The number of Indians here a bouts are seven or eight
hundred; but those
tribes have been greatly diminished,
through the wicked white people
introducing strong drink
among them, to defraud and take every advantage of
their
weakness and gross ignorance. Was not the Merciful
God to provide
a little food for them, as He does for the
birds of the air, they must
utterly perish from off the face
of the earth, being almost strangers to
economy and in-
dustry; which two things, enrich the most miserable
na-
tions, when the Blessing of Heaven is upon their
basket
and store.
Every day brings me nearer my mansion of bliss, that
is prepared for me to
dwell in at God's Right Hand. In
all my conflicts betwixt flesh and spirit,
the world
and satan, my prospect is sure: for a determination is in my
soul, through Christ's strengthening me, to abide faithful.
Fiery
baptisms are my lot here; but they all tend to make
me more complete in
holiness; more like the Image of my
Lord and Master. Earthly joys cannot
delight me; no,
it is the salvation of the lost sons and daughters of
Adam,
that I am comforted with: therefore, O my god! give me
seals to
my ministry, that I may rejoice therein, and be a
useful instrument in my
day and generation. Thou art
growing up in me, and I shall be perfect by Thy
Spirit's
Covering, by Thy Robe of Righteousness put around me.
How
beautiful will the King's Duaghter be then! How
comely to the eye! How
precious in His Sight! no cross,
no suffering shall I decline; moving by His
direction, and
submitting to His justice, when His holy fire burns up
the
dross of sin, that remains from the contaminating influ-
ence of
satan, whose dark influence is poured forth all
around this world, while he
walks up and down, to and
fro, seeking whom he may overturn or devour.
Calvin Young lent me his chaise this morning,
to go
to see the Christian Chief Skanando,
who was very glad
to see me again, and told me he was formerly a
warrior,
and shewed me how his ears were cut in the midst, and
his neck
with powder marked to distinguish him thereby,