Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

change of Property, are become the innocent partakers of the fruits of so iniquitous a traffic; a very worthy benefactor having bequeathed unto us in trust, for the Propagation of the Gospel, A PLANTATION STOCKED WITH SLAVES. An odd Legacy to the promulgators of the Law of Liberty! But intended, perhaps, as a kind of compensation for these violations of it. And, if so, I am certain it will fully answer the pious intention of the Donor. God, out of this Evil (according to the gracious way of his Providence) having made us the honoured Instruments of producing Good.

The cruelty of certain PLANTERS, with respect to the temporal accommodations of these poor wretches, and the irreligious negligence of others with regard to their spiritual, is become a general Scandal.

Now this singular Donation will enable us to redress both the inhumanity and impiety of this conduct within the limits of our own Property. But this is the least part of the advantages we shall reap from it. What is of infinite more importance is the EXAMPLE we shall be enabled to hold out to the Colonies at large; an Example to invite or shame all tyrannous Masters into a more compassionate treatment of their fellow-creatures by Nature and their Brethren by Grace.

It would be impiety to suspect that the Society will not persevere in making this use of so fortunate a circumstance; since their duty more particularly exacts it, and their means of all kinds enable them to do it with effect,

To

To conclude, From what hath been said may be seen how faithfully this incorporated Society have laboured to discharge their Trust.

I have ventured to hint at what appears to me the best means of perfecting the Work, by setting before you (though far unable to do it to advantage) the new encouragements we have to Prophesy AGAIN before many Peoples, and Nations, and Tongues, and Kings.

POSTSCRIPT.

SINCE the printing this, a pamphlet has been published, intitled, A brief Narrative of the Indian Charity-School in Connecticut, New-England; in which is a Letter from the Indians of Onohoquage to the Directors of this Charity; curious enough, on many accounts, to be here transcribed.

BRETHREN,

Lake Utsage, July 31, 1765.

WE were informed by our Messenger that we sent to you last Spring (Gwedelhes, or Peter Agwirondongwas), that you would not only assist us by sending us Ministers to teach us Christianity, but also that you would assist us in setting up Husbandry, by sending a Number of white People to live with us; who, when come, should build us Mills, teach us Husbandry, and furnish us with Tools for Husbandry, &c,

We

We greatly rejoiced at hearing of it, and expected them this Spring, but are disappointed; at which we are very sorry: But we hope that we may yet receive them, and should much rejoice in it, should you send them to us.

We would have you understand, Brethren, that we have no Thoughts of selling our Land to any that come to live among us. For if we should sell a little Land to any, by and by they would want to buy a little more, and so our Land would go by Inches, till we should have none to live upon.—Yet as those that come to instruct us must live, we have no Objections against their improving as much Land as they please; yet the Land shall remain ours.

We have, Brethren, never petitioned to you yet for any to assist us, but only those that come with GOD's News (i. e. the Gospel); yet, as you have offered to assist us likewise in teaching us Husbandry, we greatly rejoice in it, AND THINK THAT THEY SHOULD GO TOGETHER, the one as well as the other, and that we want Instruction in both. Brethren, we send our kindest Love to you, and remain your Brethren.

Isaac Dakayenensere.

Adam Waoonwanoron,

SERMON XXI.

?

ANSWER A FOOL ACCORDING TO HIS

FOLLY.

PROV. xxvi. ver. 4, 5.

ANSWER NOT A FOOL ACCORDING TO HIS FOLLY,

LEST THOU ALSO BE LIKE UNTO HIM. ANSWER
A FOOL ACCORDING TO HIS FOLLY, LEST HE BE
WISE IN HIS OWN CONCEIT.

HE contempt of Religion soon followed the

THE

abuse of it: and the abuse of this sacred Institution is almost coeval with the thing itself: for that corruption of heart, whose disorder Religion was ordained to cure, hath been ever struggling against its remedy.

Hence

I. In the days of Solomon, when Wisdom was at its height, Folly, as we learn from many passages of that regal Sage, kept equal paces with it. it was, that, after exhibiting many lively paintings of the irreligious Scorner, he subjoined directions to the generous Advocate of Piety and Virtue, how best to repress their insolence and vanity. ANSWER NOT a Fool (says he) according to his folly, lest

thou

thou also be like unto him. ANSWER a Fool ace cording to his folly, lest he be wise in his own

conceit.

Short isolated sentences were the mode in which ancient Wisdom delighted to convey its precepts, for the regulation of life and manners. But when this natural mode of instruction had lost the grace of novelty, and a studied refinement had new coloured the candid simplicity of ancient converse, these instructive Sages found it necessary to give their moral maxims the seasoning and poignancy of Paradores. In these lively and not useless sports of fancy, the Son of David, we are told, greatly excelled. We find them to abound in the writings which bear his name: and we meet with frequent allusions to them, in all the parts of Sacred Writ, under the names of Riddles, Parables, and Dark-sayings.

Now of all the examples of this species of in struction, there is none fuller of moral wisdom than this Parador of my Text, or which in the happiness of the expression hath so artfully conveyed the Key for opening the treasures of it. But as a dark conceit and a dull one have a great proximity in modern Wit; and a nice difference is not distinguished from a contradiction in modern reasoning; this Paradox of the Sage hath been mistaken by his Critics for an absurdity of some of his Transcribers, who forgot the negative in the latter member of the sentence; and so is to be set right: and at an easier expense, than unfolding dark sentences of old, namely, exchanging them for clearer, of a modern texture; which TIME may make ancient readings; and which

a careful

« AnteriorContinuar »