him to call on us as frequently as he could and we would instruct him. He called on us frequently, manifested a great desire to learn, and made some progress. At one time while he was attempting to sing some of the Indians came in, accosting him: "What! You think you can sing?" He answered, "God allows it; if he pleases can help me; I shall not be bashful." For two weeks he stood alone, with increasing anxiety. Then two or three others manifested a desire to sing. I informed them that in singing we were a great assistance to each other. If they desired to sing we would appoint a season for that purpose, when all desirous to learn could attend. We appointed Wednesday evening. All our nine young men attended. We taught them until late in the evening, then left them in the schoolhouse, but they were too engaged to sleep; they sung at intervals all night.*

The singing excited a great interest. Our Wednesday

*It was perhaps of this same young convert that Mr. Hyde wrote as follows, Dec., 1819, to the Juvenile Charitable Society in Lenox, Mass.:

"Tonnawanta, a Seneca village, thirty miles from Buffalo, had been the headquarters of opposition. A young man of this village was among the first nine who publicly embraced Christianity. During three months' instruction, which he received at Buffalo, he made progress, in religious knowledge, and in sacred music, of which Indians are extremely fond, and admirable performers. He then returned to Tonnawanta, carrying with him a hymn-book in his native language. These hymns he sang to his neighbors, and became the open advocate of Christianity. Though opposed and ridiculed, he remained steadfast, and persevered. Success followed. In a few months eleven young men had renounced paganism, and determined to listen to the word of God, and to obey its precepts. These twelve met frequently for the purpose of singing hymns, and for religious conversation. This alarmed the chiefs, who complained that these young men 'were filling Tonnawanta with their doctrine.' A council of the people was called, and the young men entreated and admonished to renounce their new religion. When they found entreaties and admonitions vain, they 'commanded them to desist from advocating Christianity, and singing Christian hymns.' The young men, one excepted, who drew back and left his companions, said firmly, 'We shall not obey you in this thing.' The chiefs then commanded them to 'leave the Reservation and go to Buffalo, where such things were allowed, and not remain to disturb their village with their new and wicked ways.' The young men refused to go, and to leave their possessions, saying, 'You can take our lives; but you need not expect us to renounce the Gospel of Jesus Christ.' The effects of this persecution, on the one hand, and of the firmness and patience in resisting and bearing it, on the other, have been such as might be expected; converts to civilization and Christianity have been multiplied." About this time twenty-four Senecas removed from Tonnawanta (the old Indian village of course being meant) to Buffalo.

evening meetings became crowded. In four weeks we were able to conduct our singing on the Sabbath in Indian, our school-house became too small to accommodate our singers. We appointed to sing in two other villages. Everything now appeared to be giving way before the Gospel. The old chiefs who had stood aloof professed an attachment to Christianity and attended our meetings. But a trial awaited us for which we wanted all our strength, and we were provided in season, though it has tried us hard, yet I have no doubt has been overruled to the furtherance and stability of the gospel among us. Our situation required the interference of the New York Missionary Society, who sent out two commissioners to investigate our circumstances and direct the affairs of the mission. The Senecas, Onondagas and Cayugas entered into covenant with the New York Missionary Society. Through these commissioners on the part of the Society they engaged to send them teachers free of expense as their ability would allow and the necessity of Indians require and their profiting should appear. The Indians on their part agreed to receive their teachers, listen to their instruction when agreeable to the Word of God, to advise and council with the Society, etc. While this business was transacting not one word of opposition was heard; but one chief of any considerable note that did not sign the covenant and he was absent. But soon after the commissioners left us the opposition showed itself. The covenant was made the ostensible ground. The pagans charged the Christian party with selling themselves the bond slaves of the ministers, who would eat up their land and consume them off the earth. They called a council at Tonawanta to consult on the subject. From this council they sent out runners to warn all the villages of the evil that had been done by these innovators, desiring their vigorous coöperation to put away this mischief before it spread any further. All the villages received their messengers.

The Christian party sent out runners to counteract this confederacy, but none of the villages received them, only warned them to prepare to give an account of themselves

at the Spring council. These vigorous movements of the opposition, their determination and numbers, spread considerable consternation among our raw recruits. Two chiefs that had signed the covenant deserted us and none dared to join themselves.

It may not be improper to give a few details of this council. The council did not meet until June. It came upon us with all the fury we had anticipated. The chief councilors stepped back or "off their seats," as they expressed it, and allowed the warriors to open the council, enquire into and report the state of the nation. The warriors reported that the council fire was in confusion; some were pulling brands one way and some another. As things went on some would get burnt, and all were endangered. The cause was sought out and found to be the Christian party. They were then called upon to tell what they had done, and the reasons of their conduct.

The council opened in due form on Thursday, June It was an awfully interesting day. The council occupied a large barn, the Christians the floor, the opposition a large bay, facing each other. The opposition to appearances were six to one of the Christians, as every individual of the distant villages took sides with the opposition, to enquire into the conduct of the Christians. The first day was occupied by the Christian party in giving account of themselves. They produced the covenant, which had been such a bone of contention, and had it read. The next day was assigned for the pagans to make their reply. The council was removed to a council house in another village. The debates were warm and animated; several speakers on both sides spoke this day. From my ignorance of their language I am unable to give even an extract of what was said. I learned that [the] pagans labored to rouse the pride and resentment of their people by reminding them what they were before the white people came into their country. They were prosperous and happy and God was with them. The beginning of their being diminished and brought low was their first acquaintance with white men. They had introduced many

evils among them [to] which before they were strangers. It was in vain to look for any good from a people who were the source of all their evils. Besides, these Indians that had the most affinity with white men and received their teachers were the most fallen and miserable of the Indians. The speakers referred their people to the antiquity of their religion, the care with which their fathers had handed it down to them, the dishonor they would cast on the memory of their fathers should they now cast all their instructions behind their backs, and it would be provoking to God, who had showed them so much favor before they became corrupted with the notions of white men. This I understood was the strain of the pagans. The celebrated Red Jacket exerted all his eloquence in their defence.

The Christian party contended that all the wisdom and piety of their fathers had not saved their people from being spoiled and their country wrested from them. The calamities they now suffered came upon them under the management of their fathers, and the same course persisted in must end in their utter ruin. It was not true that all their calamities had come upon them through the agency of white men. They themselves had plunged into destructive wars with their own sort of people, to the wasting of their own lives and the lives of their brethren, thereby exciting and perpetuating their enmity. All this their fathers had done from no other motive than the gratification of their pride and thirst for blood.* Their fathers had prophesied of these days, that their descendants would be brought into great straits, and these that should be last would see great afflictions. By the course their fathers pursued it appeared they were determined to secure the accomplishment of their predictions. They had yielded up their country and cut off the possibility of a retreat. Whatever the former prosperity

*Note in original MS.: The Senecas have been celebrated for their military achievements. They conquered the Delawares, Wyandots, Shawnees, and some other tribes. They have had long and bloody wars with the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chippeways and other Western tribes. Perhaps one of the most powerful restraints that deters them from emigrating to the West is the recollection of these wars and the consequent animosities which they expect would leave them but these two alternatives, vassalage or extermination.

and happiness of their fathers had been, those days were past. Their advantages were gone, it was impossible to follow their steps and escape ruin.

The foregoing is a summary of their political reasonings. Those better acquainted with the Gospel urged its authority. The designs of God to recover all nations from the darkness which covered them; the certainty that this would be accomplished; Jesus Christ was King of Nations; those that did not submit to his authority, receive him as their teacher, Saviour and King, would be crushed beneath his power.

The foregoing is rather a brief summary of the views and management of the subject in debate by the contending parties, than an extract of the debates. No woman attended the council except the three elderly women I have before mentioned. One of them came in and took a seat behind Mr. Crane and myself on a wide platform with which their houses are furnished. The other two stood outside, looking through the cracks. The deep interest that was visible in their countenances was very encouraging.

Saturday the council met in the same place. The debates were more promiscuous, personal and irritating. This day an indecorum took place I never before witnessed in an Indian council; two speakers were up at the same time, but there was no contention; the speaker up last made his apology and sat down. Our three elderly women attended and took seats behind Mr. Crane and myself. I mention these women because the anxiety manifested by them was so pleasant to us, and it may be found that the wrestling of their souls prevailed in behalf of their poor perishing people. On this day some zealous friends of the opposition handed Jacket a piece published in the Recorder taken from the Sangerfield Monitor entitled "Good News" in relation to these Indians. This was handed to Jacket to show him how basely he was misrepresented in the public prints, supposing a suspicion could be fixed on me as the author; but I was enabled to satisfy the council that I had no hand in the representation.