waiting, till the Lord in mercy be pleased to open the door for introducing the gospel among these and other neighbouring heathen nations. But the Brethrens' endeavours to bring the tribes of the north-western Indians over to Chriftianity, have been crowned with better fuccefs. As early as 1740, their first Miffionaries among them had collected a little flock of believing Indians out of the Makikan and Wampanose nations, settled at Shekameka. But it had to thare alfo in the reproaches, yea, even perfecutions, of which Chrift has forwarned his true followers, and it was obliged to become a wandering or moving congregation.

In 1746 it was forced to move into the State of Pennfylvania, fixing its abode for some time in Northampton county. Here thefe believing Indians lived in a little village by themselves, having their Miffionaries and teachers always with them. Many new converts from the Delaware nation, were, in this period, added to their number, forming but one congregation, which ftill con tinued to shift its place of abode, as circumstances required. But in 1757 it was found expedient to divide it, one part of it forming a little village, about a mile from Bethlehem, and the other moving over the blue mountains, on a little river about twenty miles from Nazareth. But when, in 1763, a new war with the favages commenced, they were, by fome white people, groundlessly fufpected of being in league with their favage countrymen. Hereby they were expofed to the greatest dangers; but the government of Pennfylvania took them under protection, and they were, for fafety, all brought to Philadelphia, and there lodged, for fome time, in the barracks; ftill keeping fome of their Miffionaries with them. Peace being reftored, they were, by order of government, tranfported into the Indian territory, at the confluence of the Sufquehannah and Wihilufing. There they built themselves regular villages, named Friedenfhütten (i. e. tents of peace). Many of the wild Indians were here converted unto the Lord Jefus, of whom a part came to live with the believers in this

village, and another went to settle on a place 30 miles higher up the Sufquehannah. But the fix nations felling, in 1768, a large tract of land to the English, in which lay alfo the Indian village Friedenfhütten, it became impoffible for the Indian congregation to ftay any longer there. They left, therefore, their well built village, confifting of 39 good dwelling houfes, befides 10 huts, and moved away in 1772; the whole number of them being increased to more than 200 perfons. They took their course over the Ohic, and fixed themselves on Muskingum river, between lake Erie and the Ohio. There they again built a village, which they called Shoenbrun (in English, a pleasant well). Some time after, a great part of the other Indian congregation alfo, went from Friedenstadt (the name they had given their village, fignifying city of peace) to the Mufkingum, and built a fettlement about 10 miles below Shoenbrun, which they called Madenhütten (in English, tents of grace). Here the Miffionaries had a fine opportunity to preach the gofpel to the Shawanese alfo, and other Indian tribes, of whom a good many were converted; and in 1780, a third fettlement, about five miles below Madenhütten, was made, and called Salem. All these three fettlements were in a flourishing condition from without and within, till during the late American revolution. In 1781 they were deftroyed by a party of Indian warriors. The Indians, with their Miffionaries, were carried to Sandusky creek, where they fuffered great diftrefs, while fome of their Miffionaries were kept as prifoners at Fort Detroit, but after examination were released. Befides, they had to endure a great famine; and, moreover, when, in 1782, a confiderable number of the Indians went to the river Mufkingum, to look among their deferted fettlements for provifions, they were furprized by a troop of volunteers, who made them prifoners, and the next day murdered them all, in number 96 men, women and children, after they had time given them to prepare themselves, in a chriftian-like manner, to meet death. The account of this melancholy event, caufed inconceivable grief and

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terror to the remaining Indian congregation at Sandusky. Harraffed thus on all fides, and full of fear as to what might yet come upon them, they refolved to difperfe, and put a period for fome time to the exiftence of the congregation. One part of them went into the country of the Shawanese, and the reft ftaid fome time in the neighbourhood of Pipeftown. As to their Miffionaries, who had been carried to Detroit, the Governor gave them liberty to return to Bethlehem; but they refolved, from motives of duty and affection, to use their utmost exertions, to gather, by degrees, their fcattered flock. With this view they took fteps to form a new fettlement, and to invite the believing Indians to return to them. With the approbation of the Governor, a spot, about 30 miles from Detroit, on the river Huron, was fixed upon for that purpose, and a beginning made. The greater part of the believing Indians flocked thither. In a few years it became a well regulated chriftian village, though they had to experience various trials and difficulties. The pleafing and peaceful internal ftate of the miffion rendered the year 1785, in particular, a period of joy and confolation. The daily worship of the congregation went on unmolested; the public and private difcourfes of the Miffionaries were full of comfort and inftruction, by which the growth of the Indians, in the knowledge of Jefus Chrift and of themselves, was greatly promoted. It was alfo remarkable to them for this reason, that the Miffionaries received undoubted information of Congrefs having reserved the district belonging to the three fettlements of the Chriftian Indians on the Mufkingum, to be meafured out and given to them, which caufed univerfal joy alfo in the Indian congregation, and it was refolved to return to the Muskingum, which, however, could not be effected fooner than in fpring 1786, when they croffed Lake Erie, landed at the mouth of the river Cayahaga, continued their journey up that river till they arrived at an old forfaken Indian town, about 140 miles diftant from Pittsburgh, Here they refolved to

fpend the fummer, therefore built huts, cleared the ground for plantations, and regulated their daily worfhip in the ufual manner, &c. and God bleffed their labours. Nor did the Miffionaries omit to fend fome meffengers to the difperfed Chriftian Indians, 'admonishing them not to lofe their courage, but to return and join their brethren. Congrefs had likewise sent a written order, to acquaint the Indians, that it had given government much fatisfaction, to hear of their return into the territory of the United States on this fide of Lake Erie; that they had leave to go back to their former settlements on the river Muskingum, where they might be affured of the friendship and protection of government; and that immediately upon their arrival 500 bushels of Indian corn fhould be given them from the public magazines on the Ohio, with other neceffaries of life. This kind promife was accepted by the Chriftian Indians with great gratitude, and they rejoiced in the profpect of taking poffeffion of their own land on the Mufkingum. However, the Indian nations having refolved, in a great council, in 1787, to carry on again a war with the United States, it was likewife fixed upon by them, that if the Chriftian Indians would not, of their own accord, give up the idea of returning to the Muskingum (for the Indian chiefs, and particularly thofe of the Delawares, were very much against the Chriftian Indians returning to Muskingum, and did all they could to annihilate the whole miffion to their nations), they should be obliged to do it by force, and that the Miffionaries fhould not be taken prifoners, but killed, in order, at once, to put an end to the miffion. When the account of these refolutions was brought to the Chriftian Indians, the Miffionaries comforted their congregation, by representing to them, in the most foothing terms, that though they might reafonably expect feveral heavy troubles, yet they might reft affured, that their firm and child-like confidence in the Lord would not be put to shame. It had so salutary an effect, that the course of the congregation became peaceful and edifying.

The repeated threats, however, of the favages, on the one hand, who infifted on their removal to fome other country, and the advice of the United States on the other, to ftay, for the prefent, at the Cayahaga, tended still to diftrels the Indian Brethren, efpecially as their own in-4 clination was fixed to return to the Mufkingum. The Miffionaries, thinking it their duty to facrifice every other confideration to the welfare and fafety of their flock, took all thefe circumftances into confideration, and, after mature deliberation, refolved to propose to their Indians, that they fhould give up all thoughts of returning to the Mufkingum for the prefent; but, at the fame time, not to remain on the Cayahaga, but rather feek to find some spot between that river and Pettquatting, where they might procure a peaceable, and safe retreat. This propofal was folemnly accepted by the whole congregation, and fome Indian Brethren difpatched to feek a place for a new fettlement, who alfo found one much to their mind. Accordingly, the whole con gregation, with their Miffionaries, moved away in two parties, and in five or fix days arrived at the place fixed upon, about a league from Lake Erie, and there they formed a camp. They found it an exceeding pleafant and fruitful country, and were much rejoiced at it. However, their joy was of short duration; for a few days after a Delaware Captain arrived at their camp, and informed them, that they should not remain in this place, but live with them at Sandufky. Difagreeable as this meffage was to the Indians, yet, after many ferious deliberations, they and the Miffionaries could not but refolve to fubmit to the will of the chiefs; and two more Miffionaries having come to ftay with them from Bethlehem, the whole congregation moved to fettle near Pittquotting: they found an uninhabited place fituated on a river, called alfo Huron, which empties itself into the lake at Pittquotting. Here they made plantations on the east, and their dwelling-houfes on the west fide of the river. A larger number of heathen Indians at tended their public worship here than at Cayahaga, and VOL. I. No. 5. F