Full Title:
New Englands first fruits: in respect, first of the conversion of some, conviction of divers, preparation of sundry of the Indians: 2. Of the progresse of learning, in the colledge at Cambridge in Massachusetts Bay. With divers other speciall matters concerning that countrey. Published by the instant request of sundry friends, who desire to be satisfied in these points by many New-England men who are here present, and were eye or earewitnesses of the same
Annotation:
Annotation from From English to Algonquian: Early New England Translations
New England’s First Fruits is the colonists’ response to English criticism about the lack of evangelical work being performed in New England. Colonists asserted that they first needed to build homes, secure food, form a government, and establish an institution of higher education before turning their attention to missionary work.
Excerpt:
2. In respect of the College, and the proceedings of Learning therein. After God has carried us safe to New England, and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for livelihood, rear’d convenient places for God’s worship, and settled the Civil Government: One of the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance Learning, and perpetuate it to Posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate Ministery to the Churches, when our present Ministers shall lie in the Dust. And as we were thinking and consulting how to effect this great Work; it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard (a godly Gentleman and a lover of Learning, there living amongst us) to give the one half his Estate (it being in all about 1700). towards the erecting of a College, and all his Library: after him another gave 300 l. others after them cast in more, and the publique hand of the State added the rest: the College was, by common consent, appointed to be at Cambridge, (a place very pleasant and accommodate and is called (according to the name of the first founder) Harvard College.
Source Citation:
Overton, Henry. 1643. New Englands first fruits: in respect, first of the conversion of some, conviction of divers, preparation of sundry of the Indians: 2. Of the progresse of learning, in the colledge at Cambridge in Massachusetts Bay. With divers other speciall matters concerning that countrey. Published by the instant request of sundry friends, who desire to be satisfied in these points by many New-England men who are here present, and were eye or earewitnesses of the same. New York: J. Sabin. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100114587