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Wednesday the 21st, when the watchword was: When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me [Jeremiah 8:18]. We had our public gathering with the Indians. We used a small hall and sat the Indians on one side and the Brethren from Bethlehem on the other. In the middle stood a round table covered with a blue cloth. On one side of the table sat the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee, right in front of their people. Next to them sat our brown Brethren Abraham, Nathanael, Joshua and Anton. The rest of the Gnadenhütten congregation sat among and beside other Indians, opposite the Chiefs. Around the table sat Brother Joseph, Father Nitschmann (who was so hearty with joy, as a child), Brother Matheus, Nathanael and Christian Seidel, Martin, Christian Rauch, Henrich Antes, Brother Horsefield, Lawatsch, David Zeisberger, Schmück and many others: behind them sat other congregants. When Chief White saw them, (the hall packed full) he asked first whether that was all the Brethren. Answer: Yes! Hereupon he said: I am glad to see you healthy and well with us this morning. Afterwards Speaker Partrik appeared and spoke in his language, what he had to say. At the end of the speech he delivered a String of Wampum of 307 beads, which Chief White took out of his [Partrik’s] hands and repeated the speech in English. The content of it was we should not resent that they had not come at the appointed time for a visit as they had promised. They were here now and we should correctly understand their report and petition. The Speaker talked in such a lively manner and with such gesticulation, that one could almost guess what he was saying. The speech is Supplement A. Brother Joseph accepted the String of Wampum, after which the Speaker appeared for the second time and after him Chief White. The former spoke in his language and later in English. The point of the speech was the following: they were very grateful for the help extended to them by the Brethren last spring. The speech itself is Supplement B. How we felt during this speech, I cannot describe. The heart swam in tears and one was ashamed of the grace that the Savior showed for us. Tears flowed everywhere. They gave us a present at this speech of 30 deer skins, which they carried on their backs from Wyoming to Bethlehem, to prove their gratitude. We accepted the present in Love and thanked them.

After that the Speaker stood up for the third time said in his language, what Chief White then translated in English. The content of it was that we still did not know how to learn each other’s languages. In the course of this they gave us a three fold String of Wampum, which had one whole string of black beads, indicating that the matter was not clear yet. The speech is Supplement C.

The Brethren did not answer to everything yet, as Brother Joseph said: "We want to consider your words together and let you know our answer afterwards." They approved this all with each other and promised to be in the small hall again early tomorrow. Then they were presented tobacco and pipes and they smoked with the Brethren and the Brethren with them. The Sisters were in the hall until then, and in part in the cabinets next to the hall. But the tobacco smoke drove them away like bees. Here the Indians laughed and rejoiced in their own manner. They are jovial and cheerful people. The thing in itself, namely to smoke a pipe with someone in a solemn manner, is of great meaning and many consequences to them. Brother Joseph discoursed with them about several things and inquired about the last campaign of the Five Nations, when almost all of their youth went to the Southwest. They gave a general account, but afterwards gave him a very special report in private company. The matter itself is right: It is not aimed at the Catawas or the Cherokees, but at three Indian towns, behind the Cherokees, which murder and maraud and won’t let themselves be expelled. They want either to bring them into order and obedience or to exterminate them.

At lunchtime there were several Brethren in Bethlehem together such as Father Nitschmann, Joseph, Matheus, Christian Seidel, Lawatsch, and many others and let the Chiefs of the Nanticokes’ and Shawnee’s dine with them. Three Indians from the Five Nations were also present and the Mohawk woman was there also. They were content and stayed for quite a while after the meal with the Brother Joseph in his study. In the afternoon the Chiefs were engaged in a very serious and long conference with each other.

On Thursday the 22nd we came together with them for the second time in our small hall and seated ourselves as we had yesterday. When it was quiet, Speaker Partrik appeared and after him Interpreter White and conveyed their matter, the former in Indian and the latter in English. The content of the speech was the following: they, the Nanticokes, would move farther up from Wyoming, but this should not prevent them from visiting us as before. The speech is Supplement D. Brother Joseph was given a String of Wampum of 300 beads in confirmation of this speech. He gave the String to the Brethren who sat around the table with him to take a look at it.

After that the Speaker stood up for the second time and held an Indian Speech, which Chief White then repeated in English. The content of it was: that they offered our Brethren in Gnadenhütten, Delaware as well as Mahican, to move to Wyoming in the name of the Five Nations. Yet it should not happen under duress, but according to their free will. They should not tear themselves from the Brethren in Bethlehem because of this, but they should stay in connection as before. The whole speech can be seen Supplement E. During this speech one observed something particular about the Chiefs. They must have imagined that the proposition would benefit neither the Brethren in Bethlehem nor the Indians in Gnadenhütten. That is why they spoke with such anxiety that they trembled and did not have the frankness we had observed in them before. They did not even know that this petition was not new to us, and that for a long while now we had been worried whether their proposal could be fulfilled. But when they saw that we were not surprised and that it did not even disconcert us, they were immediately enlivened and comforted that we had become used to them. By the way, they gave us a String of Wampum of 500 beads in confirmation of what they proposed to us and which Br. Joseph also accepted.

And then the Speaker stood up for the third time and after him the interpreter White. The former spoke in Indian and the latter in English language. The content of the speech was the following: The path from Bethlehem is now clear all the way to the Five Nations, just as it was clear from Bethlehem to Wyoming before, and the chain of love between the Brethren in Bethlehem on one side and between the Indians on Susquehanna on the other side should last as long as the world stands. The whole speech can be found under Supplement F. On this occasion the Chiefs presented a Belt of Wampum of 1320 beads, not only in their name but also in the name of the Five Nations, which they held up high, pulled tight from both sides and showed to the people. Brother Joseph took it and passed it around the Brethren who sat around the table to take a look at it. And then Father Nitschmann laid it on his knees. Brother Joseph attested that we accepted their words, not only as their words, but also as the words of the Five Nations. We did not want to lose the words, but think them over together and then grant it an answer. And if we had not understood something right, we would want to ask you and you should make it clearer for us. They liked it and gave their acclamation.

In the meantime they were presented with pipes and some tobacco and as the Indians saw, that we fully accepted their speech, they were very merry: And the Speaker stood up for the fourth time with a Belt of Wampum, he first spoke to our Indian Brethren from Gnadenhütten and then to the Brethren from Bethlehem and Chief White translated it into English. The meaning of the speech was the following: they didn’t intend any ill-will with our Brothers the Mahicans and Delawares in Gnadenhütten. It would be only one step from Gnadenhütten to Wyoming for them, which they could easily make.* At the same time they could stay in touch with the Brethren from Bethlehem *But this step is rather big and one needs two or three days, if one wants to take it. and the rest of the Brethren stayed in Gnadenhütten. They would live between the Brethren from Bethlehem and the Five Nations. The former could hold onto one of their hands and the latter could hold onto their other hand etc. The speech is Supplement G. They handed over the Belt to captain Abraham and he accepted it.

After that they sat down again and smoked their pipes. Then said White: "Brothers! Do not let the path seem too long for you to visit us." We assured him that for us no path was too long to visit our Brethren. We have spent a year and a day on the sea, and passed the equator twice in order to visit our Brethren in East Indies. They were not surprised even a little bit.

Not long after they stood up and offered their hands to the Brethren around the table. Then they came to Brother Joseph’s study and had a friendly conversation with him. Brother Heinrich van Vlek had been with us until then but today he set out on his way to New York, and seeing our lack of pipes he sent us several dozen from Easton. They came at the right time and the Indians were very pleased.

In the afternoon Brother Joseph took friendly leave of them and went to Nazareth. Brother Nathanael, Henrich Antes and other Brethren were at Chief Whites’s and read to him what they wrote to Brother Oerter, in order to hear if their thoughts were properly represented and nothing was forgotten. This care of the Brethren pleased the Indians very much and made their minds even clearer. This is how the matter resolved. We should not clasp the arms and hold on to the Indians in Gnadenhütten, but separate them far apart, so that they could go to Wyoming, if they wanted to. Today’s watchword was: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities [Jeremiah 31:21& Hymn 592].

On Friday the 23rd, Brother Joseph came back with the Lawatschen congregants from Nazareth and conferred with the Elders and missionaries [Heiden-Boten] and also with the Conference delegates from Gnadenhütten and Meniolagomeka about the answers that should be given to the Nanticokes and Shawnees. Brother Augustus from Meniolagomeka, who was not present before, also joined in. After that we let the Indian Chiefs know that we were ready with our answer. They could come to the small hall again. This was very agreeable to them and they came immediately and our Brethren did the same. We seated ourselves around the table and around the hall in the same manner as I have mentioned before.

After a short pause, Brother Joseph asked if they were ready to hear our answer. They said: "Yes! We would like that." Here Brother Joseph repeated their first speech, which is Supplement A., and gave them an answer that we, the Brethren in Bethlehem, did not think ill of them that they did not come last fall. We were all happy that they were here now. The answer is Supplement H. In the course of this he handed them a String of Wampum, which Chief White accepted and translated the speech for the Nanticokes and Speaker Partrik reported to the Shawnee. At every point the Indians acclaimed with loud voices: the Nanticokes with "Ohah!" and Shawnee with their "Netoh!" which is comparable to Delaware "Kehelle!" and Mahican "Kehannah!".

After that Brother Joseph stood up for the second time, repeated the second speech of the Indians, which is Supplement B, and said in response that we were happy whenever we could help our Indian Brethren and that we were all united in this through the grace of our Savior. At the same time he thanked them for the presents the Nanticokes and Shawnee had brought and given them. See supplement sub-letter I. He confirmed his speech with a String of Wampum which Chief White accepted and translated to the Nanticokes. Partrik translated it to Shawnee and everyone received it with loud acclamation.

Then Brother Joseph repeated their third speech, which is Supplement C and expressed Brethren’s thought about it. They should leave it for the time as to how it would be in regard to the language, yet they hoped that there would be more frequent reciprocated visits so that we could get to know each other better.

The answer itself is Supplement K. Chief White took the String of Wampum meant to confirm these words from Brother Joseph’s hands and translated his answer to the Nanticokes and Partrik to the Shawnee and all the people said in their manner "Amen!", "Natoh-ohah!" and "Hehelle!".

After that pipes were brought and they had a discussion while smoking. Brother Joseph told them, that he could stay until Monday. After that he had to depart for he had a letter from New York saying his ship was to sail away. The Indians said: "We are very happy, that you have stayed here for so long. Tomorrow, when we carry out our business and have our answer, we will not have anything to do but to prepare for our departure. But because you are going to leave on Monday, we want to wait until then and leave at the same time."

Brother Joseph affirmed his joy, that he would see Nanticokes and Shawnee in Bethlehem before his departure and added to that: "When I cross the ocean and tell my Brethren that I have seen the Nanticokes and the Shawnee our Brethren, with my own eyes, heard them with my own ears and shook hands with them before I left Bethlehem, they will be very happy. I am glad that you are staying until Monday. When we sit together and smoke our pipes, we learn to understand each other better and better. When water drops fall on a rock constantly, ultimately they drill a hole in it, and that is how it is with learning words. Our Brother Gonousseracher visited Onondago several times and now he can speak and understand your language. I am glad that you are staying here. Tomorrow, more than 100 of our Brethren are coming from the upper places, Nazareth etc. and will rejoice when they see you. They acclaimed. Then Brother Joseph told them: "We remembered very well what you said a year ago, that you would like to hear words from our God and the Savior. Next Sunday there would be an English service and you could understand most of the English. There we wanted to talk to you from our hearts out of our hearts and we hoped that it would reach your hearts again. We wanted to tell you good words." They were pleased with this.

After that they stood up, shook hands with the Brethren and went to their lodgings. In the evening we had a conference and unanimously agreed on the responses we should give the Indians for their remaining words.