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indian converts 305 [219] CHAP. IV. Early Piety exemplified, in an Account of several Young Men, Maids, and Children, that have appeared to be truly pious. I Doubt not but that where there is any thing considerable of true Piety and Religion among a People, God does extend his special and saving Grace to some of every Age, whether elder or younger among them.646 As therefore it appears by what has been already said, that there have been many grown Persons who have been converted and saved among our poor Indians, so I believe it will be evident by that which here followeth , that there have been also many young People savingly brought home to God among them. I shall here instance in several such, as I cannot but hope have been effectually called. EXAMPLE I. ABIGAIL MANHUT, who died at Nashouohkamuk, in or about the Year 1685, when she was about twenty Years old. ABigail Manhut was a Daughter of John Ammanhut,647 an Indian Minister formerly mentioned, and a Sister of Hosea Manhut, now one of the Pastors of the Indian Church on the West End of Martha’s Vineyard: She was piously educated by her Father and Mother,648 who were both esteemed godly Persons; and she her self appeared pious from her very Childhood. She was taught to read well while she was young, and delighted much in reading the Scriptures and other good Books. [220] She also loved to go to Meeting and hear the Word of God preached, and was a strict Observer of God’s Holy Day. She was not given to run about with rude and wicked Company, as many young People are, but constantly and seriously attended the 646 This assertion would not have been so obvious to the first- or second-generation ministers in New England; for Thomas Hooker, e.g., even children of ten or twelve years “lived the life of a beast” and were not yet rational enough to understand “the mysteries of life and salvation .” See Brekus, “Children of Wrath,” 302, 313. Mayhew’s confidence in children is a sign of the influence of Enlightenment thought in New England and the movement toward the First Great Awakening. 647 IC, 72, 217. John was the son of Wannamanhut, the sachem at Takemy (IC, I.72). WGH, 200–201. 648 Her mother was Mary Manhut (IC, 217). –220] 306 indian converts Worship of God in the Family to which she belonged; and was always very dutiful and obedient to her Parents. She had not, so far as did appear, any Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness; but was on the contrary, a zealous Reprover of them. Her Relations yet living, do affirm that she used Boldness and Courage in reproving their Miscarriages, when she knew them to be guilty of any Fault. Such as were acquainted with her do also affirm that she used to pray by her self, and that very frequently; and that when she had none with her but Children, she was sometimes found praying with them. She used, in the time of her Health, to discourse very seriously about the things of God and another Life; and having learned of her Mother, with whom she lived after her Father’s Death, to sing Psalm Tunes, she used not only to sing with the rest of the Family before Morning and Evening Prayer, but was also frequently heard singing Psalms by her self alone. It is so long since this Maid died, that I cannot distinctly remember any thing concerning her: but while I was writing this Account of her, my aged Mother649 came in and told me, that she lived and laboured some time in my Father’s House, carrying her self very well while she was there; and that my Father esteemed her a very pious Person. She died of a lingring, consumptive Distemper,650 and so was sensible of the gradual Approaches of Death towards her; and in the time of her Sickness, behaved her self as one that had lived well ought to do: She prayed often to God, and desired others to pray with and for her, and gave many good Exhortations to her Relations, and others that came to visit her; and her Mind appeared to be calm and serene, as being possessed with Peace in believing. When she was going to die she was sensible of it, and told those about her...

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