28 RELIGION, COLONISING AND TRADE 
to learn the Indian languages, eventually translating 
the Bible into one of the dialects ; and after he had 
devoted himself for some years to the welfare of the 
Indians, in 1643 the first of what were known as the 
Eliot tracts was published in London. The tracts, 
eleven in number, were not all by his own hand ; the 
last was published in 1671, and the burden of them 
was: conversion of the Indians, the dawn of the light 
of the Gospel among the heathen, and its further 
manifestations. 
In July 1649 an ordinance was passed by the Long 
Parliament with the title ‘A Corporation for the 
promoting and propagating the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ in New England.” The ordinance recited that 
it had come to the knowledge of the Commons of 
England in Parliament assembled that some of the 
heathen natives of New England had, through the 
preaching of the Gospel to them in their own language 
by some godly English, begun to call upon the name 
of the Lord, and in order to give the good work the 
support which was needed, Parliament created a 
Corporation in England to be called The President 
and Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New 
England.” The Corporation was given power to 
acquire lands not exceeding the yeatly value of two 
thousand pounds, goods and money, and for its put- 
poses a general collection was to be made throughout 
England and Wales. The subscriptions were volun- 
tary, but a substantial sum was received and invested 
in land, and the income was applied to providing 
missionaties and school teachers amongst the natives 
in New England and New York. The ordinance was