John Eliot

...and the next year he became the pastor in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a position he held for 58 years.

In 1642, he dedicated himself to learning the Algonquin language so that he could win the Native Americans in his region. He developed an alphabet (the Algonquians had none) and translated the entire Bible into their language.

His translation was printed in 1663, the first Bible published in America. It would be 120 years before another Bible was published in English in America.

After Eliot’s initial success in converting the Indians, Parliament organized the “Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England” to support his labors. The Society provided the natives with occupations, homes, and clothes. They also paid salaries to teachers and ministers, started schools, and provided for the expense of printing.

Eliot established fourteen towns for his converts who wanted to detribalize. When he died, there were over 4,000 believing Native Americans living in these orderly, self-governing communities.

He also trained Native Americans to be missionaries to their own people. In 1681, Daniel Takawambpait became the first Native American ordained in New England.

We remember John Eliot as the “Apostle to the Native Americans.”