had happily made before him; but labors indefatigably to carry on the work to a much greater extent. And in a few years time, with the affiftance of thofe religious Indians, who taught on the Lord's day, he perfuaded the natives on the weft end of the Ifland to receive the gofpel, who had been many years obftinately resolved againft it, being influenced to oppofe it by the neighboring Sachems on the fhores of the continent. Indeed Mittark, their prince, embraced Christianity about the year 1663; but his people being, on that account, difaffected to him, he removed to the eaft end of the Island: After he had continued there about three years he returned home, and fet up a meeting among his own people, he himself difpenfing the word to as many as would come to hear him; by which means, in connexion with the exertions of Mr. Mayhew, it pleafed God to bring over all that people to the profeffion of Chriftianity. Mittark's return, and the beginning of his ministry feems to have been about the year 1666. His people appear to have been the laft on the Ifland, who received the Chriftian faith. During the ministry of this Mr. Mayhew, or within a few years after his decease, the Indians on the Ifles of Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, might justly bear the name of Christian, the number of their Adults, on both these Islands, being, upon careful computation, about three thousand.* About the year 1664, Mr. Mayhew was greatly relieved, and affifted by Mr. John Cotton,† who * Mat. Mayhew's Triumphs of grace. He was fon of the celebrated Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the first church came to the Vineyard, and preached to the English at the east end of the Island; and having gained a confiderable knowledge of the Indian language, he also preached to the natives for about two years. But in Nov. 1667, upon a repeat- . ed invitation, he removed to Plymouth, near fifty miles to the northward; and in June 1669, was ordained the paftor of the church there. However, Mr. Mayhew, far from being difcouraged, goes on again, without any English Afsistant in this laborious work. He earnestly defires, and endeavors to carry it to an higher degree. And now the natives being generally brought over to the Chriftian faith, and a confiderable number of them defirous of being formed into a church by themselves, that they might walk together in all the ordinances, & commands of Chrift, this honored gentleman, with Mr. Cotton above-mentioned, who made a journey from Plymouth on purpofe, being fully fatisfied, that they had fuitable qualifications, after mature advice, and confideration concluded to give their affistance in the folemn tranfaction. Mr. Mayhew being a perfon of fuch eminent wifdom, and piety, and full of inftructive, and devout difcourfes, the Indians were fo edified, and pleafed with his labors, that they defired him, tho' now above eighty years of age, to ac cept the paftoral charge over them: But he thought this would' not fo well confift with the prime place he held in the civil govern ment, wherein they alfo greatly wanted him; and therefore advised in Boston, and was graduated at Harvard College in the year 1657. Mat. Mayhew's triumphs of grace-Hiftory of the church of Plymouth. them to choose fuch Indian paftors, as he thought would do good service among them; which they accordingly did, making choice of Hiacoomes, and John Tackanafh for their minifters.-According to the ancient distinction, the former was chofen paftor, and the latter teacher.* The day appointed being come, which was August 22, 1670, an Indian church was completely formed and organized, to the fatisfaction of the English church, and other religious people on the island; who by advantage of many years acquaintance, obtained fatisfactory proof of their qualifications. At this folemnity the famous Mr. Eliot was prefent, and affifting. Dr. Increase Mather, in his letter to profeffor Leufden of U * A great part of the ancient churches of New England, foon after the arrival of the main body of the fettlers, were supplied with two ministers each, who were distinguished by the names of paftors and teachers: And they were fuppofed to be in fome refpects, diftinct officers in the church. It is thus expressed in Cambridge Platform, Chap. vi. Sec. 5. "The office of paftor and teacher appears to be distinct. The paftor's special work is to attend to exhortation; and therein to administer a word of wisdom: The teacher is to attend to a word of doctrine, and therein to administer a word of knowledge; and either of them to administer the feals of that covenant, unto the difpenfation whereof they are alike called; as also to execute the cenfures, being but a kind of application of the word; the preaching of which, together with the application thereof, they are alike charged withal." The moderns, perhaps in general, view the terms as applicable to one church officer only, defignated by two names, implying the duties of government and inftruction. If any choofe to confider them, as diftinct, they will yet allow, as nothing forbids, that one man may be invested with both offices. VOL. III, No. 1. B trecht, acquaints us, that when the people had fafted and prayed, | Mr. Eliot of Roxbury, and Mr. John Cotton of Plymouth, laid their hands on the minifters elect, and they were folemnly ordained.* In a letter of Sept. 20, 1670, published the year after at Lon don, in a tract entituled, "A brief narrative of the progrefs of the gofpel among the Indians in New-England," the author gives an account of the state of the na tives under the instruction of this Mr. Mayhew, "That (Mr. Elot) paffing over to the Vineyard, many were added to the church of that place, both men and women, and were all of them baptized, and their children alfo with them." (So, it seems, many of the Chriftianized Indians were in the state of catechumens till this time.) "And that the church was defirous to have chosen Mr. Mayhew for their paftor; but he waved it; conceiving, that in his prefent capacity, he has greater advantages to ftand their friend, and do them * In Dr. Mather's Magnalia, B. III. p. 199, there is a chronological mistake ; alfo a fimilar one in Mr. Neal who took his account from Dr. Mather; fee his history of New-England, Vol. I. p. 269. They place the gathering of the church and ordination of the minifters on the vineyard under the year 1666. Doubtlefs Dr. Mather knew what year thefe events took place. But either, thro' inadvertence, he made a mistake in the manufcript he fent to London for publication; or the printer committed an error: For Mr. Matthew Mayhew, an inhabitant of the inland, and arrived at adult years at the time of these transactions places them in the year 1670. So does Gov. Hutchinfon in an extract from Mr. Eliot's journal. Mr. Experience Mayhew does the fame in his life of Hiacoomes. And fo does Mr. Prince, celebrated for his accuracy in chronology. The ordination speedily followed the gathering of the church. |