No title-page, heading only; text (with the exception of the headings in English, entirely in the Mohegan or Stockbridge Indian language) pp. 1-15, verso of p. 15 blank, sm. 125. Signature ▲ in six and B in two. See the facsimile of the first page. A Morning Prayer, pp. 1-6.-An Evening Prayer, pp. 6-7.—Catechism i. e. Dr. Watts's Shorter catechism for children), pp. 8–15. Copies seen: American Antiquarian Society, Dunbar. Continued. Sergeant (J.), the elder ceding tract containing "A Morning Prayer," etc. See the fac-simile of the first page. A Prayer before Sermon, pp. 1-8.-A Prayer after Sermon and Baptism, pp. 8-10.-A Prayer to be used at the Sacrament, &c. pp. 10-14.—A Prayer for the Sick, pp. 15-16.-For the Afflicted, pp. 16-17.-Thanks returned for Recovery, &c. pp. 17-18.-A Prayer after Sermon, pp. 1821.-A General Prayer, pp. 22-23. Copies seen: American Antiquarian Society, Dunbar. A copy bound in mottled calf was sold with the library of Royal Woodward, Esq., of Albany, at New York, December 8, 1884 (no. 1239), for $21, Mr. Charles L. Woodward being the purchaser. It now belongs to Mr. John B. Dunbar. In the Memorial History of Boston, vol. 1 (1880), Dr. Trumbull says: "I know of only two copies: one in the library of the Essex Institute, Salem, the other belonging to Hon. Henry C. Murphy, of Brooklyn, N. Y." The copy here referred to as in Mr. Murphy's possession does not appear in the sale catalogue of that gentleman's library,which was sold by auction at New York, in March, 1884. These two tracts in the Mohegan or Mohea. kunnuk language (15 and 23 pp.) were issued together, stitched in paper covers, without title or colophon. They were first identified as the work of Rev. John Sergeant by Dr. J. H. Trum. bull, in volume 1 of the Memorial History of Boston, Boston, 1880. When Dr. Trumbull's essay on the "Origin and Early Progress of Indian Missions in New England" was read before the American Antiquarian Society at Worcester, in October, 1873, their existence appears to have been unknown. In the sketch of Mr. Sergeant's life given be. low it is stated that he translated these pray. ers, etc., "by the Help of Interpreters." One of these assistants was probably John Quinney, or Quan-au-kaunt, whose translation of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism into the same language was printed in 1795. That publication also contains, on pp. 27-31, a revision in slightly different orthography of Mr. Sergeant's version of Dr. Watts's Shorter Catechism for Children, first printed with the above prayers. Although the Assembly's Shorter Catechism is not included in the list of Mr. Sergeant's translations, it is probable that this version of it was originally prepared under his supervision. For an account of it see Quinney (J.) John Sergeant, whose grandfather was one of the first settlers of Newark, New Jersey, in 1666, was born in that town in 1710. A few years later his father died, and his mother was married again to a Col. John Cooper. By an accident the lad was deprived of the use of one of his hands, which rendered him unfit for man. ual labor. On this account his stepfather resolved to give him a liberal education. In September, 1725, John was sent to Yale College in New Haven, where he graduated in 1729 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Three years Sergeant (J.), the elder - Continued. later the degree of Master of Arts was also conferred upon him. In 1731 he was made a tutor in the college, which position he held for about four years. At this time the Muhhekaneok or Mohegan Indians, commonly called the River Indians, were the largest tribe of any near the English settlements in New England. They dwelt mostly along the eastern border of New York, partly in the northwest corner of Connecticut, and in the southwest part of Massachusetts, on Housatunnuk river. In July, 1734, proposals were made to send a missionary to the Indians of the last-named place, under the direction of the Honorable Commissioners for Indian Affairs at Boston, and at the expense of the Society for the propaga. tion of the gospel in foreign parts. Mr. Sergeant was also recommended as a fit person to undertake the work. The conditions having been arranged, he was appointed to go to them in the following September, at a salary of 100%. a year. In October and November, 1734, and again in May, 1735, he madę two preliminary visits to Housatunnuk, and preached to the natives through an interpreter. Their number, great and small, was then short of fifty. In July, 1735, on the termination of his official labors at the college, Mr. Sergeant determined "to spend the Rest of the Summer, and indeed of his Life, with the Indians." On the 31st of August, he was regularly ordained to the ministry, and his salary as missionary was raised to 150l. An assistant, Mr. Timothy Woodbridge, had already been engaged to aid him in the work of teaching and catechizing. Mr. Sergeant now commenced his missionary labors at Housatunnuk in earnest, and before the close of the year had baptized nearly forty persons. He soon became sensible," Mr. Hopkins relates, "that the Method he was at first oblig'd to use of instructing the Indians by an Interpreter, would not answer his End." He therefore entered upon "the new and diffi. cult Study of their Tongue, and prosecuted it with utmost Application. He found it, upon Trial, extreamly difficult to learn, being entirely different from any Language he was acquainted with; and often express'd his Fears, that he should never be able to make himself Master of it." Perseverance, however, soon brought its reward. By the middle of February, 1736, he was able to pray with the Indians in their own language. In March, 1736, when the Indians went on their annual trip into the woods to make maple sugar, Mr. Sergeant accompanied them and stayed in their camp six weeks. "I was treated very well," he writes, "while I was with them; and learn'd more of their Manners, and Language, than ever I had before." Daring this period he was "employ'd, in the Day Time, in teaching the Children to read; and in the Evening be taught the Indians to sing, in which they took great Delight. He pray'd with them Morning and Evening. in their own Lan. Continued. Sergeant (J.), the elder In April, 1736, "the General Court granted to the Indians a Township, six Miles square, above the Mountain; comprizing in it Wnahk. tukook, or the Great-Meadow." Here a new town was laid ont, which was named Stockbridge, and to this place the Indians removed in May. At the suggestion of Mr. Sergeant, accommodation was made for several English families, partly that he might have the Com. fort of their Neighbourhood, and Society; but especially to civilize and anglicize the Indians, and to be a Help to them in their secular Af. tairs." The number of Indian inhabitants in June was upwards of ninety, of whom fifty. two had been baptized. Mr. Sergeant had hith. erto lived in English families, below the mountain, but in January, 1737, he also moved up into the Indian town, and lived with Mr. Woodbridge. Under the date of August, 1737, it is related that as he "had, by the Help of Interpreters, before this, translated some Prayers into the Indian Language, for their daily use; so now he had translated Dr. Watt's first Catechism into the Indian Tongue, that the Childreu might understandingly read and learn it." About the same time he also translated the form for marriage into Indian. On the 7th of August, 1737, according to Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Sergeant began to preach to the Indians in their own language, "by the Assist. ance of an Interpreter; who aided him in the Translation of his Sermons. And, in about two Years more, by constant Use, he obtain'd an exact Pronunciation of their Tongue, tho' very hard to gain: so that the Indians were wont to say, Our Minister speaks our Language better than we ourselves can do." In August, 1739, he was married. Ninety Indians attended the wedding, and conducted themselves with great gravity and propriety. Besides attending to his own charge at Stock. bridge, Mr. Sergeant visited the Indians in many other places, both in Connecticut and Massachusetts. In May and June, 1741, he undertook a missionary journey to the Shawanoes on Susquehanna river, and also to the Delawares on Delaware river, in the province of Pennsylvania, the villages of the former being about 220 miles distant from Stockbridge. On the 6th of May, 1743, he wrote concerning the progress of the Indian boys in their studies, that one of them in particular had made extraordinary progress in his learning, and appeared truly pious, and had been singularly service. able to him, "assisting him in his Translations, |