In matters of the Heathen
Brother Martin Mack’s Diary
of his journey to and stay in Shamokin, Sept./Oct./November 1745
Diary of Sept. 13, novum stylum 1745
Brother Mack’s journey to Shamokin.[1]
On the 13th we readied ourselves to depart from Michael Schüffer’s. Our travel companions, Anderros[2] and his wife’s child came from Conrad Weiser’s. They brought me post and a letter in which he wished us much luck on our journey. Michael Schüffer provided us with a few necessities for our journey. We departed. We had our horses shoed at Christoph Weiser’s. The people were very friendly. We travelled for a few miles and there we stayed overnight. [Anderius had purchased 6 gallons of brandy, which he brought along.] [3]
On the 14th We travelled to the second Blue Mountain[4] and stayed there overnight. We thought a great deal about our dear Bethlehem and especially about the blessed hours that we have there. We asked the Lamb with many tears that he should maintain the blessed connection between us and the dear Gemeine that neither through flesh or thirst we lose our or be distracted from a feeling of blessedness.
On the 15th [September] We went over the Thürnstein.[5] This day we came quite a distance. Were happy and well. The blessed life that we have enjoyed among you once again cost us a few tears. But we went to Shomokin with our whole hearts and could lay the Indians there at the heart of the Lamb, so that He could open up the doors to his heart there also.
On the 16th [September] We reached Shamokin. I asked Anderius whether he had thought about where my wife and I could stay. He said, he did not know himself. He had a very small hut. I asked him whether it would be all right if I built a small hut next to his. He said it would be hard to build a hut at this time of year as there was no more bark.[6] It was too late in the year. He said that Conrad Weiser had already said to him that he would prefer it if they could live more with him than with Shikellamy. We went with him to his house. He lived on the island. [7] We arrived there in the evening. The old mother[8] was very happy that we had come to visit her and she made a little room for us immediately in her hut. Anderius asked whether we could manage with this as his hut was so very small. We accepted it with much thanks, even though it was very small.
On the 17th [September] We stayed at home. Anderius went to visit his in-laws. The old woman told my wife that her son had told her much about Bethlehem and that there were such good people there. She thought that if she could go there too and die there then she would die in a blessed state. She also asked what kind of Indians were in Bethlehem and whether there were any of the Delaware there who would have loved us. My wife told her much of what the Savior had already done for the Delaware who were already in Bethlehem and how they praised the Savior with many tears that He had opened their eyes and had given them some of the Blood in their hearts. The old mother lamented greatly that everything here is still so dead and that they know nothing expect drinking and dancing. Anna [Mack] explained to her how it is that the people still were forced to behave this way, because they did not believe in the Lord Jesus, and this was only the fruit of that. In the evening there was a great uproar because almost everyone who lived around here was drunk. Some even came into our hut who looked quite frightful and bellowed like cattle. The old mother gathered everything up and hid it in the bushes. We commended ourselves to the Lamb and to his eternal angels that they might keep watch over us and protect us.
On the 18th [September] We went visiting[9] across the water.[10] We also visited Shikellamy. He was very friendly and also his sons welcomed us well, led us into his house, but we were there for hardly a quarter of an hour when 4 drunken Indians came. We then left for the island again. Visited a few more huts. Anna found a goodly woman who was well suited to the ways of God. We went home again. The old mother was very concerned for us that she had not been able to cook anything the whole day because of the drunken Indians. At night there was once again a great uproar of shrieking and shooting all around. Anderius said he had to leave again. It seemed as though someone had been hacked or shot to death. Martin and Anna held a Singstunde and prayed to the Lamb in many tears that he should watch over us and guide the wrath of the enemy.[11] Satan was rumbling greatly because he feared that his realm would become divided.
On the 19th [September] We stayed at home because almost everyone was drunk. We prayed to the Lamb because our plan for the time being is this: pray, weep, think that we will be grasped by a new courage that the Lamb will show himself even here with his holy wounds that were made in him fort his people. The enemy is concerned with scaring us away and to make us disbelievers. But we know that we are doing this not on our own account but rather rely on the blood of the Lamb and the prayers of the Gemeine. We know well who we are. Poor children who can do nothing and want to do nothing if the Lamb is not our strength. In the evening we held a blessed Singstunde. Today several kin of the old mother came. Her sister’s child and the legal mother of Catharina.[12] She is a white woman who has an Indian as a husband. They had come almost 400 miles. They live over 200 miles beyond the Allegheny. [13] They are going to Philadelphia with deerskins. They have almost 20 laden horses and are very friendly. The woman, she spoke some English and lived not far from the Cherokees–but it is in New France. [14]
On the 20th [September] Today Anna fell very ill. Her aches started with fever and sharp pains. It affected her greatly. She had complained for a few days that she was very tired, but she did not know what was wrong until it started this morning with her having to lie down suddenly and sometimes she felt as though her throat would cut off her heart. We commended ourselves to the Lamb, and told him, that he should give us the great strength that we needed for this task, because we had come here for his sake and furthermore wanted to stay here as long as it pleased him and his community of the cross. In the evening I had the opportunity to speak with Anderius and to tell him something of the loving heart of Jesus and how it was disposed towards such poor people as us, here in Shamokin. And how it wants to help and save whoever wants to be helped and saved because everything that reveals itself here among the Indians like gluttony, drunkenness, whoring, stealing, murder, and lies, all this is only the fruit of not believing in Jesus Christ, who died in order that these things will be removed. And whoever does not believe in him, he has to do these things whether he wants to or not, because sin holds sway over him.
On the 21st [September] I went visiting and had the opportunity to speak in a hut where many were gathered together about the reason we had come here. The Lamb revealed himself so that I was able to speak joyfully about his great love. In the evening Anna started to shiver greatly and had fever until morning.
On the 22nd [September] Her sickness continued. She became very weak. We could do nothing but commend ourselves to the Lamb who knows our circumstances here. In the evening we prayed together. The Lamb, he heard us. We were very blessed among ourselves, and thanked the Lamb with subdued heart that we are his sinners and he has accepted us with grace. Oh, we would be so downcast if we could not speak from the bottom of our hearts in similar circumstances about the Lamb’s blood, oh that would make our lives so hard. Anna tried to add that nothing was certain. “but you, Lamb, my Lamb, if I were to pass away…” [15] That caused us to shed some tears and we had blessed hours filled with tears. We thought a great deal about our blessed people in Bethlehem and what we had enjoyed there, and believed with our whole hearts that they would remain in consideration of the Lamb.
On the 23rd [September] In the morning two drunken Indians came into our hut. They had been making some noise for a couple of hours. Anna was very exhausted, had a high fever and shivering in her limbs. In the night the shivering decreased somewhat. We thanked the Lamb with many tears that he had heard the prayers of his children.
On the 24th [September] Anna started to get better. Our hearts were knelt in prayer because the Lamb showed grace to us and we feel that he is close to our hearts. Found many blessings in his safekeeping.
On the 25th [September] Anna is getting better and better. Today a Presbyterian came to visit us. His name is Brainerd.[16] He is very friendly. He came to visit the Indians and to preach to them. He complains much about them, that they are such bad people and that they are drunk most of the time. He said that he could never get them together to preach a few words to them about God.[17] He soon would not know how to proceed. He is staying with Shikellamy. Was already here once in the spring.
On Sunday, the 26th {September] Our thoughts were much with our blessed Gemeine in Bethlehem and the real opportunities[18] that one has there. Martin and Anna also celebrated a small Lovefeast together during which our hearts were so close to melting that we hardly knew what was happening to us because we became so aware of the great love that the Lamb has towards his sinner-folk. We felt very well at this because we are also counted among those. We made a new covenant with each other to devour ourselves completely for the Lamb, to be in complete accord with him and his heart’s Gemeine, to sacrifice all our strength for him who sacrificed himself for us. In the afternoon I wrote a letter to Brother Joseph[19] and reported our circumstances. In the evening I spoke with Anderius about the matter of my living in his house, because he was considering leaving tomorrow for Philadelphia. I asked him whether I could continue living in his hut with my wife and the old mother until he returned. He said we were welcome to live in his hut as long as we wanted to. It was a very bad hut. But if we could stand having so little room in it then it was fine with him. We thanked him greatly for this and said that we were very happy with it and it was more comfortable for us in his hut than if we lived in the most beautiful house in Philadelphia.[20] He was very pleased that we were so happy in his hut. In the evening Martin and Anna were blessed and happy and thankful to our dear Lamb and especially for his fatherly loyalty and for his care for his poor sinners. We could thank him from our whole hearts, also for this little place, and asked him that he should reward this house and let the people feel that we are a blessing to them. We commended them and ourselves to the Lamb in a heartfelt prayer.
On the 27th [September] Anderius left early with his friends to go to Philadelphia. Mr Brainerd came to visit us again. Anna got better and better. The Lamb will soon giver her enough strength that we can go visiting again.
On the 28th [September] Today Martin went across the water to visit a few huts. He found a few people to be very friendly.
On the 29th [September] We helped our people to harvest their corn. In the evening we held a blessed Singstunde with each other in English, German and Mohican. We also thanked the Lamb with prostrated hearts that he had been among us until now and that his wounds pleased us much in our hearts.
On the 30th [September] We helped our people once more with their corn. Today Martin and Anna went visiting with each other for the first time again. They could do nothing but thank the Lamb that he had heard them with such grace.
On the 1st [October] We were once again the householders of our people.
On the 2nd [October] We thought a lot about our dear Bethlehem. We were deeply contented and had a special feeling about their opportunities.[21] The dear Lamb allowed us to enjoy them with them. Today, Anna also had the opportunity to speak with an Indian woman about the great love of our Lamb towards the poor people. We were able to ask on her behalf that these words would be a blessing to her heart.
On Sunday the 3rd [October] Once again we visited a few huts on the island and found that the people were very friendly to us.
On the 4th [October] Once again we went visiting across the water. Many knew us there, especially the wife of the king from three years ago. [22] The king[23] welcomed us also and had food brought to us soon. We found many Indians who received us lovingly into their huts. We told them that we loved them and that was the reason why we had come here to visit them again. They marvelled that we would make such a long journey out of love, we could say nothing more than to pray for them, that the Lamb might open their eyes and show them by the power of the Holy Spirit was they were lacking. There were many Indians there! However, we felt in our hearts that we could say nothing more to them because we felt as though it would be pointless. We believed in our hearts though that the time would come when the wounds of the Lamb would be preached openly here also. In the evening we felt completely contented. Our hearts overflowed with tears at the Lamb’s close proximity. We could pray from our hearts and know that the Lamb would show himself soon. In the evening we discussed what we might be lacking, that we are sometimes so fearful, that we felt as though something is pressing us down, that something heavy is on our hearts, found nothing but the fact that we would like to have brothers and sisters from these people here in Shamokin. We need a little Gemeine; leaving us here alone among so many Indians is very hard for us. May the Lamb soon hear the sighs and petitions of his Gemeine and give our hearts joy even among this still very wild people.[24]
On the 5th [October] We wanted to go to the other side of the island because Indians live on both sides of the island but could not cross the water because we could not find a canoe. The canoes were all on the other side. We called for about two hours but they did not come to fetch us. We went home and prayed for them.
On the 6th and 7th [October] We stayed at home and helped our people harvest corn. The Indians had a big celebration all together. It was all quite merry according to their customs.
On the 8th [October] In the morning we went on to the other side because we had the opportunity. We prayed to the Lamb that he should also allow this visit to be blessed so that we can invite the souls that are inclined to him. We visited everyone. The Delawares welcomed us into almost all the huts in a friendly fashion, but in all the huts asked us when we were thinking of going away again. In one hut, where there was a man and a woman, we had the opportunity to testify about our Lamb, about the great love that he has to us poor people. He loved us so much that he gave up his life for us. We were very happy with these two people. They listened carefully. People like them we have not found here yet. Oh how happy were our hearts and thought perhaps these are the first ones. They are smiling to the Lamb in his heart. They show much love. We told them also about our Indians in Shekomeko,[25] and how they thanked the Savior with tears that he had transformed their hearts and opened their eyes and that they no longer thought the way they had before but now could be blessed through the belief in Jesus and could be happy in their hearts that they knew God who also died for such bad Indians as them and through his death had wrought in us new life. We asked them whether they had understood us correctly. They both said, yes. They had understood us. We said we wanted to visit them more often. The man said he would like it if we visited them more often. But tomorrow he was intending to go off hunting and would not be home for another 3 months. Our hearts wanted to pray and weep for them. We said goodbye to them, asked them not to forget what we had said to them. We went to visit the other huts before evening and then it was evening. So we went home again and thanked the Lamb for this visit and in a childlike manner asked that his spirit might make the words that we had spoken to the Indians today clear and true in their hearts.
Saturday, the 9th [October] We were at home and helped our people with their work. In the evening five canoes full of Indians who are going into war passed by here. They were from the Delawares who live on Moncleir Bank[26] and near Wyoming. One came into our hut and boasted and said that tomorrow he was again going into war against the Flatheads. [27]
On the 11th [October] We went visiting again across the water but found no-one at home except the old king [Sasoonan]. He said they had all gone to the other side and had left him quite alone. He wanted to give us something to eat. But he had nothing at the moment. The thanked him greatly for his kindness. He was very friendly. Complained that he could not hear. Otherwise he would love to listen to us. We should and visit some others and talk to them. He also told us that a few days ago he had been very drunk[28] and had fallen into the fire and had burnt all the flesh off his hand and was now in great pain. We pitied him greatly. In the evening we were very distressed over some circumstances in our house. Could do nothing but lay ourselves before the heart of the Lamb with many tears. We had feared for a while that the enemy would start something on the other side because he hates the fact that we should live among the Indians and so he tries in all ways to show us how he would like to be rid of us, because we are a thorn in his eye. We notice this often. May the Lamb help us through and by means of the Holy Spirit logically let these people know that we are a blessed people and that we are among them for no other reason than for the sake of their souls.
On the 12th [October] We went visiting again across the water. We visited the Tutelo and the Delaware. The former were very frivolous and acted in a very haughty fashion. We could do no more for them than to sigh to the Lamb for them. The Delawares—some were very friendly and some were busy playing cards and had no time to look up at us. We also found no opportunity to teach them anything else and even if we had had the opportunity it would not have come to anything. And so we were quiet and prayed to the Lamb with heartfelt tears that he should not leave us alone for so long but rather make us joyful among these people also because they are also the reward of his pains just as much as we are.
On the 13th [October] We went visiting again across the water but found only a few at home. We visited on the island and found an opportunity to speak with a Delaware man about the love of God and how he so loved us that he gave up his life for us, that we were no longer permitted to be slaves to sin if we believed in him, and that we could be blessed already here, and that when we died so we should not be afraid of death but rather feel joy in our hearts because we knew that we were going to our dear Lord where we could be blessed in eternity because he had accepted us as his children. I asked him whether he would not consider it good fortune if a great king were to accept him as a child. He said, yes. He would be very happy about this. Thereupon I said that the great God who made heaven and earth and who is Lord over all the Kings of the world and over all people, he loved us so much that he came down to earth for us and let it be known that he wanted to free all people from the slavery of sin and the devil. Whosoever believed in him, this person he wanted to make his child, to his inheritor and this he preached and after this he was ceremoniously slaughtered and had definitely shed his blood and thereby he had given us a power. And now it just depended on whether we believed in him, accepted him as our God and then he would accept us as his children and would give us eternal happiness. And if we believed in him so then he would give all who sought him a clear and revealed heart and then we would rejoice that he is our God and we are his children, and then we thanked him that he had opened our eyes and hearts so that we could see what we have in him. The Indian was very attentive. He understands English well. We then returned home and commended him to the Lamb and prayed for him to the Lamb. He was surprised that we stayed among them for so long. I told him that there was no other reason than to teach them about the love of God.
On the 14th [October] We stayed at home. We helped our people to shell beans. We were both very happy and content because we know who we are—sinners who live from his bounty. If that were not the case then we would become scared and afraid. But thank the Lord that we have a Lamb with a quiet ear who always hears us.
On the 15th [October] We visited a sick woman. She was very kind. We told her something about our dear God who bled to death on the Cross.
On the 16th [October] I went visiting across the water but could do nothing more because everyone was drunk. Several I was visiting wanted to force me to drink but I thanked them and got away. Several looked quite fierce and bloody. I went home again. In the evening we had a Singstunde and with many tears laid all our concerns before the Lamb and his heart, especially about our house and the conditions here that for a while have been weighing on us. Anderius’ wife left today also. Was not in a good mood. We don’t actually know the cause.
On the 17th [October] Sunday We thought a great deal about our dear Bethlehem and about the blessed hours that are enjoyed there. The Lamb shared some of this with us. We felt how closely we are joined to you and how our hearts partake in your blessings and your love that the Lamb shares with us. Anna visited a sick woman today again and had a good opportunity to talk with her about the Savior. She listened to her closely. I have spoken to her several times. We asked the Lamb to let this woman see for herself this week through his spirit. The old woman in the house in which we are living was very worried today that Anderius has been absent for so long. She said the most of them must have starved because they have had no bison meat[29] for almost 4 weeks. Every day nothing but corn. She asked us if we could stand it, eating nothing but corn. We said that we were quite happy with that; we had not come here for the good food. We had not imagined anything better. We were grateful to dear God, who allows the corn to flourish. We had actually come here for the sake of the souls, to tell them about how our dear Lord and God wants to free people from slavery to sin in which they lie by virtue of nature and do not know it because Satan, the God of this world, has blinded them. We told her much about our purpose for coming here.
On the 18th [October] We visited the king’s house across the water. He was friendly, immediately gave us something to eat from his bowl. Otherwise there were very few at home.
On the 19th [October] We crossed the water to Shikellamy’s. On the way we met an Indian with his wife who knew both of us very well because we had visited them a few times. The man was going to visit his wife on the Island. He had a few little loaves of bread made with corn in a little bag. His wife said to him, give the two people some of the bread. They are probably hungry. The man sat down right away and took the biggest out of his bag and gave it to us with great pleasure. We took it with great thanks. The two people love us. We have spoken with them several times.
We then continued on into the town and were there for hardly ¼ of an hour when three drunken Indians came along who all had bloody heads. Also soon heard that most of them were drunk and all looked very bloodthirsty. Much evil there. We soon went back home. In the evening two canoes full of Indians came by that were going to war.[30] They came from Canadian lands.
In the night Anderius’ brother arrived here. [31] He lives in Canada and wanted to see his brother for once. He is also going to war. He left early though because Anderius was not at home and the company that he is in did not want to wait. In the afternoon Anderius returned from Philadelphia. He was very friendly. He told us that he had spoken to Brother Joseph[32] in Philadelphia. He also had a few letters fro us. But unfortunately he did not have them here but they would arrive with his company either tomorrow or the day after. He was quite upset about conditions in his house, especially because his wife had gone away and left us alone. He asked us whether we knew why she had left. We said that she had told us nothing more than she wanted to visit her mother who lived over 80 miles from here.[33]
On the 21st [October] Anderius left again. He said he wanted to see if he could still catch up with his brother. He had never seen him in his life and he was his full brother. They were from the same birth mother. He went by way of Ostonwakin. [34] There he met his wife who told him that his brother had already left. We prayed to the dear Savior with many tears that he should protect Anderius and guide his heart that he not leave because of circumstances, and that he become a comrade to us rather he should show him that we are here out of love for the poor Indians.
On the 22nd [October] Anderius’s company arrived here. We very much desired the letters and they gave them to us quickly. The woman was very friendly and could not stop telling us how she had been welcomed in Philadelphia with such love and especially that the women there had kissed her. She said it really touched her heart. She said that no white people had ever greeted her like that before. She also brought us some provisions from our brethren in Tulpehocken, for which we thanked her in a heartfelt fashion, as we said. The care of the Savior for his children was once again great in our hearts. As the dear Savior said to his disciples, have you ever wanted for anything, we must say, no Lord, never for one thing. He always cares for us. We are happy when we see how loyal the dear Savior is to us and maintains his father’s heart towards us. Even here in this place he has shown us a few things and has preserved our lives as full of grace and mercifully, as full of loyalty as he intends with his children. We savored the letters.[35] Strengthen us anew in our Plan because the Savior’s heart and the heart of his children refreshes us anew, reminded us how closely our hearts are bound to yours and how we walk and proceed with one spirit and heart with you and how the Lamb teaches us through the spirit that reigns in the Gemeine. Oh we bow down to the ground because the Lamb is so close to us and so merciful.
On the 23rd [October] Anna visited a sick woman today and told her how the Savior likes to help sinners and wants to make them blessed in eternity, whoever wishes to accept him and then he gives it all back to them, not first through baptism or good deeds but rather he is so full of love that he gives this freely.[36] The woman listened attentively. In the evening Anderius and his wife returned home. Both were very friendly, which was a great joy to us and we witnessed how the Savior listened mercifully to the prayers of our hearts and thanked him tearfully.
On the 24th [October, Sunday] We went visiting the Delawares across the water. They were celebrating. Asked them if they minded if we stayed here. They said that as far as they were concerned we could stay here forever. There were six men and six women present. They had cooked a whole stag and two pots/cauldrons of pumpkin and twelve loaves. They made 12 piles of meat, then put a loaf on each pile, and then distributed the pumpkin into the pots that the guests had brought. Then all twelve sat down and ate as much as they wanted. They took the rest with them. It was mostly old people. The man who gave the feast was a young man and he and his wife did not eat a bite. It all proceeded in a very orderly and modest way, and as soon as they had finished with their food, so then they thanked them in their way. They smoked three times, they pulled on the pipes slowly and then they stood up. Then one of them said, leave our friends some food, and brought us a piece of meat from his portion and also some pumpkin which we accepted gratefully. They then went home. And we visited them in their huts.
We also had the opportunity to speak to an old man in Jesus’ love. Oh how happy our hearts are when we find the opportunity to speak about our Lamb because here we still have so little chance as they are all drunk most of the time. So we like it when we find someone to whom we can speak about this. Until now we have not seen any other opportunity to do anything else because it is not our way to force people but rather to seek them out in love and to wait for as long as the Savior takes to find an opportunity to do something further. There is still no way to preach openly. And if we were to do this now and wanted to do this now it would be against our plan and against the feeling in our hearts. That is why we think it is good to stay with our method and that is, to pray and shed tears and until the Savior shows us another way. The example of Mr. Brainerd, a Presbyterian minister who was here this spring and who spent much effort in gathering the Indians and preaching to them, he did gather some of them, but he did not have a good effect. He was here again this fall. They avoided him however they could. May the good Savior teach us to act wisely through his Holy Spirit, so that we do not spoil anything in his affairs.
In the evening we had the opportunity to speak somewhat in our house about the reality of baptism, and what kind of notion we have of it, and that no-one can take it amiss if we do not baptize immediately, because the grace that is given in baptism is great and priceless and because the person who is being baptized should also have a feeling for it and that remains with him, wakeful in the grace of baptism, that he has received, and that we do not think that it is enough when we have baptized someone, No, we bow down before the Savior and we must justify our actions to him in such weighty matters. We also do not want to deceive people, so that they think that they are no longer judged, that it depended on something more. It depends on the fact that we believe in the Savior , because what matters is forgiveness and the one who is baptized he will become blessed. [Check manuscript]
On the 25th [October] We stayed at home and presented to the Lamb’s heart all our circumstances in Shamokin, and prayed to him fervently that he should soon grant us some brothers and sisters.
On the 26th [October] We went visiting over the water. Few were at home.
On the 27th [October] We stayed at home
On the 28th [October] We went across the water to Shikellamy’s. He was very friendly and gave us something to eat immediately. We went into the Delaware town. Wherever there was someone home they welcomed us in a friendly fashion. We told a woman and a man who love us about the love of Jesus and why he came into the world, that it happened for our sakes, and that we should be saved from slavery to sin. He wants to take us as his children, he wants to share his heavenly treasures with us, he wants to help whosoever wants to be helped. A good Savior, a loyal Savior, and dear Husband, when you know Him, you no longer think to be afraid, rather you feel like a child does towards his godfather [Pathen], he loves us, out of love he died for us and was resurrected. His heart is gladdened by nothing more than when many believe in him, when many help themselves out of sin, his blood is strong enough to liberate all Indians if they only want it.
The two people were very attentive. The dear lamb wanted to announce this fervently to their hearts through prayer.
On the 29th [October] We went visiting on the island. There were few at home.
On the 30th [October] We were at home. The Lamb was close to us and we thought a great deal of our dear Bethlehem, especially of all those dear to our hearts. We are afraid that we have not seen anyone for so long. We had hoped to see some of our Bethlehem hearts (friends) here soon. We also thought a great deal about our dear Shekomecko.[37] We laid our thoughts down at the heart of the Lamb because it is his work that he began there.
On the 31st [October, Sunday] We went visiting again across the water to Shikellamy’s house. However, most of them had gone out besides a few old people. The men are out on the hunt and many will return only in two months, some only in spring. Many of the women have left for Tulpehocken with horses to fetch liquor. We also visited Shikellamy. There were two Indians there who had come from Wyoming (Valley). They are also going on the hunt. They knew us both. One was a Shawnee, but could speak Mohican well; the other was a Mohican. The Shawnee asked us what we wanted here. The Five Nations does not want to have people teaching the Indians. You are like pigeons. When you come to a place, then it doesn’t rest at one or two of you, rather a whole flock lands here right away. He also told Shikellamy that we were like pigeons, where one of us settled then a whole flock soon came and settled together. Shikellamy was quiet and did not answer him a single word. They soon left. Shikellamy proves himself to be very friendly to us. We then returned home.
On the 1st [November] We went visiting again on the island but no one was home except for two old women and a few children.
On the 2nd [November] We were at home. In the evening 12 Indians arrived here by water who are coming from Canada. They are going to war with the Cherokees. Anderius knows them, there was a friend of his among them. Anderius said these Indians had come from very far away. They came from over 400 miles further away than Onondago.[38] They looked very bloodthirsty. They camped near Anderius’ hut. They soon prepared the place to dance. They got an empty barrel of rum. Knocked the bottom out of it and made a drum out of it. Then began according to their custom to celebrate. They shouted and danced for nearly two hours, during which time the enemy [Satan], to whom we are a thorn in his eye, was very occupied and would have loved to get rid of us. They soon got rum to drink and became so full of it that they behaved like wild animals. They were close to pulling down our hut. Just after midnight four of them came in here who look terrifying and bloodthirsty. Anderius was afraid that they wanted to do harm to us. He took them out of the hut, but an hour later another one came and acted like a madman, picked up a large brand from the fire and said he wanted to burn the white people. Anderius quickly stood up and grabbed the brand out of his hands. He [the Indian] went for his flintlock. Anderius however also took that away from him. He grabbed a piece of wood and came towards us. Anderius took that and said he should leave. He said he did not want to so he said he should sit down by the fire. He sat down but soon left. [He was later murdered by another of the visitors.] Anderius was very worried that the drunken Indians would do us harm. We said to him that if he thought we should then we would spend this night in the bush. But he did not think this was advisable because it is so cold. So we stayed, commended ourselves to the watchfulness of the Lamb and wished that it would become day soon. Soon they beat the one who wanted to kill us almost to death. We also prayed to the Lamb that he would soon let us see someone from the Gemeine because of my Anna’s condition.[39] We laid her condition at the Savior’s heart with many tears that she should be spared in soul and body.
On the 3rd [November] IN the morning our hut was full of drunken Indians. Martin and Anna counseled each other that they wanted to move out and into the bush for a while. At that moment, Brother Joseph,[40] Hagen and Joseph came to the door to our surprise, but could not enter because the drunken Indians were here. We went out to them immediately, and could not believe our eyes. Then Brother Joseph welcomed the drunken Indians, one of them pulled his pack off his back and threw it into the bush, and took his hat and put it on himself and ran off. Joseph was quite unruffled by this. We went into the bush together a bit to hug and kiss each other. Anderius soon followed. He was a little downcast that things were so rough in his house. We then held a little conference with each other because I read in the letter about who should be concerned that we change our quarters. I soon explained our circumstances here to Brother Hagen because Anderius is thinking about moving away from here to his friends and that we could no longer live here on the island because apart from that there are many difficulties. We agreed to speak with Shikellamy. We asked Anderius if he thought that was good. He agreed. He offered to go with us to him straight away and to be our interpreter. So we went there together.
When we arrived, we explained to Shikellamy that we, Martin and Anna, had been living with Anderius until now and that this could not continue because he was now leaving so we had thought to ask him whether these two Brothers [Spangenberg and Hagen] who had come to visit us could stay in his house and that we soon would go back. [We asked] Whether he thought that it would be good if we asked around for another hut. He said that it was not necessary that they look for another hut. His hut was big enough, and we were welcome to live in his hut as long as we wanted and he would like that and would welcome some of our people living with him. We thanked him greatly that he was offering his house to us. We also told him something of our plan here, why we were living among them, that it was not because of something we wanted for ourselves but rather out of love for their souls. Shikellamy said that if a trader or someone else from the white people wanted to live with him then he would not allow it, but he would allow us, because he knew us a little bit and we lived among them. We said that he should be quite honest with us. We did not want to be a burden to anyone if something came up. For example, if in some days many Indians were to stay in his house and he could not take our Brothers, so he could tell them to leave his house or show them a house they could stay in for the time being. He said this would not be necessary. His house was big enough. The cabins were there for him and for our Brothers and no-one else should live there. We thanked him greatly for the love and friendship he showed to us. We also thanked the dear Lamb for this public gift of great hope that the Lamb would soon glorify himself here in Shamokin.
I went back to our house with Anderius to bring my things across the water to Shikellamy’s house because Anderius’ house was full of warriors who had arrived from Canada. I also asked him, because Anna and I had lived with him for seven weeks already, what we owed him. He said however that I should not mention it. He was very sad that things had been so rough for us in his house. He had had nothing but corn for the past seven weeks. In his life he had never lived so poorly as he had for these past weeks. I said that we were heartily grateful that we had been able to live for such a long time in his house. We had not come here because we thought we were going to eat well, but rather we had imagined it to be the way it turned out. Our intention had been to be here for their souls and out of love for them. The old woman, Madame Montour, cried a lot that we were leaving so suddenly. Anderius accompanied us across the water, offered himself for any help needed, especially to his companions.
In the evening we held a conference with Brother Hagen about the work in Shamokin and told him how things had been with us until now in regards to the Indians and what we had done. Our main plan, which we had received from the Gemeine, and which was so intimate with our hearts and feelings, that we could believe with our whole hearts that the Lamb would be with us and would protect us through his Holy Spirit among this people that was still so wild,[41] even if we were not able to do more than pray and weep. We had visited diligently. When the Indians had given us some opportunity to talk about why we were here, then we did so and took the opportunity to praise the love God has for them. If they gave us no opportunity then we were quiet and prayed to the Lamb. We cannot even think of preaching, because for the moment there are troublesome things among them, until they themselves make the opportunity. In the meantime we ask the dear Savior to preserve us in the faith of his love and in the hope for these still very wild hearts until their hour comes.
This evening, in Shikellamy’s house, we held a Singstunde together and everything around was quite still.
On the 4th [November] In the morning we soon left. Shikellamy gave us a piece of [dried?] venison to chew on the way. Brother Hagen and Joseph accompanied us to the Eva Creek[42] and spoke a great deal with each other about being a child in relation to the Savior and also between each other. Said farewell to each other, found it a little difficult to say farewell. Our hearts broke with tears. Martin and Anna climbed the Spangenberg.[43] Hagen and Joseph watched us and climbed up safely just as Anna finally had to crawl on hands and knees. That day we came quite a distance. In the evening we met a trader with 25 loaded horses. We made it to Anna Thal {Anna’s Valley} and there we made our night quarters.
On the 5th [November] We arrived in Tulpehocken and were welcomed with much love by Brother and Sister Loesch.[44]
On the 6th [November] We visited our Brother and Sister Meurer. They were heartily glad at our arrival and that we were both well and happy. Martin [Mack] and Phillip [Meurer] visited Conrad Weiser that same evening. They had some news for him from Shikellamy. He was very happy with our stay in Shamokin and with what we had done there. He said that if we had told him that we had been very successful or that we had converted many Indians then he would not have believed us. But he believed what we told him. He has the same ideas about converting the Indians.
On the 8th [November] We travelled to Brother and Sister Wagner. In the evening some Brothers and Sisters came there to visit with us.
On the 10th [November] We arrived in our dear Gemeine again. Our hearts wept for all the grace and love and loyalty and care that it had done for us, two poor souls for the last 9 weeks. Oh, we bow down in the very bottom of our hearts. Accept us again as your children. We have experienced how good it is to be your children, how blessed communion with you is. We neither desire nor can be without you.
Your poor fellow Pilgrims
Martin and Anna Mack