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William Penn's Letter Intro: I am ready to believe them of the Jewish Race…
William Penn wrote a letter to the Traders of London in 1865. He shared perspective on many things about the New World, and specifically that He had found one of the Lost Tribes of Israel. He was fascinated with all facets of their Existence. He offers his Candid insights for Us to discuss and evaluate today as we look back on what we have done to these Ancient, Sacred Tribes….
I. “The NATIVES I shall consider in their Persons, Language, Manners, Religion and Government, with my sense of their Original. For their Persons, they are generally tall, straight, well-built, and of singular Proportion; they tread strong and clever, and mostly walk with a lofty Chin: Of Complexion, Black, but by design, as the Gypsies in England: They grease themselves with Bears-fat clarified, and using no defense against Sun or Weather, their skins must needs be swarthy: Their Eye is little and black, not unlike a straight-look’t Jew: The thick Lip and flat Nose, so frequent with the East-Indians and Blacks, are not common to them; for I have seen as comely European-like faces among them of both, as on your side the Sea; and truly an Italian Complexion hath not much more of the White, and the Noses of several of them have as much of the Roman.”
XXVI. For their Original, I am ready to believe them of the Jewish Race, I mean, of the stock of the Ten Tribes, and that for the following Reasons; first, They were to go to a Land not planted or known, which to be sure Asia and Africa were, if not Europe; and he that intended that extraordinary Judgment upon them, might make the Passage not uneasy to them, as it is not impossible in it self, from the Easter-most parts of Asia, to the Wester-most of America. In the next place, I find them of like Countenance, and their Children of so lively Resemblance, that a man would think himself in Dukes-place or Berry-street in London, when he seeth them. But this is not all, they agree in Rites, they reckon by Moons▪ they offer their first Fruits, they have a kind of Feast of Tabernacles; they are said to lay their Altar upon twelve Stones; their Mourning a year, Customs of Women, with many things that do not now occur.This is the first paragraph that he uses to describe the Lenape Tribe. As the conversation regarding Hebrew People in America, Melanated People in America, and Ancient Civilization in America continues to heat up this Candid perspective from one of the Largest Land Owners in American History is PRICELESS. No other land owner of His size ever learned more about a Native Nation, He was infatuated with their Full Language and Belief System. Below we can break down each part of what He has offered for what it is. Your opinions are welcome as long as they are Polite and respectful.
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2 Replies
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First hand witness, reporting the truth. 🙏
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After this letter was there any documents from or regarding William Penn that possibly mention a specific religion they held ? Maybe that could help give light to a new perspective of of these origins for some.