[from the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting records, Haverford College, PA]

 

To the Chiefs of the Delawares and all that reside at Kalamipahung near Alleghana

Brothers.  You sent us a message by our Friend Joseph Peepy with a Belt of Wampum, which we have sent back by him, according to your Order, together with these Strings, which he will deliver to you at a proper time   We have also sent our Friend Isaac Stille, to accompany and assist him in delivering this message

Brothers, you tell us we Sit near a great Ocean of Waters, where we are in danger of being drowned, and you take us gently by the hand, and lead us and sit us down at Kiahauga, where we may have good Land, hunting, and fishing in plenty and where we may sit quietly and worship God

Brothers  We thank you in our hearts for this Kind Invitation, and that you show us so much respect, but we are obliged to tell you that at present we cannot move as a Congregation with our aged People our Wives and our Children for these four reasons.  1st Because we are not able to bear the Expence of movg. so far   2dly  Because our Brothers the English have taken us into their arms as Fathers do their Children,and we cannot go out without their Protection   3dly Because here we have a good House for the worship of God, another for our Children to go to School in, besides our Dwelling houses and many comfortable Accomodations, all which we shall loose if we remove now   4ly  Here we have a Minister of Christ to instruct & direct us, in all our Spiritual Concerns, and lead us to Heaven and Happiness, which is more worth to us than all the other

Brothers.  It is made known to us & we are Sure that our bodies which now die and turn to Dust shall be rais'd again at the last day of this World, & our Souls shall then be united to them & we shall be alive again as we are now, and shall live forever and that it shall be so with the whole Race of Man.  We have also learnd & do know that some will be put into a place of Torment & must bear the most dreadful pains forevermore, and that others shall be taken into a place of perfect and eternal happiness.

Brothers,  We have learn'd all this & we have learn'd more yet  We have learn'd what we must be and what we must do to escape this World of Misery and come to this place of happiness And we wish that you and all the Indians every where knew it as we do.

Brothers.  We have learn'd and are sure that the God has sent his Son into the World to redeem us from our Sins & from this miserable place and to make us holy & happy, and that for this End he gave up his Life & suffered himself to be put to death, and that the only way for us or any of Mankind to escape eternal Misery & obtain eternal happiness is to be good Christians, to forsake all our wicked ways, to keep all God's holy Commandments & be as much like Christ as we possibly can, and depend on him alone for the pardon of our Sins & for every spiritual belssing.  All those things we have learn'd & we have learn'd more yet -

Brothers.  We have learn'd the whole of our duty.  We know what will please the great power above & what will displease him.  We know what will make happy & what will make us miserable.  We also know how we should behave towards one another & towards all Mankind -

And now if we do not do our Duty & are not forever happy it will be our own fault.  But alass!  tho' we have learn'd all these things, we are far from being so godly as we ought to be -  We have also learn'd to pray & sing Psalms  Things we enjoy -  Now whenever we can get these difficulties taken out of the Way, and have such Advantages of the Gospel we shall chearfully accept your kind Offer.  In the meantime we desire the Path between you and us may be kept open and hope that some of us shall be able soon to make you a Visit-

Brothers.  You say you behold us from a great distance at our devotions and desire to join with us

Brothers, We are very glad you have such good desires.  Certainly the great Spirit above has given you these desires.  We also should be very glad to have you with us that you might join with us in our holy Devotions, but our Land here is so narrow that we cannot expect you will leave your wide rich Country & come to us but rather think that after some time we shall be able to order things so here that a considerable Number of us may come to you if not all.

Brothers.  You tell us you wonder none of us have been so kind as to make you a Visit and inform you what we have met with

Brothers  We have not been altogether negligent in that matter- Some of us have gone several times to Wyoming & other parts of Susquehannah to inform our brethren there of the good things the Lord had done for us.  And some of us also were with our Minister at Lancaster when the last Council Fire was kindled there and would gladly have inform'd all the Indians of what we had learnd about the Christian Way.  And now we are chearfully willing with all our hearts to tell you what we have found & met with

Brothers.  We have found how we may escape everlasting Misery, & be made perfectly happy forever even and some of us can read and write

Brothers  What we have now told you is the Substance of what we have learn'd but we cannot on this little piece of Paper tell you every thing particularly -

Brothers,  You tell us you want us to come to you, that we may teach you the Christian way & how you also may come to be happy

Brothers,  We wish to do this with all our hearts so far as it is in our power & are sorry you are so far from us

Brothers  We have learn'd many good things tis true & should be very glad to see you & talk with you as Brethren, and some of us might teach you to sing Psalms and to read & wrtie, but we are not fit to be Ministers nor are we call'd to that high and holy office.  Ministers are Men that the great God calls to preach the Gospel and to tell Mankind what they must do to be sav'd and when they preach they speak for God & in the name of Christ

Brothers,  It was from such that we first received the Gospel and so it has been with all heathen people that have turned to the Christian Way  Two such Men we are informed you had with you last Summer, and we doubt not that if you desire it they or some others will visit you again, which we should very much rejoice at

Brothers,  We have heard our Minister say he has a great Concern for you, and wants that you should be forever happy as well as we, and altho' we always want him at home to direct and assist us yet we should be willing to part with him awhile that he might teach you, and do you good as he has done us  He has lived with us may Years & we know him to be a good friend to the Indians and that he seeks their best Good

Brothers,  We wish you every thing that is good, especially that you have good Ministers that may take you gently my the hand and lead you safe to heaven & happiness, where we may all meet at last.

Brothers  We desire to commit you and all that concerns you and us to the great God who made all things and pray that he would take you under his fatherly love, and that you and we may know him & his Son Jesus Christ as that we meet together in Heaven & be perfectly happy with him forevermore

We are your Friends in our hearts & your loving Brothers

Thomas Store  Jacob Mulas  Stephen Calvin  Jacob Skerket  Isaac Stille

 

[Joseph Peepy, the messenger, did not reach the intended destination as he was overcome by illness at Wyalusing.  See letter from Israel Pemberton below.]