David Brainerd: Missionary to the American Indians

Filmmaker Gary Wilkinson's stirring and illuminating documentary focuses on the short but meaningful life of David Brainerd (1718-1747), who devoted his final years to preaching Christianity to native peoples in the New England area. Born in Connecticut during the early 18th century, Brainerd learned catechism at home from his mother and father, who both died young. At age 19, Brainerd tried his hand at farming but gave up and then underwent a Christian conversion that led him to enroll at Yale University. Established in part to counter more liberal theological teachings at Harvard, many Yale students would embrace the Christian revival movement known as the Great Awakening. Brainerd, already ill with the tuberculosis that would eventually kill him, was expelled from Yale for criticizing a faculty he considered spiritually bankrupt, leading him to volunteer to travel around New England as an evangelist to Native Americans. The film visits the places where Brainerd did his often challenging work, and also interviews historians about Brainerd's devotion to God, as well as his chronic melancholy and the physical sacrifices he made to complete his mission. Along the way, the documentary offers insights into the mindset of Native Americans who were desperately trying to cope with white settlers and hold onto their cultures. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)