Apostle to the American Indians
At the dawn of the seventeenth century, the memorable “Mayflower” brought to the shores of North America a man and a woman who were to be the grandparents of the great missionary.
Far up amidst a group of hills near Hartford, Connecticut, nestled the cottage where on April 20, 1718, this missionary was born. His name was David Brainard. When he was a mere youth, both his parents died. He did not attend school until he was past twenty years of age. Nevertheless, his education was not neglected. He loved to read the Bible, as is shown by the fact that one year he read the whole volume through twice.
At the age of twenty-four, Mr. Brainard received a license to preach. At this time, he responded to a call to labor among the North American Indians. Although it was in the dead of winter, he started to his field without delay. At that time the American continent was largely peopled by the red race. But few white people had ever gone west of New York, and but little was known of the Mississippi Valley.
The field assigned him was a region at that time inhabited solely by the Indians. On his journey he passed through New York City, then only a small town. After leaving New York he traversed the wilderness with his lone horse, depending entirely upon the hospitality of the Indians for his daily needs, crossing the mountains, facing bleak winds, struggling through deep drifts of snow, having nothing but the limitless blue tent of heaven for a shelter, yet regarding these afflictions lightly when compared with the bitter agony of the Saviour.
Immediately upon reaching his field he set to work to learn the language of the Iroquois, the difficulty of which can be inferred from the word “question,” which in the Indian language contains thirty-six letters. The work that John Eliot had done in reducing the Indian language to a written form, was of inestimable value to David Brainard.
The influence of this earnest Christian over the red man can be seen by the fact that he persuaded an entire tribe to emigrate so that his interpreter might work for them.
After several months of labor, he returned to New Jersey to be ordained, but upon returning to his mission field, he was met by the hostility of the traders. These unprincipled men, instead of trying to uplift their red brothers, carried to them that soul destroying enemy—strong drink. The gospel of Jesus brought to them by Mr. Brainard was having its influence to turn these deluded people away from this vice, and the traders felt as did those men from whom Paul took away “the hope of their gains,” by leading the people to turn away from the evils of divination and serve the true God.
Mr. Brainard heard of a great feast that was to be held the following day, and he knew it would be a time of drunkenness and crime for many of the Indians. What could he do to turn this tide of evil from them? Retiring to the quiet shadow of the woods, he prayed as so often our Saviour prayed, through the entire night, pleading for strength and wisdom to show the Indians their sin. The following day he was enabled by divine grace to break up the tumult, and to speak the word of life to interested listeners.
The Spirit of the Lord was working like leaven upon the hearts of the Indians, and soon there was a great revival. Entire tribes came scores of miles to hear the words of salvation. Ninety-five percent of his hearers were prostrated before the Lord. Their cry of anguish is touchingly expressed in this moving stanza [see in the image above].
This life of hardship and exposure proved too much for Mr. Brainard’s health, and it was at last discovered that he was a victim to that dread disease, tuberculosis. He suffered greatly, and was finally taken to his home and friends. For many weeks his life hung in the balance, and before he reached the age of thirty years his work on earth was finished.
His spirit always rose when it seemed that the end was near. The earnestness of his life is expressed in these words from his diary: “My heaven is to please God and glorify Him; to give all to Him, to be wholly devoted to His cause—that is the heaven I long for, that is my religion and happiness. There is nothing in this world worth living for but doing good, and finishing God’s work, doing the work that Christ did.”
True Education Series, Book 6, ©1912, 352–355