Cherokee Phoenix

THE TUSCARORAS

Published December, 3, 1828

Page 3 Column 3b

THE TUSCARORAS.

The Tuscaroras, it is well known to most of your readers, live within a few miles of the great Niagara cataract, and consist of about forty families, and probably one hundred and fifty souls. They have had a missionary station among them for better than twenty years, being one of the first that engaged the attention of the New York Missionary Society. The tribe has ever been small since their emigration from North Carolina; and by reason of the evils which have ever befallen the Indian tribes in their circumstances, are still, it is to be feared, growing less and less.

Now, although the missionaries have not been permitted at this station to accomplish all their hearts' desire among this little community of immortals, they have still been permitted to rejoice over some souls which have been converted from the error of their ways. They have seen a few humble followers of Christ for these several years adorning their profession; and some they have seen die in the faith, and calmly sleep in Jesus. If they have not been able to banish intemperance, that foul blot upon our own national character, from their village, they have been the instruments of reclaiming some from its power, and keeping back others from its consequent disgrace and ruin, who, but for their warning, would in all probability have sunken to the lowest pitch of brutal sensuality. A little church of sixteen members still remain, whose orderly walk and conversation, in the main, goes to show that the gospel trumpet has not sounded in vain through their mountain. The missionary teacher, Mr. John Elliot, has an entering school of thirty children, who have learned to read the word of God in a short time. A very neat and comfortable chapel has been recently finished principally by the labors and contributions of the Indians themselves which is to be consecrated to the worship of God in a very few days.- West. Rec.