About the time the settlement on the Wabash was begun, Mr. Gambold and one other of the Brethren attempted a mission among the Cherokee Indians. They found many difficulties, but finally succeeded in establishing a school and made some progress in teaching the useful arts to the savages. Mr. Gambold and his wife remain at this station, and the appearance of the children under their care, especially their sweet singing, when they unite to praise God, is spoken of by all who visit them. A mission was likewise attempted by one of the Brethren named Denckc, in 1802, among the Chippeways on lake Erie. But after this missionary had erected a house, made some progress in the language, and suffered many dangers and hardships, he was finally through the opposition of this tribe to the Gospel obliged to quit the station.* In 1804 one of the Brethren left Fairfield in Canada with 36 of the congregation, to establish a settlement at Pequotting near Lake Erie. Soon after they found that the government had sold the lands on which they were to the whites; and they were obliged to remove, after having undergone many hardships during the first winter, which was very severe and tempestuous. They then settled on the Sandusky, began a school for Indian children, and preached to the neighbouring tribes.t In 1807 some of the Brethren undertook a mission to the Creek Indians. They fixed their residence on the river Flint, about sixty miles from Milledgeville, the seat of government in Georgia. Their prospects at first were flattering, but the mission has since been abandoned. Before closing this sketch of the Brethren's labours in North America, we have the disagreeable task of stating a transaction not very honourable to our coun * Period. Acc. Vol. IV. pp. 94, 141. try-the destruction of Fairfield, by the American ar my under General Harrison, in 1813. It seems that the British force, under General Proctor, had been obliged to occupy the chapel and some houses of the Brethren as a hospital for their sick; and the General had offered to buy their houses, furniture, provisions, and every thing they could spare, for the use of his ariny. This state of things led not only the Indian congregation, but the missionaries, to apprehend they should be treated as enemies by the Americans; and accordingly on the occupation of Malden and Detroit by General Harrison, they began to think of retiring from the scene of action. On the fourth of Oc tober they commenced a retreat, the Indians being accompanied by one of the missionaries, Dencke, and his wife. The two other Brethren on this station remain. ed. The same day an engagement took place between the American army, and the English detachment, about a mile and a half from Fairfield. The English were overpowered, and General Proctor escaped with only fifteen soldiers. The Americans then entered the settlement. At first they appeared friendly, and expressed their regret at the Christian Indians' having left the place, as they would have suffered no harm; but they soon began to treat the missionaries with great severity, accusing them of having secreted the king's stores, and English officers. Every house, and trunk, and box, was searched, but nothing found. On the morning of the sixth, a plunder of the settlement was commenced, and the poor missionaries were even obliged to give up the last morsel of bread. Their flour, potatoes, apples, vegetables, honey, and every article of provisions was taken from them. Dur ing the plundering, General Harrison arrived, and the missionary Schnall sought his protection; and petitioned a compensation for what had been taken. This was refused, but he was told the missionaries might leave the place. Commodore Perry however, treated them more politely, called several times at their house. protected them from the lawless soldiery, and procured a passport for them to depart unmolested.* No sooner had the missionaries left the place than it was set on fire. It was wholly consumed. Not even an out house was left standing. The two missionaries proceeded to Detroit, and after a variety of suffering arrived in a destitute condition at Litiz, in Pennsylvania. Dencke, who followed the fugitive congregation, collected them near Lake Ontario'to spend the winter. They built huts for themselves in the woods, a house for the missionary, and a church. Their number was 183, of whom 39 were communicants, and 160 baptized. In the summer, however, they were obliged to remove a short distance from this place on account of its vicincity to the lake, and the superiority of the American fleet. The feelings of the missionary, cut off from all communication with his brethren, and driven about in a wilderness, are thus feelingly depicted by himself. "It is now two years and a half since we received any letter from any of our brethren. We have felt much pain on that account, especially since we have been quite alone with our small brown flock, in a wandering state, on a real pilgrimage; having lost every thing, being driven from house and home, in an unknown part of the country, and moving from one spot to another."† The congregation, however, soon returned to their old settlement, which they rebuilt and called New Fairfield. A chapel was immediately erected and opened September 17, 1815. The Brethren have now three stations among the Indians of North America-Goshen, New Fairfield, and Spring Place. At all of them there are four missionaries. In neither of them is there much of a congregation. What is the total number that have been * Periodical Accounts, Vol. IV. pp. 437–440. baptized, cannot be ascertained. From a register of the congregation, dated 1772, it appears that they then amounted to seven hundred and twenty. As the church books were burnt when the missionaries were taken prisoners on the Muskingum, the number baptized since that period cannot be ascertained; but it has been small. The mission never has recovered from the blow it then received. CHAPTER XI. General view of the Brethren's missions-Unsuccessful attempts Manner of conducting missions-Concluding remarks. We have now sketched the principal missions of the united Brethren. The review of what this feeble band have effected must strike us with astonishment. Their whole number in civilized lands is stated at 16,000. Keeping in mind the smallness of this number, and remembering at the same time that it does not include the rich men of the earth, let us behold at one view the extent of their operations. The following Table exhibits their missions at the latest date we have been able to ascertain them. |