1780s-1850s: Early Republic Archives - Page 37 of 40

Benjamin Rush Personal Bible Study

Founding Father Benjamin Rush’s handwritten personal Bible study booklet entitled “References to Texts of Scriptures Related to Each Other Upon Particular Subjects.” In it he listed scriptures under various topics and wrote his own notes on those scriptures. We have included excerpts of the booklet below.

Booklet Cover

Rush recorded three pages of scriptures and notes regarding
“Atonement”

“Universal Salvation”

Rush cataloged scriptures such as Exodus 32:11-12; Romans
5:3-4; Isaiah 49:6,8-9; Matthew 15:13; etc. under the title “Universal Salvation”

“Objects of Prayer” & “Influences
of Religion on Family Prosperity”

Rush’s notes on scripture passages related to prayer and
God’s blessings (Note: nail used in book seam)

“Kindness to Strangers”

Rush lists Leviticus 19:33, Exodus 12:49, Deuteronomy 23:7
and other verses under the heading “Kindness to Strangers”

“Efficacy of Prayer”

Rush’s scriptures on the effectiveness of prayer include
Genesis chapter 18 and 21:17 & 21.

Benjamin Rush

(1745-1813) Rush was a physician, educator, philanthropist, and statesman. He graduated from Princeton (1760) and then studied medicine in Philadelphia, Edinburgh, London, and Paris. He served in the Continental Congress (1776-77) and signed the Declaration of Independence (1776). Rush also: suggested to Thomas Paine that he write Common Sense (1776) and supplied the title for it as well as helped publish it; was Surgeon-General of the Continental Army (1777-78); and was one of the founders of Dickinson College (1783). He was an influential delegate to the State ratification convention for the federal Constitution (1787), and along with James Wilson, one of the principal coauthors of the Pennsylvania constitution (1789-90). Rush served as Treasurer of the U. S. Mint under Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison (1797-1813). He mediated a reconciliation between long time political rivals John Adams and Thomas Jefferson; was a founder of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery (1774) and its president; founder and Vice-president of the Philadelphia Bible Society (1808-13); member of the First Day Society of Philadelphia (1790); and a member of the Abolition Society (1794-97). Benjamin Rush is called the “Father of American Medicine” for his numerous medical discoveries.

Sermon – Church and Country – 1891

This address was given by a Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, William Stevens Perry (1832-1898), on May 19, 1891.

THE CHURCH AND THE COUNTRY.

FROM THE ADDRESS TO THE CONVENTION OF THE DIOCESE OF IOWA,
MAY 19, 1891, BY WILLIAM STEVENS PERRY, BISHOP.

Most gratifying to me and most encouraging are the evidences apparent on every side that the clergy generally are seeking in every legitimate way to make the influence of the Church felt on every side. The historic position of the clergyman of the Church is indicated in the old-time word applied to him as the “parson”—the “person” of the community where he dwells; the one interested in each one’s welfare; the one, above all other men, laboring for everybody’s temporal and spiritual good. One and another may voluntarily withdraw themselves from the direct influence of the Priest of God, but he is still the person to minister in spiritual things to all who do not thus refuse his kindly offices—his ministrations of grace. This conception of priestly position, privilege, and duty will make the priest of our smallest mission the ever-widening centre of spiritual usefulness for good to all men. The highways and byways are certainly open to us, and they will be found to contain numbers who will gladly respond to our efforts for their spiritual good. I like that homely old English word, “parson,” and that grander, nobler word—the connecting link of the two dispensations—priest. Let the priest by broad sympathies, by active labor, by caring for more than the little circle of avowed parishioners, and by striving to reach every soul within his reach, acquaint all within his influence of his purpose and his place, and the Church will redeem John Wesley’s watchword. “The world is my parish,” and that part of the world in and about one’s parish will become the theatre of an aggressive work for Christ which God will own and men will recognize and bless. It is a pitiful idea of the priestly vocation and the priestly commission that leads one to confine his ministrations solely to those who contribute to his support. By the terms of his ordination he is not only “to feed and provide for the Lord’s family,” but also “to seek for Christ’s sheep that are dispersed abroad, and for His children who are in the midst of this naughty world, that they may be saved through Christ forever.”

As a Bishop of a Church whose history runs parallel with that of our country; whose priests, first of all ministers of religion, held the services and administered the sacraments of Holy Church in the tongue of our English fathers on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; whose Bishops, clergy and members were foremost in the work of colonization; whose “missioners” numbered among their most noted names those of Francis Fletcher, the first priest officiating on the soil of California, Richard Seymour the first priest of New England, Robert Hunt the first priest of Virginia; and later those of Whitefield the great evangelist, the Wesley’s, John and Charles, the preacher and poet of Methodism, each laboring for Christ and His Church in Georgia; and Thomas Thompson of New Jersey the first missionary from this country to Africa; and countless others like minded; whose also was the first convert to Christ in Holy Baptism of the aborigines in Raleigh’s ill-starred colony at Roanoke in 1587; whose cross-topped Church built at Fort St. George in 1607, was the first place of Christian worship erected on the coast stretching from Maine to Georgia, thirteen years before the Puritans landed at Plymouth; whose member and ministers founded the first American University, that of Henrico, Virginia, and the first free school, at Charles City in the same colony; whose baptized members furnished two-thirds of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a majority of the framers of the federal Constitution; which gave us our Washington and the most distinguished of the patriots who, in the halls of Congress or on the battle-field, won for us our independence;–I cannot fail to call the attention of clergy and laity to the importance of inculcating at fitting times and under suitable circumstances the Christian duty of patriotism. We at the present juncture of national affairs, need to be reminded that, as citizens of the United States of America, we owe our country’s first discovery and settlement—our very nationality—not to Columbus and Spain and Rome, but to Cabot and England and to England’s Church. The close connection of the Church of England with our colonization and development is now established as an historic fact. The strife for the possession of the empire of the Western World was waged from the start between the Anglican and the Roman communions. Through the papal bull meted out the New World to Spain to hold as a fief of the Roman See, the Church, the Crown, the Commonwealth of England recognized no peace with Spain beyond the line—the line of demarcation beyond which Spain was to have absolute and undisputed rule. The rival communions, Anglican and Roman, were each successful in securing a moiety of the New World, but the territory we as a nation occupy was claimed and planted by England, and not by Spain or France. We may thank God that our nationality was thus based on Magna Charta, on the English Constitution, on the English common law, on the English Bible, and on the English Book of Common Prayer. Mexico and the Latin republics of the South American states may date their origin and their faith from Spain and Rome. We are the sons of Anglo-Saxon sires. Our fathers at the Revolution fought for their rights as free-born Englishmen—rights which would not have been ours by inheritance or possession had not the mother land of England successfully resisted the Spanish attempts to monopolize the Western World, and the mother Church of England sent the priest with her people and supplied the word of God and the Church’s prayers wherever her baptized children went. True as it is that in a land such as ours no state establishment of religion is either practicable or desirable, but still the fact that our communion alone is spoken of as the American Church; and that we alone, by reason of our occupancy of all sections of our beloved country; by our historic connection with the Nation’s past; by the close similarity of our general ecclesiastical constitution with that which our fathers—Churchmen as well as patriots—established for the land; and by our recognition, in prayers and offices from the very first, of “the powers that be” as “ordained of God,” shows that we are each day growing more and more worthy of our claim to be called the American Church, and to be in truth the American Catholic Church. In view of the duty so specially ours of recognizing the authority under which we live, I would urge upon my reverend brethren of the clergy, and upon the laity as well, the duty of seeking to be in touch with everything national and patriotic. Gladly would I see over every Church in Iowa, under the cross, the flag of the republic floating from spire or tower, telling of our love for country as the cross uplifted tells of our grateful recognition of the emblem of our salvation. We should not as Churchmen be a whit behind any in our patriotism; teaching its lessons in our Sunday Schools, from our pulpits, in our every-day speech. The American idea should dispossess all other ideas so far as true politics, the common weal of the commonwealth, are concerned. The love of country will, if awakened, encouraged, and developed, dominate partisanship and make us better citizens and men. We need and we should countenance in this land no organizations of Englishmen, of Scotchmen, Welshman, Irishmen, Scandinavians, Germans, French, or Italians associated for the furtherance of un-American purposes or ideas. Much less should we consent to the growth amongst us of secret tribunals with their crimes and assassinations, or the organization of men of foreign birth and sympathies trained to the use of arms. We must recognize no flag but the Stars and Stripes. Our liberties are endangered, even before we are aware, by this banding together of foreigners, who seek an asylum and a support in our free land that they may the better carry on their schemes of interference with other nations. For God and native land may well be our motto! If we are true to our country’s needs, if true to our Christian faith, we may make this land of ours “God’s noblest offspring,” even though it be the last.

Philadelphia Bible Society Constitution

The Philadelphia Bible Society, America’s first Bible society, was officially organized on December 12, 1808. Rev. Dr. William White was president of the society and Declaration signer Benjamin Rush was a vice president. By 1816, 121 more Bible societies had been started across the nation.

Below, from WallBuilders’ Collection, is the Philadelphia Bible Society constitution, published in 1809. See also this title page from the first Bible printed by the Philadelphia Bible Society.

Thomas Jefferson Document

Following is an original document in our possession, signed by Thomas Jefferson on September 24, 1807. This document is permission for a ship called the Herschel to proceed on its journey to the port of London. The interesting characteristic of this document is the use of the phrase “in the year of our Lord Christ.” Many official documents say “in the year of our Lord,” but we have found very few that include the word “Christ.” However, this is the explicitly Christian language that President Thomas Jefferson chose to use in official public presidential documents.

Benjamin Rush Letter to Elisha Boudinot

Below is a letter that WallBuilders came across from Benjamin Rush (Declaration signer) to Elisha Boudinot, brother of Founding Father Elias Boudinot. Rush wrote this letter on September 8, 1797 in condolence for the loss of Elisha’s wife. Notice the specifically religious content in this letter.

benjamin-rush-letter-to-elisha-boudinot-2

Philad. September 8^th. 1797.

My dear Sir:

Permit me to join in the general sympathy your late bereavement has excited in the breasts of all your friends. “Is Dr. Mather still in the land of the living” said one of his friends who inquired after him at his door in his last illness. “No (said the aged saint who overheard the inquiry) he is in the land of the dead, but he is going to the land of the living.” Yes – my dear friend, we live among the dead; and in a valley of human bones. Every newspaper we pick up is an obituary of departed friends, or fellow citizens. At the present awful moment, the passing hearse, the shut up houses, and the silent streets of our city, all proclaim that we are made of the dust, & that we are doomed to return to it. But let us not complain as those who have no hope. The grave shall ere long be robbed of its prey. Even Hell itself shall give up its prisoners. The Conquests & Grace of Jesus Christ extend to the utmost limits of fire & misery, & all all shall in due time be made to partake of the benefits of this infinite Atonement. Your late excellent consort will I doubt not be among the first fruits of his glorious resurrection. Let those considerations comfort you under your present affliction. My dear Mrs. Rush shares deeply in your grief, and joins with me in respectful & affectionate [comfor^ts] to your aged and afflicted parents Mr. & Mrs. Smith. She joins likewise in love to all the children with my D^r Sir your sincere friend.

Benjm Rush

PS: The fever increases, but it is confined chiefly to one part of the city. I have hitherto been preserved, except from a light attack of it, which confined me but one day. “Brethren pray for us.” – Mrs. Bradford continues to mend but slowly.

Jacob Broom Letter

Jacob Broom (1752-1810) was a farmer, surveyor, businessman, public official, and philanthropist. He prepared military maps for General George Washington prior to the Battle of Brandywine (1777) and held numerous local political positions throughout his life. Broom was member of the Delaware legislature (1784-86, 1788); and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention where he signed the federal Constitution (1787). He is probably one of the least known signers of the Constitution.

In this letter, Jacob expresses fatherly pride and reminds his son James to remember what he had been taught and “be a Christian”:

This is the text of Jacob Broom’s letter:

Wilmington Feb. 24,1794
Dear James,
I recd.[received] your favor of the 27th ulti [last] & am well pleased at the sentiments expressed – whilst you go on, having your own approbation you have nothing to fear – I flatter myself you will be what I wish but don’t be so much flattered as to relax of your application – don’t forget to be a Christian, I have said much to you on this head [topic of discourse] & I hope an indelible impression is made –
Tell Mr. Harrison that I shall attend to his request, very soon – I am & have been very much engaged for some time past; being about to establish a Cotton Manufactory at this place – it is an arduous undertaking for an individual; but I hope to accomplish it – I have bought a valuable plantation on B. Wine and have secured a Mill seat [site] where I intend building (the ensuing summer) a Cotton Mill to spin part of the stuff [note: Broom built the first cotton mill at Brandywine in 1795 near Wilmington, DE] –
Your mamma, sisters & brothers are well & so is J.S. Littler – they join with me in love to you –
I expected sir now to receive another letter from you –
I have sold my Mercht.[Merchant] Mill & Plantations in Kent for 25,000 I am improving my other seat there – all this is nothing without economy, industry & the blessing of Heaven – I am building another Mill there –
I am, in haste yours affectionately
Jaco Broom
P.S. when will be your vacation? Your sister Nancy wishes to see you as soon as that shall take place –

Samuel Chase Document

Following the adoption of the US Constitution, all naturalizations were performed according to federal law. But since the fledgling government was still establishing its systems, Congress authorized local courts to handle such matters. A 1790 Congressional act granted the administration of naturalization to any common law court of record. The states continued to play a role until the early twentieth century when the naturalization process moved to full federal control under the Basic Naturalization Act of 1906.

The 1790 Act provided that, “any alien, being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof, on application to any common law court of record, in any one of the states wherein he shall have resided for the term of one year at least, and making proof to the satisfaction of such court, that he is a person of good character, and taking the oath or affirmation prescribed by law, to ‘support the constitution of the United States.’”¹ Added to this, Maryland law required that any person wishing to become a citizen of the state must “repeat and subscribe a declaration of his belief in the Christian religion.”²

As chief justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland, Samuel Chase was responsible to certify the naturalization oaths by affixing his testimonium clause.

Chase (1741-1811) was a member of the Continental Congress from Maryland where he signed the Declaration of Independence. He served as the chief justice of the criminal court of Baltimore starting in 1788 and later became the chief justice of the state of Maryland. President Washington appointed him to the US Supreme Court in 1796.

Document Signed, Samuel Chase, August 17, 1793, Baltimore, Maryland

[Transcript]

Maryland,
I Samuel Chase, Chief Judge of the State of Maryland, do hereby certify all whom it may concern, that on the Seventeenth Day of August in the Year One Thousand Seve Hundred and n\ Ninety-three, personally appeared before me, Leon Changeuv [uncertain] and did repeat and subscribe a Declaration of his Belief in the Christian Religion, and the Oath required by the Act of Assembly of this State, entitled, “An Act for Naturalization.” In Testimony of the Truth hereof, I the said SAMUEL CHASE, have hereunto put my Hand, at Baltimore Tonn, I the said State of Maryland, the Day and Year above mentioned.
Samuel Chase

[Reverse]

State of Maryland
Baltimore County, to wit
I George Pheeports, Notary Public by lawful authority commissioned and sworn, dwelling in Baltimore Town in the County and State aforesaid, Do hereby Certify Declare and make known, that the name, Samuel, subscribed to the within Certificate is the own proper Hand writing of the Honorable Samuel Chase, Esquire, and that the said Samuel Chase at the time he subscribed his name to the said Certificate was lawfully and duly appointed commissioned and qualified as Chief Judge of the said State of Maryland and that full Faith and Credit is and ought to be given to any acts by him done, as well in courts of Justice as thereout.
>In Faith and Testimony whereof I the said Notary have hereunto set my Hand and offered my Seal Notarial, on this Twenty-first Day of August in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.
Geo Pheeports, Noty Pubc
Of Balt County

Endnotes

¹ An Act to Establish an Uniform Rule of Neuralization, March 26, 1790, 103

² An Act for Naturalization, July, 1779 printed in the Maryland Gazette, April 4, 1793.

A Defence of the Use of the Bible in Schools

The following is part of the transcript from a letter written in 1791, which was published by the American Tract Society in 1830. To purchase the whole text of Dr. Rush’s letter, see The Bible in Schools pamphlet that can be found in the WallBuilders store.

Dear Sir:
It is now several months since I promised to give you my reasons for preferring the Bible as a schoolbook to all other compositions. Before I state my arguments, I shall assume the five following propositions:

That Christianity is the only true and perfect religion; and that in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obey its precepts they will be wise and happy.
That a better knowledge of this religion is to be acquired by reading the Bible than in any other way.
That the Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world.
That knowledge is most durable, and religious instruction most useful, when imparted in early life.
That the Bible, when not read in schools, is seldom read in any subsequent period of life.

My arguments in favor of the use of the Bible as a schoolbook are founded,
I. In the constitution of the human mind.

The memory is the first faculty which opens in the minds of children. Of how much consequence, then, must it be to impress it with the great truths of Christianity, before it is preoccupied with less interesting subjects.
There is a peculiar aptitude in the minds of children for religious knowledge. I have constantly found them, in the first six or seven years of their lives, more inquisitive upon religious subjects than upon any others. And an ingenious instructor of youth has informed me that he has found young children more capable of receiving just ideas upon the most difficult tenets of religion than upon the most simple branches of human knowledge. It would be strange if it were otherwise, for God creates all His means to suit His ends. There must, of course, be a fitness between the human mind and the truths which are essential to it happiness.
The influence of early impressions is very great upon subsequent life; and in a world where false prejudices do so much mischief, it would discover great weakness not to oppose them by such as are true. I grant that many men have rejected the impressions derived from the Bible; but how much soever these impressions may have been despised, I believe no man was ever early instructed in the truths of the Bible without having been made wiser or better by the early operation of these impressions upon his mind. Every just principle that is to be found in the writings of Voltaire is borrowed from the Bible; and the morality of Deists, which has been so much admired and praised where it has existed, has been, I believe, in most cases, the effect of habits produced by early instruction in the principles of Christianity.
We are subject, by a general law of our natures, to what is called habit. Now, if the study of the Scriptures be necessary to our happiness at any time of our life, the sooner we begin to read them, the more we shall probably be attached to them; for it is peculiar to all the acts of habit, to become easy, strong, and agreeable by repetition.

For the whole text of Dr. Rush’s letter, see the WallBuilders store to purchase the The Bible in Schools pamphlet.

Election Sermon

At the time of the Founders, it was a common practice for ministers to preach “Election Sermons,” and it was very common for a clergyman to be invited to give a sermon before the newly-elected government officials. This 1790 election sermon by Rev. Daniel Foster was given before the Massachusetts Governor (John Hancock), Lieutenant-Governor (Samuel Adams), and both houses of Legislature. Rev. Foster admonished these elected officials using Proverbs 8:16 (By Me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth), and encouraged them to govern according to God’s ways. (For the full text of Foster’s Election Sermon click here.)

This is the text on the cover of the Election Sermon:

A
S E R M O N

PREACHED BEFORE

His Excellency JOHN HANCOCK, Esq.
GOVERNOUR;

His Honor SAMUEL ADAMS, Esq.
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOUR;

The Honourable The

COUNCIL, SENATE, and HOUSE of

REPRESENTATIVES,

Of The

C O M M O N W E A L T H
of

M A S S A C H U S E T T S

MAY 26, 1790.

BEING THE DAY OF

GENERAL ELECTION

By DANIEL FOSTER, A.M.
PASTOR of the CHURCH in NEW BRAINTREE

BOSTON, Massachusetts:

PRINTED BY THOMAS ADAMS,
PRINTER to the HONOURABLE, the GENERAL COURT

M,DCC,XC

John Hancock (1737-93) was a soldier, public official and Harvard graduate(1754). He served several terms as a Selectman of Boston; member of the Provincial Legislature (1766-72); member of the Continental Congress (1774-78) where he was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and President of Congress (1774-77); He was a Senior Major-General of the Massachusetts Militia (1778); a delegate to the State constitutional convention (1779); and Governor of Massachusetts (1780-85, 1787-93).

Samuel Adams (1722-1803) was a leader in the opposition to the acts by British Parliament which precipitated the American Revolution (1765-76); formed Boston’s Committee of Correspondence (1772); was a member of the Continental Congress (1774-81) where he signed the Declaration of Independence (1776); and helped draft the Articles of Confederation (1777); He served as president of the Massachusetts senate (1781); Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts (1789-94); and Governor of Massachusetts (1794-97). He is called both the “Firebrand of the Revolution” and “The Father of the American Revolution” for his important leadership in the cause of American independence.

John Hancock – A Brief – 1788

This is a brief issued by Governor John Hancock on June 20, 1788. It includes his request for the people of Massachusetts “to contribute to their abilities, in money, public securities or other property” to the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North-America who had originally requested a brief be issued. The transcript below has been changed to reflect modern spelling and grammar.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

By His EXCELLENCY

JOHN HANCOCK, Esquire,

Governour of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

A Brief.

The society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North-America, lately incorporated by an Act of this Commonwealth, having requested and petitioned that a Brief should be issued to make collections in the several Religious Societies for these important purposes, which request was complied with by the General Assembly:

I DO THEREFORE, in pursuance of the recommendation of the said General Assembly, and with the Advice of Council, hereby earnestly recommend to the good people of this Commonwealth, to contribute to their abilities, in money, public securities or other property, to this benevolent design, a design which early employed the attention of our venerable fore-fathers. I do request that all money or other property collected, may be paid into the hands of JONATHAN MASON, Esq. Treasurer of the said Society, as a fund to be employed the Society for the purpose of propagating the knowledge of the Gospel among the Indians and others in America, and furnishing the means of religious instruction to those places in this Commonwealth, which are now destitute of the same.
And I do further request the Ministers of the several religious Societies within this Commonwealth to read this Brief to their respective Congregations, upon the first Lord’s day after they shall receive the same, and to propose a collection on the Lord’s day next following.

GIVEN under my Hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth aforesaid, this Twentieth day of June, Anno Domini, 1788, and in the Twelfth Year of the Independence of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

JOHN HANCOCK.

By his Excellency’s Command,
With the Advice and Consent of the Council,
JOHN AVERY, jun. Secretary.

To the Honorable the Senate and the Honorable House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North-
America, beg leave to show, That one design of our venerable Fathers in emigrating to this land, was professedly to extend the knowledge of our Glorious Redeemer among the Savage Natives; that this design was expressed and enjoined under both the charters, granted by the parent state to this Colony, and is, in the opinion of the Society, necessary and suitable at all times to be pursued, by a people who profess Christianity.

That the end for which this Society was instituted by the Legislature, was to attend to this important circumstance, and prove to the European World, who are at a great expense in pursing this object among us, that we were not inattentive to it. It is the desire, the design, and the ambition of the Society, to pursue the ends and purposes for which they were incorporated.

The want of Funds alone prevents them from exerting themselves in propagating the Gospel among the Indians, and extending the means of Christian knowledge among those of the inhabitants of this land, who are now destitute of them.

They humbly request your Honors, to recommend to his Excellency the Governor, to issue a Brief to be read in all the Churches of this Commonwealth, requesting the said of all piously disposed persons, in carrying on this truly benevolent design, and asking their contributions, in Specie, Public Securities, or any other property, to enable the said Society to send the knowledge of our Glorious Redeemer, among those who are now perishing for lack of vision, and to extend the means of instruction to our fellow citizens in the eastern and other parts of the State, who are now destitute of them.

The Society are not insensible of the difficulties and embarrassments of the present day, and they are sorry to ask the aid of their fellow citizens at a time so distressing, but they cannot be easy to remain any longer inactive from pursuing the great objects of their appointment. The collections upon this occasion will be free, and they do not wish them to be so large as to cause distress to any. A mite thrown into the Treasury of the Society by every individual in the State, would amount to a large sum, and would enable them to publish the glad tidings of great joy, among those who are now sitting in darkness and in the region of the shadow of Death.

Your Honors will pardon the Society for addressing you on this occasion, and requesting this favor at your hands; they can scarcely suppose, however, an apology to be necessary for applying to Christian Rulers, upon a subject which relates so immediately to the honor of the Author and Finisher of our Faith. Your Honors will be pleased to observe, that the Society are not asking a favor for themselves, but are supplicating for those, who now suffer in their best interest: They are beseeching your Honors to pursue a design of which our venerable Fathers never lost sight, and to do what may be highly acceptable to that Being, upon whom the welfare of States and Empires essentially depends.

They take the liberty to observe, that the peace and harmony which prevailed in general between the Indians bordering on the northern States of the Union, and the citizens thereof, during the late war, may in a good measure be attributed to the exertions of the Missionaries who were supported among them: And that perhaps it may not now be an object of less political consequence, to continue and encourage their exertions; as the British are practicing every art to induce the Indians to retire from among us, into the more interior parts of the continent, that they may secure to themselves exclusively the benefits of the fur trade, and their alliance in any further rupture.

The Society cannot doubt the attention of the Honorable Court to a subject so important; they hope for a compliance with their request, and as in duty bound shall ever pray.

FRANCIS DANA, ⎬ In the name and by order of the Society.
EDWARD WIGGLESWORTH, ⎬ [In the name and by order of the Society.]
PETER THACHER, ⎬ [In the name and by order of the Society.]

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Era or Event: 1780s-1850s: Early Republic