Another Difficulty will arise from the false Insinuations of _Romish_ Emissaries, who will not fail to tell them, that we are about to teach them a false Religion, and if they hearken to us, they will all certainly be damned. But when those _Indians_ are properly informed of the Conduct of the _French_, and other Roman Catholicks, how they deny the Use of the Bible to the common People among themselves, and that they have no Design to acquaint the _Indians_ with the Word of God: And on the other Hand, that our Design is not to impose upon them, but to open the Bible to them, to enable them to read it, and to judge for themselves; will not this satisfy them of our honest Intentions towards them, and of the Safety and Propriety of their examining Things, that they may form a Judgment for themselves? A third, and perhaps much the greatest Difficulty that would attend this good Design is, that those _Indians_ esteem themselves Christians already, and value themselves upon their being as good Christians as their Neighbours. Mr. _Sergeant_, in his Journal of _November_ 25, 1734, says,--‘The _Mohawks_ are generally Professors of Christianity, but for want of Instruction have but little of it in Reality.--’ They are so ignorant of the Principles of Religion, that they know not the Difference between one who is baptized, and calls himself a Christian, and one who lives agreeably to the Rules Christ has given us to walk by. They are not sensible of the Necessity of being conformed to those Rules of Virtue and Holiness which Christ has prescribed. _Romish_ Emissaries have baptized some of them, others (as I have been informed) have been baptized by _Dutch_ Ministers; and they esteem it a Privilege belonging to them to have their Children baptized, whenever they present them, without any Regard being had, either to the Qualifications of the Parent, or the religious Education of the Child. When the Rev. Mr. _Spencer_ was among them a few Years ago, they were much displeased that he declined baptizing some Children, whose Parents were notoriously ignorant, vicious and wicked. Some _Indians_ from _Canada_, who had an _English_ Woman to their Mother, came a few Years past to _Westfield_ to visit their _English_ Relations there, and while they staid at that Place, they had a Child born, and were much offended with the Rev. Mr. _Balantine_, who declined baptizing of it, as they desired. Since the Rev. Mr. _Edwards_ has been at _Stockbridge_, one of the _Mohawks_ residing there had a Child born, and was highly affronted because Mr. _Edwards_ did not baptize it upon his Desire. From these Instances it is evident, that they account their Children have Right to Baptism, whenever they desire it. And being baptized, they esteem them good Christians, whatever their Conversation may be; for they derive their Notions of Christianity, not from the Bible (to which they are Strangers) but from the Example of the _Dutch_