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Title: |
The Dying speeches of several Indians. |
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The Dying speeches of
several Indians. |
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Indians of North America -- Massachusetts -- Missions. |
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/N00266.0001.001 |
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The
Dying speeches of several Indians. (umich.edu)
The Dying Speeches of several Indians.
By John Eliot ca. 1685
Here be But a few of the Dying Speeches
& Counsels Of such Indians as dyed in the Lord.
It is an humbling to me that these be no more, it was not in my
heart to gather
them, but Major Gookins hearing some of them rehearsed, He first moved
that
Daniel should gather them, in the Language as they were spoken, and that
I
should translate them into English; And here is presented what was done that
way.
These things are Printed, not
so much for Publishment, as to save charge of
writeing out of Copyes for those that did desiere them. John Eliot.
[ 2 ]
Waban.
WAban was the first that received the Gospel, our first meeting
was at his
house; the next time we meet, he had gathered a great Company of his friends
to hear the Word, in the which he hath been stedfast. When we framed our
selves in Order in way of Government, he was chosen a Ruler of fifty, he
hath
approved him selfe to be a good Christian in Church Order, and in Civil Order,
he hath approved himselfe to be a Zealous, faithfull and stedfast Ruler to his
death.
His speech as followeth,
I now rejoyce though I be now a dying, great is my affection in
this world, but
I hope that God doth so afflict me, only to try my praying to God in this world
whether it be true and strong or not, but I hope God doth gently call me to
Repentance, and to prepare to come unto him; therefore He layeth on me great
pain and affliction, though my body be almost broken by sickness, yet I desire
to remember thy name Oh my God, untill I dy I remember those words Job
19.23, to 28. Oh that my, words were now written, oh that they were printed
in
a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in a rock for ever. For
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon
the earth. And though after my skin, has been destroyed this body, yet in my
flesh I will see God. &c.
I desire not to be troubled about matters of this world, a little I am
troubled,
I desire you all my brethren
[ 3 ]
and you also my children, do not greatly weep and mourn for me in this world,
I am now allmost dying, but see that you do strongly pray to God, and doe you
also prepare and make ready to dy, for every one of you must come to dying:
Therefore confess your sinns, every one of you, and beleive in Jesus Christ, I
beleive that which is written in the Book of God Consider truly, and repent and
beleive: Then God will pardon all your great and many sins.
God can pardon all your sins as easyly as one, for Gods free mercy and
glory doe fill all the world. God will on no wise forget those that in this
world
doe syncerely repent and beleive: Veryly this is love Oh my God.
Therfore I know that God will doe this for me, though in my body I have
paine: As for those that died afore times. I have no hope about them, now I
beleive in God in … Heaven: and there in Heaven are many beleivers somes
being. Therefore I pray you doe not overmuch greive for me, when I dy in this
world, but make ready your selves ready to dy, and follow me, and there we
shall see each other in Eternal glory, in this world we live but a little
while;
therfore we must be allwayes preparing, that we may be ready to dy.
Therfore Oh my God, I humbly pray, receive my Soul by thy free mercy in
Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer, for Christ hath dyed for me and for all
sins in this world committed.
My great God hath given me long…, and therfore I now am willing to dy.
Oh Jesus Christ help my soul and save me soul, I beleive that my sickness
doth not arise out of the dust, nor cometh at peradventure but God sendeth it.
Joh. 5, 6, 7.
By this sicknesse God calleth me to repent of all my sins, and to belive
in
Christ, now I confesse my selfe a great sinner, Oh pardon me and helpe me for
Christ his sake.
Lord thou callest me with a double calling sometimes by Prosperity and
mercy, somtimes by affliction. And now thou callest me by sicknesse, but let
me not forget thee Oh my God. For those that forget thy Name, thou wilt
forsake them, As Psalm. 9.17. All that forget God shall be cast to
Hell, therfore
let not me forget thee Oh my God.
[
4 ]
I give my soul to thee Oh my Redeemer Jesus Christ: Pardon all my
sins &
deliver me from Hell: Oh doe thou help me against death, and then I am
willing to dy: and when I dy Oh helpe me and receive me.
in so saying he dyed.
Piambohou,
HE was the Second man next Waban,
that received the Gospel, he brought with
him to the second meeting at Wabans house
many, when we formed them into
Government, he was chosen Ruler of ten,
when the Church at Hassenamessut
as gathered, he was called to be a Ruler then in that Church, when
that was
scattered by the warr, they came back to Natick Church, so many as survived,
and at Natick he dyed.
His speech as followeth,
I rejoyce and am content and willing to take up my sorrows and sicknesse:
many are the years of my life: long have I lived, therfore now I look to dy.
But I desire to prepare my self to dy well. I
beleive Gods promise, that he will
forever save all that belive in Jesus Christ. Oh Lord Jesus helpe me, deliver
me
and save my soul from Hell, by thine own bloud, which thou hast shed for me,
[ 5 ]
when thou didest dy for me,
and for all my sins: Now helpe me syncerely
to confesse all my sins, Oh pardon all my sins: I … beg in the Name of Jesus
Christ, a pardon for all my sins: for thou Oh Christ, are my Redeemer and
deliverer, Now I hear Gods word and I doe rejoyce in what I hear, … not
see, yet I hear and rejoyce that God hath confirmed for as a minister in this
Church of Natek, he is our watchman. And …
you people deal well with
him, both men, women and children, hear him every Sabbath day, and make
strong your praying to God, and all you of Hassonamessut,
restore your
Church and praying to God there.
Oh Lord helpe me to make ready to dy, and then recieve my soul, I
hope
I shall dy well by the help of Jesus Christ: Oh Jesus Christ deliever and save
my soul in everlasting life in heaven, for I doe hope thou art my Saviour. Oh
Jesus Christ.
so he dyed.
Old Jacob,
HE was among the first that Prayed to God, he had so good a memory,
that
he could reherse the whole Catechize, both Questions and Answers, when
he
gave thanks at meat, he would sometimes only pray the Lords Prayer.
His speech as followeth,
[ 6 ]
MY Brethren: now hear me a few words, stand fast all you
people in
your praying to God, according to that word of God 1 Cor. 16.13. Watch
ye,
stand fast in the faith, quit you like men and be strong in the Lord.
Especially
you that are Rulers and Teachers: Fear not the face of man, when
you judg
in a Court together, help one another, agree together: Be not divided one
against another, remember the parable of ten brethren that held together, thay
could not be broken, nor overcome: but when thay divided one against
another, then thay were easyly overcome: and all you that are Rulers, judg
right judgment, for you doe not judg for man, but for God in your Courts.
2 Chron. 19.6, 7. Therfore judg in the fear of God.
Again, You that are judges, see that ye have not only humane wisdom,
for mans wisdom is in many things contrary to the wisdom, of God counting
it to be foolishnesse. Doe not judg that right, which only seemeth to be tight,
and consider Matt. 7.1- 2. Judg right, and God will be with you, when
you
so die.
Again I say to you all the people, make strong your pray|ing to God,
and be constant in it. 1 Thes. 5.17. Pray continually.
Again Lastly I say to you Daniel our Minister be strong in
your work.
As Matt. 5.14.16. You must bring Light into the world, and make it to
shine,
that all may see your good work, and glorify your heavenly Father.
Every preacher that maketh strong his work, doth bring precious
perles:
As Matt. 13.52. And thou shalt have everlasting life in so doing.
I am neer to Death, I have lived long enough, I am about 90 years
old,
I now desire to dy, in the presence of Christ. Oh Lord I commit my soul
to thee.
[ 7 ]
Antony.
HE was among the first that Prayed to God, he was studious to read
the
Scriptures and his Catechise, so that he learned to be a Teacher,
but after the
warrs, he became a lover of strong drink, was often admonished, and
finally
cast out from being a Teacher.
His dying speeches follow,
I am a sinner, I doe now confesse it, I have long prayed to
God, but it hath
been like an Hipocrite: thô I was a confessing church member, yet like
an
Hipocrite, then I was a Teacher yet like a backsliding Hipocrite,
I was after
drunk, Love of strong drink is a lust I could not over come; thô the Church
did often admonish me, and I confessed, and they forgive me, yet I fell againe
to the same sin, the Major Gookins and Mr. Eliot often admonished
me: I
confessed, thay were willing to forgive me, yet I fell againe.
Now Death calls for me, and I desire to prepare to dy well. I say to you
Daniel, beware that you, love not strong drink as I did, and was therby
undone. Strengthen your Teaching in and by the word of God; take heed that
you defile not your work, as I did, for I defiled by Teaching by Drunkennesse.
Againe I say to you my Children, forsake not praying to God, goe not to
strange places, where thay pray not to God, but strongly pray to God as long
as you live: both you and your Children.
Now I desire to dy well, thô I have been a sinner, I remember that word
that saith, that thô your sins be many and great, yet God will pardon the
penitent, by Jesus Christ our Redeemer Oh Lord save me … diliver me
[ 8 ]
by Jesus Christ, in whom I beleive: send thy Angels when I
dy, to bring
my poor soul to thee, and save my poor sinfall soul in thy heavenly
Kingdom.
THis very hopefull young man was going out to hunt, with a
companion,
who fell out with him, and stabbed him mortally, and killed him. A little
was gathered up spoken by him, as followeth;
I am ready to dy now, but know not of it even now when I went out
of my
dore; I was only going to hunt: but a wicked man hath killed me, I see that
word is true, He that this well to day, may be dead
to morrow, He that
laughed yester day, may sorrow to day.
My misery overtook me in the woods. No
man knoweth the day and
time, when his misery cometh.
Now I desire patiently to take up my crosse and misery. I am
but a man,
and must feel the crosse. Oh Christ Jesus help me, thou … my Redeemer,
my Saviour, and my deliverer: I confesse my selfe a sinner; Lord Jesus
pardon all my sins, by thy own blood, when thou dyedest for us, O
Christ Jesus save me from Hell: Save my soul in heaven, Oh help me,
help me.
so he dyed, the wicked murderer is fled.
[ 9 ]
John Owussumug sen.
HE was a young man when they began to pray to God, he did not
at
the present joyn with them, he would say to me, I will first see into it,
and when I understand it, I will answer you, he did after a while enter
into the Civil Covenant, but was not entered into the Church Covenant
before he dyed, he was propounded to joyn to the Church, but was
delayed,
he being of a quick passionat temper, some witty littigations prolonged it,
till his sickness, but had he recovered, the Church was satisfied to have
received him … finished well.
His speech as followeth,
NOw I must shortly dy. I desired that I might live, I sought
for mediciens
to cure me, I went to every English doctor, at DadXam, MeXfeilX, Concord,
but none could cure me, in this world.
But Oh Jesus Christ, doe thou heal my soul, now I am in great paine,
I have no hope of living in this world a whole year I have been afflicted:
I could not goe to the Publick Sabbath worship to hear Gods word; I did
greatly love to goe to the Sabbath worship.
Therfore I now say to all you men, women and childrens love
much, and
greatly to keep the Sabbath. I have been, now long hindred from it, and …
I … all, my … & children … among …
[ 10 ]
Love and Obey the Rulers, and submit unto their judgment, hear diligently
your menisters: be obedient to Major Gookins and to Mr. Eliot,
and Daniel.
I as now allmost dead, and I exhort you strongly to love each other, be
at …, and be ready to forgive each ….
I desire now rightly to prepare my self to dy, for God hath given me
warning a whole year, by ly sicknesse, I … I am a …: my heart was proud,
and therby all … were in my heart, I knew that by birth I was a … I …,
and Xart, and pXougX like an English man, and by all these
things my
heart was proud.
Now God calleth me to repentance, by my sicknesse this whole year.
Oh Christ Jesus help me, that according as I make my …, So through
thy grace I may obtaine a pardon of all my sins: for thou Lord Jesus didest
dy for us, to deliver us from sin. I feare and belive, that thou hast dyed for
many: Therefore I desire to cast away all worldly hindrances, my Lands
and
Goods, I cast them by, they cannot help me now, I desire truely to
prepare
to dy: My sons, I hope Christ will help me to dy well: Now I call you my
souls, but in heaven we shall all be Brethren, this I learned in the Sabbath
worship, all miserys in this world upon Believers. … only joy and blessing
in Jesus Christ: Therfore Oh Christ Jesus help me in all my miserys, and
deliver me for I trust in thee, and save my soul in thy heavenly kingdom,
now behold me and looke upon me who am dying.
so he dyed.
John Speen.
HE was among the first that prayed to God, he was a diligent Reader,
he
became
[ 11 ]
a Teacher, and carried well for diverse yeares, untill the Sin of strong
drink
did infect us, and then he was so farr infected with it, that he was deservdly
layd aside from Teaching, His last speeches were as followeth.
NOw I dy, I desire you all my friends, forgive him thXXXurt me, for
the
word of God saith in Matthew 6.3, 4: For give them
that have done you
wrong, and your heavenly Father will forgive you, but if you doe not forgive
them, your heavenly Father will not forgive you, Therefore I intreat you
all
my friends, forgive … that did me wrong, (for John NXXusquXXit beat
him
and hurt him much a little before his sicknes) now I desire to dy well, now I
confess all my sins, I am a sinner, especially I loved strong drink too well,
and
Some times I was mad drunke, though I was a Teacher, I did offend
against
praying to God, and Spoyled my Teaching; all these my sins and
drunkness
Oh I pray you all forgive me, Oh Jesus Christ help me now and deliver my
soule, and help me that I may not go to Hell, for thou O Christ art my
deliverer and Saviour, Oh God help me, Lord though I am a sinner, Oh Lord
do not forget me.
and so he dyed.
Black James.
HE was in former times, reputed by the English to be a Pawaw,
but I
cannot tel,
[ 12 ]
this, I know he renounced and repented of all his former wayes, and
desired
to come to Christ, and pray to God, and died well, as appeares in
what
followeth.
NOw I Say, I almost dy, but you all my sons, and all you that pray
at
ChabanXkongkoXXk take heed, that you leave not off to pray to God,
for praying to God is exceeding good, for praying to God is the way that will
bring you to the heavenly kingdom; I belive in Christ, and we must follow his
Steps.
Especially you my sons, beware of drunkness, I desire you may Sand
fast in my room, and Rule well, I almost now dead, and I desire to dy well,
Oh Lord Jesus Christ help me, and deliver my Soul to dy well.
so he dyed.
FINIS.