The redeemed captive returning to Zion; or, The captivity and deliverance

In 1704, when the frontier town of Deerfield was attacked, a minister and his family were torn from their home and forced north into the unknown. From that ordeal came a landmark colonial captivity story. The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion is Rev. John Williams's sober, deeply felt record of the Deerfield massacre of 1704, a grim landmark in New England history, the hard journey towards New France and Canada, and the inner struggle to keep faith under persecution. Both Puritan spiritual autobiography and classic Christian captivity memoir, it follows a pastor wrestling with loss, providence and hope in the shadow of violence. His faith would be tested. More than a dramatic account of Indian captivity in New England, this John Williams captivity narrative stands beside the Mary Rowlandson captivity narrative as a vital colonial history primary source and classic of early American religious writing. It opens a stark window onto the colonial New England frontier, warfare, diplomacy and belief, revealing how scripture and community shaped responses to suffering. For Christian biography readers, students of early American and Canadian history, and anyone drawn to stories of faith under persecution and endurance, it offers both gripping incident and searching self-examination. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.