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children　when　you　left　Williamsburg；　and　this　young　man；　James　Downs；　a

minister　of　God；　and　earnest　in　his　hope　for　our　work。〃



〃A　glorious　work　it　is！　Welcome；　young　ladies；　to　our　peaceful　village。　And；

young　man；　I　greet　you　with　heartfelt　thankfulness。　　We　need　young　men。　Come

in；　all　of　your；　and　share　my　cabin。　I'll　have　your　luggage　brought　up。　I　have

lived　in　this　hut　alone。　With　some　little　labor；　and　the　magic　touch　women

bring　to　the　making　of　a　home；　we　can　be　most　comfortable　here。〃



Mr。　Zeisberger　gave　his　own　room　to　the　girls；　assuring　them　with　a　smile　that

it　was　the　most　luxurious　in　the　village。　The　apartment　contained　a　chair；　a

table；　and　a　bed　of　Indian　blankets　and　buffalo　robes。　A　few　pegs　driven　in

the　chinks　between　the　logs　completed　the　furnishings。　Sparse　as　were　the

comforts；　they　appealed　warmly　to　the　girls；　who；　weary　from　their　voyage；　lay

down　to　rest。



〃I　am　not　fatigued；〃　said　Mr。　Wells；　to　his　old　friend。　〃I　want　to　hear　all

about　your　work；　what　you　have　done；　and　what　you　hope　to　do。〃



〃We　have　met　with　wonderful　success；　far　beyond　our　wildest　dreams；〃　responded

Mr。　Zeisberger。　〃Certainly　we　have　been　blessed　of　God。〃



Then　the　missionary　began　a　long；　detailed　account　of　the　Moravian　Mission's

efforts　among　the　western　tribes。　The　work　lay　chiefly　among　the　Delawares；　a

noble　nation　of　redmen；　intelligent；　and　wonderfully　susceptible　to　the

teaching　of　the　gospel。　Among　the　eastern　Delawares；　living　on　the　other　side

of　the　Allegheny　Mountains；　the　missionaries　had　succeeded　in　converting　many；

and　it　was　chiefly　through　the　western　explorations　of　Frederick　Post　that　his

Church　decided　the　Indians　of　the　west　could　as　well　be　taught　to　lead

Christian　lives。　The　first　attempt　to　convert　the　western　redmen　took　place

upon　the　upper　Allegheny；　where　many　Indians；　including　Allemewi；　a　blind

Delaware　chief；　accepted　the　faith。　The　mission　decided；　however；　it　would　be

best　to　move　farther　west；　where　the　Delawares　had　migrated　and　were　more

numerous。



In　April；　1770；　more　than　ten　years　before；　sixteen　canoes；　filled　with

converted　Indians　and　missionaries；　drifted　down　the　Allegheny　to　Fort　Pitt；

thence　down　the　Ohio　to　the　Big　Beaver；　up　that　stream　and　far　into　the　Ohio

wilderness。



Upon　a　tributary　of　the　Muskingong；　called　the　Tuscarwawas；　a　settlement　was

founded。　Near　and　far　the　news　was　circulated。　Redmen　from　all　tribes　came

flocking　to　the　new　colony。　Chiefs　and　warriors；　squaws　and　maidens；　were

attracted　by　the　new　doctrine　of　the　converted　Indians。　They　were　astonished

at　the　missionaries'　teachings。　Many　doubted；　some　were　converted；　all

listened。　Great　excitement　prevailed　when　old　Glickhican；　one　of　the　wisest

chiefs　of　the　Turtle　tribe　of　the　Delawares；　became　a　convert　to　the

palefaces'　religion。



The　interest　widened；　and　in　a　few　years　a　beautiful；　prosperous　town　arose；

which　was　called　Village　of　Peace。　The　Indians　of　the　warlike　tribes　bestowed

the　appropriate　name。　The　vast　forests　were　rich　in　every　variety　of　game；　the

deep；　swift　streams　were　teeming　with　fish。　Meat　and　grain　in　abundance；

buckskin　for　clothing；　and　soft　furs　for　winter　garments　were　to　be　had　for

little　labor。　At　first　only　a　few　wigwams　were　erected。　　Soon　a　large　log

structure　was　thrown　up　and　used　as　a　church。　Then　followed　a　school；　a　mill；

and　a　workshop。　The　verdant　fields　were　cultivated　and　surrounded　by　rail

fences。　Horses　and　cattle　grazed　with　the　timid　deer　on　the　grassy　plains。



The　Village　of　Peace　blossomed　as　a　rose。　The　reports　of　the　love　and

happiness　existing　in　this　converted　community　spread　from　mouth　to　mouth；

from　town　to　town；　with　the　result　that　inquisitive　savages　journeyed　from　all

points　to　see　this　haven。　Peaceful　and　hostile　Indians　were　alike　amazed　at

the　change　in　their　brethren。　The　good…fellowship　and　industry　of　the　converts

had　a　widespread　and　wonderful　influence。　More；　perhaps；　than　any　other　thing；

the　great　fields　of　waving　corn；　the　hills　covered　with　horses　and　cattle；

those　evidences　of　abundance；　impressed　the　visitors　with　the　well…being　of

the　Christians。　Bands　of　traveling　Indians；　whether　friendly　or　otherwise；

were　treated　with　hospitality；　and　never　sent　away　empty…handed。　They　were

asked　to　partake　of　the　abundance　and　solicited　to　come　again。



A　feature　by　no　means　insignificant　in　the　popularity　of　the　village　was　the

church　bell。　The　Indians　loved　music；　and　this　bell　charmed　them。　On　still

nights　the　savages　in　distant　towns　could　hear　at　dusk　the　deep…toned；　mellow

notes　of　the　bell　summoning　the　worshipers　to　the　evening　service。　Its　ringing

clang；　so　strange；　so　sweet；　so　solemn；　breaking　the　vast　dead　wilderness

quiet；　haunted　the　savage　ear　as　though　it　were　a　call　from　a　woodland　god。



〃You　have　arrived　most　opportunely；〃　continued　Mr。　Zeisberger。　〃Mr。　Edwards

and　Mr。　Young　are　working　to　establish　other　missionary　posts。　　Heckewelder　is

here　now　in　the　interest　of　this　branching　out。〃



〃How　long　will　it　take　me　to　learn　the　Delaware　language？〃　inquired　Jim。



〃Not　long。　You　do　not；　however；　need　to　speak　the　Indian　tongue；　for　we　have

excellent　interpreters。〃



〃We　heard　much　at　Fort　Pitt　and　Fort　Henry　about　the　danger；　as　well　as

uselessness；　of　our　venture；〃　Jim　continued。　〃The　frontiersmen　declared　that

every　rod　of　the　way　was　beset　with　savage　foes；　and　that；　even　in　the

unlikely　event　of　our　arriving　safely　at　the　Village　of　Peace；　we　would　then

be　hemmed　in　by　fierce；　vengeful　tribes。〃



〃Hostile　savages　abound　here；　of　course；　but　we　do　not　fear　them。　We　invite

them。　Our　work　is　to　convert　the　wicked；　to　teach　them　to　lead　good；　useful

lives。　We　will　succeed。〃



Jim　could　not　help　warming　to　the　minister　for　his　unswervable　faith；　his

earnest　belief　that　the　work　of　God　could　not　fail；　nevertheless；　while　he

felt　no　fear　and　intended　to　put　all　his　heart　in　the　work；　he　remembered　with

disquietude　Colonel　Zane's　warnings。　He　thought　of　the　wonderful　precaution

and　eternal　vigilance　of　Jonathan　and　Wetzelmen　of　all　men　who　most

understood　Indian　craft　and　cunning。　It　might　well　be　possible　that　these　good

missionaries；　wrapped　up　in　saving　the　souls　of　these　children　of　the　forest

so　full　of　God's　teachings　as　to　have　little　mind　for　aught　else；　had　no

knowledge　of　the　Indian　nature　beyond　what　the　narrow　scope　of　their　work

invited。　If　what　these　frontiersmen　asserted　was　true；　then　the　ministers'

zeal　had　struck　them　blind。



Jim　had　a　growing　idea　of　the　way　in　which　the　savages　could　be　best　taught。

He　resolved　to　go　slowly；　to　study　the　redmen's　natures；　not　to　preach　one

word　of　the　gospel　to　them　until　he　had　mastered　their　language　and　could

convey　to　their　simple　minds　the　real　truth。　He　would　make　Christianity　as

clear　to　them　as　were　the　deer…trails　on　the　moss　and　leaves　of　the　forest。



〃Ah；　here　you　are。　I　hope　you　have　rested　well；〃　said　Mr。　Zeisberger；　when　at

the　conclusion　of　this　long　recital　Nell　and　Kate　came　into　the　room。



〃Thank　you；　we　feel　much　better；〃　answered　Kate。　The　girls　certainly　looked

refreshed。　The　substitution　of　clean　gowns　for　their　former　travel…stained

garments　made　a　change　that　called　forth　the　minister's　surprise　and

admiration。



〃My！　My！　Won't　Edwards　and　Young　beg　me　to　keep　them　here　now！〃　he　exclaimed；

his　pleased　eyes　resting　on　Nell's　piquant　beauty　and　Kate's　noble　proportions

and　rich　coloring。　〃Come；　I　will　show　you　over　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



〃Are　all　these　Indians　Christians？〃　asked　Jim。



〃No；　indeed。　These　Indians　you　see　here；　and　out　yonder　under　the　shade；

though　they　are　friendly；　are　not　Christians。　Our　converts　employ　themselves

in　the　fields　or　shops。　Come；　take　a　peep　in　here。　　This　is　where　we　preach　in

the　evenings　and　during　inclement　weather。　　On　pleasant　days　we　use　the　maple

grove　yonder。〃



Jim　and　the　others　looked　in　at　the　door　of　the　large　log　structure。　They　saw

an　immense　room；　the　floor　covered　with　benches；　and　a　raised　platform　at　one

end。　A　few　windows　let　in　the　light。　Spacious　and　barn…like　was　this

apartment；　but　undoubtedly；　seen　through　the　beaming　eyes　of　the　missionary；

it　was　a　grand　amphitheater　for　worship。　The　hard…packed　clay　floor　was　velvet

carpet；　the　rude　seats　soft　as　eiderdown；　the　platform　with　its　white…oak

cross；　an　altar　of　marble　and　gold。



〃This　is　one　of　our　shops；〃　said　Mr。　Zeisberger；　leading　them　to　a　cabin。

〃Here　we　make　brooms；　harness　for　the　horses；　farming　implementseverything

useful　that　we　can。　We　have　a　forge　here。　　Behold　an　Indian　blacksmith！〃



The　interior　of　the　large　cabin　presented　a　scene　of　bustling　activity。　

Twenty　or　more　Indians　bent　their　backs　in　earnest　employment。　In　one　corner　a

savage　stood　holding　a　piece　of　red…hot　iron　on　an　anvil；　while　a　brawny　brave

wielded　a　sledge…hammer。　The　sparks　flew；　the　anvil　rang。　　In　another　corner　a

circle　of　braves　sat　ar