XI.

JOURNALS OF

REV. THOMPSON S. HARRIS.

HIS MISSIONARY LABORS AMONG THE SENECAS

AT BUFFALO CREEK AND CATTARAUGUS

RESERVATIONS, 1821-1828.*

Nov. 2, 1821. Arrived at Buffaloe, two days ago, but could not make it convenient to visit the station before the present time. Found the family among whom I am hereafter to spend most of my time all in good health-and anxiously waiting the arrival of their minister. Very kindly received and feel much pleased with the neatness and simplicity of our friendly apartments. It so happened that I met with a number of the chiefs assembled at the house of Mr. Young; was soon introduced and explained to them the reason why we had not arrived before.

5th [Nov.]. This day met with the natives for the first time for the purpose of worship. Meet usually in their council house. Congregation very attentive during service, to the subject treated of. Much more order than could have been expected from persons so ignorant and no more accustomed to discipline, but it is natural and perhaps constitutional. Was a little pained by the occasional laughs of one

*Now first published from the original manuscript in possession of the Buffalo Historical Society. Some of the dates are inconsistent.

of the natives and the more so as it proceeded from one whose opportunities of improvement warrant a far different exhibition. This person's name is Jacob Jamieson. He has been at school in different places and has acquired no inconsiderable degree of information and can talk pretty good English. At present he is to be considered a rather dangerous person. As his acquaintance with men and books is more extensive than the rest of his nation, his influence is considerable. His ideas at present appear to be at variance with the plan of this establishment, inasmuch as he supposes that his nation can never be rightly instructed unless removed off their present residence. He recommends to them to embody themselves in some distant country out of the reach of molestation and then send their children back to those who are well qualified to instruct them. He is not opposed to the Gospel, professedly, but only to the plan pursued by the Board.

Monday 5 [Nov.]. This day met at four o'clock for the purpose of attending to the monthly concert of prayer. Thirteen persons assembled and attentively listened to what was said in respect to what was doing in the world for the good of immortal souls. It was truly refreshing [MS. torn, a few words gone] to meet with these ignorant, wretched people, and by prayer and supplication to that God who can pity the destitute and wretched. For certainly if ever there were an ignorant and pitiable people these are the same.

Wednesday 7th [Nov.]. This morning was ushered by a consideration of my unspeakable unworthiness, and by all the mercies of a bountiful God. Nothing but goodness and mercy have followed us since we have embarked in the cause of God. But oh my insensible ungrateful heart! Others are complaining of their backwardness and unbelief, but I appear to myself too insensible and blind to see my own sins notwithstanding my soul is barren in the presence of my God and Saviour.

Thursday 8th [Nov.]. This day met in council with the chiefs at Mr. Young's house. Chiefs pretty generally attended. When I entered the chamber where they were sitting all appeared grave and attentive, and continued so

throughout. Little Johnson was speaking; he appeared grave, manly and eloquent. After considerable conference among themselves they remarked that they were assembled in consequence of some information before derived from me; that the Good Society at New York had sent them a talk [to] which they supposed no answer was required, and that they were now ready to attend to what counsel might be given them by the Society.

I then asked them if it would be agreeable to them if I were to open the meeting with prayer to the Great Spirit. They remarked, that it coincided with their wishes. After prayer, the first talk was read, which consisted of a letter of introduction of their minister and his wife from the Society. This was succeeded by another addressed to the same as an answer to one sent to the Board enquiring for a teacher for their brethren at Tonewanta. After these had been read and explained Pollard arose and said that they owed great thanks to their minister for reading and explaining the good talk, but that a messenger was here present from Tonewanta and that if I would be at my liberty for a little while-until they had cleared the way, as they expressed it—and heard the news which had now reached them, they would then be prepared to return an answer.

After entering the chamber the second time, in a few minutes Pollard again arose and said: That we owed great thanks to the Great Spirit that we had been spared in health and safety to see each other's faces, and that they owed much to the Society for the good talk and a thousand thanks to their minister for so patiently and satisfactorily explaining it to them. Furthermore, that though the Society had not sent a minister as soon as they at first promised, yet that they rejoiced to learn, that as soon as he could be prepared, he had come to devote his life to their good. According to the request of the Good Society they promised faithfully to receive and love their minister and to protect him to the utmost of their power. They understood that it was his business to explain to them the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ contained in the Good Book; they further promised to listen with all possible attention to the explanations which

should from time to time be made from the Word of God, for their best good and the salvation of their souls. Furthermore, he observed that they rejoiced to learn that they and the Board were even-minded, as they expressed it, in the business which so deeply interested their brethren at Tonewanta. They had sent to the Board requesting their counsel on the propriety or impropriety of advising them to join themselves in any agreement, with people of a different denomination; and they have coincided with them in opinion that it would not be best to receive teachers from any other denomination, but all to observe the same way. This is very satisfactory to their minds. But, they have to state, that there is some difficulty in the way, which however they hope the Great Spirit in kindness and mercy will remove. The Christian party among their brethren at Tonewanta, being exceedingly desirous of having their children instructed in the knowledge of letters, and not receiving an answer from the Board as soon as they expected, they had thought proper to accept of some proposals from the Baptist denomination, for this purpose. From the messenger however which was then present with them, they had understood that the Pagan party was very stout-hearted and had determined that no teacher should settle in their village. On consideration they were glad that an opportunity was presented of setting aside the former agreement, and they would now wait the arrival of the teacher promised in the talk which had just been read to them. In the meantime they requested of the minister to send a letter to them, which should tend to corroborate the truth which should be delivered by the messenger. They further requested that in that letter all the blame of breaking the contract with the Baptists should be on the shoulders of the chiefs on the Buffaloe reservation.

Finally they wished to make a request of their minister in order to clear their minds of a difficulty which still rested upon them. It was this: Their nation at present was divided into two strong parties. The Pagans were considerably enraged because their nation was about leaving the rights [?rites] and customs of the forefathers for the Christian ways. Now, as they supposed that the Society had em

powered me to satisfy their minds on things of this nature, they wished to know how the rising generation should be protected in their religious rights and privileges against the assaults of those who might invade them. I replied, that the Board had not empowered me to tell them; that they should not meet with any difficulty in embracing the gospel of the Son of God; but that I might in justice say, that they would afford them all the assistance in their power by advice and direction in the reception of the truth. All they [i. e. the Board] could do was to send them a minister, to endeavor to direct their feet in the way that leads to life everlasting; to point them to the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, who is now exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins, to whom all power is given both in heaven and in earth, and who could therefore protect them and their children against all the attacks of the most stubborn enemy. Hence they saw the necessity of looking to this Saviour immediately for help and consolation, for he has declared that "he that believeth shall be saved." Good David has also said: "I once was young, I now am old, yet never saw I the righteous forsaken and their seed begging bread."

They here expressed ten thousand thanks to me for the manner in which I had explained to them where they should put their trust for protection and salvation. They knew that the Saviour was almighty; they could read it in the Good Book, and by the help of the Lord they would strive so to do. On the subject of rendering assistance to the brethren at Tonawanta, they remarked, that if the Society could send them a letter promising a teacher, signed by the President of [the] United States and the Secretary of War, as a token of their approbation, they supposed it would be abundantly sufficient to satisfy the minds of the Pagan party and cause them to be silent; this would convince their minds that they were not imposed upon by the meddlesome whites. To this I replied that I held in my hand a letter from the Department at [of] War, stating that Government did approve of these societies sending teachers among the Indians, and more than this, that they had appropriated out of their own pock