bullet Gnadenhütten/Bethlehem Journal - Comprehensive Report

 

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What we did toward this end was sufficient. Your eyes have become lighter, your ears attentive, your faces merry, our words went down good and nothing evil stuck inside you, but the good found a way in. We are glad about your presence here and no doubt you have seen that old and young, men and women alike were pleased with your presence. Yes we believe that even the children in their mothers’ wombs were pleased."

After that the Indian Speaker took the speech with the String of Wampum which Brother Joseph held in his hand, when he did his report. He repeated it in the Nanticoke language and each proposition was strongly approved by the Indians.

When the Speaker sat down, Brother Joseph stepped forward and answered the second speech of the Indians, which referred to the second String of Wampum that Father Nitschmann had laying in his lap and to which he pointed his finger.

He said: "Brothers! You Nanticokes and Shawnee, you have told us with this String of Wampum that you have cleared the paths not only in Bethlehem, but also from here to Gnadenhütten and even to Wyoming. You have raised all the valleys, leveled all the mountains, removed all rocks and brush, which could get in one’s way, and you have chopped down all the bushes, so that one can see and go from Bethlehem to Wyoming and from Wyoming to Bethlehem without difficulty. It is very important to us and we are happy. We want to stick to this and we want to use the path often, so that no grave will grow on it. When evil people throw a rock on the path, we want to remove it diligently, when the roots come out, we want to chop them off again, so that the path always remains. You will also use the path often and it will be our joy." After that he handed over the String of Wampum. The Speaker accepted it and reported the speech to his people in the Nanticoke language and every proposition was received with joy.

After everyone settled down, Brother Joseph produced a String of Wampum, which the Chiefs of Six Nations had given to the disciple (in confirmation of their wellbeing) who was with the Indian Johanan in Conr. Weiser’s house ten years ago and learned their language and told them about our common Master and God.

He also showed them the Belt of Wampum which the Six Nations gave our Gallichwio (Camerhof) two years ago in a great council at Onondago, with which they confirmed and renewed the alliance, that they made with our Brother Johanan. At the same time it appeared that a pair of our Brethren could live with them and learn their language, where it would be helpful to them to stay in the land of the Cayugas, the Oneidas, the Mohawk, Onondagas, or the Seneca and in this way they could become familiar with all the languages.

After that he brought the Belt to the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee and they looked at it thoroughly and reported to each other the meaning and the interpretation of it.

He took the opportunity to tell them once again that Brother Martin, David Zeisberger and Gottfried Rundt would soon set out on their journey to the Five Nations. He also reassured them that we would like to see the Nanticokes and Shawnee here again in three months according to their promise. Then he said: "Brothers! You have said several times that it hurts you that we don’t understand each other. It hurts us too. Think it over with each other as to what we can do to learn to understand each other and when you come back here in three months share your thoughts with us.

After they have spoken among themselves about this matter for a while, the Speaker appeared and said: "we want to take this speech with us, consider with each other and tell you our thoughts in three months."

After everyone settled down, Brother Schlegel came and set a big basket of tobacco in front of Brother Joseph’s feet. Sister Schlegel came in the name of the Sisters and brought two small baskets which were filled with [Zerirn], strings/ribbons, sewing, pins scissors, thimbles and the like and told Brother Joseph that because the Sisters saw that the Brethren were giving presents they did not want to be left out. Here Brother Joseph stood up again and said: "Brothers! Our youth is happy about your coming here and have brought you a small present of tobacco. You have a long way home, so please take it in love.

Our women have seen that the Brethren were giving you a present, so they brought couple of boxes, where you will find presents for your women.

A house of our children, which is not far awayfrom here, (namely in Maguntsche) have heard about your presence here and each has resolved to bring you his bread. But because they were afraid that the bread would go stale during your journey, they had sent flour instead, five bushels that is, which you should distribute among each other."

Hereupon the Indians concluded the whole event in their manner. The oldest Chief of Shawnee stood up and attested his satisfaction and all the people acclaimed at that.

One of the Nanticoke Chiefs stood up and told his people the same and they concluded with unanimous applause. Another Chief stood up and attested to us in English that they were sincerely pleased and grateful. After that the old Speaker stood up again, took both Fathoms of Wampum in hand, which the Brethren gave to the Nanticokes and Shawnee, held them up high and went with very gentle steps around the table, when he came to Brother Joseph, he remained standing for a little while and then he went around the whole circle. He sang a short thank you song in a very pleasant tone. The whole people acclaimed and so the whole ceremony was concluded.

Here are the names of the Nanticoke Chiefs present at the visit in Bethlehem:

Sampentiques

John Kossy

John Dutschman

White

Jainopom

The Shawnee Chiefs:

Paxnous

Pertrick

 

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Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely


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