The religious fervor of Harvard's Puritan leaders led them to establish higher institutions of learning dedicated to God in the new colonies, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals Peter J. Gomes said last night in Boylston Hall.

More than 60 people attended a lecture by Gomes, who is also minister in the Memorial Church, as he discussed the spiritual intent of the founders of Indian College, which educated Native American students from 1656 to 1698. Among Harvard's earliest students was its first Native American graduate, Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, class of 1665.

"It began as an effort to establish an exemplary, ideal community," said Gomes. "Harvard College was part of that exemplary enterprise."

Gomes said that although many are aware of Harvard's origins as a divinity school, they are unaware of the founders' interests in converting American Indians to Christianity as well.

"The heart of Harvard College was the missionary impulse whereby Native Americans were to be brought to God," he said.

Gomes quoted New England's First Fruits, a book written by an anonymous author during the mid-1600s to attract European investors to the colonial effort. "The Indians were to be the first fruits of a great general harvest," he said. "They were to be the vanguard of the reformation of the world."

Neal Salisbury, professor of history at Smith College, also discussed the conversion of "praying Indians" to Christianity.

Salisbury said conversion was "a means of survival and countering the lethal powers in the surroundings" for American Indians amid the disease and destruction of colonization.

Salisbury said the colonists often conflated Christianity and civilization, although American Indian converts to Christianity still engaged in warfare and other anti-English activities.

In the question session that followed the lecture, one audience member pointed out that many of the conversions were forced, and not as peacefully wrought as they have been portrayed.

"Many were told, 'Pray or be shot,'" said the man, who was not identified.

Audience members said they enjoyed the lectures' combination of spiritual and historical viewpoints.

"I thought it was very interesting to hear the different perspectives provided by Reverend Gomes and Professor Salisbury," said Dianna L. Doucette, assistant in repatriation for New England at the Peabody Museum.

"It was very focused on religion, which I expected, but I expected more particular information about Indian College," she said.

Evangelical Lutheran Pastor Vernon E. Little Arrow Carter, who is part Wampanoag, agreed that the lecture was enlightening.

"A lecture is always good when it deals with the pro and cons. It stimulated the thinking process--things were said that I hadn't really thought about," he said.

The lecture was the second in a series sponsored by the Harvard University Native American Program entitled "A Circle in Time: Contact, Education and Change in Native American Massachusetts."

The next lecture in the series will focus on contemporary Native American issues and will take place on May 15 in the Boylston auditorium