly settled in my own mind that the preaching of the gospel was the business to which I was called, the next question, whether it should be to Christians or to pagans, began to press upon my thoughts & was kept steadily in view in all my studies and pursuits. While in college it seemed necessary to settle another question, before I could satisfactorily decide this, & that was whether I should be allowed to enjoy the privileges of this Seminary. Just as I left college the way was providentially opened for me to come to this beloved Mount Zion to receive here from the hands of Zion's King, the broad commission "Go ye into all the world a (sic) preach the gospel to every creature. And here I have had opportunity carefully to examine the momentous question, whether I ought personally to engage in the work of preaching the gospel to the heathen.

I have endeavored to take a deliberate or (?) important view of the subject, & in this first place to survey the great field of action, to compare the present state of the world with the commands & promises of Christ and with the obvious design of the gospel, to ascertain the comparative wants of mankind & the probable means of supplying them most speedily and successfully. & on this part of the past (?) of the subject I became fully satisfied that the proportion of preachers who go to the heathen is far too small & that the American Church cannot answer it to God that the number she has sent is so comparatively & really small.

In the second place I have endeavored to weigh every consideration which could have a bearing on my personal duty. Though I have indeed to (sic) much reason to fear that I must fall far below the high standard of a foreign missionary whose character ought to unite the ordinary qualifications of an able, pious, orthodox minister of the gospel, with a "passion for Missions" & a versatility of genius--a talent that may be applied with success to any study or employment which the circumstances of the time and the place may require, or the subtlety & frowardness, the ignorance & superstition if Greek or Jew, Barbarian or Scythian may demand; yet finding nothing in the circumstances of my case as to health, friends, engagements, or the prospect of patronage & success which would excuse me from going to the heathen, I endeavored to ascertain where my talents could be employed with the greatest prospect of success, & deliberately considered the claims of friends and of my country, the claims of destitute churches & of the most unorganised population of our land, the claim of uncounted millions of be-nighted pagans, neglected, degraded, infatuated, wretched & perishing, the

3

July 16, 1819

claims of many generations yet unborn, & the *Claims of Christ* who died for *all*,
& commissioned his disciples to "teach *all nations*," & on this part of the
subject I have come with satisfaction to the conclusion that I can probably
best serve my friends & country, whom I love; the destitute churches at home
& the waste population of our land over whom I weep; the uncounted millions
of perishing pagans whose salvation I so ardently desire; the unborn generations
of men whose prosperity I seek and already anticipate in the predicted and
growing prosperity of Zion - & my dear Redeemer too (sic) whose glory I wish
to promote and whose presence and approbation I hope to enjoy - *These*, I do
believe, I can best serve by devoting my life to the propagation of the gospel
among the unevangelized nations of the earth. And it is now about a year since
I formed the resolution and made known my purpose, which I have had no occasion
to alter, to hold myself free from engagements incompatible with this grand
object, & more entirely at the disposal of the great Head of the Church for
this particular object, & with his permission to devote myself to his service
as a missionary to the heathen.

With these views, dear Sir, acknowledging my infinite obligations to God,
my unworthiness to be honored as his ambassador to guilty men, & my inability
to direct my own steps; that I may enjoy the counsels of experience & wisdom,
& the approbation and support of the Christian Church, - that I may enter syste-
matically into the benevolent plans and bring my feeble efforts to bear with
more efficiency upon the general objects, of your association, & thus the more
effectually to accomplish my own designs in the service of the heathen, I wish
to commit myself to the direction & patronage of the A.B.C.F.M. and I do hereby
tender my services to that Board, with the hope that, to me, if the "Prudential
Committee" shall please to accept my offer & receive me under their patronage
even'unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, this grace will soon
be given that I should preach among the unenlightened gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ.'

Should this hope be cherished by the decisions of the Pru. Com. or should
they deem it expedient to employ me in this arduous and important work, perhaps
I may with propriety and without the fear of embarrassing them in the designation
of my field, be allowed here to state my views on this point, together with
some of the circumstances which may have had influence in directing my choice.

of

Near the close/my collegiate course of study 1816, I received an application
from the Rev'd Jo's Harvey of Goshen, Conn. & my brother, then preaching for
Mr. Harvey, to take charge of a school in that neighborhood, with a view to
assist in training up & preparing for usefulness as missionaries, some of the
youths from the Sandwich Islands. Though I felt a disposition to comply, yet
my desire to finish my education and to be myself better prepared for usefulness,
& the opportunity providentially allowed me by the kindness of a friend, of
entering immediately upon the study of theology in this Seminary, were suf-
ficient to lead me to decline. Having spent one term here & having my feelings
a little more enlisted in the cause of foreign missions by my connexion with the
Society of Inquiry, and by increasing information on the general subject, I
visited my Brother, who again introduced the subject of the intended mission
to the Sandwich Islands. He adverted to the importance of sending some person to
take charge of those youths in attempting to propagate the gospel in their native
land, seeming to imply a desire that in case I should be a missionary, I might
direct my attention to that object. Though it seemed hardly possible then that

4

July 16, 1819

I should be the person for that service, yet from that time I think there has been in my mind something like a permanent desire that I might be employed in that field. Something less than a year from that period, the unexpected & afflictive death of Obookiah, roused my attention to the subject, & perhaps by writing and delivering some thoughts occasioned by his death I became more deeply interested than before in that cause for which he desired to live, & from that time it seemed by no means impossible that I should be employed in the field which Henry had intended to occupy. But a few months had elapsed, as you have already seen, before I had resolved (if the Lord will) to be a missionary; when it began to appear that I might be stationed there. Though I surveyed other fields which demanded laborers & felt a willingness to go if I should be sent to Bombay or Ceylon, or Salsetti (?), or the western wilds, or Jerusalem, yet the possibility (?) that this little field in the vast Pacific would be mine, was the greatest, in my own view. But it was distant, away in one corner of the world, far removed from other Missionaries, & from the circles and comforts of civilized life; it was a new and untried field and I felt incompetent to lead the way--& I advanced but slowly. The death of outlamented friend, Mr. Mills, rather urged me forward, & the subsequent visit of Mr. Ruggles to this place increased the probability that I might yet be called to go to Owhyhee. Since that time I have had some struggling, but perhaps have more occasion to mark and admire the providence of an overruling hand. Last spring I had a pressing application from my friends in Vermont & an appointment from the Vermont Juvenile Missionary Society to labor as an agent for that Society during the vacation & to engage for a year in their employment after I should leave Andover--There were many reasons to induce me to accept of my appointment for the vacation, & I was desirous to do something more than I had done for my native State & for the suffering cause (?) of Zion then, and I was also advised to go by Brother Winslow who had just made a tour through the state. I had for a long time cherished a desire to visit the Foreign Mission School before I should leave this Institution and had fixed on the last vacation as the time & had become so much interested that I could not willingly relinquish that object, nor could I willingly turn aside from Vermont while the business stood as it was. I communicated my views to Mr. Merrill & declined giving a direct answer until I could see the Cor. Sec. A.B.C.F.M.-- But so it happened after much agitation that when I had about resolved to labor in Vt. 4 weeks, reserving 2 weeks for my visit to Cornwall, I learned that Mr. Merrill the principal agent of the Vt. Soc. by some means unknown to me, having been told that I had declined their service and was engaged to the A. Board, proceeded to appoint another man in my stead and left me at liberty to take a commission of agency for the A.B. and as you know I soon had the opportunity of gratifying my wishes by attending the examination and exhibition of the F.M. School where the Banner of God has lately been erected with manifest tokens of divine approbation.

When I saw that fountain of light whose benignant rays are to enlighten and bless many of the dark places of the earth now covered with the shadow of death and filled with the habitations of cruelty, when I saw those dear youth whom God in his providence had brought from pagan lands, in possession of that rich inheritance of Christian privileges far advanced in a course of preparation

5

July 16, 1819

for usefulness, having caught in some instances the spirit of the gospel,
panting for an opportunity to publish its doctrines & diffuse its hopes &
consolation among their dying countrymen, & looking anxiously around them
for some one to take them by the hand & lead them forward in this great and
good work; in short when I saw what God had done to prepare for the intro-
duction of the gospel among the idolatrous natives of the Sandwich Islands,
the language of his providence if I could understand it, seemed to be plain
and imperious. "Who will go for us--Obookiah is dead--his lamented benefactor
is dead--his excellent Instructor has declined--and the able, faithful, and
enterprising patron of that Institution, tho eminently qualified to engage in
that employment is not at liberty to leave the flock of Christ over which the
Holy Ghost has made him overseer--other labourers are ready to press into that
field--but no educated missionary has yet volunteer (sic) to accompany &
conduct them"---The eyes of the friends of missions & of the Owhyhean youths
seemed to turned (?) toward me, & when I looked back on the course by which
a wonderful but gracious providence had led me, & forward on the prospect of
usefulness now opening before me, I could not but feel that the language of
that interesting inquiry "who will go for us" was addressed to me with ir-
resistible emphasis--nor could I long hesitate to reply - "Here am I -- send
me" -- And when the journey appeared too great for me & I trembled in view of
the magnitude of the work, I was ready to sink in view of its awful responsi-
bility, I was strengthened by the hope that he who called for laborers could sup-
port them and make his grace sufficient for them. I found much comfort in the
reflection that God had committed the propagation of the gospel to feeble men &
not to Angels who excel in strength; choosing to put this treasure in earthen
vessels, that he might the more illustiously exhibit his own operations &
display his own perfections. In addition to the encouragement arising from the
many prayers for Missionaries offered by those who love Zion, I have the support
of the precious promise of Christ, "Lo I am with you always even unto the end of
the world."

By these things, together with my partial acquaintance with the views of
the Pru. Com. & of my missionary brethern brethern,--with the Agents of the
F.M.S. - with the Owhyean youths, with several gentlemen who have visited the
Sandwich Islands & with some of the best publications on the character & condition
of their inhabitants, I have been constrained to volunteer as a soldier for
Christ to enter that field, should my services then be demended, & with your
approbation & patronage, I desire there to set up his Banners in the name of
our God. Relying on the superior wisdom of my patrons for direction and
praying that the Pru. Com. in their deliberations may be favored with divine
guidance, & that the blessing of Israel's God may rest on the Board & on all
their benevolent plans & operations, I am happily to subscribe myself, Dear
Sir, with sincere affection & esteem your friend & servant, in the gospel of our
Lord,

ELISHA YALE TO REV. DR. WORCESTER

Kingsborough /Johnstown/ N.Y.

July 19th 1819

Rev. & Dear Sir,

By the particular request of Mr. Hiram Bingham, I take the liberty of
addressing you, not to introduce him, or to solicit any patronage for him,
but for the satisfaction of the Prudential Committee respecting his quali-
fications as a missionary, about to introduce Christianity & the arts &
sciences into the Sandwich Islands. He thinks, & it may be with some
reason, that I am as well acquainted with him as any other person, except
his own brother, as he lived in my family about 2 years while fitting for
college, and 3 months during his senior year, & has corresponded with me
for six years.

I do most cheerfully comply with his request, & so far as my opinion
is of any weight, it is most respectfully tendered to the Prudential
Committee. Of his literary & theological attainments I need say nothing.
But of his ardent piety, his entire devotion to the cause of Christ, his
regular habits, his prudence & firmness, I can speak in terms as unquali-
fied, as can be prudently used respecting any young man of my acquaintance.
I can say that it appears to be his business to do good, & nothing but good,
in all his employments and relations. He appears to possess that kind of indescrib-
able talent, which readily opens a way of access to the minds of many people
of different ages, ranks, habits & manners, & gives him a salutary influence
over them. He understands agriculture well, having been trained to it under
the care of a father, who is a practical farmer, & successful in his occu-
pation. At the same time, he has an aptitude of genius for any of the
mechanic arts, & would be, if circumstances permitted, an adept in any of
them to which he should turn his attention. I do sincerely believe he is well
qualified to superintend any part of the business of the mission to an un-
lettered & uncultivated people. I rejoiced sincerely when I heard that he
contemplated a mission to the Sandwich Islands, & I do not know of any person of
his age, whom I should feel more willing to support, and for whom my people,
who are well acquainted with him, would so cordially & liberally give their
contributions. A perfect man is not to be found; but among the imperfect
he has, perhaps, as small a share of faults & foibles as could readily be
found.

Wishing great prosperity & success to this proposed mission, and to all
others, foreign & domestic, & a blessing on all your personal labors, I am,
Sir, with great respect, your fellow laborer in the vineyard of our Lord.

Elisha Yale
Pastor of the Congregational Church in
Kingsborough /Johnstown/

124 To Rev. Dr. Worcester

Kingsborough (Johnstown), N.Y. July 19, 1919

Rev. & Dear Sir,

Of his [Hiram Bingham's] literary & theo-
logical attainment I need say nothing. But of his ardent
piety, his entire devotion to the cause of Christ, his
regular habits, his prudence and firmness, I can speak in
terms as unqualified as can be prudently used respecting any
young man. I can say it appears to be his business to do
good, & nothing but good in all his employments & relations.
He appears to possess that kind of indiscribable talent,
which readily opens a way of access to the minds of many
people of different ages, ranks, habits and manners, & gives
him a salutary influence over them. He understands agricul-
ture well, having been trained in it under the care of a
father, who is a practical farmer & successful in his occu-
pation. At the same time he has an aptitude of genius for
any of the mechanic arts & would be, if circumstances per-
mitted an adept at any of them to which he would turn his
attention. I do sincerely believe he is well qualified to
superintend any part of the business of the mission to any un-
lettered and uncultivated people. I rejoiced sincerely when
I heard that he contemplated a mission to the Sandwich Is-
lands & I do not know of any person of his age, whom I should
feel more willing to support, and for whom my people who are
well acquainted with him, would so cordially and liberally
give their contributions. A perfect man is not to be found;
but among the imperfect he has, perhaps, as small a show of
faults & foibles as can readily be found.

Wishing great ... etc.

Elisha Yale

Pastor of the Congregational
Church of Kingsborough, (John-
stown)

HIRAM BINGHAM TO JER. EVARTS

Theo. Sem. Andover

Aug. 31, 1819

My dear Sir,

After a very safe & pleasant ride to Andover this morning & a pleasant interview with my Bethren here I received a long expected line from my Rev. friend at L. which gives me much occasion to remember the appropriate counsels of Divine Wisdom, "My Son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him"-- I have said that God loves to try his people. If he give me this evidence that he intends to make me better, - I will not complain. I need chastisement. Pray for me dear sir that it may be salutary. In justice to you & to myself and in regard to the cause in which we are engaged I think that I may give you a short extract from the letter alluded to above.

---

"It is, however, my duty to state that we have full confidence in you, Sir, personally, in your views and the integrity of your motives as expressed to us. And we are fully satisfied as to the manner in which your proposal was made, & all that you have done respecting it from the beginning; but, Sir, Sarah's letter to you, was intended as a decision, on her part not to go on the Mission, and after the most careful & we hope prayerful review of the subject it is still her opinion that under all circumstances it is not her duty to go.

We feel it to be due to you sir that the reasons of this decision should be stated to you; but this cannot be done by letter. Should we ever have an opportunity of a personal interview with you, (which we all of us greatly desire) we should be glad to communicate our views to you without reserve"---

Such is the ground they have taken---It may be proper to state that the letter mentioned above, as an intended decision on her part not to go, taken in connexion with a statement made by her friend and my confidant, could /not 2/ have been understood as such a decision by any person. My confidant at L. did not suppose the question was decided even three weeks after that letter was written though he had frequent intercourse with the family. If there was anything at all in that letter which intimated that there were insuperable objections, or that looked like a decision in the negative, it is couched in the language of a query which would leave the impression that the question was not decided--and that the approbation of parents withheld, was the grand hindrance.

Let me give you her own language,--After expressing her individual feelings on the subject & alluding to her parents' views she says---"Still they do not see that it is my duty personally to engage in the contemplated mission to the Sandwich Islands. Let me again assure you my dear friend, I desire to do what is right, but would candidly ask, is not this a plain as plain intimation that providence designs to employ another & not me in the good work at Owhyhee? 'Tis indeed a good work, a glorious and benevolent undertaking & I have no doubt will be favored peculiarly with the smiles of heaven. The additional interest which has of late been excited in my feelings with respect to this subject will, I think, never cease, while my heart retains one sentiment of grateful love to the Savior, while this tongue has

2

Aug. 31, 1819

power to implore a blessing on Missionaries and their labors, and while
these eyes can shed a tear over the wretchedness of heathen lands"---
No person could read this letter without receiving the impression that she
desired to go if her parents approved of her going. I saw new force in the
remark of Mr. E. Dwight of Richmond when he said to me with deep interest,
"If there is any young lady in B. county whom God has qualified for imminent
usefulness in that enterprize I believe it is Miss S.S."---But she is not
<u>mine</u> -- If I have lost this prize by being absent, as perhaps might be sup-
posed, it could not have been otherwise, for her parents fearing the catas-
trophe or trembling for the consequences, or prudently guarding against
needless trouble, decided nearly three <u>years</u> ago that we ought not to have
another interview until the question could be somewhat more definitely de-
cided, which was then expected to be done in 2 or 3 weeks. It is at length
decided; and I bow with silent resignation to my Heavenly Father's will. I
believe he designs to send me soon to the Isles of the Gentiles; but <u>how</u> he
will provide for me I know not. Tho he may severely <u>try</u> me, I trust his
providence will not delay me. I must for a little moment be at his feet
and watch his hand to see what he designs to do for me or whether he means
to send me <u>alone</u>. I hope there will be no delay in making every preparation
for a speedy embarkation; & that neither the fervency of prayer nor the assiduity
of labor will be at all relaxed on account of this rebuke.---I have thought
it my duty thus freely and fully to make known my case to you as a confidential
friend; you will therefore excuse me for the trouble given you; and remember
with kind sentiments the dear family in which invitation has occasioned so many
tears, & struggles, & sleepless nights. The God of (word cut off) bless them
and show them everlasting kindness; and make this event redound to his (word
cut off) and to the promotion of our grand object.

Yours, dear Sir, with affectionate esteem,

Copied from mo. copy of Albertine Loomis. July 1936
Original at Andover Theological Seminary

2 To Jer.Evarts, Esq., Boston, Mass.

The. Sem. Andover, Aug. 31, 1819.

My dear Sir

After a very safe and pleasant ride to Andover this morning and pleasant interview with my Brethren here I received a long expected line from my Rev. friend at L. which gives me much occasion to remember the appropriate counsels of divine Wisdom "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him".-- I have said, that God loves to try his people. If he gives me this evidence that he intends to make me better, - I will not complain. I need chastisement. Pray for me dear sir that it may be salutary. In justice to you and to myself in regard to the cause in which we are engaged I think that I may give you a short extract from the letter alluded to above --

"It is however my duty to state that we have full confidence in you, Sir, personally, in your views, and the integrity of your motives as expressed to us. And we are fully satisfied as to the manner in which your proposal was made, & all that you have done respecting it from the beginning, but, Sir, Sarah's letter to you, was intended as a decision, on her part not to go on the Mission; and after the most careful & we hope prayerful review of the subject it is still her opinion that under all circumstances it is not her duty to go.

"We feel it to be due to you Sir that the reasons for this decision should be stated to you, but this cannot be done by letter. Should we ever have an opportunity of a personal interview with you, (which we all of us greatly desire) we should be glad to communicate to you our view without reserve." -- Such is the ground they have taken. --- It may be proper to mention that the letter mentioned above, as an intended decision on her part not to go, taken in connexion with statements made by her friend and my confidant, could not have been understood as such a decision by any person. My confidant at L. did not suppose the question was decided even three weeks after that letter was written though he had frequent intercourse with the family. If there was anything at all in that letter which intimated that there were insuperable objections, or that looked a decision in the negative, it is couched in the language of a query which would leave the impression that the question was not decided -- & that the approbation of parents withheld, was the great hindrance. Let me give you her own language, -- After expressing her individual feelings on the subject & attending to her parents views she says -- "Still they do not see that it is my duty personally to engage in the contemplated mission to the Sandwich Islands. Let me again assure you my dear friend, I desire to do what is right,

Bingham to Evarts, Aug. 25th, 1819. - 2

but would candidly ask, is not this a plain intimation that
providence designs to employ <u>another</u> & not <u>me</u> in the good
work at Owhyhee? Tis indeed a good work; a glorious a benev-
olent undertaking & I have no doubt, will be favored peculi-
arly with the smiles of heaven. The additional interest which
has of late been excited in my feelings with respect to this
subject will, I think, <u>never cease</u>, while my heart retains its
sentiment of grateful love to the Savior while this tongue has
power to implore a blessing on Missionaries and their labors,
& while these eyes can shed a tear over the wretchedness of
the heathen lands! No person could read this letter without
receiving the impression that she desired to go if her parents
approved of her going. I saw new force in the remark of Mr. E.
Dwight of Richmond when he said to me with deep interest, "If
there is any young lady in B. county whom God has qualified
for eminent usefulness in that enterprize I believe it is
Miss S.S." -- But she is <u>not mine</u>. - If I have lost this
prize by being absent <u>om-indcessive</u> [sic] as perhaps might
be supposed, it could not have been otherwise, for her parents,
fearing the catastrophe or trembling for the consequences, or
prudently guarding against needless trouble, decided nearly
three months ago that we ought not to have another interview
until the question could be somewhat more definitely decided,
which was then expected to be done in 2 or 3 weeks. It is at
length <u>decided</u>; and I bow with silent resignation to my heavenly
Father's will. I believe he designs to send me soon to the
Isles of the Gentiles, but <u>how</u> he will provide for me I know
not. Tho he may severely <u>try</u> me, I trust his providence may
not <u>delay</u> me I must for a moment be at his feet & watch his
hand to see what he designs to do for me or whether he means
to send me alone. I hope there will be no delay in making
every preparation for a speedy embarkation; & that neither the
fervency of prayer nor the assiduity of labor shall be at all
relaxed on account of this rebuke. I have thought it my duty
<u>thus</u> freely & fully to make known my case to you, as a confi-
dential friend, you will therefore excuse me from the trouble
I give you, I remember with kind sentiments the dear family in
which my invitation has occasioned so many tears, & struggles
& sleepless nights -- The God of Mercies bless them, & show
them everlasting kindness; & make this event redound to<sup>A</sup>glory
and to the promotion of our grand object.

Sir

Yours Dear/with affectionate esteem,

H. Bingham.

ASA THURSTON TO SECRETARY, AMERICAN BOARD

Woodstock Sept. 7th 1819

Rev. & Very Dear Sir,

In compliance with your request, I send you a short statement of the
business which called me to this place. I handed the letters which I
brought with me to Mr. Clapp early on Wednesday morning, and left here to
reflect on the subject, till afternoon when I had some further conversa-
tion with her on the question which was before her. It appears, sir,
that the good woman is decidedly opposed to have her daughter engage in
the mission to Owhyhee. She seems to think it improper for females to
go to the heathen as missionaries at all. No reasons however were offered
but such as were stated in the letter which you read. Mr. Clapp was not
at home, though I inquired respecting his opinion on the subject, & Mrs.
Clapp observed that his opinion was if possible more decided than hers,
that females should not personally engage in missions to the heathen. I
did not think it proper to urge the matter. I found that the letters from
yourself to Dr. Woods had no influence to change her opinion on the sub-
ject. She seemed to think that if Dr. Worcester or Dr. Woods was placed
in her situation that they would decide as she has done. I think, sir,
I can cheerfully say respecting this whole affair, "The will of the Lord
be done"--

P.S. I shall make proposals to no other one without some degree of
certainty as to success.

Affectionately yours,

SYBIL MOSELEY TO THE CALVIN BINGHAMS

Westfield Oct. 3d 1819

Respected Friends,

Permit a stranger to cast aside the feelings of such, and with affectionate confidence under circumstances most deeply interesting, address you as those interested in her present thoughts and future prospects. Called in the mysterious providence of God, to introduce myself thus to your notice, my heart labours for utterance of its varied emotions and I can only beg the eye of tenderness to be cast over these few words and the voice of approbation while they solicit for me an interest in your parental feelings, your counsels, and your prayers. Vast, tender and solemn are the scenes in prospect resulting from this most interesting acquaintance with your beloved son. Were it not for that *divine* and *gracious* hand put forth to save Peter when he attempted a path upon the boisterous waves, Oh, how could I stand! But my honoured friends, that holy hand does support my trembling soul, I cast myself upon it and feel that it is omnipotent. Weak and feeble as I am, yet strengthened thus, I go forth, not knowing the things that are to befall me, but rejoicing in prospect of suffering if so I may be counted worthy, Yes my heart exults in hope that God has graciously bent his *ear* and sends me forth to make my every effort to strengthen and encourage one whom he sends as a herald to the poor benighted heathen. It would give me pleasure to make to you, by my pen, at this time some communications of the dealings of my heavenly Father with me, in respect to outward and inward exercises, but methinks did you know the hour at which I write with many little circumstances, your parental command would be, to seek rest.

Monday Morn. A journey to Bennington with my friend; this morning, that I might once receive the benediction of his reverend parents, the embrace of his affectionate sisters, with the welcome of his brothers would be a circumstance, the remembrance of which would be sweetly cherished, when Oceans would roll between and the confused jangle (?) of savage tongues would fall upon my ears, I must say farewell (?). God of his infinite mercy grant that at that glorious day when we *do* meet we hail each other as kindreds in Christ our Lord.

Affectionately yours,

I need not say a line from your dear hands or from those
my heart claims as sisters, would be most gratefully received.