Work of missionaries
Specific educational work
Friends’ ministers were also active in the missionary work among the Indians, which was first urged and practiced by George Fox. Not only the numerous excursions of Penn, but also those of Thomas Story, Thomas Turner, Chalkley and others, evidence the ready spirit with which the commands of Fox were received.[1326] Besides the general missionary work and relief for the Indians, that from time to time is mentioned in the several meetings, there is no evidence that anything considerable towards a school education was attempted till the latter part of the century. In a letter of the yearly meeting in 1796, it is stated that Friends are,
engaged in an undertaking to furnish them with some of the comforts of civilized life. A fund is raising to supply the expense of instructing them in Agriculture, in mechanic arts, and in some useful branches of learning.[1327]
An excellent illustration of this movement towards the education of the Indian, and the naive friendly manner with which they made known their needs is found in the following communications, which are self-explanatory.
The Indians request aid
To the children of the friends of Onas, who first settled in Pennsylvania:
Brothers, The request of Cornplanter, a chief of the Seneca Nation.
The Seneca Nation sees that the Great Spirit intends that they shall not continue to live by hunting, and they look around on every side, and inquire who it is that shall teach them what is best for them to do. Your fathers have dealt fairly and honestly with our fathers, and they have charged us to remember it; and we think it right to tell you that we wish our children to be taught the same principles by which your fathers were guided in their councils.
Brothers, we have too little wisdom among us, we cannot teach our children what we perceive their situation requires them to know, and we therefore ask you to instruct some of them; we wish them to be instructed to read and write, and such other things as you teach your own children; and especially teach them to love peace.