said, 'Lord, it is good to be here,' when thus refreshed with Divine glories. My soul was full of love and tenderness in the duty of intercession; especially of sweet affection to some godly ministers. I prayed earnestly for those I have reason to fear are my enemies; and could not have spoken a word of bitterness, or entertained a bitter thought against the vilest man living. I had a sense of my own great unworthiness. My soul seemed to breathe forth love and praise to God afresh, when I thought he would let his children love and receive me as one of their brethren and fellow-citizens: and when I thought of their treating me in that manner, I longed to lie at their feet; and could think of no way to express the sincerity and simplicity of my love and esteem of them, as being much better than myself. I longed to get on my knees, and ask forgiveness of every body that ever had seen any thing amiss in my past conduct, especially in my religious zeal.

"Lord's day, March 11. I preached from the parable of the sower, had some freedom, affection, and fervency, in addressing my poor people: longing that God should take hold of their hearts, and make them spiritually alive. And indeed I had so much to say to them, that I knew not how to leave off speaking."

The particular method which Mr. Brainerd pursued in conveying instruction to the Indians, will appear from part of a letter which he addressed to Mr. Pemberton: "In my labors with them, "To turn them from darkness to light,' I studied what was most plain and easy, and best suited to their capacities; and endeavored to set before them, from time to time (as they were able to receive

them,) the most important and necessary truths of Christianity: such as most immediately concerned their speedy conversion to God, and such as I judged had the greatest tendency (as means) to effect that glorious change in them. But especially I made it the scope and drift of all my labors, to lead them into a thorough acquaintance with these two things: first, the sinfulness and misery of the estate they were naturally in; the evil of their hearts, the pollution of their natures, the heavy guilt they were under, and their exposedness to everlasting punishment; as also, their utter inability to save themselves, either from their sins, or from those miseries which are the just punishment of them, and their unworthiness of any mercy at the hand of God, on account of any thing they themselves could do, to procure his favor, and, consequently, their extreme need of Christ to save them: and, secondly, I frequently endeavored to open to them the fulness, all-sufficiency, and freeness of that redemption which the Son of God hath wrought out, by his obedience and sufferings for perishing sinners. How this provision he had made was suited to all their wants; and how he called and invited them to accept of everlasting life freely, notwithstanding all their sinfulness, inability, unworthiness, &c. After I had been with the Indians several months, Icomposed sundry forms of prayer, adapted to their circumstances and capacities, which with the help of my interpreter, I translated into the Indian language, and soon learned to pronounce their words, so as to pray with them in their own tongue. I also translated sundry psalms into their language; and soon after, we were able to sing in the worship of God.

"When my people had gained some acquaintance with many of the truths of Christianity, so that they were capable of receiving and understanding many others which, at first, could not be taught them, by reason of their ignorance of those that were necessary to be previously known, and upon which others depended: I then gave them an historical account of God's dealing with his ancient professing people the Jews: some of the rites and ceremonies they were obliged to observe; as their sacrifices, &c. and what these were designed to represent to them: as also some of the surprising miracles God wrought for their salvation, while they trusted on him, and the sore punishments he sometimes brought upon them when they forsook and sinned against him. Afterwards I proceeded to give them a relation of the birth, life, miracles, sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ; as well as his ascension, and the wonderful effusion of the Holy Spirit consequent thereupon.

"And having thus endeavored to prepare the way by such a general account of things, I next proceeded to read and expound to them the Gospel of Matthew (at least the substance of it) in course; wherein they had a more distinct and particular view of what they had before some general notion of. These expositions I attended almost every evening, when there was any considerable number of them at home; except when I was obliged to be absent myself, in order to learn the Indian language with the Rev. Mr. Serjeant. Besides these means of instruction, there was likewise an English school constantly kept by my interpreter, among the Indians, which I used frequently to visit, in order to give the children and young peo

ple some proper instructions, and serious exhortations, suited to their age. The degree of knowl edge, to which some of them attained, was considerable. Many of the truths of Christianity seemed fixed in their minds (especially in some instances;) so that they could speak to me of themselves, and ask such questions about them as were necessary to render them more plain and clear to their understandings.

"The children also, and young people, who attended the school made considerable proficiency (at least some of them) in their learning; so that, had they understood the English language well, they would have been able to read somewhat readily in a psalter. But that which was most of all desirable, and gave me the greatest encouragement, amidst many difficult and disconsolate hours, was, that the truths of God's word seemed, at times, to be attended with some power upon the hearts and consciences of the Indians. And especially this appeared evident in a few instances, who were awakened to some sense of their miserable estate by nature, and appeared solicitous for deliverance from it. Several of them came of their own accord to discourse with me about their soul's concern; and some, with tears, inquired, 'What they should do to be saved!' and 'Whether the God that Christians served would be merciful to those who had been frequently drunk?' &c. And although I cannot say I have satisfactory evidences of their being renewed in the spirit of their minds, and savingly converted to God; yet the Spirit of God did (I apprehend,) in such a manner, attend the means of grace, and so operate upon their minds thereby, as might justly afford matter of encouragement to hope

that God designed good to them, and that he was preparing his way into their souls. There likewise appeared a reformation in the lives and manners of the Indians.

"Their idolatrous sacrifices (of which there was but one or two that I know of, after my coming among them) were wholly laid aside; and their heathenish custom of dancing, hallooing, &c. thus seemed, in a considerable measure, broken off from. And I could. not but hope, that they were reformed, in some measure, from the sin of drunkenness. They likewise manifested a regard to the Lord's day; and not only behaved soberly themselves, but took care also to keep their children in order. Yet, after all, I must confess, that, as there were many hopeful appearances among them, so there were some things more discouraging; and while I rejoiced to observe any seriousness and concern among them about the affairs of their souls, still I was not without continual fear and concern, lest such encouraging appearances might prove, like a 'Morning cloud that passeth away.'”

Mr. Brainerd continued at Kaunaumeek about a year. And as the Indians there were few in number, he persuaded them to remove to Stockbridge, that they might enjoy the benefit of Mr. Serjeant's ministrations: for himself he thought "He might do more service for Christ in a field where he should enjoy full scope for his exertions." His account of his first intimating his intention to his sable flock is affecting. "I informed them (says he) that I expected to leave them in the spring then approaching, and to be sent to another tribe of Indians at a great distance from them. Upon hearing of which they appeared very sorrowful; and