About, a fortnight after, Mr. || habitations, the women began to learn to spin, to make various little articles, and to carry the natural productions of the country to market for sale. In winter, they sold brooms, staves, baskets, turkies; in spring, cranberries, strawberries, fish; in summer, hortleberries, grapes, &c. Besides, several of them wrought with the English in hay-time and harvest; but, it was remarked, they were not so industrious, nor yet so able to work, as those who had been accustomed to it from their infancy. Some of the men learned such trades as were deemed most necessary; and so great was the improvement they made, that they built a house for public worship, fifty feet in length, and twenty-five in breadth, which appeared like the workmanship of an English housewright.

Eliot visited the Indians a third time, but the assembly was not so numerous as before; for the powaws, or conjurors, had, in the meanwhile, interfered with their authority, dissuading some from hearing the English ministers, and threatening others with death in case of disobedience. Such, how ever, as were present appeared very serious, and seemed much affected with the sermou. Two or three days after, Wampas, a sage Indian, with two of his companions, came to the English, and desired to be admitted into one of their families. He brought his son and two or three other Indian children with him, begging they might be educated in the Christian faith; and, at the next meeting, all who were present offered their children to be catechised and instructed by the White people.

Encouraged by these auspicious circumstances, the General Court of Massachusetts, on the application of Mr. Eliot, gave the Indians in that neighbourhood some land on which to build a town, where they might live together, enjoy the privilege of religious instruction, and cultivate the arts of life. This place they called Noonatomen.

The seat of the town being marked out, Mr. Eliot advised them to surround it with ditches and a stone wall, promising to furnish them with shovels, spades, mattocks, and crows of iron for this purpose; and he likewise gave money to such as wrought hardest. By these means, the village was in a short time not only enclosed, but the wigwams of the meanest were equal to the houses of the sachems in other towns, being built not with matts, but with the bark of trees, and divided into several apartments; whereas, formerly, they used to eat and sleep, and perform all the offices of nature in the same place.

While these things were going on at Noonatomen, the Indians in the neighbourhood of Concord expressed a similar desire of uniting together, in a regular society, of receiving the Christian faith, and of learning the arts of civilized life. With this view they requested Mr. Eliot to come and preach the gospel to them, and they beg ged the government to grant them a piece of land on which they might build themselves a town.

Mr. Eliot, however, by no means confined his labours to these two places. Though he still retained the pastoral charge of the church at Roxbury, yet he usually went once a fortnight on a missionary excursion, travelling through the different parts of Massachusetts and of the neighbouring country, as far as Cape Cod, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom to as many of the Indians as would hear him. Many were the toils, many the hardships, many the dangers, he encountered in the prosecution of this important work. In a letter to the Hon. Mr. Winslow, he says, "I have not been dry night nor

Being now settled in comfortable || day from Tuesday to Saturday,

by no means in vain. By means of his zealous and unwearied exertions, numbers of the Indians, in different parts of the country, embraced the gospel; and in the year 1651, a considerable body of them united together in building a town, which they called Natick, on the banks of Charles' river, about eighteen miles south-west from Boston. This village consisted of three long streets, two on this side of the

piece of ground for each family. A few of the houses were built in the English style, but most of them were after the Indian fashion; for as the former were neither so cheap nor so warm, nor yet so easily removed as their wigwams, in which not a single nail was used, they generally retained their own mode of building. There was, however, one large house in the English style; the lower room was a great hall, which served for a place of worship on the Sabbath, and a school-house through the week; the upper room was a kind of wardrobe, in which the Indians deposited their skins and other articles of value; and in one of the corners there was an apartment for good Mr. Eliot, with a bed and bedstead in it. Besides this building, there was a large fort of a circular form, palisadoed with trees; and a small bridge over the river, the foundation of which was secured with stone.

but have travelled from place to place in that condition; and at night I pull off my boots, wring my stockings, and on with them again, and so continue. But God steps in and helps me. I have considered the exhortation of Paul to his son Timothy, Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Such sufferings as these, however, were the least of his trials. When travelling in the wilderness without a friend or companion, he was some-river, and one on the other, with a times treated by the Indians in a very barbarous manner, and was not unfrequently in danger even of his life. Both the chiefs and the powaws were the determined enemies of Christianity-the sachems being jealous of their authority, the priests of their gain; and hence they often laid plots for the destruction of this good man, and would certainly have put him to death, had they not been overawed by the power of the English. Some times the chiefs, indeed, thrust him out from among them, saying, "It was impertinent in him to trouble himself with them or their religion, and that should he return again, it would be at his peril." To such threatenings he only replied, "That he was engaged in the service of the Great God, and therefore he did not fear them, nor all the sachems in the country, but was resolved to go on with his work, and bade them touch him if they dared." To manifest their malignity, however, as far as was possible, they banished from their society such of the people as favoured Christianity; and when it might be done with safety, they even put them to death. Nothing, indeed, but the dread of the English prevented them from massacreing the whole of the converts; a circumstance which induced some of them to conceal their sentiments, and others to fly to the colonists for protection.

But, notwithstanding the opposition of the sachems and the priests, Mr. Eliot's labours were

As soon as the Indians had formed this new settlement, they applied to Mr. Eliot for a form of civil government; and as he imagined the Scriptures to be a perfect standard in political as well as in religious matters, he advised them to adopt the model proposed by Jethro to Moses in the wilderness :

66

Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Agree

chising their children.

At length,

publicly examined a considerable number of them concerning their attainments, both in knowledge and in grace; and notwithstanding the great satisfaction they received, yet, in order that no precaution might

ably to his advice, they chose one ruler of a hundred, two rulers of on a day appointed for the purpose, fifty, and ten rulers of ten, the the ministers of the neighbouring rulers standing in order, and eve-churches, assisted by interpreters, ry individual going to the one he chose. Having adopted this form of government in their little town, they utterly abandoned polygamy, which had formerly prevailed among them; they made severe laws against fornication, drunken-be neglected in raising them to the ness, Sabbath breaking, and other rank of a Christian church, the immoralities; and they began, at candidates were afterwards called length, to long for the establish- to make a confession of their faith ment of the order of a Christian || in Christ, and to give an account church among them.

The churches of New-England were, at that time, remarkably rigorous in the admission of persons to Christian fellowship, and required very decided proofs of faith in Christ; but in the case of the Indians, they seemed rather to increase than abate their strictness.

of their conversion, which declarations being taken in writing, were carefully examined by the religious people among the English, and met with their high approbation. Being in this manner approved, several of them were, at length, baptized, and in 1660 they were incorporated into a church, and had the Lord's supper administered among them. It does not appear, however, that the members were very numerous, for about ten years after, they amounted only to between forty and (To be continued.)

For some years, the converts re-
mained under the character of cate-
chumens, and were commonly visit-
ed by Mr. Eliot or some other min-
ister every week, for the sake of
preaching among them, and cate-fifty.

MESSRS. EDITORS,

lished.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

JOURNEY FROM B- TO THE FALLS OF NIAGARA. tation, which, from many tender When the following letters were writ- associations, has long been endearten, the author had not the most distanted to us all. Having a few moexpectation, that they would ever be pub-ments of leisure, I will now, agreeSome of his friends, however, ably to my promise, give you some have expressed a desire, that they might account of our journey. be inserted in the American Baptist Magazine. To their wishes he has so far consented, as to submit them to your disposal. But he begs they may not occupy a place in your publication, unless you shall think they will be interesting to your readers.

After a delightful ride on Monday, we arrived at Thompson, about half past two o'clock, P. M. As we calculated to remain there until the next morning, two of my friends accompanied me to the house of the minister who preaches in that town. We had never seen each other before, but the plain and simple manners of this servant of Jesus Christ, and the warm and cordial welcome we received from the whole family,

made us forget that we were strang-||
ers. He gave us a brief but inter-
esting narrative of the principal
events of his life, and of the rise
and progress of the church with
which he is connected; and he
spake with much feeling on the dis-
plays of mercy which had recently
been experienced among them.
There is something indescribably
sweet, even in the recollection of
hours thus spent. While I am re-
cording this short interview, I feel
the same emotions of pleasure which
I enjoyed, while under his friendly
roof. On returning to our lodging,
we unitedly expressed our satisfac-
tion at the thought, that there are,
no doubt, many pious and sensible
ministers, who, although they dwell
in comparative obscurity, are very
useful and important, in the sta-
tions which Providence has assign-
ed them.

The evening also passed away very pleasantly, for the public house at which we stayed, is kept by persons who are members of a Baptist church. After some religious conversation, the family were called together, a hymn was sung, and we commended ourselves for the night || to the protection of Heaven.

improbable events; such a preponderance of imagination over sober reason; and so much of the kind of adventures which are common to novels and romances, that what there is of a pious tendency in this work, is more than neutralized, by the earthly feelings and extravagant hopes which it will excite in the minds of the young and inexperienced.

And here allow me, my sister, to express my doubts of the utility of religious novels. It has been said, that such writings present religion in a more lovely and fascinating garb, and are more likely than any other, to allure the young to tread in her footsteps. There is something plausible in these remarks, but you may depend upon it they are not just. Such writings not only degrade religion by bringing her into close alliance with fiction and folly, but they produce a distaste for the works of our most learned and judicious divines, and especially for the unadorned and solemn statements of divine revelation.

We found ourselves in Hartford, early in the afternoon. I need not say, that I immediately repaired to At 5 o'clock the next morning, the "American Asylum for the we proceeded on our journey. We Education and Instruction of the were no sooner on the road, than it Deaf and Dumb." I obtained perwas proposed by one of the party, mission for my dear A. to accompathat each gentleman in the carriage, ny me to the hotel, that she might should read aloud alternately, for see some of her very kind friends. the benefit of the rest. In this way || But it grieved me to the heart to wit our time was chiefly employed until ness a depression of spirits, which we arrived at Hartford. We were no kind attentions could dispel, and not, however, very fortunate in the to see her eyes occasionally suffuschoice of a book. Having read sev-ed with tears. I was assured, howeral of Mrs. Sherwood's produc-ever, that she was habitually contions with much pleasure, I had been induced to take with me a work lately published by her, but written by her reverend father, about thirty years ago. It was intended, no doubt, to promote morality and religion. But although it contains many pious and valuable sentiments well expressed, yet there is such a mixture of probable with ||

tented and happy. It was probably the remembrance of home, with all its endearing circumstances, which caused these feelings of melancholy, for the next day I found her spirits cheerful and buoyant as ever.

I passed the night at the Asylum, and feel myself much indebted to the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. P. At six o'clock on Wednesday morn

ing, I breakfasted with all the pu- || Gallaudet, the teachers, and pupils. They have good, wholesome pils, for family worship. This was food, and appeared contented with to me, one of the most interesting their situation. From breakfast till seasons of devotion I ever witnessnine o'clock, most of the young ed. On a very large slate in the men are engaged in some mechan-room, a passage of scripture was ical business. This is an excellent written, which was explained by plan, as it not only answers the pur- the tutor whose duty it was to offipose of bodily exercise, but is preciate that morning. You will find paring them for some useful avoca- the words in Prov. xix. 17. "He tion when they shall have left the that hath pity on the poor lendeth Asylum. I was about giving you unto the Lord, and that which he a description of my visit with one hath given will he pay him again.” of the Teachers to see their skill in In illustrating this passage he desmanual operations, but I find the cribed the poor; the way in which last "Report" will give you a sat-pity is shewn to them; and in isfactory account.

what way the Almighty by the dispensations of his providence will pay us again. Although this ex

"Two neat and commodious brick work-shops have been erected near the Asylum. An ingenious and skilful me-planation was given by signs, I ehanic, himself a cabinet-maker, has been could comprehend the substance of employed to oversee this department of what he communicated. He then the Institution. He resides with the pupils; the better to become familiar with prayed by signs. I could not intheir language of signs, and to be able to deed understand all his prayerdischarge the duties of his station. Tools but I knew when he was adoring and other necessary accommodations have God, making confession of sin, and been provided, and, although it is vacation, a considerable number of the pupils humbly asking blessings from are at work, while others are expecting to above. And I acknowledge I was join them, on their return. Six are now affected to tears when I looked aengaged in learning the trade of a cabinet-round on 60 pupils and could not maker or joiner; and another who had acquired considerable skill in this branch before he came to the Asylum, aids in instructing them. One who understands the cooper's business, is at work. In one of the shops, a forge is erected, at which a very ingenious blacksmith and cutler is employed, while three of the pupils, under his instruction, are learning the same trade. Six shoemakers are at work; two of whom had previously made considerable proficiency, and another, a first rate workman, gives instructions to the rest. Several of the female pupils are employed in binding the shoes. It is hoped, that those who wished to be tailors will soon

pu

be placed at work; much effort has been
made to find a suitable person to instruct
them, but, as yet, without success. In the
present state of the Institution, it was im-
possible to make provision for the six
pils who wished to be printers; three of
them, however, have begun to learn the
trade of a cabinet-maker, and two others
will join them at the end of vacation.
Some of the articles, already made by the
pupils, evince much skill, and command
a ready sale; the patronage and custom
of the friends of the Institution, in this
department, are respectfully solicited."

At nine o'clock I met with Mr.

perceive one indifferent spectator.
The eyes of all were fastened upon
him. I could almost have blushed
for one of our worshipping assem-
blies, when I contrasted their list-
lessness with the anxious and fixed
gaze
of these unfortunate mutes on
their teacher, while he was ad-
dressing the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

When these morning devotions are over, each class goes to its respective room and is employed in studies till noon. In company with my dear friends we visited each class and were surprised at the proficiency which they manifested in grammar, geography and general history. Some of the most difficult rules of grammar were illustrated by the older scholars with a readiness and precision which would have done honour to any school in New England. It is a very inadequate expression of my feelings, te