NYYM_scrapbook_022

Letter from the Northern Missionary Society to the Indian Committee To the General Meeting of Friends in the City of New York, or such Committee as may have the manajement of missionary concerns Respected Friends The Northern Missionary Society have no pleasure in being under the necessity of communicating to you any improprieties on the part of any of your members, and aspecially of those who, under the patronage of your Society, are employed as missionaries among the Indians. The situation of the poor pagans has been to us for a long time a subject of deep commisseration, and we felt bound by the most impor- tant considerations to ameliorate their condition by every means within our power. The most direct means of accomplishing this was, in our opinion, the sending among them the precious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and affording school-instruction to their children; and this, at a great expence, we have for several years carried into effect, and are happy to believe with considerable success, as it respects many individual Indians. A missiona- ry is to this day supported among the Oniedas under the direction of this society. But we are not alone in feeling for the distresses of these benighted people--their situation has been felt and acknowledged by others and amongst these by the society of Friends; and we sincerely rejoice in every attempt which has been made, or is now making, to give them the habits of industry, sobriety, moral and religious princile. We cannont, therefore, but regret that any thing should have taken place of a character, to say the least of it, so im- prudent, and so contrary to christian meekness and decorum. The opposition made to the discharge of the duties of our missionary was doubtless calculated to weaken the influence of any exertions which can be made either by your society or our own, and of course will be long remembered with great concern. The whole is submitted to the discretion of your society, praying the Great Head of the church to forgive whatever is amiss in the conduct of any of his professed desciples, and to hasten the blessed period, when he will mani- fest the glory of his Kingdom in the universal spread of his religion, and the enlightening of those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Signed by order Samuel Blatchford President of the N Missionary Society William Neill Society Secretary Lansingburgh February 27, 1812