FIRST APPENDIX
TO
MR. BRAINERD’S JOURNAL:
CONTAINING HIS GENERAL REMARKS ON THE DOCTRINES PREACHED,
THEIR EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS, &c.
SECT. I.
The doctrine preached to the Indians.
Before I conclude the present Journal, I would make a few _general remarks _upon what to me appears worthy of notice, relating to the continued work of grace among my people. And, first, I cannot but take notice, that I have, in the general, ever since my first coming among these Indians in New Jersey, been favoured with that assistance, which to me is uncommon, in preaching Christ crucified, and making him the _centre _and _mark _to which all my discourses among them were directed.
It was the principal scope and drift of all my discourses to this people, for several months together, (after having taught them something of the _being _and _perfections _of God, his creation of man in a state of rectitude and happiness, and the obligations mankind were thence under to love and honour him,) to lead them into an acquaintance with their deplorable state by nature, as fallen creatures: their _inability _to extricate and deliver themselves from it: the _utter insufficiency _of any _external _reformations and amendments of life, or of any religious performances, _they _were capable of, while in this state, to bring them into the favour of God, and interest them in his eternal mercy.—And thence to show them their _absolute _need of Christ to redeem and save them from the misery of their fallen state. To open his _all-sufficiency _and willingness to save the chief of sinners. The _freeness _and _riches _of divine grace, proposed “without money, and without price,” to all that will accept the offer. And thereupon to press them without delay, to betake themselves to him, under a sense of their misery and _undone _state, for relief and everlasting salvation. And to show them the abundant encouragement the gospel proposes to needy, perishing, and helpless sinners, in order to _engage _them so to do. These things I repeatedly and largely insisted upon from time to time.
And I have oftentimes remarked with admiration, that whatever subject I have been treating upon, after having spent time sufficient to explain and illustrate the truths contained therein, I have been _naturally _and _easily _led to Christ as the _substance _of every subject. If I treated on the being and glorious perfections of God, I was thence _naturally _led to discourse of Christ as the only “way to the Father.” If I attempted to open the deplorable misery of our fallen state, it was natural from thence to show the necessity of Christ to undertake for us, to atone for our sins, and to redeem us from the power of them. If I taught the commands of God, and showed our violation of them, this brought me in the most _easy _and natural way, to speak of and recommend the Lord Jesus Christ, as one who had “magnified the law” we had broken, and who was “become the end of it for righteousness, to every one that believes.” And never did I find so much freedom and assistance in making all the various lines of my discourses meet together, and centre in Christ, as I have frequently done among these Indians.
Sometimes when I have had thoughts of offering but a few words upon some particular subject, and saw no occasion, nor indeed much room, for any considerable enlargement, there has at unawares appeared such a fountain of gospel-grace shining forth in, or _naturally _resulting from, a just explication of it, and Christ has seemed in such a manner to be pointed out as the _substance _of what I was considering and explaining, that I have been drawn in a way not only _easy and natural, proper _and pertinent, but almost unavoidable, to discourse of him, either in regard of his undertaking, incarnation, satisfaction, admirable fitness for the work of man’s redemption, or the infinite need that sinners stand in of an interest in him; which has opened the way for a continual strain of gospel-invitation to perishing souls, to come _empty and naked, weary _and heavy laden, and cast themselves upon them.
And as I have been remarkably influenced and assisted to dwell upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation by him, in the general current of my discourses here, and have been at times surprisingly furnished with pertinent _matter _relating to him, and the design of his incarnation; so I have been no less assisted oftentimes in regard of an advantageous _manner _of opening the mysteries of divine grace, and representing the infinite excellencies and “unsearchable riches of Christ,” as well as of recommending him to the acceptance of perishing sinners. I have frequently been _enabled _to represent the divine glory, the infinite preciousness and transcendent loveliness of the great Redeemer; the suitableness of his person and purchase to supply the wants, and answer the utmost desires, of immortal souls: to open the infinite riches of his grace, and the wonderful encouragement proposed in the gospel to unworthy, helpless sinners: to call, invite, and beseech them to come and give up themselves to him, and be reconciled to God through him: to expostulate with them respecting their neglect of one so infinitely lovely, and freely offered: and _this _in such a manner, with _such _freedom, pertinency, pathos, and application to the conscience, as, I am sure, I never could have made myself master of by the most assiduous application of mind. And frequently at such seasons I have been surprisingly helped in adapting my discourses to the _capacities _of my people, and bringing them down into such easy and familiar methods of expression, as has rendered them intelligible even to pagans.
I do not mention these things as a recommendation of my own performances; for I am sure I found, from time to time, that I had no skill or wisdom for my great work; and knew not how “to choose out acceptable words” proper to address poor benighted pagans with. But thus God was pleased to help me, “not to know any thing among them, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Thus I was _enabled _to show them their _misery _without him, and to represent his complete _fitness _to redeem and save them.
And _this _was the preaching God made use of for the awakening of sinners, and the propagation of this “work of grace among the Indians.” And it was remarkable, from time to time, that when I was favoured with any _special _freedom, in discoursing of the “ability and willingness of Christ to save sinners,” and “the need they stood in of such a Saviour,” there was then the greatest appearance of divine power in awakening numbers of secure souls, promoting convictions begun, and comforting the distressed.
I have sometimes formerly, in reading the apostle’s discourse to Cornelius, (Acts x..) wondered to see him so quickly introduce the Lord Jesus Christ into his sermon, and so entirely dwell upon him through the whole of it, observing him in this point very widely to differ from many of our _modern _preachers: but latterly this has not seemed strange, since Christ has appeared to be the _substance _of the gospel, and the _centre _in which the several lines of divine revelation meet. Although I am still sensible there are many things necessary to be spoken to persons under pagan darkness, in order to make way for a proper introduction of the name of Christ, and his undertaking in behalf of fallen man.
SECT. II.
Morality, sobriety, and external duties, promoted by preaching Christ crucified.
It is worthy of remark, secondly, that numbers of these people are brought to a strict compliance with the rules of _morality _and sobriety, and to a conscientious performance of the _external duties _of Christianity, by the _internal _power and influence of divine truths the peculiar doctrine of grace upon their minds; without their having these _moral duties _frequently repeated and inculcated upon them, and the contrary vices particularly exposed and spoken against. What has been the general _strain _and _drift _of my preaching among these Indians; what were the truths I principally insisted upon, and how I was influenced and enabled to dwell from time to time upon the peculiar doctrine of grace; I have already observed in the preceding remarks. Those doctrine, which had the most direct tendency to humble the _fallen _creature, to show him the misery of his _natural _state, to bring him down to the foot of sovereign mercy, and to exalt the great Redeemer discover his transcendent excellency and infinite preciousness, and so to recommend him to the sinner’s acceptance were the subject-matter of what was delivered in public and private to them, and from time to time repeated and inculcated upon them.
And God was pleased to give these divine truths such a powerful influence upon the minds of these people, and so to bless them for the effectual awakening of numbers of them, that their lives were quickly reformed, without my insisting upon the _precepts _of morality, and spending time in repeated harangues upon _external _duties. There was indeed no room for any kind of discourses but those that respected the _essentials _of religion, and the _experimental _knowledge of divine things, whilst there were so many inquiring daily not how they should regulate their _external _conduct, for _that _persons, who are honestly disposed to comply with duty, when known, may, in ordinary cases, be easily satisfied about, but how they should escape from the wrath they feared, and felt a desert of, obtain an effectual change of heart, get an interest in Christ, and come to the enjoyment of eternal blessedness? So that my _great work _still was to lead them into a further view of their _utter undoneness _in themselves, the total depravity and corruption of their hearts; that there was no manner of goodness in them; no good dispositions nor desires; no love to God, nor delight in his commands: but, on the contrary, hatred, enmity, and all manner of wickedness reigning in them: and at the same time to open to them the glorious and complete remedy provided in Christ for helpless, perishing sinners, and offered freely to those who have no goodness of their own, no “works of righteousness which they have done,” to recommend them to God.
This was the continued strain of my preaching; this my great concern and constant endeavour, so to enlighten the mind, as thereby duly to affect the heart, and, as far as possible, give persons a sense and _feeling _of these precious and important doctrine of grace, at least, so far as means might conduce to it. And these were the doctrine, this the method of preaching, which were blessed of God for the awakening, and, I trust, the saving conversion of numbers of souls, and which were made the means of producing a remarkable reformation among the hearers in general.
When these truths were felt at heart, there was now no vice unreformed, no external duty neglected. Drunkenness, the darling vice, was broken off from, and scarce an instance of it known among my hearers for months together. The abusive practice of _husbands _and _wives _in putting away each other, and taking others in their stead, was quickly reformed; so that there are three or four couple who have voluntarily dismissed those they had wrongfully taken, and now live together again in love and peace. The same might be said of all other vicious practices. The reformation was general; and all springing from the _internal _influence of divine truths upon their hearts; and not from any _external _restraints, or because they had heard these vices particularly exposed, and repeatedly spoken against. Some of them I never so much as mentioned; particularly, that of the parting of men and their wives, till some, having their conscience awakened by God’s word, came, and _of their own accord _confessed themselves guilty in that respect. And when I did at any time mention their wicked practices, and the sins they were guilty of contrary to the light of nature, it was not with design, nor indeed with any hope, of working an effectual reformation in their external manners by this means, for I knew, that while the _tree _remained corrupt, the _fruit _would _naturally _be so; but with design to lead them, by observing the wickedness of their lives, to a view of the corruption of their hearts, and so to convince them of the necessity of a renovation of nature, and to excite them with utmost diligence to seek after that great change, which, if once obtained, I was sensible, would of course produce a reformation of external manners in every respect.
And as all vice was reformed upon their _feeling _the power of these truths upon their hearts, so the _external _duties of Christianity were complied with, and conscientiously performed, from the same _internal _influence; family prayer set up, and constantly maintained, unless among some few more lately come, who had felt little of this divine influence. This duty was constantly performed, even in some families where there were none but females, and scarce a prayerless person to be found among near a hundred of them. The Lord’s day was seriously and religiously observed, and care taken by parents to keep their children orderly upon that sacred day, &c. And this, not because I had driven them to the performance of these duties by a frequent inculcating of them, but because they had _felt _the power of God’s word upon their hearts, were made sensible of their sin and misery, and thence could not but pray, and comply with every thing they knew was duty, from what they felt _within _themselves. When their hearts were touched with a sense of their eternal concerns, they could pray with great freedom, as well as fervency, without being at the trouble first to learn _set forms _for that purpose. And some of them who were suddenly awakened at their first coming among us, were brought to pray and cry for mercy with utmost importunity, without ever being instructed in the duty of prayer, or so much as once directed to a performance of it.
The happy effects of these peculiar doctrine of grace, which I have so much insisted upon with this people, plainly discover, even to demonstration, that instead of their opening a door to licentiousness, as many vainly imagine, and slanderously insinuate, they have a direct contrary tendency: so that a close application, a _sense _and _feeling _of them, will have the most powerful influence toward the renovation, and _effectual _reformation, both of heart and life.
And happy experience, as well as the word of God, and the example of Christ and his apostles, has taught me, that the very method of preaching which is best suited to awaken in mankind a sense and lively apprehension of their depravity and misery in a fallen state, to excite them earnestly to seek after a change of heart, and to _fly for refuge _to free and sovereign grace in Christ, as the only hope set before them, is like to be most _successful _toward the reformation of their _external _conduct. I have found that close addresses, and solemn applications of divine truth to the conscience, tend directly to strike death to the root of all vice; while smooth and plausible harangues upon _moral virtues _and external duties, at best are like to do no more than lop off the _branches _of corruption, while the _root _of all vice remains still untouched.
A view of the blessed effect of honest endeavours to bring home divine truths to the conscience, and duly to affect the heart with them, has often minded me of those words of our Lord, (which I have thought might be a proper exhortation for ministers in respect of their treating with others, as well as for persons in general with regard to themselves,) “Cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside may be clean also.” Cleanse, says he, the inside, _that _the outside may be clean. As if he had said, The only effectual way to have the outside clean, is to begin with what is within; and if the fountain be purified, the streams will _naturally _be pure. And most certain it is, if we can awaken in sinners a lively sense of their inward pollution and depravity their need of a change of heart and so engage them to seek after _inward _cleansing, their _external _defilement will _naturally _be cleansed, their vicious ways of _course _be reformed, and their conversation and behaviour become regular.
Now, although I cannot pretend that the reformation among my people does, in every instance, spring from a saving change of heart; yet I may truly say, it flows from some _heart-affecting _view and sense of divine truths that all have had in a greater or less degree. I do not intend, by what I have observed here, to represent the preaching of morality, and pressing persons to the _external _performance of duty, to be altogether unnecessary and useless at any time; and especially at times when there is less of divine power attending the means of grace; when, for want of _internal _influences, there is need of _external _restraints. It is doubtless among the things that “ought to be done,” while “others are not to be left undone.” But what I principally designed by this remark, was to discover plain matter of fact, _viz. _That the reformation, the sobriety, and external compliance with the rules and duties of Christianity, appearing among my people, are not the effect of any _mere _doctrinal instruction, or _merely _rational view of the beauty of morality, but from the internal power and influence that divine truths (the soul-humbling doctrine of grace) have had upon their hearts.
SECT. III.
Continuance, renewal, and quickness of the work.
IT is remarkable, thirdly, that God has so _continued _and _renewed _showers of his grace here: so _quickly _set up his visible kingdom among these people; and so _smiled _upon them in relation to their acquirement of knowledge, both divine and human. It is now near a year since the beginning of this gracious outpouring of the divine Spirit among them: and although it has often seemed to decline and abate for some short space of time as may be observed by several passages of my Journal, where I have endeavoured to note things just as they appeared to me yet the shower has seemed to be renewed, and the work of grace _revived _again. So that a divine influence seems still apparently to attend the means of grace, in a greater or less degree, in most of our meetings for religious exercises; whereby religious persons are refreshed, strengthened, and established, convictions revived and promoted in many instances, and some few persons newly awakened from time to time. Although it must be acknowledged, that for some time past, there has, in the general, appeared a more manifest decline of this work, and the divine Spirit has seemed, in a considerable measure, withdrawn, especially in regard of his _awakening _influence so that the _strangers _who come latterly, are not seized with concern as formerly; and some few who have been much affected with divine truths in time past, now appear less concerned. Yet, blessed be God, there is still an appearance of divine power and grace, a desirable degree of tenderness, religious affection, and devotion in our assemblies.
And as God has continued and renewed the showers of his grace among this people for some time; so he has with uncommon quickness set up his visible kingdom, and gathered himself a church in the midst of them. I have now baptized, since the conclusion of my last Journal, (or the First Part,) thirty persons, _fifteen _adults and _fifteen _children. Which added to the number there mentioned, makes _seventy-seven _persons; whereof _thirty-eight _are adults, and _thirty-nine _children; and all within the space of _eleven _months past. And it must be noted, that I have baptized no adults, but such as appeared to have a work of special grace wrought in their hearts; I mean such who have had the experience not only of the awakening and humbling, but, in a judgment of charity, of the renewing and comforting, influences of the divine Spirit. There are many others under solemn concern for their souls, who (I apprehend) are persons of sufficient knowledge, and visible seriousness, at present, to render them proper subjects of the ordinance of baptism. Yet, since they give no _comfortable evidences _of having as yet passed a saving change, but only appear under convictions of their sin and misery, and having no principle of spiritual life wrought in them, they are liable to lose the impressions of religion they are now under. Considering also, the great propensity there is in this people _naturally _to abuse themselves with strong drink, and fearing lest some, who at present appear serious and concerned for their souls, might lose their concern, and return to _this _sin, and so, if baptized, prove a scandal to their profession, I have therefore thought proper hitherto to omit the baptism of any but such who give some _hopeful _evidences of a saving change, although I do not pretend to determine positively respecting the states of any.
I likewise administered the Lord’s supper to a number of persons, who I have abundant reason to think (as I elsewhere observed) were proper subjects of that ordinance, within the space of _ten months _and _ten days _after my first coming among these Indians in New Jersey. And from the time that, I am informed, some of them were attending an _idolatrous feast _and _sacrifice _in honour to devils, to the time they sat down at the Lord’s table, (I trust,) to the honour of God, was not more than a _full year. _Surely Christ’s little flock here, so suddenly gathered from among pagans, may justly say, in the language of the church of old, “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”
Much of the goodness of God has also appeared in relation to their acquirement of knowledge, both in religion and in the affairs of common life. There has been a wonderful thirst after _Christian knowledge _prevailing among them in general, and an eager desire of being instructed in christian doctrine and manners. This has prompted them to ask many pertinent as well as important questions; the answers to which have tended much to enlighten their minds, and promote their knowledge in divine things. Many of the doctrine I have delivered, they have queried with me about, in order to gain further light and insight into them; particularly the doctrine of predestination: and have from time to time manifested a good understanding of them, by their answers to the questions proposed to them in my catechetical lectures.
They have likewise queried with me, respecting a proper _method _as well as proper _matter _of prayer, and expressions suitable to be used in that religious exercise; and have taken pains in order to the performance of this duty with understanding. They have likewise taken pains, and appeared remarkably apt, in learning to sing psalm tunes, and are now able to sing with a good degree of decency in the worship of God. They have also acquired a considerable degree of useful knowledge in the affairs of common life: so that they now appear like _rational _creatures, fit for human society, free of that savage roughness and brutish stupidity, which rendered them very disagreeable in their pagan state.
They seem ambitious of a thorough acquaintance with the English language, and for that end frequently speak it among themselves; and many of them have made good proficiency in their acquirement of it, since my coming among them; so that most of them can understand a considerable part, and some the substance of my discourses, without an interpreter, (being used to my low and vulgar methods of expression,) though they could not well understand other ministers.
And as they are desirous of instruction, and surprisingly apt in the reception of it, so Divine Providence has smiled upon them in regard of _proper means _in order to it. The attempts made for the procurement of a _school _among them have been succeeded, and a kind Providence has sent them a _schoolmaster _of whom I may justly say, I know of “no man like minded, who will naturally care for their state.” He has generally _thirty _or _thirty-five _children in his school: and when he kept an evening school (as he did while the length of the evenings would admit of it) he had _fifteen _or _twenty _people, married and single.
The children learn with surprising readiness; so that their _master _tells me, he never had an English school that learned, in general, comparably so fast. There were not above _two _in thirty, although some of them were very small, but what learned to know all the _letters _in the _alphabet _distinctly, within three days after his entrance upon his business; and divers in that space of time learned to _spell _considerably: and some of them, since the beginning of February last, In less than five months, viz. from Feb. 1, to June 19. (at which time the school was set up,) have learned so much, that they are able to read in a _Psalter _or Testament, without spelling.
They are instructed twice a week in the Reverend Assembly’s Shorter Catechism,_ viz. _on Wednesday and Saturday. _Some _of them, since the latter end of February, (at which time they began,) have learned to say it pretty distinctly _by heart _considerably more than half through; and _mast _of them have made some proficiency in it.
They are likewise instructed in the duty of secret prayer, and most of them constantly attend it night and morning, and are very careful to inform their master if they apprehend any of their little school-mates neglect that religious exercise.
SECT. IV.
But little appearance of false religion.
It is worthy to be noted, fourthly, to the praise of sovereign grace, that amidst _so great _a work of conviction so much concern and religious affection there has been no prevalency, nor indeed any considerable appearance, of false religion, if I may so term it, or heats of imagination, intemperate zeal, and spiritual pride; which corrupt mixtures too often attend the revival and powerful propagation of religion; and that there have been so very few instances of irregular and scandalous behaviour among those who have appeared serious. I may justly repeat what I observed in a _remark _at the conclusion of my last Journal, That is, the First Part of the Journal. _viz. _That there has been no appearance of “bodily agonies, convulsions, frightful screaming, swoonings,” and the like: and may now further add, that there has been no _prevalency _of visions, trances, and imaginations of any kind; although there has been _some _appearance of something of that nature since the conclusion of that Journal. An instance of which I have given an account of in my Journal of December 26.
But this _work of grace _has, in the main, been carried on with a surprising degree of purity, and freedom from _trash _and corrupt mixture. The religious concern that persons have been under, has generally been _rational _and just; arising from a _sense _of their sins, and exposedness to the divine displeasure on the account of them; as well as their utter inability to deliver themselves from the misery they felt and feared. And if there has been, in any instances, an _appearance _of irrational concern and perturbation of mind, when the subjects of it knew not why, yet there has been no _prevalency _of any such thing; and indeed I scarce know of any instance of that nature at all. And it is very remarkable, that although the concern of many persons under convictions of their perishing state has been very great and pressing, yet I have never seen any thing like _desperation _attending it in any one instance. They have had the most _lively sense _of their _undoneness _in themselves; have been brought to give up _all hopes _of deliverance from themselves; and their spiritual exercises leading hereto, have been attended with great distress and anguish of soul: and yet in the seasons of the greatest extremity, there has been no appearance of _despair _in any of them, nothing that has discouraged, or in any wise hindered, them from the most diligent use of all proper means for their conversion and salvation; whence it is apparent, there is not that danger of persons being driven into despair under spiritual trouble, (unless in cases of deep and habitual melancholy,) that the world in general is ready to imagine.
The _comfort _that persons have obtained after their distresses, has likewise in general appeared solid, well grounded, and scriptural; arising from a spiritual and _supernatural illumination _of mind, a view of divine things in a measure as they are, a complacency of soul in the divine perfections, and a peculiar satisfaction in the _way of salvation _by free _sovereign grace _in the great Redeemer.
Their joys have seemed to rise from a variety of views and considerations of divine things, although for substance the same. Some, who under _conviction _seemed to have the hardest struggles and heart-risings against divine sovereignty, have seemed, at the first dawn of their comfort, to rejoice in a peculiar manner in _that _divine perfection, have been delighted to think that themselves, and all things else, were in the hand of God, and that he would dispose of them “just as he pleased.”
Others, who just before their reception of comfort, have been remarkably oppressed with a sense of their _undoneness _and poverty, who have seen themselves, as it were, falling down into remediless perdition, have been at first more peculiarly delighted with a view of the _freeness _and _riches _of divine grace, and the offer of salvation made to perishing sinners “without money, and without price.”
Some have at first appeared to rejoice especially in the _wisdom _of God, discovered in the way of salvation by Christ; it then appearing to them “a new and living way,” a way they had never thought, nor had any just conception of, until opened to them by the _special _influence of the divine Spirit. And some of them, upon a lively _spiritual _view of this way of salvation, have wondered at their past folly in seeking salvation other ways, and have admired that they never saw _this _way of salvation before, which now appeared so _plain _and easy, as well as _excellent _to them.
Others again have had a more _general _view of the beauty and excellency of Christ, and have had their souls delighted with an apprehension of his divine glory, as unspeakably exceeding _all _they had ever conceived of before; yet without singling out any one of the divine perfections in particular; so that although their comforts have seemed to arise from a _variety _of views and considerations of divine glories, still they were _spiritual _and _supernatural _views of them, and not groundless fancies, that were the spring of their joys and comforts.
Yet it must be acknowledged, that when this work became so _universal _and prevalent, and gained such general credit and esteem among the Indians, that Satan seemed to have little advantage of working against it in his own proper garb; he then _transformed _himself “into an angel of light,” and made some vigorous attempts to introduce turbulent commotions of the passions in the _room _of genuine convictions of sin; imaginary and fanciful notions of Christ, as appearing to the mental eye in a human shape, and being in some particular postures, &c. in the room of _spiritual _and _supernatural _discoveries of his divine glory and excellency; as well as divers other delusions. And I have reason to think, that if these things had met with countenance and encouragement, there would have been a very considerable _harvest _of this kind of _converts _here.
_Spiritual pride _also discovered itself in various instances. Some persons who had been under great affections, seemed very desirous from thence of being thought truly gracious; who when I could not but express to them my fears respecting their spiritual states, discovered their resentments to a considerable degree upon that occasion. There also appeared in _one _or _two _of them an unbecoming ambition of being _teachers _of others. So that _Satan _has been _a busy adversary _here, as well as elsewhere. But blessed be God, though something of this nature has appeared, yet nothing of it has prevailed, nor indeed made any considerable progress at all. My people are now apprised of these things, are made acquainted that _Satan _in such a manner “transformed himself into an angel of light,” in the first season of the great _outpouring _of the divine Spirit in the days of the apostles; and that something of this nature, in a greater or less degree, has attended almost every _revival _and remarkable _propagation _of true religion ever since. And they have learned so to distinguish between the _gold _and dross, that the credit of the latter “is trodden down like the mire of the streets:” and it being natural for this kind of _stuff _to die with its credit, there is now scarce any _appearance _of it among them.
And as there has been no _prevalency _of irregular heats, imaginary notions, spiritual pride, and satanical delusions among my people; so there has been very few instances of _scandalous _and _irregular _behaviour among those who have made a _profession _or even an _appearance _of seriousness. I do not know of more than three or four _such _persons that have been guilty of any open misconduct since their first acquaintance with Christianity, and _not one _that persists in any thing of that nature. And perhaps the remarkable purity of this work in the _latter _respect, its freedom from frequent instances of scandal, is very much owing to its purity in the _former _respect, its freedom from corrupt mixtures of spiritual pride, wild-fire, and delusion, which naturally lay a foundation for scandalous practices.
“ May this blessed work in the power and purity of it prevail among the poor Indians here, as well as spread elsewhere, till their remotest tribes shall see the salvation of God! Amen.” Money collected and expended for the Indians. As mention has been made in the preceding Journal, of an English school erected and continued among these Indians, dependent entirely upon charity: and as collections for defraying other charges that have necessarily arisen in the promotion of the religious interests of the Indians, it may be satisfactory, and perhaps will be thought by some but a piece of justice to the world, that an exact account be here given of the money already received by way of collection for the benefit of the Indians, and the manner in which it has been expended. The following is therefore a just account of this matter:—Money received since October last, by way of public collection, for promoting the religious interests of the Indians in New Jersey, viz. £ s. d. From New York 23 10 2 Jamaica on Long Island 3 Elizabeth-town 7 5 Elizabeth-town farms 1 18 9 Newark 4 5 7 Woodbridge 2 18 2 Morris-town 1 5 3 Freehold 12 11 Freehold Dutch congregation. 4 14 3 Shrewsbury and Shark river 3 5 Middle-town Dutch congregation 2 Carried forward £ 66 13 2 £ s. d. Brought forward 66 13 2 The Dutch congregation in and about New Brunswick 3 5 King’s-town 5 11 Neshaminy, and places adjacent in Pennsylvania 14 5 10 Abington & New Providence, by the hand of The Reverend Mr. Treat 10 5 The whole amounting to £ 100 Money paid out since October last for promoting the religion interests of the Indians in New Jersey, viz. Upon the occasion mentioned in my Journal Of January 28 82 5 For the building of a School-house 3 5 To the schoolmaster as a part of his reward For his present year’s service 17 10 For books for the children to learn in 3 The whole amounting to £ 106 DAVID BRAINERD