The Word Carrier (Santee, Nebraska), 1885-01

              THE WORD CARRIER.
NEW SERIES,   VOL.  I,  NO.  XI.
Helping the Right, Exposing the Wrong.
PUBLISHED   FOR   THE DAKOTA   MISSION.
Santee Agency, Nebraska.
JANUARY, 1885.
Fifty Cents a Year.
Our Platform.
For Indians we want American
Education! We want American
Homes ! We want American Rights !
The result of which is American
Citizenship.
The Wobd Cabriek is published m the interest of schools arid missions among tho Indians. It is published for The Dakota Mission,
originally planted by the American Board in the
year 1835, in Minnesota, but now extended
over Dakota, and into Nebraska, Montana, and
the British Possessions, and carried on under
these several branches:
The American Missionary Association, (Congregational) at Santee Agency, Nebraska, and
at Oahe, Cheyenne River, Grand River, and
Fort Berthold, Dakota.
The Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions,
at Yankton Agency and Flandrau, Dakota,
and at Poplar Creek, Montana.
The Presbyterian Board of Home Missions
at Sisseton Agency and Brown Earth, Dakota.
The Dakota Native Missionary Society, at
Cheyenne River and Devil's Lake, Dakota.
Santee Normal Training School, at Santee
Agency, Nebraska, is our principal school for
all this field, for higher education and normal
training. Therefore, while presenting the
progress of our missionary and educational
work in- the whols field, the interests and
work of our Normal Training School will be
made prominent.
We shall also endeavor.to give a view of the
state of the work under other missionary
societies, and under the Government. And we
cordially invite the co-operation of those who
have been our friends in the past and of all new
workers in the field.
Published monthly at 50 cents a year. Send
for it to Alfred L. Riggs, Editor and Publisher,
Santee Agency, Neb.
[Entered at the Santee Agency Postofficeas
second class matter.]
This number, though issued behind
its date, we think best to head January,
in order to keep the file straight. We
promised twelve numbers in this volume, so the February number will
close the volume, and the new volume
will begin with the March number.
During the month of December our
Normal Training School had an average attendance of 130 boarding scholars, besides a number of day scholars.
This has crowded the school homes to
their utmost capacity, so that when a
new applicant for admission has appeared, they have been literally taken
in by inches. This crowding of the
school has had one good effect on some
of the parents of the pupils. It has
made them more prompt to bring their
children back from their little vacations and less ready to take them away,
when they knew that two were waiting for every vacant place. But there
are some parents who are utterly reckless, and none are worse than some who
have some white blood in them. For
the children's sake compulsory education is absolutely necessary. As long
as ignorance makes -them helpless and
dependent, our Government has the
right to say, you shall learn enough to
take care of yourselves.
River, above the town of Niobrara, is
being built. The spiles are now driven
and the superstructure will soon go up.
On account of the deepness of the
shifting sand, the swiftness of the
water, and the breadth of the river, it
is work of no small proportions.
The Indians of the Great Sioux Reserve are much opposed to this work
being done. It looks to them like
breaking down one of their defences,
as indeed it is. And the lofty Brules
of Spotted Tail Agency are disposed to
eome down on the handful of Poncas
who are deputed the guardians of this
part of the Sioux country, for having
allowed it. The tides of fate move on,
whether the Indian will or not. The
bridge will make missionary work much
easier in this quarter; and if the Indian
will only receive the good that is offered him, civilization will only bear him
up and on. If he will not, it will
drown him.
The rubicon is passed, and civilization will enter the country north of
the Niobrara River. The U.S. Government  bridge  across  the  Niobrara
Thanksgiving at Santee.
Thursday, November 27th, will be a
day most pleasantly remembered by all
connected with the Santee school. We
woke in the morning to see just a little flurry of snow, which reminded us
of the old-fashioned Thanksgiving that
our grandfather and grandmother kept:
but, before the day was well begun, the
sun came out from among the clouds,
and all nature caught up the refrain—
"Praise the Lord for his goodness, and
for his wonderful works to the children
of men."
Our little chapel was most tastefully
decorated for the occasion. In the
center of the platform there was quite
a large pyramid made from the fruits
of the earth, and to the right of this
was a stand of flowers, gracefully
grouped around a pyramid of the
smaller fruits. By no means the least
beautiful of the decorations, were the
festoons of maize or Indian corn, which
hung over the doors. This corn has a
great range of color, from white
through brown and red, to purple-
black. The corn is gathered and then
the husks braided together, the ears
falling in pendants.
The services at 11 o'clock were in
both English and Dakota, Mr. Riggs
preaching from Ecclesiastes 5: 18, "It
is good and comely for one to eat and
drink, and to enjoy the good of all his
labors that he taketh under the sun,
all the days of his life, which God giv-
eth him, for it is his portion "
The thought of the sermou was, that
we are material beings with material
needs, and as long as we remain in this
state of existence, it is fitting that we
should enjoy those things which pertain to this iife. What God has created cannot be low or sordid to us, if
we only see God in it. The native
pastor also spoke at some length of his
work among the Poncas. He urged
the students to fit themselves for teachers, in order that they might go up to
this tribe and carry the truth, as it was
preached and taught at Santee.
To thoie of us to whom these scenes
were new, the earnest faces on every
hand, gave a new revelation of the love
of God, who calls his children from
every kindred, and tribe and tongue.
The social enjoyments of the day
were by no means neglected. After
service bountiful repasts were spread
by all the matrons, which were greatly
appreciated by every one. The evening was given particularly to social
intercourse among the students. At
the Bird's Nest and Boys' Cottage the
smaller pupils gathered. Here we
found games and puzzles, over which
the little folks made very merry. But
amid all this rush of childish fun, there
was a kindly courtesy manifested which
many gatherings of more favored children might imitate.
At the Dakota Home, the older students passed the evening very pleasantly in conversation, games and music.
It was our privilege to spend last
Thanksgiving at the woman's prison,
near Boston, Mass. While looking at
the cheerful, intelligent faces of the
students, memory took a great leap,
and placed beside these countenances
the sullen, dissipated, excitable ones of
the prisoners at Sherbourn. When
asked what class f women predominated in the prison, the lady in charge
(who was no less a person than Clara
Barton) replied tersely: "Ignorant
women." It should be a perpetual
thanksgiving to those connected with
the Santee school, or any other school,
to think that each day of learning true
wisdom, diminishes just so much sin
and crime in the world. "Happy is the
man that findeth wisdom, and the man
that getteth understanding," for "Her
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace."
An Indian Hero Gone.
Died -At Sisseton Agency, D. T.
January 6, 1885, Paul Mazakutemani,
aged about 75 years.
Over twenty years of time's fast falling showers have failed to erase the
deep furrows worn by the massacre of
1862 in the hearts of the Minnesota
public; and the writer on Indian character must steer warily through those
old gutters or prepare for a capsize.
Already we tremble as we look at our
presumptuous heading, but the exam
pie of our subject puts us to the blush,
and we proceed.
Paul Mazakutemani was one of tbe
first class of Indian young men taught
by Dr. Williamson when he commenced bis Mission at Lac qui Parle,
fifty years aeo. Some years afterward
he joined the church, and ultimately
became a ruling elder.
About the year I860, when a score
or more families decided to separate
themselves from the heathen Indians,
and form themselves into a civilized
society, under the name of the Hazlewood Republic, Paul was chosen president, thus showing that he was in the
van of the civilized party of that day.
Of his part in the massacre of 1862,
the Rev. Dr. Riggs says {Gospel among
the Dakotas, p. 319,): "Beyond all controversy. Paul Mazakutemani, elder in-
one of the mission churches and president of the Hazlewood Republic, .was
the most energetic and fearless in his
opposition to the rebellion; and under
bis leadership the white captives were
delivered." A white person can have
little conception of the nerve required
to face the storm of Indian wrath that
meted out fire and blood at that time,
and the records show that this nerve
was only attained by Christian grace.
For his loyalty Paul, together with
John Otherday, Taopi, and a few
others, received, by act of Congress, a
special bounty.
Paul was one of nature's orators.
We remember the silvery tones that
fell from his lips in their prime as the
voice of a charmer, bearing us to elysian
fields of mental fancy. Those who attended the meetings of the Synod of
Minnesota fifteen or twenty years ago
will probably remember something of
his glowing eloquence.
Not unlike the heroes of some more
enlightened people than the Indians.
Paul outlived his own glory, and died
in poverty and neglect. And still, we
trust he has a name to live.—J. P. W.,
in the Northwestern Presbyterian.
Wazikute's Story.
Wazikute (the first cryer) told the
following after his conversion. Although my mother was a Sioux, my
father was Sac. Among the Sac's my
childhood and youth were spent.
From the time I passed my babyhood,
I, like the other boys, was brought up
in a true Sac fashion. I was never allowed any straw under my piece of buffalo skin, which was scarcely large
enough for me to stretch out on. My
clothing was a piece of a blanket, although in winter I had moccasins. I.
was never allowed to touch food or
drink till late in the afternoon. When
moving or traveling about it was very
hard. I used to become very thirsty
and hungry, but the penalty for violating these rules was abstaining from
food and drink for two days.
The boys had it for their office to
carry and take care of the wotawe. We
were once moving in winter and I, as
usual had sat by and seen my father,
mother, and aunt eat a hearty breakfast of venison. Whenever my aunt
looked at me she would almost choke,
for this was soon after my apprenticeship.
Seeing such nice meat made me very
hungry, to begin with. I cried to myself as we went along. Towards noon
my thirst became very great, and forgetting that snow was also forbidden
I ate a handful of it, which my ever-
watchful father saw. Great was the
distress of my father and mother as
well as myself, when it was declared
that I should not touch food or drink
for two days. As soon as we camped
however, my aunt gave me a large supper to go on, as she said, in spite of
rny father and mother.
This discipline was continued .until
I was big enough to go on the warpath. Then it was discontinued, after
my return, although I had done nothing but follow the braves in a perilous
journey and help keep night vigils, I
was thenceforth one of the braves.
Boys' Boarding Hall at Sisseton.
The following resolution was adopted by the Synod of Dakota, in session
at Huron, D. T., October 11, 1884,
after hearing particularly from Revs.
J. P. Williamson and W. S. Peterson,
of the methods, results and prospects
of the school referred to.
The Synod of Dakota do hereby, express their approval of -the good works
being done at Sisseton Agency, in our
bounds, in the Indian Boarding School
under charge of the Board of Home
Missions, and do commend to said
board the plans of Mr, and Mrs. Morris for the enlargement of its works
there by the erection of a boarding
hall for'boys. H. P. Carson,
Stated Clerk.