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"We, a Convention of Congregational Ministers assembled at Portsmouth,
September 28, 1762, having read and considered the foregoing
attestation from a number of reverend gentlemen in Connecticut, taking
into consideration the many obligations the Supreme Ruler has laid
upon Christian churches to promote his cause and enlarge the borders
of his kingdom in this land, the signal victories he has granted to
our troops, the entire reduction of all Canada, so that a way is now
open for the spreading of the light and purity of the gospel among
distant savage tribes, and a large field, white unto the harvest, is
presented before us; considering the infinite worth of the souls of
men, the importance of the gospel to their present and everlasting
happiness, and the hopeful prospect that the aboriginal natives will
now listen to Christian instruction; considering also the great
expense which must unavoidably attend the prosecution of this great
design, think ourselves obliged to recommend, in the warmest manner,
this subject to the serious consideration of our Christian brethren
and the public. It is with gratitude to the Great Head of the Church,
who has the hearts of all in his hands, that we observe some hopeful
steps taken by the societies founded for the gospelizing the Indians,
and the hearts of such numbers, both at home and in this land, have
been disposed to bestow their liberalities to enable such useful
societies to effect the great ends for which they are founded. But as
we wish to see every probable method taken to forward so benevolent
and Christian a design, we, therefore, rejoice to find that the Rev.
Mr. Wheelock has such a number of Indian youths under his care and
tuition; and in that abundant testimony which his brethren in the
ministry have borne to his abilities for, and zeal and faithfulness
in, this important undertaking. And we do hereby declare our hearty
approbation of it, as far as we are capable of judging of an affair
carried on at such a distance; and think it our duty to encourage and
exhort all Christians to lend a helping hand towards so great and
generous an undertaking. We would not, indeed, absolutely dictate
this, or any other particular scheme, for civilizing and spreading the
gospel among the Indians; but we are persuaded that God demands of the
inhabitants of these colonies some returns of gratitude, in this way,
for the remarkable success of our arms against Canada, and that peace