USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of the county of Berkshire, Massachusetts, in two parts > Part 19
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Notwithstanding this unhappy issue, however, in this school, in connection with the common school, a consi- derable number of Indians received a good education. A few also were instructed at the Indian charity school at Hanover, N. H., and Peter Pohquonnoppeet was graduated at the College in that town in 1780. This Sir Peter, as he was commonly called, was a man of
* The mission was finally supported by the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge.
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good talents and character, and connected with Jo- seph Quanaukaunt, Capt. Hendrick Aupaumut, and Capt. John Konkapot, in a council, which after the de- cease of king Solomon, regulated the affairs of the tribe. The regal power, it is said, belonged to Joseph Quanaukaunt ; but being a very modest and unas- suming, as well as sensible man, he chose not to be king, but wished the tribe to be governed by a council.
Many of the Indians were fitted for the transaction of all ordinary business. A part of the town offices were uniformly sustained by them while they remained in this place. The speech of one of the chiefs to the Mas- sachusetts Congress in 1775, in Bingham's Columbian Orator, tendering his services in the Revolutionary war, may be taken as a specimen of the talent at oratory which some of them possessed.
As to religion, it is evident that the Spirit of God was poured forth under the ministry of Mr. Sergeant, and that his labours were blessed to the conversion of many souls. The Lord's supper was first administered here on the 4th of June, 1738 ; but as a number had made a profession years before, the church must be considered as previously existing, although we have no express ac- count of the time and manner of its organization. About 100, from first to last, made a profession of chris- tianity ; and though it is not certain all these were genu- ine converts, yet we have no authority for restricting the operations of grace entirely to those who became , professors, nor indeed to the members of this tribe : for considerable numbers from other tribes occasionally lis- tened here to the instructions of the gospel.
But the extent to which they were civilized and chris- tianized, will be more fully understood by attending to the labours of the successive missionaries.
At the time Mr. Sergeant received his appointment, he was a tutor in Yale College. He visited the Indians in the autumn of 1734, and again in the spring of 1735, and in July in the latter year, having relinquished the duties of the tutorship, he took up his residence with the Indians for life. On the 31st of August following, he was ordained at Deerfield, where Gov. Belcher had made an appointment to meet some Indian tribes about that time, for the purpose of making a treaty with them.
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The ordination took place on the Sabbath, in the pre- sence of the congregation usually worshipping there, of the Governor and a large committee of both houses of the Legislature, of the Indians collected from several tribes, and of some of the Housatonic Indians, who sat by themselves, and formally received Mr. Sergeant as their missionary.
In the winters of 1734 and 5, and of 1735 and 6, the Indians were instructed in Great Barrington, and in the intermediate summer in Sheffield and Stockbridge. Upon their removal to this town in May in the year last mentioned, Mr. Woodbridge removed here and boarded with Capt. Konkapot. Mr. Sergeant boarded with a family in Great Barrington until Jan. 1737, when he moved into town, and boarded with Mr. Woodbridge, who had settled in a family state. The first residence of Mr. Woodbridge was on the " Hill," eastward from the house of Dea. Josiah Jones. He afterwards built a house on the farm now owned by Mr. Samuel Good- rich. In the course of 1737, Mr. Sergeant built the house on the "Plain," occupied at the present time by the widow of Gen. Silas Pepoon, and which is now the oldest house in town. He afterwards built the house on the Hill, now occupied by his grandson, Maj. Sewall Sergeant. In this he died.
Ignorant of their language, Mr. Sergeant at first in- structed the Indians, of necessity, by the aid of an in- terpreter. In this way he translated into their language some prayers for their daily use, and Watts' first cate- chism for the benefit of children. But as the disadvan- tages of this mode were many, he applied himself dili- gently to the study of the language, and in August, 1737, began to declare unto them in their own tongue the wonderful works of God. Afterwards he made such proficiency in it, that the Indians were accustomed to say he spoke their language better than they did.
This year, Col. Ephraim Williams from Newton, and Mr. Josiah Jones from Weston, two of the persons ex- pected to settle here and aid Mr. Sergeant and Mr Woodbridge, emigrated to this town with their families. Both settled on the " Hill ;" Col. Williams first built a house nearly opposite to the house now belonging to Mr. Ephraim Williams, and afterwards the house owned
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by the late Dr. West ; and Mr. Jones built a house on the ground now occupied by his grandson, Dea. Josiah Jones. Mr. Joseph Woodbridge, brother of the school- master, from West Springfield, and Mr. Ephraim Brown from the place now called Spencer, the other two per- sons contemplated, came here afterwards. Mr. Wood- bridge had a house on the corner of the lot, between the Housatonic turnpike and the eastern side of the road running over the " Hill," to the east of Maj. Ed- ward Burrall's. Mr. Brown settled half a mile to the north-west from Col. Williams, though he did not re- main long in town, but was succeeded by Samuel Brown, a cousin.
The accession of these valuable men was doubtless useful to the mission, furnishing the Indians with a practical and constant exhibition of the influence of civi- lization and christianity on the concerns, relations and duties of life and godliness ; but they greatly increased Mr. Sergeant's labors : for he had afterwards to dis- charge the duties of a minister both to the English and Indians. On the sabbath he used to begin public wor- ship with a short pathetic prayer for a blessing on the word in both languages ; and then read a portion of Scripture with explanatory notes and observations, in both, on such passages as seemed most to need them, All his public prayers and the communion service were in both languages ; and it was his constant practice to preach four sermons every Lord's day, two to the Eng- lish and two to the Indians ; except in the short days and cold season of the winter, when he preached three, one to the English and two to the Indians. Besides all this, in the summer season it was his constant cus- tom to spend about an hour with the Indians, after di- vine service was over in the afternoon, instructing, ex- horting, warning, and cautioning them, in a free, familiar and pathetic manner, in their own language ; and in the winter season he commonly met with them one evening in the week for religious exercises. His sermons and comments on passages of Scripture for the Indians, were first written in English, and then translated into the Indian tongue. In the course of his readings to them, he translated the account of the creation, of the fall of man, the calling of Abraham, God's dealinga
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with the patriarchs and the children of Israel, the pro- phecies concerning the coming of Christ, &c., the four Evangelists, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epis- tles ; while in his discourses to the English, he went through all the Epistles, with a labored and learned paraphrase, critical notes and useful observations, not by the help of expositors, but by a careful examination of the original Greek, endeavoring thence to gather the true sense and meaning of the writers.
In addition to these more formal preparations and services, he had constantly to watch over the Indians, lest they should relapse into heathenism, to make many pastoral visits, and maintain an extensive correspond- ence with his particular friends, with the commissioners, and with intelligent and pious persons in this country and in Great Britain, who were disposed to make in- quiries concerning the mission, and felt interested in its success. But Mr. Sergeant was not suffered to continue in these various and useful labours by reason of death. On the last week in June, 1749, he was seized with a nervous fever, attended with a cancer and inflamma- tion in the throat, which closed his life on the 27th of the following month, at the age of 39. The religion which he had preached and practised, sustained him in his sickness, and animated him in the moments of dis- solution.
He was a native of Newark, N. J. and graduate of Yale College 1729, where he was tutor four years. In stature he was rather small ; but possessed a beautiful countenance and a good constitution.
Few persons have been as greatly beloved in life and lamented in death as this servant of God. His talents, natural and acquired, were superior, his temper sweet, his manners engaging, and his piety ardent and perse- vering. In epistolary writing he greatly excelled. But one of his sermons was printed. That was preached at Springfield, in the audience of the associated pastors of the county of Hampshire, April 4, 1943, on the causes and danger of delusion in the affairs of religion, and published at the request of the hearers.
The effect of his labours upon the Indians was very happy. From 8 or 10 families they had increased to more than 50, during his ministry, had been reclaimed 22
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from many errors and vices, had assumed a stable cha- racter as a society, regularly attended public worship, had 20 houses built after the English manner, and paid considerable attention to the cultivation of the earth. In singing they were great proficients. Fifty or sixty who had become hopeful converts were admitted to full communion by him ; some of whom died in faith before him : 42 survived him. He baptized 182 natives, adults and infants. His services were also greatly use- ful to the English who settled here. .
He left a widow, who was subsequently married to Brig. Gen. Dwight; and three children, Electa, Eras- tus, and John. The first was married to Col. Mark Hopkins of Great Barrington ; the other two will be mentioned hereafter.
There were 12 English families in town at the time of his death, viz. his own family, the family of Timothy Woodbridge, of Col. Williams, of Josiah Jones and Jo- seph Woodbridge ; of Samuel Brown, of Samuel Brown Jun. and Joshua Chamberlain, son and son-in-law of Samuel Brown, from Spencer, of David Pixley from Westfield, of John Willard from Canaan, previously from Wethersfield, and of John Taylor and Jacob Cooper from West Springfield.
Mr. Hopkins of Great Barrington, afterwards Dr. Hopkins, was first appointed to succeed Mr. Sergeant; but he declined the appointment, among other conside- rations, in the hope that the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, his theological instructor and particular friend, then re- cently dismissed from Northampton, would accept the service. He was next appointed, and was installed 29 pastor of this church, Aug. 8, 1751.
He entered upon the same general course of instrue- tion which his predecessor had pursued, though he was obliged to address the Indians through an interpreter ; and the prospect was exceedingly fair for a time of his being exceedingly useful to the Indians in this town, and to the Six Nations, families from which were ex- pected to settle here, and many children to be placed in the boarding school. The second French war blasted chie prospect, so far as the Six Nations and their chil- drea were coneerned. Mr. Edwards, however, dis- charged his duties with his wonted faithfulness, and to
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the good acceptance both of the people and of the com- missioners.
Besides the duties owed more immediately to the people, he here completed his greatest work, "The In- quiry concerning the Freedom of the Will." Here also he composed his treatise on Original Sin, and carried forward the "History of Redemption," and probably some other works.
But while he was pursuing his studies and labours in this sequestered spot and calm retreat, he was unex- pectedly called, upon the decease of his son-in-law, the Rev. Aaron Burr, Sept. 24, 1757, to accept the presi- dency of Princeton College. In agreement with the advice of brethren in the ministry, he accepted the ap- pointment, and was dismissed Jan. 4, 1758. But he had scarcely time to arrive at Princeton, to be inducted into office, and enter upon the duties of his new and important station, before he was summoned to eternity. Complaints induced by inoculation for the small pox, then raging in Princeton and vicinity, closed his days. on the 22d of March, in the 55th year of his age. But sudden and disastrous to human view as his death was, he submitted to it without a murmur ; and entered, there is every reason to believe, into the joys of his Lord.
He was a son of the Rev. Timothy Edwards of East Windsor, Con., and like Mr. Sergeant, both a graduate and tutor of Yale College.
No one has left behind him a fairer fame than Pres. Edwards. No one has done so much to promote ortho- doxy and piety in the American churches. The pro- minent traits of his character, clear intelligence and ar- dent piety, are those excellencies which will shine for- ever in the redeemed.
The records of his ministry here are lost. Probably some of the natives and some of the English were brought into the kingdom under his instructions. Twen- ty-one of the latter were professors at the time of his death.
His wife, who survived him, was a daughter of the Rev. James Pierpont of New Haven. They had 10 children ; Sarah, wife of Elihu Parsons of this town ; Jerusha, who died unmarried ; Esther, wife of Pres.
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Burr ; Mary, wife of Col. Timothy Dwight of North- ampton ; Lucy, wife of Hon. Jahleel Woodbridge of this town ; Timothy, the late Hon. Timothy Edwards of this town; Susanna, wife of Eleazer Porter, of Hadley ; Eunice, wife of Thomas Pollock of North Carolina; Jonathan, late President of Union College ; Elizabeth, who died unmarried ; Pierpont, late Judge of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Dis- trict of Connecticut.
At the time of the dismission of Pres. Edwards, the Indian families were reduced to 42, while the English families were increased to 18. Besides the families be- forementioned, there were the families of Elihu Par- sons, his son-in-law, from Northampton, of Stephen Nash,immediately from Westfield, but previously from Hadley, of James Wilson from. Spencer, of Josiah Jones, Jun., Thomas Sherman, and Solomon Glezen, the last from Worcester.
Soon after this event, the minds of the people and of the commissioners were drawn towards the late vene- rable Dr. Stephen West.
Dr. West was the son of Zebulon West, Esq., of Tolland, Con., and was graduated at Yale College in 1755. After leaving college, he taught a school, and studied theology in Hatfield. He was licensed to preach by the Association of Ministers in Hampshire county, probably in the close of 1757 or the beginning of 1758, soon after which he was appointed chaplain at Fort Massachusetts in Adams. From that place he was introduced to this town in November, in the latter year, and ordained pastor of this church, June 13, 1759.
For several years he communicated instructions as his predecessors had done, both to the Indians and the English inhabitants. His common practice was to preach to the Indians on sabbath morning by an inter- preter, and to the English in the afternoon. But as it was very difficult to obtain a suitable interpreter, as the English rapidly increased by the accession of families from different parts of the country, and became capable of supporting the gospel themselves, Dr. West, in 1775, relinquished the instruction of the Indians, and with it the income received from the commissioners, to Mr. John Sergeant, son of the first missionary, who perfectly un-
Hall
REV. DR. STEPHEN WEST, PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN STOCKBRIDGE.
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derstood their language, and who had received a respeo- table education at Newark, N. J. The Indian profes- sors, however, were not immediately separated from the church. They retained the same relation to the church and people as before ; but instead of receiving instruction from Dr. West through an interpreter, they received it di- rectly from Mr. Sergeant in their own language. This state of things continued until their general removal to the township given them by the Oneidas, in 1785, when the professors among them, then 16 in number, were regularly dismissed, formed into a new church, and Mr. Sergeant was ordained their pastor. From this period, Mr. Sergeant regularly spent 6 months with them year- ly, until 1796, when he removed his family to New Stockbridge, where he remained in their service until his death, which occurred Sept. 8, 1824, when he was 77 years of age.
The little church still lives among them, and has oc- casionally received some additions from ; the world. For a part of the time since their residence at; Green Bav, they have enjoyed the labours of a missionary, and have been recently visited in some degree by the gracious influences of the Spirit.
When Dr. West was ordained in this town, there were only four settled ministers within the bounds of the County ; the Rev. Jonathan Hubbard of Sheffield, Thomas Strong of New Marlborough, Adonijah Bid- well of Tyringham, and Samuel Hopkins of Great Bar- :ington. MI. Hopkins, afterwards Dr. Hopkins, was the, nearest, and with him Dr. West contracted an ear- Jy, intimate, and as the result shows, a very happy friendship. The structure of their minds was somewhat similar. Both were fond of discussion and research. Dr. West, was dissatisfied with what his predecessor, "Pres. Edwards, had written on the freedom of the will, and on many points relative to the distinguishing doc- trines of grace."", .These became the topics of free and repeated conversation ; and the effect was, (like thatef- feot of the communications between the Rev. John New- on and Dr. Scott, though the mode was different, ) that Dr. West gave ;up his hope of a personal interest in Christ, which he had long entertained, and which he boa professed before men, and was convinced, that while he 22*
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had undertaken the charge of souls, his own soul had been neglected. His conviction of sin was deep and pungent, and his solicitude was strong, and at times al- most overwhelming. But the Lord was pleased soon to relieve him, to make him the subject of new views and affections, and to give him a good hope through grace. The reality and greatness of this change readily appear- ed in the solemnity, fervency and pungency of his preaching, and in the humility and goodness of his life.
Soon after this change, Dr. West preached a series of discourses, in which he dwelt extensively upon the character and government of God, and upon the de- pendence and accountability of man, the substance of which he published in 1592, in a work entitled "An Essay on Moral Agency." The fame produced by this essay, led many young men, designed for the holy ministry, as no public theological seminary then exist- ed in our country, to repair to him for instruction and assistance in the study of divinity. A succession of stu- dents from some or other of the New England colleges were under his care for the space of thirty-five or forty years. These he boarded in his own family, where they had the benefit of his daily conversation and ex -. ample, as well as his more formal instructions.
In preaching, he dwelt principally upon the doctrines of grace, the richness and excellence of which he had experienced in his own soul, and which he deemed all- important to the good of the souls of others. He was much in the habit of giving instructions in an expository. form. During his ministry, he passed three times through the New Testament, expounding the sacred. oracles verse by verse, " with a propriety, acuteness, and vigour," says a certain writer well acquainted with him, and a very competent judge on the subject, " of which this country has seen no parallel."
In 1792, the trustees of Dartmouth College conferred. upon him the degree of Doctor in Divinity.
The year following, when the charter for Williams College was granted, he was named is one of the trus- tees, and upon the first meeting of the Board, was elected Vice-President ; which offices he held nineteen years ; until age and infirmity compelled liim to resign.
In 1810, such were his infirmities, that it was deemed
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important he should have the assistance of a col+ league ; and the Rev. Ephraim G. Swift, son of the Rev. Seth Swift of Williamstown, and graduate of Williams College, was associated with him in that capa- city, on the 26th of Sept. in that year ; after which the. duties of the ministry were discharged by them jointly. Things passed along in this manner. for some time to, their mutual satisfaction, and to the satisfaction of the. people. The Lord also blessed their labours. But dif- ficulties at length occurred in the church, which render- ed it necessary that the colleague should be dismissed ;. and with a view to quiet the party feelings which then existed, Dr. West agreed to be dismissed also. Accor- dingly both were dismissed on the 27th of August, 1818.
After his dismission, Dr. West was rarely able to ap- pear in public. On the first sabbath in November and January following, he administered the Lord's supper. to the church, and on the 10th of Feb. attended a fune- ral. After this he was confined to his house, and gene- rally to his bed ; grew weaker and weaker in body and mind, until Saturday the 13th of May, 1919, when he expired, in the 84th year of his age. His funeral was attended the Monday following, at which a sermon was preached by the Rev. Jacob Catlin, D. D., from Zech. 1, 5.
Dr. West was twice married. His first wife was Miss, Elizabeth Williams, daughter of Col. Ephraim Will- iams. She died Sept. 15, 1804, in the 74th year of her age. His second wife was Miss Eleanor Dewey, daugh- ter of Mr. Daniel Dewey of Sheffield. She died in her native town, March 14, 1827, aged 73. Both these wo- men were distinguished for good sense, and both pro- fessed'and apparently enjoyed the religion of the gospel.
The courtesy and politeness of Dr. West, the effect of his good sense, his piety, and acquaintance with the. world, were universally acknowledged and admired. All were made easy in his presence, while filled with. respect and love.
His mind, originally superior, was well disciplined, and greatly improved by science. At college, he had- the reputation of a sound classical scholar. In the ear- lier periods of his ministry, enjoying good health, and: having but a small family, he applied himself intensely
HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE.
to study ; and indeed through life was distinguished for industry and application. Hence he acquired a fund of knowledge. He had some acquaintance with the He- brew of the Old Testament, and was conversant with the version of the Seventy. He was a good critic in the Greek of the New Testament, and read the Latin language with great facility. Other branches of know- ledge were pursued, which were directly connected . with his profession.
His acquisitions of knowledge and improvements as a divine, were greatly promoted by the exactness and punctuality with which he prosecuted duty, doing every thing methodically. One branch of service was never suffered to intrude upon another, All was anticipated and arranged, and his mind kept clear, and fit for vigo- rous and successful effort. He always kept several ser- mons written on hand, that he might not be driven to prepare for the sabbath at the close of the week., Fast and thanksgiving sermons were prepared weeks before they were used.
Though his. passions were naturally quick and strong, they were kept under steady subjection. He possessed his soul in patience. Scarcely any thing ever ruffled his mind, or caused him to utter a rash or imprudent, word. At the same time, tender emotions were very readily excited, upon the occurrence of any thing interesting among his own people, or in the Redeemer's kingdom In reading the Scriptures, in prayer, especially when the Saviour was brought directly into view, he was of- ten affected, even to weeping., ..... 1
As a christian, Dr. West was certainly eminent, All the graces shone in him, and, some ; with distinguished lustre. His humility was continually noticed. The fact that he had once deceived himself, and entered the ministry without piety of heart, and his deep convic- tions, made impressions that were never forgotten. He seemed to count himself less than the least of all saints, because he had thus offended. Another trait to which this gave rise, was his marked and strong reliancejon the merits of Christ for forgiveness and salvation ; a re- liance which was conspicuous in all his conversation, preaching and conduct ; "especially in his, prayers, of- fored up through his death and intercession .; [[ !!
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