Gnadenhütten Journal - Comprehensive
Report
|
|
|
It is time their women and children went back to Wyoming now, but he himself and several other Chiefs would visit us in Bethlehem. Between 5 and 6 o’clock the gathering ended and the Nanticokes and Shawnee took their meals. Afterwards Brother Joseph preached in English and told the story of Jesus Christ the Crucified in a very simple manner. They were very attentive throughout the story, and one of the Chiefs made his people stay after the sermon, and repeated it in his own way.
Tuesday as on July 18th we had much to do with preparations for our treaty. The Indian sisters cooked for everyone, for we wanted to all eat together after the treaty. Some searched together for wampum, which were to be found in Gnadenhütten, and made Belts as well as Strings of wampum. Some of our Brethren were baking, because we were all out of bread. We held a conference and agreed together on how we wanted to respond to the Nanticokes and Shawnees’ proposal.
The whole Gnadenhütten congregation was summoned and they were informed about what we intended to say at the treaty. Among them also came Brother Christian Seidel and Jacob Loesch from Christiansbrun and brought us a wagon of provisions. We were barely ready with our preparations when it was already time for the treaty. The Gnadenhütten and Bethlehem Congregation went out first, and then came the Nanticokes and Shawnees. We camped as the days before. Between the two parties lay a mat, on a mat a blue cloth and on top of that a Charlaken cloth. As soon as everything was in order, Brother Joseph arose and said: "Brothers! You the Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnee, who are one, you have come a long way with your people: you have withstood much heat: you have endured great hunger, your feet are tired and dusty, sweat runs from your bodies, and as you have come to us, and so with this String of Wampum, (here he showed the first string that they gave us).
You have wiped our eyes, cleansed our ears, dried our sweat, smoothed our throats and cleaned our insides, so that all the evil would come out, and there would be room for the good. And with this String you attested that you loved our words, which we told you in spring, (it was namely this, that we wanted to be your friends, but we would also want to introduce the Savior to you). You have also told us that your youth, your women and children, even the children in their mothers’ wombs would rejoice to hear the words of Jesus Christ. With this String you also said that you and the Shawnees were one, just as we the white Brethren from Bethlehem and the brown Brethren from Gnadenhütten are one. Brothers! Receive this String of Wampum (here Brother Joseph raised up a double String). We thank you for coming to us, refresh yourselves, dry off your sweat, wipe off the dust from your feet, have enough to eat, rest yourselves, cool off and be content among us. May God bless the word, which we will preach to you and your children". The Indian White, one of the Chiefs, took the String from Brother Joseph’s hand, and repeated the whole speech in the Nanticoke language and according to custom the Indians gave a round of applause with loud outcries at every pause. As he sat down, Brother Joseph rose with the first Belt of Wampum, which was given by the Nanticokes and Shawnees, and repeated the whole discourse that accompanied this Belt of Wampum. The Nanticokes and Shawnees attested with the customary loud sound after each proposition, that these had been their words. After that Brother Joseph placed the Belt over his arm and took another Belt, which would confirm his response to the Indians and said: "Brothers! You, Chiefs of the Nanticokes and Shawnees, who are one, it is a great joy for us, that you have found your brothers again and we ours. It should stay this way, as you have said. We do not want to be two but one.
Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely
 |