Thursday, December 18, 2008

The Bank of Faith

The Bank of Faith and Works United contains Dorothy Ripley's journal during her mission trip to the New York Indians in 1805. On August 12 she first preached in New Stockbridge:

"I went to their church, which is distinguished by a steeple, that you can see some distance off. It is a neat, clean, wood building, with glass windows, and a handsome entrance, having a gallery all round excepting where the minister sits.... The Indians, fantastically dressed, sung a psalm feelingly, which moved my passion of love, so that I wept tears of joy. After this [Rev.] Serjeant [sic] prayed in Indian, then in English, and gave out a second psalm, which was sung as the other admirably. The minister then read part of the fourteenth chapter of Mark, which Captain Hendrick, a Chief, read also in Indian; and I was at the liberty to preach to them, and had Captain Hendrick to interpret for me as long as I thought proper.... When I came out, many Indians gladly took me by the hand, which affectionately I saluted after the same manner, knowing One God was our Father, redeemer, and Sanctifier of all"(101-102).


The Bank of Faith and Works United has been reprinted (I think in 2007) and is also available online.

No comments :