Missionary to the Natives

Over two hundred years ago, the United States of America was beginning to emerge as a nation. The pilgrims who were arriving were fleeing the papal oppression from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In the New World, they found the freedom they were looking for; freedom to serve God with a free conscience. However they not only found religious freedom in this new country, they also found natives living in the country who were not so willing to give up their land to these foreigners. These natives were ‘uncivilized’ according to the standards of these European immigrants. Their lifestyle appeared to be primitive and they had no knowledge of the true and living God that many of these pilgrims had just fled their old country to preserve. Due to much misunderstanding between the two widely diverse cultures, frequent clashes often occurred between them in the early days as they contended for land and food. While many of the new-comers to this nation, either feared or despised these natives, there were some who pitied them and longed to share the message of Salvation through Jesus Christ, with them. One such man was David Brainerd.

David Brainerd was America’s youngest missionary to the Indians on the East coast of the United States. David saw in these natives, souls for whom Christ died; souls who needed the message salvation brought to them. He set out to learn their languages, which was quite a challenge in itself. One of his best native friends was Wauwammpewuennaut. David simply called him John. Learning their names was not his greatest difficulty though. Almost constantly he had to contend with the superstitions among the Indians.

They thought Christianity contained strange ‘powwows’ (meetings) that would bewitch them.

“I am a Christian,” said Brainerd. “Why don’t those powwows bewitch or poison me?”
Also some land-hungry Europeans, who resented David’s efforts, circulated a false report that he was really an English government agent whose ultimate purpose was to incite war between Indians and white people. Those dishonest traders became David Brainerd’s worse enemies because they did not want anyone helping Indians establish Christian homes where they would want to remain.

This primitive civilization of the Indians and their savage habits, such as having war dances and hunting and scalping parties, also conflicted with peaceful Christianity. Although Brainerd learned the tribal language as quickly as he could, often he preached through an interpreter. Sometimes his listeners were intensely interested and responded favourably to his gospel messages, but at other times, regardless of the missionary’s efforts, they seemed to be thinking of everything under the sun other than salvation.

This was alternately encouraging and dispiriting for the missionary. But when he sensed failure he redoubled his efforts and faith in God by praying and fasting all day in a forest. He was also an avid student of the Bible, reading it through completely twice each year.
David Brainerd’s will and courage were much stronger than his body. Constant exposure, inadequate food, and general hardships of pioneer life affected his health, which was already poor. He never complained, however, even when his bed was often only the ground in a forest or a pile of straw in a bare log cabin.

At times he had to ride a horse fifteen to twenty kilometres for bread, or rather dough, which he baked in ashes. If at any one time he brought only a little dough he would have to return soon for more. But if he got a large supply it would turn sour or mould before he could eat all of it. The rest of his diet was made up of mush, which Indians called hasty pudding, boiled corn. Surely at times he must have yearned for a good cook such as Jerusha Edwards, daughter of Jonathan Edwards, to whom he was engaged.

But Brainerd knew his first duty was to God and to the missionary call that he had given, regardless of difficulties that appeared. On April 30, 1743, he wrote in his journal, not as a complaint, but as a fact, “My work is exceedingly hard and difficult; I travel on foot two kilometres, the worst of ways, almost daily, and back again, for I live far from my Indians. I have not seen an English person in this month.”

On December 21, 1744, David Brainerd and an interpreter started on a long trip to Susquehanna. They were caught in a terrific storm, in which they lost their horses and nearly lost their lives. From Susquehanna they travelled about a hundred and fifty kilometres on rivers to minister to eight tribes of Indians. The exertion and exposure made Brainerd ill with malaria, but after resting for a week in an Indian trader’s hut, he continued the journey. On May 30, 1745, he arrived at the Forks of the Delaware River, after travelling a total of about 500 kilometres.

That year, 1745, became known as the ‘great awakening’ among the Indians. Their general concern for Christianity at this time is indicated by missionary Brainerd, who was not given to exaggerating: “In the afternoon of August 8, I preached to the Indians upon Luke 15:16-23. [The Prodigal Son] There was much visible concern among them, while I was discoursing publicly; but afterwards, when I spoke to one and another more particularly, whom I perceived under much conviction, the power of God seemed to descend upon the assembly ‘like a mighty rushing wind,’ and with an astonishing energy bore down all before it.

“Almost all persons of all ages were bowed down in prayer together. Old men and women, who had been drunken wretches for many years, and some little children, not more than six or seven years of age, appeared in distress for their souls, as well as persons of middle age.

“A man, advanced in years, who had been a murderer, a powaw, or conjurer, and a notorious drunkard, was likewise brought now to cry for mercy with many tears, and to complain much that he could be no more inclined to his old way of life when he saw his danger was so very great. When he understood the salvation that was offered through Jesus Christ, he could not resist the love so freely offered. He repented with many tears.

“They were almost universally praying and crying for mercy in every part of the house, and many were out of doors; and numbers could neither go nor stand. Their concern was so great, each one for his own soul’s salvation, that none seemed to take any notice of those about them, as each prayed freely for himself.”

These were the result of only one service. Many similar meetings were held. On August 25, 1745, Brainerd described the Indians’ attitude: “Love seemed to reign among them! They took each other by the hand with tenderness and affection, as if their hearts were knit together, while I was discoursing to them; and all their deportment towards each other was such, that a serious spectator might justly be excited to cry out with admiration, ‘Behold how they love one another!’ “

Such is the power of real Christianity, even under trying circumstances, when it is revealed through a sincere servant of God. It takes a weapon from an angry hand and puts love and a Bible there, purges bitterness from hearts and minds and puts Christian fellowship there.

David Brainerd surely had reason to rejoice in the glory of God’s goodness.
The fruitful work continued for about two years, until the missionary was too ill to preach any more. While he was bedridden for about four months, his fiancée, Jerusha Edwards, was his nurse. Often they talked about God and assured each other that they would spend a happy eternity together.

The end came on October 9, 1747. The following April 20 he would have been thirty years old.
About four months later Jerusha died. And side-by-side they rest.

Educated at Yale University, wanted as a pastor in various large cities, David Brainerd chose to serve as God willed among poor, handicapped people. To live wholly for God was his first great aim and ambition. And God blessed His servant gloriously.

Although young Brainerd served for only a few years, his Christ-centred life and inspiring service became a great Christian influence for William Carey, Samuel Marsden, and Henry Martyn. So in a very real, although indirect, way, through these missionaries he spoke to thousands of natives in India, New Zealand, and Persia.

As for David Brainerd’s dedicated purpose, it was clearly expressed in a letter he wrote to his brother, “I declare, now I am dying, I would not have spent my life otherwise for the whole world.”

Today the Lord needs dedicated missionaries who will bring the saving message of salvation to a world that is rapidly perishing. Jesus is coming very soon and who will answer His call to service?