The motive of the early settlers of New England, which took
precedence over all others--as they declared--was "_a desire to
advance the gospel in these remote parts of the world, even if they
should be but stepping-stones to those who were to follow them_."
Finding these barbarous tribes here, the Pilgrim Fathers bartered
with them for peaceable possession, which they did not always secure.
As civilization encroached upon barbarism, the colonists kept their
homes often only by the defences of war. But peace was in the hearts
and purposes of the early settlers.

As early as 1643, the Rev. John Eliot, who had been educated at the
University of Cambridge, England, and who had come to Boston,
Massachusetts, in 1630, wrote that he had "been through varieties of
intercourse with the Indians, and had many solemn discourses with all
sorts of nations of them." It was his theory that they were the
descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. He acquired their language.
It was an arduous undertaking, but he said "Prayer and pains through
faith in Christ Jesus will do anything."

In 1660, he had visited all the Indians in the Massachusetts and
Plymouth Colonies, and preached the gospel to them, and the first
Indian church was then formed.

In 1661, he had translated the New Testament into the Indian tongue,
and in 1663, the Old Testament. This Indian Bible was published at
Cambridge, and was the only Bible printed in America until a much
later period. Besides this, Eliot instituted schools, and induced
large numbers to give up their savage customs and habits, and to form
themselves into civilized communities.