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NOTES.

Note (a) page 12.

THE following remarkable adventure was communicated to the author, by two aged grand children of Capt. Wheelock. At a time when the settlements were alarmed with a threatened invasion of indians, Capt. Wheelock went to a neighboring town on urgent business; his wife, fearful of danger, if left alone, accompanied him with their two youngest children: the eldest, a daughter, named Rebecca, aged three years. They rode on one horse; the eldest, sitting on a pillow, before its father. The darkness of the night overtook them on their return. They had to pass a river over which a bridge had been slightly made. In their absence, the stream had swollen and carried part of it away. They entered upon it, and the horse plunged, with the riders. The Captain with difficulty got to the shore, with his lady and infant child; but their beloved Rebecca was gone. The feelings of the parents, can be better imagined, than described. The father hastened down the side of the river, though obstructed by bushes, and darkness, and outran the stream: loudly calling her by name; until to his joyful surprise, she answered him from the opposite shore.* The little navigator remained unhurt on her pillow, which was stopped by bushes projecting from the bank. With a transport of gratitude to heaven for the miraculous deliverance, the father rescued his child from the devouring element, and restored it to the arms of its joyful mother.

Note (b) Page 15.

The following communication is from a respectable source to the author.

Through the season of that remarkable attention to religion, which took place in the year 1742, through New England and *"Ut litus, Hyla, Hyla, omne sonaret," Virg. Ecl.

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most of the American provinces, no man was more indefatigable in his labors than Mr. Wheelock. Having been much succeeded in the work of the ministry among the people of his particular charge, previous to this remarkable period, by his labors being accompanied with the outpourings of the Divine spirit, he became eminently furnished for a guide to inquiring souls, whilst many godly ministers in the land were in some degree staggered in their minds at the newness of the scene, and through the want of a proper degree of skill in the word of righteousness, admitted of much wood, hay, and stubble into the religion of their professed converts, and thereby gave satan much advantage against the reputation and progress of the work of God. It is not to be wondered that such circumstances should induce people, in almost every part of the New England Colonies, to apply to Mr. Wheelock with carnest solicitations, to repair to their help and relief, whilst their minds were occupied with a solemn and weighty sense of the importance of their eternal concerns. His ardent zeal for God, and his compassionate love to the souls of his fellow mortals, readily prompted him to hearken to the cries of the distressed, and repair to the relief of their anguish and trouble: And it may here be justly remarked, that he did this to the utmost limits of his power, and even beyond his power. As an evidence of such a - remark, it has been computed on an accurate calculation, that in the space of a year, he preached a hundred more sermons than there are days in the year. Such unwearied perseverance in a course of incessent labors by night and by day, cannot surely be accounted for on any other principle than this, that his Divine Master did constantly accompany his labors by the outpourings of his spirit. The word dispensed by him through this scene of his labors was indeed clothed with power, and was mighty through God. Whilst he was thus a burning and a shining light, there were many in various parts of New England, who greatly rejoiced in his light, and regarded him as their spiritual father, by whom they were begotten through

the gospel. As an illustration of this remark, the Editor persuades himself it will be acceptable and edifying to the christian reader to be availed of the following anecdote of Doctor Wheelock. At a meeting of an ordaining Council, at a certain place in New England, at a considerable distance from the place of Mr. Wheelock's residence, a church was to be gathered and organized previous to the solemnities of the ordination. It was gathered by a strict examination into the evidence of a work of grace upon the hearts of those who presented themselves as candidates for christian fellowship, and according to the best recollection of that member of the council who communicated this intelligence, every member without exception, professed that their attention to religion was first arrested by the preaching of Mr. Wheelock, and that he was, in the hand of God, the instrument and means of their having passed from death unto life.

Honored and Dear Sir,

Hanover, January 14, 1806.

The foregoing I think, contains that sketch of Events relating to the life of our honored and pious patron, which comports with what was agreed upon by us at parting at our last interview. If it should fail of answering your mind, you will please to avail me of it, and the most careful corrections will be objects of my attention.

With cordial esteem, your affectionate humble servant,
EDEN BURROUGHS.

President WHEELOCK.

In the wonderful effusions of the divine spirit, with which the people of this land have been favored in repeated instances, two things, especially, call for our grateful notice, and are confirmations of the faith of christians in the divinity of the religion of Jesus. One is, that they have taken place in times of great declension and lukewarmness, and when infidelity and

licentiousness were rapidly prevailing. Suddenly hath the Redeemer lifted up a standard to the people; and the general inquiry has been, what shall we do to be saved? This was the case in the instance of which we have been speaking, as well as in that which has lately taken place in many parts of this land. The standard of infidelity was raised, and blasphemers of the Saviour grew bold; but their progress has been arrested, by the omnipotent Redeemer, and converts have come to Zion, with songs of joy. Another grateful circumstance, attending the history of the progress of religion, is, that the new formed settlements of the wilderness, which are generally composed of all descriptions of characters, and with a large proportion of the irreligious and profane, have been made to feel the reviving influence of the Sun of Righteousness rising upon them, in the wonderful effusions of the Holy Spirit. And thus by the wise and gracious care of the Redeemer of the church, materials are there formed for the organization of the church, and the perpetual celebration of its ordinances. Without this divine influence, the new settlements, would probably, in a successions of years, degenerate into heathenish ignorance and barbarism. Instances might be adduced to elucidate these remarks. I will only remind the christian reader, of the late marvellous work of God, throughout the widely extended settlements beyond the Allegany Mountains, in the middle and southern states, where the labours of christian missionaries, and settled ministers, have been wonderfully blessed, and multitudes of churches gathered to Christ. Thus, to the joy and praise of Zion, the great Redeemer, fulfils his gracious promise, Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice : let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.*

* Isaiah xlii. 11.

Note (c) page 15.

Within the limits of New England, were the remains of several Tribes. They were the Mohegans in Connecticut; the Narragansets in Rhode Island; the Housatonnuc, the Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard Indians in Massachusetts; the Penobscots in the Province of Maine. Beyond those limits, were the Montauks on Long Island; and the Delawares, in New Jersey, and on the Susquehanna. These nations, which at the first settlement of New England, could bring several thousand warriors into the field, were reduced to about five hundred families. To the westward, were the Iroquois, or Six Nations, containing between five and six thousand souls. Still further west and south, were the more numerous tribes of Hurons, Wiandots, Delawares of the Ohio, Shawanese, Chippewas and Miami. And far south were the Cherokees, Creeks, Chicasaws, Chactaws, &c.

The further we advance westerly and southerly, the Indians were found to be still more numerous than near the borders of the English settlements. The approach of the latter, lessened the wild game, and consequently, the number of Indians were reduced.

The dark clouds of gross paganism enveloped these nations, excepting a confused gleam of the light of christianity, which had been let in upon some of them, by protestant missionaries, principally from New England; and by Romish priests from Canada and Louisiana. It is remarkable that as by natural increase the English in America have doubled their numbers in periods of twenty five years, the Indians among, and bordering upon them, have diminished nearly in the same proportion inversed. The writers of our Indian wars, mention that the Narragansets, contained in 1625, about two thousand warriors. By the above rule of diminution, in six periods of twenty five years, bringing us to the year 1775, they would be reduced to thirty, which was about the true number. Various causes are assigned for their decrease; but none satisfactory. Must we not ascribe it to the sovereign pleasure of the Most

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