ELIOT OAK AND OTHER TREES OF SOUTH NATICK 



cut down it measured 17 feet in circum- 

 ference at 2 feet from the ground. 1 The 

 Eliot Church (Unitarian) in South Natick 

 now marks the spot where stood the Indian 

 meeting-house. 



Several interesting stories have come down 

 through the years concerning Eliot's first 

 efforts among the red men. There is no 

 record to prove conclusively whether they 

 originated at the foot of the oak tree, or 

 within the little chapel, but they carry with 

 them a background of spreading branches, 

 green leaves and acorns; and we can imagine 

 the venerable preacher, Bible in hand, his 

 back to the tree trunk, and Indians seated 

 in groups upon the ground in the midst of 

 the forest. 



"While engaged in the translation of his 

 Indian Bible, Eliot came upon the following 

 passage in Judges v, 28: 'The mother of 

 Sisera looked out at the window and cried 

 through the lattice.' Not knowing an Indian 

 word to signify lattice, he applied to several 

 of the natives, and endeavored to describe 



1 Bacon, "Hist, of Natick," p. 12. 



C40 



