LETTER CLXXXIII.
To the Allegany Indians.
Reedy Island, May 21, 1740.
My Dear Brethren,
FOR so I call you, because you, and I, and all, have one common father, One God, in whom we live, move and have our beings. We all came at first out of the dust of the earth. For after God made the sun, moon, stars, and every thing you see, he also made a creature called man, and breathed into him the breath of life; he then became a living soul. He could not only walk and speak, but he could also think, and reason, and was full of goodness, peace, and joy. This man, this happy creature God placed in a garden, which his own right hand had planted. He then cast him into a deep sleep, and out of one of his ribs made what we call a woman, that she might be his wife. Their names were Adam and Eve. With these, God made an agreement that they should eat of every tree of that garden, except one; but if they ate the fruit of that particular tree, they should die; they should return to the dust from whence they were taken, lose the comforts they enjoyed in their souls, and be unhappy for ever in another world. But if they did not eat this fruit, none of these things should come upon them. A being, which we call the devil, (and who for his pride had been cast out of heaven) envying their happiness, tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit. They consented, they ate, they died. Their bodies became mortal, their souls were deprived of the presence and love of God; and unless a way was found out to make satisfaction for what they had done, they must have been lost for ever. These were our parents, and God made this agreement with us their children, as well as with them. For they acted in our name, as a king acts in the name of his people, or a father in the name of a child—What therefore befel them, befel us. We died in them; and come into this world poor and miserable, blind and naked, as they were, when they had eaten of the forbidden tree. Hence it is, that we are given to lust, anger, envy, hatred, pride, and malice, and all those troublesome passions which you all must feel in your own hearts, and cannot but see even in the hearts of your children. If then, you only look into yourselves, you must confess these things are so. But God hath given us a book, wherein he assures us of the truth of all this:—And we know that book came from God, because none but God could tell us the things therein contained. And I speak first of this, because ’till you feel and believe this, you cannot come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ; and without the knowledge of Jesus Christ you cannot be saved. For after our first parents, Adam and Eve, had taken the forbidden fruit, and with all their children, thereafter to be born, became guilty before God, God out of his own free love sent his only begotten Son into the world, to die, and so to make an atonement for the sin of fallen man, and also to obey the law, which man had broken; so that though fallen man had no righteousness of his own, yet upon believing in God’s Son, he should find a perfect righteousness in him. This Son is called Jesus, “A Saviour,” because he was to save us from the guilt and power of our sins. He was truly God, and therefore could satisfy; he was truly man, and therefore could obey and suffer in our stead. He was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again. My dear brethren, (for so I must call you, though I never saw you) these are strange things. But if you are willing to learn, the holy spirit shall teach you. For Jesus Christ by dying, and obeying God’s law, hath bought for us the holy spirit, who shall change your corrupt natures, and fit you for happiness hereafter with the ever-blessed God, if you do but believe in your hearts.—Thousands of white people only believe in their heads, and therefore are no more christians than those who never heard of Jesus Christ at all. They call Christ, “Lord, Lord,” but they do not live as Jesus Christ hath commanded. No, they curse and swear, they break the sabbath, they get drunk, they play, they whore, they commit adultery, and have taught many poor Indians to do these abominable things as well as themselves. Do not you therefore learn of them. For true christians are sober, chaste and holy. They will not get drunk, they will not play the whore, they will not cheat, lie, curse or swear; but they will bless and praise God, keep the sabbath, and do all the good they can; for thus Jesus Christ, their Lord and master, lived when he was here on earth. I say, when he was here on earth; for after he died, he rose again, and went up into heaven from whence he came, and there he sits praying for all that shall believe on Him to the end of the world. For as the world had a beginning, so it also will have an end. And Jesus Christ will come again in the clouds to judge all mankind; and then he that hath believed in Christ, and hath shewn forth his faith by his works, shall be saved; and he that hath not believed in Christ, shall be damned for ever, and be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone. But before he comes, he hath promised that the heathen shall be brought to believe on him, and therefore I write this letter to you. I would come myself, and preach the glad tidings of salvation among you, as the bearer of this could interpret for me; but my other business will not permit. I am a minister of the same Jesus, and once was as ignorant of Him comparatively as you may be. I once lived like other people; but the Lord Jesus hath brought me to believe on Him, and I now do so no more. I once was full of envy, hatred, malice, and such like cursed tempers; but now I have love, and peace, and joy. And because Jesus Christ hath shewn such mercy to me, I desire that all others should be made as happy, nay happier than I am myself.—Hearken therefore now to the voice of the Lord. Pray to God that you may feel yourselves poor, miserable sinners, and come by a living faith to Jesus Christ. Then he will pardon you of all your sins, make you holy by his spirit here, and take you into everlasting happiness hereafter. Your traders, some of them at least, will tell you, that you must be miserable, if you will be christians. But these know nothing of Jesus Christ; for they are ungodly men, walking after their own wicked lusts. Whosoever will follow Jesus Christ, though happy in himself, must be looked upon as a fool by others. The spirit of the world, and the spirit of Jesus are quite contrary one to the other; and therefore if you will live godly in Him, you must suffer persecution; you must have all manner of evil spoken against you falsely, and be called madmen and fools; but let not that daunt you, or make you afraid. There is a world to come, there is a judgment-day, and then Jesus Christ shall crown all those with glory, who have suffered for his name’s sake. Once more, therefore, hearken to the voice of the Lord. For the Lord Jesus died for you, as well as for the white men among you, and that you might be taught the gospel; but they have made you worse than you were before, and therefore shall receive the greater damnation. He who brings this, no doubt, will be despised amongst them, because he will, I hope, neither get drunk, nor curse, nor swear.—But I trust the Lord will strengthen him, and cause him to shew many of you the true way of salvation—I shall not fail to pray for him, and for you; for though I know you not, yet if I could thereby save your precious souls, I think I could die for your sake. May the Lord Jesus bless you, and bring you out of darkness into his marvellous light, for his infinite mercy’s sake. This is the prayer of, dear brethren,
Your soul’s well-wisher and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CLXXXIV.
To the Rev. Mr. I——, at Philadelphia.