The Word Carrier (Santee, Nebraska), 1890-02

              The Word Carrier.
VOLUME   XIX.
HKMMXU   THE    RIGHT,   EXPOSING    THE   WllOMi.
NI'MHBK   'J.
SANTEE AGENCY, NEBEASKA.
FEBRUARY, 1890.
FIFTY CENTS PER YEAR.
OUlt   PLATFORM.
For Indians we want American Education! We want American Homes!
We want American Rights! The result of which is American Citizenship'
Ami die Gospel is the Power of God for
tlieir Salvation.
We have copied at length the report of the Wisconsin Indian Association to show a legitimate field
of effort properly belonging to such
associations. We have had occasion to comment sharply on the spurious missionary work attempted
by the Indian Associations and so
we are very glad to commend their
legitimate and valuable work as in
this case. It is to be hoped that
these associations will confine themselves to the lines of work that they
can properly do, and leave the missionary work to the missionary societies.
The Poncas of Dakota and Nebraska seem destined to find no
abiding rest. Just as they become
well settled in their homes, their
fields productive and tlieir herds
multiplying, and just as all this is
about to be assured to them by the
final allotment of their lands, they
are disturbed by the attempt to remove them again to the Indian Ter-
tory. This time it is not the Government who is agitating the question;
but the Government may unwillingly
become the instrument to accomplish the designs of men who have
long had tlieir covetous eyes on this
Naboth's vineyard.
One of the sad cases of uiiattamed
greatness is Standing Bear, the famous Ponca chief. He is a born
leader,and yet without the education
or spiritual insight which might have
kept him in the road to greatness.
He once stood as a grand witness
for his people; and it was hoped
that he would carry them on in the
freedom and welfare of Christian
civilization. But Standing Bear is
a born politician as well, and like
most of his kind has little faith in
moral forces. So he has become a
reactionist, and now stands for the
old Indian ways as against the ways
of Christianity and civilization. He
now wishes to take his people to the
Indian Territory. But there are very
few who will follow him unless they
are frightened or bribed by the white
men who are scheming to dispossess therm	
To learn a lesson by rote is one
thing and to see and comprehend
the reason that is in it is quite another thing. This is true of other
lessons besides those from books;
Such a thing as Cookery for m
stance. To learn to cook by imitation is one way, and although the
ordinary way is certainly not tne
best way. A girl's complete education should furnish her a trained knowledge of the why and how
of cookery. The cooking school
has thus established its utility even
for those proficient by the imitation
method. Our industrial scheme at
Santee Normal Training School
has been incomplete in this direction. But it will not be so much
longer. We thankfully acknowledge the gift of fifty dollars by Di.
Washington Matthews, of Washington, D. C, as the beginning of a
fund to establish a Cooking School
at Santee; and we invite other gifts
for the same purpose. It is of vital
importance for the training of our
Indian girls for their future duties.
Colonel Garrick Mallery has
brought out again his remarkable
discovery that the missionaries have
been misrepresenting the religious
beliefs of the Indians, and that in
their natural state the Indians have
no conception of one Supreme Being
as God. This discovery of Mr.
Mallery is somewhat peculiar, because it is the missionaries themselves who, for fifty years at least,
have been reporting the fact which
now turns up as Col. Mallery's
wonderful discovery. Mr. Mallery
is Chief of the Anthropological Section of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science.
It is quite cheering to find out how
little knowledge it takes to be "Chief"
of a section of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science. And we can see that there
is great advantage from it also,in that
whatever one who occupies this illustrious position may say must be accepted without question. Thus when
the Chief ofthe Anthropological Section issues his dictum that "it is useless to attempt to christianize Indians until after they have been civilized," it goes unquestioned. Whereas if an ordinary man had said it, it
would prove the shallowness of his
anthropological studies and set him
down as ignorant of three rather
important items in the case: (1) of
what constitutes civilization; (2) of
the nature of Christianity, and (3)
of Indians.
Died—at Ft. Bennett, Dakota, on
Thursday, February 20, of pneumonia, Elizabeth Winyan.
Winyan is dead. One of the bravest, most faithful, most helpful of the
Sacred Herald's (Rev. T. L. Riggs)
helpers has gone to her sure reward,
and our hearts are sad. She went
to the Agency for rations, intending
to come on down to Oahe, and to
Pierre from there, but on Tuesday,
feeling that she was not fit for the
journey, she went to the house of
the native Episcopal minister, and
told them she was very sick. From
that time until she died she lay
unconscious, and probably no skill
could have saved her. Her son Edwin Phelps was sent for, and
though he came as quickly as possible, he was too late to see his
mother again in life. The women
of the Episcopal native missionary
association prepared the body for
burial, and it lies at the station on the
Cheyenne, where so much of her
faithful life has been spent, awaiting Mr. Riggs' decision as to the
final resting-place of bis "Indian
mother" as he was always glad to
call her. The telegram announcing
her death must have reached him
in Boston on Sunday.
When the news of the death of
some great, brave public man goes
I flashing over the country, the whole
; nation is saddened.   The news of the
death of this consecrated Christian
Indian woman comes to the Dakota
! Mission with the same force.    The
! white   missionaries had no truer
! friend,   her  own people no more
powerful example of what Christ
! can do for them.
L. I. R.
TIIECIiriM II-s 1'AUT IN   THE EDUCATION  OF   III E  INDIAN.
What is the present duty of the
church in the matter of Educating
the Indian ?
This question is a new one. At
least it has now new elements; it
involves considerations which have
not heretofore had influence. So far
as the work now in hand is concerned, the question has not special bearing. It is not likely that this work
will be hindered by Government interference. If the reports of the
commissioner's speeches and declarations are correct, the church
will, however, not be free to enlarge.
its educational contract schools.
What then shall the churches do
in this matter? Is it our duty to
drop the work or to be satisfied with
such enlargement as may be had by
increasing the capacity of the few
schools now established ? Or is the
Protestant church ready to put its
hand deeper down in its pocket and
say to its leaders in this field: "Go
on; enlarge at our expense."
Theoretically there should be no
hesitation in deciding that it is a
proper function of the church to
push this educational work. The
question is settled and acted upon
in our home work. The evangelical
churches are alive to the wisdom
and need of establishing schools for
distinctive Christian training of our
own children. It is considered of
great importance that training in the
Word and Works of God should go
hand in hand. If Christian schools
are the necessary means for accomplishing this among our own people,
what shall we say of the need of
the Indian children, whose home
training, which so often successfully supplements the public school
instruction with us, is meager or
wholly wanting. Can the church
| discharge in fullness the great
' commission—"teaching them to ob-
i serve all things whatsoever I have
commanded," by any other means
than by gathering in these children
under its immediate influence and
{instruction?
We must all approve and delight in
j the declared purpose of the Depart-
i ment to increase the capacity and
efficiency of the Goverment school
system and to place the advantages
of secular training before all the
• Indian children.    The question is,
Shall the church be satisfied with
I this ?   Shall it count its own duty
thereby discharged, or shall it aim
at the high goal of providing a distinctively Christian training,  em-
! bracing the best instruction in secular branches and industrial work, for
j at least its own members, and for, at
most, as many more as can be induced, and they would be many, to
try this fuller education ?
When the plan of establishing
and conducting Christian schools,
supported entirely by Church
Boards or individual contributors
is brought down by figures to a
question of dollars, the work, if
anticipated in any large scale, does
indeed seem formidable ; and when
it is remembered that the Church
Boards found it difficult to enlarge
this educational work, even under
the old system with Government
assistance, a sanguine attitude to-
.ward this question may seem quite
unreasonable.
This is to be considered, however: The Protestant Christians
of our country are taking a greater
and an increasing interest in the Indians and tlieir advancement. Also
there are large numbers of our Christian people and adherents who have
not been called upon for help in this
field. The Presbyterian, Congregational and Episcopalian churches
are the only Protestant churches
engaged in this work among this
large nation of Sioux. Why might
not all the branches of evangelical
Christianity in our own country, at
least be united in this work which
appeals so strongly to all American
Christians. Union colleges in other portions of heathendom have accomplished much. Why can we not
unite in such a work here.
C. G. Sterling.
Pine Ridge Agency, S. D.
IAPI OAYE ITEMS.
Yankton Agency, S. D.—The home
church reports four infant and one adult
baptism. Noah Onsiyanka is elected
elder for four years. Five couples are
married: Joseph Earth judge and Flora
Little wheel; Charles Elk eagle and
Louisa De Fond; Antoine (ioulet and
Emma Thunder horse; George Good
robe and Mary Redmedicine; John
"White eyes and  Hannah Red feather.
Hill Church reports four children and
three young men baptized. Benjamin
Pine man and Nancy Grinder arc married.
Cedar Church reelects as elders Simon
Tawakmuha (Gourd) and Jesse Bernie
Hunts-his-horses.
Sisseton Agency,S. P.—Mountain Head
Church (N. D.) elects William Grandfather elder, and Charles Cloud, Samuel
Earth and Baptiste La Belle trustees.
They are going to build a new church.
Yellowbanks Church received three
members by letter.
Pevii.'sLake Agency,N.P.—Wood Lake
Church received one on profession, five
children and one woman were baptized.
James Ross Bear pusher is ree led ed elder.
Lower Brule Agency, S. 1).—White
River Church held a feast on Christmas
Eve from seven until three o'clock. Then
shook hands all around and went home.
Reports one child baptized.
Cheyenne Riveb Agency, S. 1).—James
Brown Walking singer, the missionary of
the Native Missionary Society, has had a
double grief come upon him in the death
of his son John, lately a promising pupil
in Santee Normal, and his little daughter
Maggie. More than anything else he
feels the loss of the sustainings eympathy
of Christian people.
Rosebud Agency, S. P.—Eli Returns-
froin-killing, the new missionary on Black
Pipe Creek, reports good attendance at
all his meetings. His cabin is small, and
whenever more than twenty come the.y
have to stand out of doors.
Standing Rock Agency, N. D.—James
Redwing Irontracks has just started into
his work. Is beginning to gain friends
and attendance at meeting and school.
This is a strong Roman Catholic Agency.
Y. M. C. A.
Thos H. Aungie, Treas. ofthe United
Society reports $6.01 collected in December; $2.25 in January.
The Wood Lake Society at FortTottcn,
in the semi-annual election of officers,
chose Joseph Smiley, President; John
Joshua, Secretary; Joseph Smith, Treasurer. Standing committees for looking
after the sick and for securing an increased attendance at the meetings were
also appointed.
In an open letter from Rev. John
Eastman, President of the United Society,
he urges the members to greater diligence
and zeal in the work of the Lord.
The Oahe Society elected in February
the following officers: Stephen Yellowhawk, President; Philip C. Howard, Secretary; Solomon Bear, Treasurer.