NE Orhoengene neoni Yogaraskhagh Yondereanayendaghkwa, Ene Niyoh Raodeweyena, Oooghfadogeaghuge Yondadderighwanon NE doeotha, Siyagonnoghfode Enyondereanayendagh kwagge, Yotkade Kapitelhogough ne Karighwadaghkweagh Agayea neoni Ale Teftament, neoni Nlyadegari wagge, ne Kamninggahaga Siniyewenoseogh. Tebocawenadenуough Lawrance Claeffe, Rowenaga radatsk William Andrews, Ronwanha-ugh Ongwehoenwighne Rodirighhoeni Raddiyadanorough neoni Ahoenwadigomyofhagge Thoderighwawaakhogk ne Wahooni Agarighhowanha Niyoh Rao deweyena Niyadegoghwhenjage. Eghtferaggwas Eghtjeeagh ne ong choonwe, neoni ne Gyodoghwhenjooktannighhoegh etho ahadyeandough. Fac-simile of the Indian title page of the Mohawk Prayer Book, printed by PRAYER BOOKS OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, AND THE AMERICAN It cannot be charged upon Christian peoples that they have neglected the spiritual training of the Indians of North America. The Eliot Bible appeared more than a hundred years before the first Bible in English, with an American imprint, was issued in the United States by Robert Aitken, in Philadelphia. A portion of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, in the Mohawk language, antedates the first Prayer Book in English, printed in this country, by nearly three quarters of a century. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, as early as 1704, sent a missionary to labor among the Mohawk Indians. He was the Rev. Mr. Moor, who did not remain long enough to make any translations. The first person who translated to any considerable extent was the Rev. Mr. Freeman, a minister of the Reformed Dutch Church at Schenectady. The entire Gospel of St. Matthew, chapters in Genesis and Exodus, and several of the Psalms, were translated by him. In the absence of any regularly appointed missionary, he gave the Indians, in their own language, Morning and Evening Prayer from the English Book. These translations remained in manuscript. In 1712, the English Society sent out Rev. William Andrews as missionary, and he was directed to have Mr. Freeman's manuscript printed. He was assisted in the work by Lawrence Claesse, who acted as an interpreter. It is likely the original manuscript was enlarged through the assistance thus obtained. The book was printed in 1715, by William Bradford, of New York City. It is a small quarto of 115 pages. It has two title pages, one in English, and the other in Mohawk. The text is entirely in Mohawk, though the headings to the prayers are both in the English and Indian languages. In addition to the Morning and Evening Prayer, the book contains the Litany, the Church Catechism, Family Prayers and several chapters of the Old and New Testaments. This publication is ranked among the rarest Americana. A copy in the Murphy sale brought $112.00, and another in a catalogue of Quaritch was marked at $240.00, in extra binding of crimson morocco. Copies of the book are preserved in the British Museum, the Lenox Library and the collections of the New York Society. Historical made by A partial reprint of this book was Richard & Samuel Draper, of Boston, in 1763. It contains Morning and Evening Prayer, the Litany and Catechism, and is a small quarto. It covers but 24 pages. It omits the chapters from Scripture found in the edition of 1715. A copy at the Brinley sale brought $50.00. "In 1762," says the Rev. William M. Beauchamp, D.D., in The Church Eclectic of 1881, "with a prospect for continued peace, Sir William Johnson turned his attention more directly to the improvement of the Six Nations. He was earnest in helping all efforts for their conversion and education, and his position and long experience gave him practical insight into measures affecting their welfare. Most of the Mohawks, and some of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras could not read, and he often furnished them suitable books. As knowledge spread among them, the need of a new edition of the Indian Prayer Book attracted his attention, and he undertook its publication at his own expense, securing the Rev. Dr. Barclay to superintend the work. With a copy of the old edition he sent translations of the singing psalms, the Communion Office, that of Baptism, and some prayers which he desired added. When completed the book was an octavo of 204 pages. But the publication met with many vexatious interruptions, and it did not appear from the press until six years had expired. Mr. William Weyman, the New York printer, was sorely tried in getting the type for the long and unfamiliar words of the Iroquoian language. Added to the other detentions was the death of the Rev. Dr. Barclay in 1764. His place was taken by Colonel Daniel Claus, who was an Interpreter in the Indian Department of General Johnson, and well fitted for the work by his knowledge of the Mohawk tongue. Another delay was occasioned by the death, in 1768, of Mr. William Weyman. The work was then taken up by Hugh Gaine. It seems, also, that Rev. John Ogilvie, of Trinity Church, New York, was called upon to assist in the corrections. He had at one time ministered to the Mohawks as a missionary. The title page states that it was the joint work of Andrews, Barclay and Ogilvie. The book that had seen so many delays and set-backs at last was given to the Indians in 1769. It is an octavo, with the imprint of W. Weyman and Hugh Gaine, of New York. Its contents are indicated by the title page reading, "The order For Morning and Evening |