_2dly_, It is remarkable how God, in a manner almost _unaccountable_, called these Indians together and how he ♦seized their minds with the most solemn concern as fast as they came to the place where his word was preached. When I first came into these parts, I found not one man at the place, but only four _women_, and a few children: but before I had been there many days, they gathered from all quarters, some from more than twenty miles distant: and when I made them a second visit, some came more than forty miles to hear me.
♦ “seised” replaced with “seized”
And many came without any intelligence of what was going on here, and consequently without any design, so much as to gratify their curiosity; so that it seemed as if God had summoned them together from all quarters for nothing else but to deliver his message to them.
Nor is it less surprising that they were one after another affected with a solemn concern, almost as soon as they came upon the spot ♦where divine truths were taught them. I could not but think, their coming to this place was like Saul and his messengers coming among the prophets; they no sooner came but they prophesied: and these were almost as soon affected with a sense of their sin and misery, and with an earnest concern for deliverance, as they made their appearance in our assembly.――――After this work of _grace_ began with power among them, it was common for _strangers_ of the Indians, before they had been with us one day, to be deeply convinced of their sin and misery, and to inquire with great solicitude, “What they should do to be saved?”
♦ “were” replaced with “where”
_3dly_, It is likewise remarkable how God preserved these poor ignorant Indians from being prejudiced against me, and the truths I taught them. There were many attempts made by some of the _white_ people to prejudice them against, or fright them from Christianity. They sometimes told them, the Indians were well enough already:――that there was no need of all this _noise_ about Christianity:――that if they were Christians, they would be in no better, no safer, or happier state, than they were already.
Sometimes they told them, that I was a _knave_, a _deceiver_: that I taught them lies, and had no other design but to impose upon them.
And when none of these suggestions would avail, they told the Indians, “My design was to gather together as large a body of men as I could, and sell them to England for slaves.” Nothing could be more likely to terrify the Indians, they being naturally of a jealous disposition, and the most averse to a state of servitude perhaps of any people living.
But all these insinuations (through divine goodness) constantly turned against the _authors_ of them, and only served to engage the affections of the Indians more firmly to me: for they could not but observe, that the persons who endeavoured to imbitter their minds against me, were altogether unconcerned about their own souls, and not only so, but vicious and profane; and thence could not but argue, that if they had no concern for their _own_, it was not likely they should have any for the souls of _others_.
It seems the more wonderful that the Indians were preserved from hearkening to these suggestions, as I was an utter stranger among them, and could give no assurance of my sincere affection, by any thing that was past,――while the persons that insinuated these things were their old acquaintance, who had had frequent opportunities of gratifying them, and consequently had the greatest interest in their affections.