The Word Carrier (Santee, Nebraska), 1895-10

              The Word Carrier
VOLUME   XXIV.
HELPING    THE   RIGHT,   EXPOSING   THE   WRONG.
NUMBER 10.
SANTEE AGENCY, NEBRASKA.
OCTOBER, 1805.
FIFTY CENTS PEE YEAR.
OUR   PLATFORM.
For Indians we want American Education! We want American Homes!
We want American Rights! The results of which is American Citizenship!
And ihe gospel is the Power of God for
their Salvation'
DAKOTA MISSION  CONFERENCE.
Our meeting at Mountain Head,
Sisseton Reservation, September 12
to 15,1895, is now an accomplished
fact. The weather was favorable,
the natural surroundings agreeable,
the hospitality of Mountain Head
church abundant, and attendance
good. There was the usual chaffing
between the delegates from the Missouri River region and the Eastern
Dakotas. The first grumbling was
over the rocky roads they had to jolt
over at Sisseton; the other retorting about the rattle snakes and
sand storms of the Missouri River
country.
At first it seemed impossible to
hold  the  Conference without  Dr.
John P.Williamson and Thomas L.
Riggs.   But some how it was done
though they were sadly missed. The
sympathy and prayers of the Conference went forth towards both of
them, Dr.  Williamson kept by the
sickness of his son, and Rev. T. L.
Riggs at the Atlantic coast seeking
repairs for his own broken heallh.
It is always interesting to see how
the Dakotas look at the practical
questions that come up in their new
life.    It is a good thing for them to
answer these questions  for themselves.    Is the statement true that
no tribe of the Dakotas is yet prepared for citizenship? was one of
the topics under discussion.    It was
candidly  admitted that there was
ground for this  assertion  in   the
thriftlessness  and intemperate habits  of many Indians.    But on the
other hand it was  shown by such
speakers  as  Rev.   John Eastman,
Chas.   R.   Crawford,   and Artemas
Ehnamani that the  Dakotas were
orderly and law abiding.   Not a single citizen Indian has been confined
in the penitentiary at Sioux Falls.
They do  not sell  their votes  as
much  as white  men.     They pay
their taxes  and they  are making
progress.
The talk on the question, What
are the Indians going to do for a
living, brought out the fact that
many are looking towards something better than rations. To study
the conditions of their own part of
the country ; to be dilligent, saving,
and above all trustful in the care of
Cod, these were points emphasized.
The increased emphasis on economy
was encouraging, as also the reprobation of all gains by deceit or
dishonesty.
The injurious influence of the Indian custom of making presents
was well presented. It is done for
vain glory at dances; has no generosity in it; is demoralizing to
honest work. Those who follow the
practice are kept poor. No Christian should have anything to do
with it. The unlucky minister who
bad a horse given him in this way
last summer wished he was some
where else.
How to get the Indians to let
strong drink alone was earnestly
discussed. Strong faith was expressed in the redeeming power of
Christ. This was the testimony
then and there of a number of Indians who had been drinkers, that
they were saved when they gave
themselves to Christ. However, the
slaves of drink will not come to be
blessed by the hearing of God's
Word ; we must go like a brother to
every one tempted and made weak
by drink. Many have thus been
saved, it was testified.
The Sabbath observance question
—what can be done and what cannot be done on the Sabbath—is one
of the frequently recurring themes.
As among other Christian people
there are those who are always in
trouble to find their boundaries because they do not see the spiritual
significance and use of the day.
There are some among the Dakotas
who delight in the Holy Day, as they
call it in their language, and who
know how to find things to do that
are helpfull and worshipful. Others
are like the policeman who cuts
wood on Sunday because the Agent
told him to. Caesar sits higher
than Christ in the Indian country.
The Conference meets next year
with the Hill Church on the Yankton Reservation.
NAVAJOS  FROM THE  MISSIONARY
STANDPOINT.
Of the Navajos, much has been
written, some of which is true, and
some not true.    Like  every other
subject upon which people express
themselves, it is colored some what,
according to the character  of the
parties who undertake to discuss it.
Thus,  when cowboys talk of the
Navajos, they characterize them as
thieves:  when  some landgrabbers
would discribe them, they see them
as lazy and worthless cumberers of
the   ground;   when    missionaries
write of them, they tell us of their
moral degradation    and   pitiable
poverty.    All these representatives
tell the truth, partly.    There are
thieves and lazy, worthless fellows
among them, and there is great moral degradation over all. As missionaries, we confess to seeing this degradation more conspicuously than
any thingelse. We seethese people as
sheep without a shepherd, for whom
we can not belp but have compassion. We see them as poor, ignorent
creatures,  perishing in the darkness of their minds  and  hearts,
without a Savior.    We see them as
a simple minded, harmless people,
needing friends, and ready to  receive such and give back in return
as true friendship  as ever was exchanged between different races of
men    aoywhere.     In   our    intercourse with them, we find them responsive to friendship,pleasant and
cheerful in disposition, and uncomplaining, no matter how great their
want and suffering.    They are kind,
often when you do not look for it;
courteous, especially to women, beyond one's   expectation, and affectionate toward their children to a
remarkable degree.    We have seen
many illustrations of this parental
feeling and we have heard a father
give his little boy as good advise to
go to school and make good use of
his opportunity, and be therefore a
smarter man than he  himself, as
any  white father could give.    Another father we know, finding advice
to his sixteen-year-old boy riot to
gamble non-effective, gave him a terrible thrashing for it, and cured
him of it thoroughly. We have seen
a response to religious instruction,
and an inquiiy after the true
God, which was really encouraging.
While as yet there is not a converted Navajo in the tribe, there are
yet many hopeful indications that
when we can once get at them with
the gospel, either through an interpreter, or by the use ourselves of
their ianguage, we shall soon have
some come to Christ and be. saved.
"Hurry up and learn to talk Navajo,
so you can tell us about God," said
an old man. "I am aching for a
new heart" said a sad and hungry-
looking old woman. One of the frequent questions asked us is, "When
does Sunday come?" In the few times
we have had an interpreter for religious service, we have explained to
the congregations we gathered together under some trees on the bank
of the river, the command to keep
the Sabbath-day holy; and with frequent exhortations, and our own example, have awakened an interest
on the part of some to know more
about the day. In return for tbe emphasis we put on the subject, as well
as example, they honored us with
the name, "Hosteen Domingo" (The
Sabbath Man), which is all the
name by which we are known
and addressed among them. When
we think of the name "anashody"
(the man who drags his coat-tail),
which is always given to a priest or
preacher, we can but congratulate
ourselves on what we escaped, and
be very thankful for what we got.—
The Navcijo Evangel.
FKOM S'KOKOMISH, WASHINGTON.
Last June I was called to attend
the funeral of a full blood Indian
woman, who had lived seventeen
miles from my home. She was
a native of British Columbia, but
was married to a white man and
had been living in that neighborhood for about twenty-five years
or more. None of her Indian relations lived anywhere in this region.
There was one singular thing that
I noticed at that time. There were
between eighty and ninety persons
present,and not a single Indian was
among them. All except her own
children and grand-children were
whites, some of whom had come
from ten or more miles. It is very
common here, as in all places, to
hear much said by a certain class
of whites against the Indians, with
many a slnr and some oaths. But
to see almost every one of the whites
in the region help to bury an Indian
woman was a new sight to me; one
that 1 never had expected to see.
One reason of this was that she was
worthy of it. For many years the
people have known that she and
one son, who died last winter, have
been the main stay of the family,
which was a large one. The people
respected her because she had won
their respect, even if her skin was
darker than theirs.       M. Eells.
"Be it my purpose here to see
The beauties of love's ministry,
So that my face shall ever shine
With radience at the thought divine,
And, brave of heart and stout of arm,
Stand fearlessly 'mid life's alarm.
Strong in the faith that cleaves the skies,
And conquers all its enemies."
DAKOTA CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS.
The second annual meeting of
the Dakota Union of Christian Endeavor has just closed. It was held
Sunday evening, during the session
of the Conference of Prebyterian
and Congregational Indian churches at Sisseton Agency,South Dakota.
The President, Rev. Frank Cross, of
Rosebud Agency, called the meeting
to order. There was a short business meeting for the election of officers and reports. Mr. Guy Williamson of Yankton Agency, South Dak.
was elected President. Miss Ella
Worden, of Santee Agency, Nebraska, Secretary, and Mr. Jonas S.
Baer of Oahe, South Dak.,treasurer.
Interesting and encouraging reports came from Wolf Point, Montana, Good Will, Greenwood, and
Pine Ridge, Soutb Dak., and Santee
Agency,Nebraska. There are five Senior Societies, five Junior Societies
and one Mothers'Society of Christian
Endeavor included in the Union
of the Dakota mission. Several
Societies that formerly belonged to
the Union have been bisbanded on
acconnt of the burning of tbe Goven-
ment School. We hope to add a
Society at Flandrau to our list this
year.
Following the business meeting
was a consecration meeting. Not
a moment was lost. The delegates
and members of the widely separated Societies followed each other
promptly withprayer,verses of Scripture, or remarks, and although
there were no singing books, except
the one used by the organist, the
hymns in both English and Dakota
were sung with a will. It was a
genuine Christian Endeavor meeting, full ofthe enthusiasm for Christ
that underlies the success of this
great movement.
Prayers of ali the societies were
asked for the Indians in Government Schools who have little or
no religious training, and influence.
During the year, the Union of the
Dakota mission has suffered a great
loss in the death of Mrs. Fred Riggs.
She was the first Secretary and the
organization of the Union is largely
due to her. She was a bright, enthusiastic endeavorer, much beloved by all who knew her.
Mrs. Cross, of Rosebud, was our
only representative at the Boston
Convention. The union hopes to
have a regular delegate sent to
Washington in July,'96.       E. W.
FROM MOOSE WOODS  RESERVE,
CANADA.
Mrs. W. R. Tucker sends in a list
of subscribers for the Iapi Oaye, saying, "It is a welcome visitor in the
homes of the people. They are always waiting eagerly for each copy.
I feel certain that it has a great
christianizing and educating influence." She notes the loss of two of
their best people by consumption.
There has been abundance of rain
and good crops in that country this
season. The Indians of that reserve are mostly engaged in ranching and own a fine herd of cattle.
Miss Abbie L. Miller, formerly at
the Presbyterian mission at Poplar
Creek, Montana, is now in the Indian
Territory, matron of a Cherokee girls
school, Tahlequah Institute, Tahlequah, I. T. She remarks upon the
change to her in climate and work.