In Bannock Valley.--Happy meeting with Indians.--What Lorenzo said to
them.--Lamanite Elders speak.--All shake hands.--Lorenzo describes
the Agency.--What the Secretary of the Interior says.--A comparison
between the two colonies.--The one at Washakie.--How located.--Sunday
School.--Meeting exercises.--How Lamanites are taught.--How
presided over.--Their Co-operative Store and Sheep Herd.--White
families.--A re-action.--An Adage.--The United States Supreme Court
decides.--Telegrams to Hon. L. Snow.
Having remained in this locality as long as we thought proper, we moved
in a westerly direction some eight miles and pitched our tent in the
valley of the Bannock, still on the reservation, three or four miles
from the western boundary and sixteen from the "Neely Settlement,"
situated about four miles below the American Falls. About one hundred
and fifty Indians are settled in this valley, many of whom have been
baptized. They cultivate about one hundred acres of land. They greeted
us with warm hand-shaking, while their dusky faces were beaming with
joy. One Indian came to our tent saying he was very sick, and requested
us to administer to him by laying on of hands, which we did.
The reservation is now, evidently, under Presbyterian rule, and
whatever we do our motives will be misrepresented and every possible
effort will be made to destroy our influence and root out from the
heart of the Indian every good seed sown.
As we were about to leave the reservation, we thought it due the
Indians that we explain our reasons for departing so soon and without
holding meetings. Accordingly we informed them if they would come
together at our camp the next day, Sunday, we would give them an
explanation. Prompt to the word, Sunday morning, about ten o'clock,
they were gathering together, some coming in wagons, on horses, and
some on foot; the young men and women gaily dressed--ornamented with
beads, ribbons, feathers, etc., etc., some carrying parasols shielding
their brown faces from the scorching sun, all in their best and most
attractive attire, and neat in appearance. We improvised a booth of
green boughs, while our Lamanite friends were engaged in arranging the
bowery just in front, by means of wagons, poles and green bushes. Thus
prepared and ready to commence meeting, our hearts overflowed with
gratitude to our heavenly Father for the opportunity, as we gazed on
this peculiar scene--an assembly of the children of Lehi, anxiously
awaiting our message, and we felt the Spirit resting upon us as we
bowed before the Lord in earnest and solemn prayer.
I then arose and told them Bishop Zundel would explain the position
each of us occupied in the Church; then I would tell them our object
in making this visit. Brother Zundel having thus explained, I informed
them that we had come to visit them, that we felt a lively interest in
their welfare and happiness, and would like to have visited them sooner
but circumstances prevented. We applied to Mr. Cook for the privilege
of holding meetings and preaching, but have been refused. He promised
to write to Washington to inquire if the authorities there would give
us the privilege. We were greatly surprised and disappointed in Mr.
Cook in forbidding us to talk and preach to our Lamanite friends and
brethren, but as he had seen proper to do so we should respect his
orders, go home and wait till we hear from the head men at Washington.
I said I hoped they would not be angry with Mr. Cook for his refusal,
but endeavor to respect him in his position, and if they would do
right, be patient and prayerful, the Lord would overrule all these
matters for their good and best interest; that we had not seen them
for a long time, and were now pleased to renew our acquaintance and
find that the good Spirit they received after baptism was still warming
their hearts, and we did not intend so long time would pass until we
again should visit them; that we desired them to be good and kind to
one another, not to swear or gamble, nor commit whoredoms. I exhorted
the husbands to treat their wives kindly, to be industrious, learn to
cultivate the ground, raise their grain and vegetables, and as much
as possible make their own living, etc.; that if they would remember
and do these things, love one another, be humble and attend faithfully
to their prayers, keep the good Spirit in their hearts, the Lord
would deliver them from poverty and bondage. And many other words of
exhortation and consolation were spoken as I felt led by the Spirit.
Our two Lamanite Elders then addressed the meeting with inspired
words of comfort and good counsel. During the entire services there
was profound silence and the most marked attention, not a whisper and
scarcely a move.
Having closed the meeting with prayer, I informed our friends we would
like to shake hands with all of them, for which purpose we placed
ourselves in line and received them one by one, till each had given us
a warm, friendly grasp of the hand, women and children following in the
rear, all eager, and performing the parting salutation with spirit and
animation, imparting life to the ceremony.
The Fort Hall reservation is situated in Snake River valley, Oneida
County, Idaho, and contains, it is said, 1,233,329 (one million two
hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and twenty-nine) acres,
with thousands of acres of as good farming lands as can be found in the
west.
And with all this, everything about the agency wears a gloomy and
forbidding aspect; very little land is cultivated, and that little very
poorly and sluggishly. No marks of industry or enterprise are anywhere
visible. There is no one to lead out and set the example, and there are
no inducements offered those poor Indians to stimulate to industry,
and apparently no effort to improve their morals, cultivate their
intellects or correct their stupid and false notions of Christianity.
On specified days in the week they gather to the agency, where Mr.
Cook's servant doles out to each his small pittance of meat and
flour furnished by the government. So long as they draw this meagre
supply, sufficient to keep them alive in a half starved state, with
no stimulating influence to industry, they will not rise above their
present condition.
Their buildings are mostly low huts, huddled together without regard
to taste, order or convenience. Mr. Cook informed us the population of
the reservation, including all ages, was but 1,500 (one thousand five
hundred), and constantly decreasing.
From the report of the Secretary of the Interior, we gather the
following: "In February, 1880, a school was opened, which has been
continued up to date [which we visited, consisting of four girls
and six boys], save the usual vacations." The report also says:
"Notwithstanding the fact that this school is costing the government
some $1,700 (one thousand seven hundred) per annum for teacher and
employees, in addition to food and clothing for the pupils, the fact
still remains that not one Indian on the reservation can read a word.
Of revealed religion their ideas are about as crude as they are of
letters, save what they have learned of their brother polygamists,
the Mormons, who have quite a following among them." So much from my
brother's journal.
We now wish to show, by comparison, the wide contrast between the
condition and prospects of a colony of Indians cared for and supported
at great expense by the United States government, and our little
colony, numbering two hundred and fifty men, women and children,
located in Washakie, Box Elder County, Utah Territory.
These Indians receive no appropriations from government. The colony
is located on lands purchased of the Brigham City Mercantile &
Manufacturing Association, and is conducted on the same principles, so
far as practicable in its present growth.
About four months since, in company with Brother Lorenzo and his son
Alphonso, the writer visited the Washakie colony, arriving on Saturday
evening, forty miles from Brigham City. Next day attended Sunday
School, where white and red scholars intermixed, and was exceedingly
gratified with the exercises, the order and interest strikingly
manifest and the progress of the classes.
We also attended meeting in the afternoon and were not a little
surprised to mark the effect on savage customs, savage looks and
manners, produced by a constant exercise of kindness, patience, good
instruction and good examples, prompted by the love and spirit of
the Gospel. The meeting was opened by the choir, all Lamanites, and
the prayer offered by a Lamanite brother. My brother addressed the
congregation, and the rapt attention of the red brothers and sisters
during the services indicated the importance they attach to devotional
exercises.
The colony have built a good frame house, 24x40 feet, with vestry
added. It is well seated, and fitted for school as well as religious
purposes, and they own a good library.
These Indians are very industrious, are taught all kinds of
business--farming, fencing, brick making, house painting, and in fact
all of the ordinary branches of home industry.
The day school is taught by Elder J. J. Chandler, who is also
superintendent of the Sunday School, an experienced and successful
teacher. His day school has numbered as high as fifty-five, with
an average attendance of forty-seven. The Indian scholars are only
taught the primary branches. Their great progress in penmanship is
complimentary of well developed organs of imitation.
These Indians are presided over by Bishop I. E. D. Zundel, with his
counselors, Abraham Hunsaker and Moroni Ward.
This season they have raised about six thousand bushels of wheat,
besides a large amount of hay. They have a co-operative store of from
$1,500 to $2,000 capital stock, and a sheep herd of one thousand five
hundred head.
All white men laboring in the colony have their families with them,
thus placing in the midst of the red people telling examples of
cultivated and refined domestic life, which is producing happy results.
A Re-action.
"Better late than never," is a true adage when applied to the triumph
of right over wrong, of justice over injustice, as in the case of the
late decision of the United States Supreme Court against the unjust,
illegal and oppressive act of O. J. Hollister in levying an assessment
on the scrip of Zion's Co-operative Mercantile and Brigham City
Mercantile Manufacturing Institutions.
The circumstances attending the assessing of the Brigham City
Co-operative scrip have been briefly narrated in a former chapter.
The following telegrams need no comment, they speak for themselves:
Salt Lake City, March 17, 1884.
_Hon. Lorenzo Snow, Brigham City_:
Dear Brother.--A telegram just received from Hon. J. T. Caine,
Washington, D. C., tells us that to-day the Supreme Court of the United
States decided the scrip tax case in our favor. This virtually decides
the Brigham City case in your favor. Please accept my congratulations,
and believe me,
Truly yours,
(Signed) Thomas G. Webber,
Secretary and Treasurer Z. C. M. I.
Ogden City, March 18, 1884.
_To Hon. Lorenzo Snow, Brigham City_:
A telegram from Hon. F. D. Richards, from Salt Lake City, last night,
informs me that the United States Supreme Court affirmed the judgment
in favor of Z. C. M. I. against O. J. Hollister, yesterday, so your
judgment against Hollister will be good for the whole amount, without
any necessity for compromise. I shall, to-day, write to my old friend
Walter Evans, commissioner of internal revenue, at Washington, D. C.,
in relation to the matter, and do hope that the money will be paid at
once. When I hear from Evans, I will inform you.
You and your company can well be congratulated on the long delayed but
ultimate success for at least a partial recovery from a great injustice.
Truly, your friend,
(Signed) R. K. Williams.
The following closes our historical sketches of the official labors of
Brother Lorenzo:
Logan Temple.
This temple, the fourth which the Saints have completed, although two
others are in progress, is known as the Logan, Cache County, Temple,
and was dedicated on the 17th day of May, 1884, just seven years from
the time of the dedication of the ground on which it is located.
A few months previous to his demise, President Brigham Young selected
the location, and, in connection with his brethren of the Priesthood,
dedicated it for that sacred purpose. He also organized the three
Stakes, Cache, Box Elder and Bear Lake, into what is known as a "Temple
district," with the understanding that the Saints in those Stakes or
counties should, in a general sense, be held responsible in furnishing
the necessary means and labor for building.
Subsequent to the President's death, Apostles Charles C. Rich, Lorenzo
Snow and Franklin D. Richards were appointed "Temple committee," as
general supervisors of this important work; in which capacity Lorenzo
Snow and Franklin D. Richards continued until its completion. Charles
C. Rich was early prostrated by a lingering illness which terminated in
his death, my brother serving as chairman of committee in his stead.