The Indians, wild as they are, have some sense of the shamefulness of vice, and of the value of virtue, order and civility. And they have some sense of the worth of knowledge. If anyone among them is able to read and write, it is looked upon as a great attainment, and they esteem it a thing much to be valued to be able to read and understand the Bible.
And therefore, many of them are fond of their children's learning the English tongue to that end, that they may understand what they read. Therefore, herein we can outdo the French.
For they, however great expense they are at, in bestowing presents upon them, yet agreeable to the genius of their religion and maxims of their church, keep the Indians in ignorance. They forbid 'em the use of the Bible; nor do they teach 'em to read and write.
If we should go on, and many among them by our means should have these attainments, and it was seen by the nations that there was such a difference between such as have been under our care and those under theirs, it would [be seen] that the greatest benefit was obtained by those that are on our side; and seeing the difference, and taking notice that the French keep their Indians in ignorance, and refuse to enable [them] to read the Bible, would naturally excite their jealousy of the French, as not truly seeking their good, but as having some ill design in their pretenses of kindness to 'em; and that the rather, because they have so much discerning that they are sensible that the French are a designing, crafty, treacherous people; and though our presents of clothing, arms and ammunition should not equal those of the French,
yet if we vigorously prosecuted this design of instructing them, they would soon see the benefits they receive from us are more substantial, and of greater value than those they receive from the French, for they are a discerning people.
And we have also this advantage, that our religion would recommend itself more to their reason and to the light of nature in 'em than the religion of the French, though not so much to their corruptions.
As this way of dealing with these nations would be in itself the most Christian and benevolent, so therein we might expect God's blessing, and might hope that his anger would be turned away which has been provoked by our past negligence, from whence we have reason to fear God will make them a sore scourge to us as a just punishment of our cruelty to their souls and bodies, by our withholding the gospel from 'em, defrauding them of their goods, in addition to that of learning, with prejudicing them against Christianity by our wickedness; and killing multitudes of 'em, and easily diminishing their numbers with strong drink.
And this method would not only be the most becoming Christians, and so most pleasing to the great Governor of the world, but if we look only to the natural tendency of it in the present situation of things, I am persuaded there is no course in the world that can be devised by any policy or art, that would be so likely to gain and attach these nations to us.
I think this is the voice of providence, and the intimation which God gives us in the present state of things, that if ever North America is regained from a subjection to Antichristian powers, it must be more by the spreading of the light of the gospel than by any policy, wealth or arms of the British Empire.
If the king's annual bounty of £500 sterling (the greater part of which, it is to be feared, is embezzled, and great part of the remainder spent to make the Indians drunk) were laid out for their instruction, it would be ten times so effectual to gain the desired end.
And divine providence seems now in a remarkable manner to be opening a door in this place for the successful prosecution of this method of gaining the Indians by instructing them; and to give us a better opportunity at least in some respects than ever was given before.
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24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.
(1 Nephi 2:24)
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