It has been the home of one of the most influential bands in
years past, but owing to the fact that there have been but few
white settlers from whom the Indians could obtain work, they
have hitherto done very little about cultivating the soil for
themselves; and as they could easily go across the straits to
Victoria in British Columbia, where there is but little restraint
in regard to their procuring whisky, because they are American
Indians, they have been steadily losing in influence and numbers.
Four families of them have “homesteaded” land, however, and others,
moved by their example and success, are taking the preparatory
steps to secure homes; but being scattered, and most of them back
from the water, as it is now impossible to homestead good land on
the beach, they will lose the benefits of school and church in a
great measure; but still the old way of herding together will be
broken up, and they will obtain more of their living from civilized
pursuits.
10th. Thirty miles still further is Clallam Bay, the limit of the
Indians belonging to our reservation, the home of some seventy
more. Within a year they have bought about a hundred and sixty
acres of land, and propose to follow somewhat the plan of the
Jamestown Indians. This place promises to be an important point,
as it is near a salmon cannery, and in the catching of salmon they
are at home; it is also the nearest station of the tribe to the sea
fisheries of the northwest coast of the Territory, by far the most
lucrative business, in its season, which the Indians can follow.
Then there is call for work among the whites. In Clallam county,
with its more than six hundred inhabitants, there is no resident
minister, and I am repeatedly asked to preach to them, but can only
give them a sermon during some hours of the Sabbath when I am not
talking to Indians. In Mason county, here I live, with six hundred
more people, I am the only resident minister, and call after call
comes which I cannot in justice to the work of the A. M. A.,
answer; but I shall try shortly to give them a fifth Sabbath in the
month.
Fourteen miles from Seabeck is another settlement where there has
never been a sermon preached in the fifteen years of its existence,
and four times, one young man, not a Christian, has asked me to
go there, even offering to carry me over fifty miles in his boat.
These are small places, with scattered people, and probably small
congregations, yet it is hard to resist their appeals. If there
were two Sabbaths every week I sometimes think I could manage the
field better.
* * * * *
Sisseton Agency, D. T.
CHARLES CRISSEY, U. S. IND. AGT.
This Agency has been established about ten years; the people are
Wahpeton and Sisseton Sioux Indians; some were in the outbreak of
1862–3 as hostiles, but a large per cent, as friendly Indians. Most
of them wore the Indian dress of cloth and skins, and lived in
tepees.
They now dress entirely in citizen’s clothing, and live in
log-houses, some with shingled roofs and board floors; most of
them with dirt roofs and floors. The number of houses built of
logs is 220, and 15 frame. There are five organized churches with
a membership of 416 Indians and ten whites. Two of the churches
are building new frame buildings, 28 × 50 ft. and 20 × 30 ft.,
respectively.
There are about 4,025 acres under cultivation; there was broken of
new ground during the spring, 1,055 acres. There was raised last
year about 17,000 bushels of wheat and oats, with a little barley.
The estimated crop this year will be 25,000 bushels. The Indians
have bought without Government aid, during the last three seasons,
16 reapers, 8 fanning-mills, and 4 sulky horse-rakes; one has
purchased a self-binder.
Many of them are able to do such work as an ordinary carpenter or
blacksmith does. We have built three frame houses and have two
more nearly completed. I depend on Indians as help in running our
threshing machines, engines at our at steam-mills, caring for our
horses, and have employed no extra white help, other than one white
man to oversee each department, since April 1st, 1879.
The largest crop raised by any one Indian last year, was 573
bushels of wheat and oats, two others raising nearly as much. We
have threshed for one only this season, and he had 1,500 bushels
of oats. We have distributed to those who have never been supplied
with teams previous to June last, to work with, 95 yoke of work
cattle, with plows, yokes, chains, harrows, etc. The only way they
had to supply themselves previous to June last, was by yoking the
beef cattle and using them, thus depriving themselves of fresh
beef; and when an Indian does that, it is a good sign that he is
well on the road to civilization.
There are three schools, two Government and one mission; 7
teachers, five Government and two mission.
The number of scholars attending one month or more during the year
is 104; number attending boarding schools, 78; number attending
day school, 26; number of months which school has been maintained
during the year, 10; average attendance during that time, 81.
Largest average attendance during any one month, 100; about 25
of the 78 boarding scholars attended the mission school, the
Government furnishing the same with most of the clothing and
rations; both Government and Mission Boarding schools have been
well maintained and successfully managed, the scholars showing
marked improvement during the past year, and the parents much more
interest than ever before.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
“CALIFORNIA CHINESE MISSION.”
Auxiliary to the American Missionary Association.
PRESIDENT: Rev. J. K. McLean, D.D. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Rev. A.
L. Stone, D.D., Thomas C. Wedderspoon, Esq., Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon.
F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D.D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S. H.
Willey, D.D., Edward P. Flint, Esq., Rev J. W. Hough, D.D., Jacob.
S. Taber, Esq.
DIRECTORS: Rev. George Mooar, D.D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. E. P.
Baker, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, Rev. John Kimball,
E. P. Sanford, Esq.
SECRETARY: Rev. W. C. Pond. TREASURER: E. Palache, Esq.
* * * * *
SERMON BY JEE GAM.
[The MISSIONARY of last month contained sermons by two of our
Chinese helpers of the California mission, with a promise of one
this month from Jee Gam.
These come to us, unrevised, in the handwriting of their authors,
which, for beauty and legibility, excites the wish that all our
correspondents were converted Chinamen. These sermons give, as
perhaps in no other way open to our readers, an idea of what can
be done in this work of imparting spiritual truth to this class of
heathen minds, and the adaptation of these men to be its heralds to
their own people. Lack of room compels the omission of the first
part of the sermon, in which is answered the question, “What is
this faith?” Our extract begins with the account of Moses’ faith,
under the second head, “What has faith done?”—ED. MISS.]
Heb. 10:38. “Now the just shall live by faith.” 2d. What has this
faith done?
By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
In a worldly sense, one may say he was the most foolish man in the
world; for if he had remained and accepted the offer he would have
been King of Egypt, as Pharaoh had no son. He would have had great
power; he would have lived in the finest palace of Egypt; he would
have had all the riches, comfort, pleasure, honor and glory he
chose to have; but by faith he saw and knew all these were things
which would vanish away like vapor. Besides these, I venture to say
that Moses must have been utterly disgusted with the idolatry of
that people. He knew in his own conscience that it was wrong and
against God to worship any idol, bull, cow, or cat, all of which
were gods in Egypt. On the other hand he knew that the Lord was
his God, and that he has millions of times more riches and honor
than Pharaoh had. So he regarded not the low station of being a
Hebrew; neither cared he for being poor, despised, oppressed and
persecuted, for he counted all these trials as nothing compared
with the blessings of God which were to come. At any rate, he
preferred and did choose to be on the side of God, rather than on
the side of the Egyptians. By faith he wrought many wonders in
Egypt; by faith he led his people across the Red Sea; by faith the
many battles were fought and won on the way to Canaan. By faith
Daniel prayed continually three times a day when he knew that there
had been a decree against him; yet he cared not for the consequence
of violating that law. He knew that it was far better and more
important to obey the commands of his God than the corrupt decree
of the King, even if he should be cast into the den and torn to
pieces by the terrible beasts.
And now let us come down to a later period, and see how by faith
the disciples of Christ worked many miracles. Still later we find
that Luther by faith broke away from the monastery and preached
Christ as he then thought He ought to be preached, not fearing any
dangers that were to come. When he was summoned by the Council at
Worms to answer its charges, he said to his friends, “I will go
to Worms, if there are as many devils as there are tiles.” And
by faith he was protected and saved. And now look at the present
century, and see what the faith of Christian people has done for
Japan and China. Fifty years ago, I believe, there was not a
single Protestant Chinese Christian in that vast empire; but just
see how many there are now—over thirteen thousand, besides the
many thousands who have been Christianized abroad. And by faith I
venture to say right here that, China will, before long, become a
Christian country, and rank high when compared with all her sister
nations.
3d. Can every man have this faith, be he white, black, red or
yellow? Yes. The beggar can have it as well as the king. The poor
can have it as well as the rich; and the negro, the Indian and the
Chinaman.
4th. Of what benefit is it? It makes us see our own sinfulness
and weakness. It tells us to look to God for forgiveness and for
strength. It assures us that our sins have been pardoned, and the
promises of God make us sure of our reward in Heaven. It makes us
have more confidence in God and in His Son Jesus. It gives us hope
that we shall see not only God, but all who have had this faith
and are now in heaven. It gives us patience, peace, hope, comfort,
joy and anxiety of heart to do God’s will, and to lead people to
Christ. Without faith we cannot please God, nor can we go to him in
prayer. It is the foundation of Christian life. It justifies us,
and, being justified, we live and shall live forever.
5th. What are we called if we have this faith? The just. The born
again of the Holy Spirit; the forgiven; the justified ones; those
who have faith in God; the Christians. So then we are called just,
not by works, but by faith. Nevertheless, faith can never be
without works; faith is the companion of works; they can never be
parted. For instance, Luther, although he exalted faith, yet acted
it right out with works.
Think of Paul, how he by faith suffered many persecutions; how he
labored in prison as well as out of prison, and bore much fruit.
“Faith without works is dead.”
6th. Have we this faith? Have all men it? Alas! Let us consider how
many in this sinful world have not this faith; how many have never
heard of it; how many have willfully refused to take it when it
was so kindly and so lovingly presented to them. Oh, how sad! for
without this faith they are the enemies of God, and they shall be
condemned. Though in this world they may have all riches, comforts,
respect, and much honor in the sight of men, in the eye of God they
are “Weighed in the balance and found wanting.”
But those who have this faith will have Heaven, and they shall live
by the blessings derived therefrom, both in this world and in the
world to come.
7th. Brethren and friends, let us get faith; for it is the greatest
blessing to us. If we have it, let us live by it; for it is the
most vital and most wholesome food our souls can have. Let us hold
fast to it. Let us exercise it so as to promote the happiness of
men to the saving of their souls. Let us exercise it so as to
magnify the love of God, and His Son Jesus Christ.
* * * * *
CHILDREN’S PAGE.
* * * * *
CHINESE AND CHINESE CUSTOMS.
The longer you live in China and the better you know the people,
the greater do your wonder and amazement increase. Their
superstitions are as numerous almost as your thoughts. Their
religious customs are so many and intricate, that they make burdens
for the people more grievous to bear than those the Pharisees
laid upon the Jews. They spend as much money on those, to us,
useless and silly customs—ten times as much, I fully believe—as we
Christians spend on the Gospel. A rich man, I am told, recently
spent on the building of a paper house, which was burnt, for the
use of the spirit of the head of the family who had died, and on
the ceremonies connected with it, $10,000 in hard cash.
This is a large sum of money to spend on paper to be burnt simply
in what, to us, seem perfectly ridiculous rites. But that is only a
tithe of the money spent by such a family, on this religion, which
God hates. These people believe that every man has three spirits.
When he dies, one spirit goes to hell, the second dwells in the
grave, and the third by due ceremonies is invited to take up its
residence in a wooden tablet, on which his name is inscribed. This
tablet is kept in the house, and the worship of it is the ancestral
worship, which is the last thing a Chinaman will give up.
No later than yesterday we had a good example of the ceremony for
the dead of which I have spoken. This is the case of a Chinaman
born in Penang, whose wife died in the latter part of last year,
but the ceremonies for providing for her comfort in Hades were
not performed till yesterday. He should have performed these
services several months ago, according to the proper custom, and
was very much blamed by the Chinese for having delayed. He told
me the secret of the business, however. He did not believe in the
thing, as he said, but his wife’s mother was near at hand and all
her relations, and because he was going to neglect the matter
apparently, they began to give him trouble. For peace, therefore,
he made the preparations. In the meantime, the body of his wife was
still in the house in the coffin. A Chinese coffin is thick and
air-tight—at least, no smell escapes from the decaying body, which
sometimes is kept for years in the house or in a temple. This man
was not a rich man, but was in good circumstances.
He prepared a house about twelve feet square, built of bamboo and
paper, most beautifully and carefully finished, the painting on it
representing brick, stone, marble, and woods of different kinds.
Silver and gold leaf were used profusely; fruits and trees in
relief, and figures of all shapes. Inside the house, which was, by
the way, beautifully furnished with miniature furniture, reclined
the lady of the house, to represent his wife, on a handsome couch.
In the house were all the household utensils and everything
indicative of wealth. At the door was a handsome sedan chair, and
four coolies standing by, ready at her call. Around her were men
and women servants in figures about eight inches high, some engaged
in one work, some in another. Some were preparing rice, some
baking, some washing clothes, some cleaning rice with a fanning
mill. All was most tastefully and elegantly made up.
Before this house on a table were spread out all kinds of
provisions—a little pig roasted, whole chickens, ducks, &c., &c.
The heads of these all pointed toward the place where the woman
sat. It is, by the way, a Chinese custom, to point the head of an
animal, cooked, at the guest to whom you wish to show honor.
Outside and over the door of the house, and extending across the
whole front, was an elaborate framework of bamboo, covered with
gilt paper. This was supposed to represent the grounds before the
house, and there were dozens of little figures, all representing
the lady’s retainers—some as soldiers, runners, tradesmen, &c. And
why all these things? For the comfort and use of the spirit in
hell, to mitigate her torments by providing her with comforts. All
these things cost about $40 or $50.
In another room, the ceremonies in connection with this were
performed. Here was a table covered with priestly symbols, food,
liquor, candles, and peculiar priestly appliances. About the table
stood three Buddhist priests, and sitting on benches were four men
with drum, cymbals and horns. For two days nearly they kept up
incessantly the most fearful din, reading and howling at the top
of the voice. Every now and then, the priests would perform a sort
of dance. On the walls were hung large pictures of the torments
practised in hell—most hideous pictures of pulling out men’s
tongues and eyes, and tortures you would hardly think men capable
of imagining. The little children of the dead woman were there,
clothed in coarse sack-cloth, and kept busy taking part in the
ceremonies, directed by the priests. In the place where the house
was they would come in and bow down to the ground several times to
their mother. The father stood by, looking on like one troubled and
ashamed of the horrid nuisance, as he evidently thought it to be.
In the morning, the whole thing was taken out and set on fire, and
thus spirited away to the spiritual regions for the use of the poor
woman.—_From Presbyterian Record, Canada._
* * * * *
RECEIPTS
FOR AUGUST, 1880.
* * * * *
MAINE, $351.70.
Andover. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $5; Rev. S. W.
Pearson, $5 $10.00
Bangor. First Cong. Ch. 27.50
Bath. Central Cong. Ch., $56.10; Winter St.
Cong. Ch. and Soc., $35.50; Eliza Bowker, $2 93.60
Brewer. M. Hardy, $50 to const. MRS. EUGENIE
L. BECKWITH, L. M.; First Cong. Ch., $8, and
Sab. Sch. $8 66.00
Brunswick. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00
Castine. Rev. A. E. Ives 2.00
Falmouth. First Cong. Ch. 20.00
Farmington. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Garland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.00
Gorham. Cong. Ch., ($2 of which bal. to const.
MISS REBECCA WATERS, L. M) 25.40
Hampden. Mrs. R. S. Curtis 5.00
Portland. “Mrs. A. L. M.” 25.00
Skowhegan. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.20
Standish. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.50
Warren. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Waterford. Mrs. S. C. Hersey 1.50
West Bath. Isaiah Percy, $3; Beulah B. Percy,
$2 5.00
Windham. Cong. Ch. 7.00
NEW HAMPSHIRE, $338.02.
Antrim. Individuals, _for Mag._ 15.00
Claremont. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $38.35; MRS. E.
L. GODDARD, $30, to const. herself L. M. 68.35
Concord. Alma J. Herbert, $3.50; Others,
$1.50; “A Widow,” $5 10.00
East Jaffrey. Eliza A. Parker 20.00
Goffstown. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 50.61
Hebron. Rev. J. B. C. 1.00
Henniker. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00
Hinsdale. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.43
Keene. First Cong. Sab. Sch. 35.50
Lebanon. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.00
Orford. “A Friend” 5.00
Pembroke. Cong. Ch., $26.47; Mrs. Mary W.
Thompson, $5; Prof. Isaac Walker, $5 36.47
Rochester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 18.11
Stoddard. Rev. B. Southworth 10.00
Winchester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 34.55
VERMONT, $1,124.79.
Barnet. “A Friend” 3.00
Bridport. Cong. Sab. Sch. 6.50
Charlotte. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 76.50
Chelsea. ESTATE of Dea. Samuel Douglass, by
Edward Douglass, Ex. 750.00
Coventry. Mrs. S. P. Cowles 5.00
Cornwall. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 29.78
Georgia. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00
Greensborough. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $2.50; Rev.
Moses Patten and family, $15 17.50
Middlebury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.44
Newbury. Mrs. E. F. 1.00
Saint Albans. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 86.34
Shelburn. “A Friend,” adl. to const. J. K.
DAVIS, L. M. 15.00
Springfield. Cong. Ch. by Rev. T. M. Boss 15.00
Swanton. Ladies’ “Home Circle” of Cong. Ch. 5.00
Thetford. John Lord (aged 98) 2.00
Waterbury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. to const. BURTON
H. HUMPHREY, L. M. 30.00
Wells River. George Leslie 5.00
West Enosburgh. H. Fassett 5.00
Westford. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.00
West Westminster. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $26.46,
and Sab. Sch. $7.27 33.73
MASSACHUSETTS, $4,666.06.
Alford. Rev. J. Jay Dana, to const. TENNIE L.
CONVERSE, L. M. 30.00
Andover. ESTATE of Peter Smith 500.00
Andover. South Cong. Ch. and Soc. in part, 200.00
Attleborough. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 127.71
Boston. Mrs. Henry H. Hyde 50.00
Boston Highlands. Miss E. Davis 25.00
Bradford. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 36.40
Braintree. First Ch. and Soc. 14.27
Campello. Sarah Packard 49.16
Chelsea. E. T. S. 1.00
Chesterfield. Mrs. Edward Clarke 5.00
Curtisville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 19.00
Danvers. Maple St. Ch. and Soc. 58.65
East Wareham. M. F. &. J. H. Martin 10.00
Everett. E. H. Evans 5.00
Fall River. “A Friend” 1.00
Falmouth. First Ch. and Soc. 38.50
Fitchburg. Rev. and Mrs. J. M. R. Eaton 10.00
Foxborough. Orthodox Cong. Ch. and Soc. 30.07
Holliston. Mrs. R. R. W., $1; Ladies’ Benev.
Soc. of Cong. Ch. Bbl. of C., _for Savannah,
Ga._, by Mrs J. A. Johnson, Sec. 1.00
Holyoke. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 18.09
Hubbardston. “A Friend” 10.00
Gardner. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 40.00
Greenfield. Second Cong. Ch. 53.22
Ipswich. First Ch. and Soc. 28.19
Lawrence. Lawrence St. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 127.00
Lee. Cong. Sab. Sch. 75.00
Littleton. Orth. Ch. and Soc. 14.60
Lowell. ESTATE of E. S. Hunt by George F.
Richardson, Ex. 500.00
Marshfield. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 45.43
Merrimack. Ladies of Cong. Ch. 9.00
Middleton. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00
Millbury. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 57.95
Mittineaque. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.82
Newburyport. Belleville Ch. and Soc., $37.20;
Whitefield Cong. Ch. and Soc., $17.73; Miss
Bassett, $5 59.93
Newton Centre. “A Friend” $40; C. L. H., 50c 40.50
Northampton. “A Friend” 150.00
North Abington. Reuben Loring, _for addition
to school building, Fayetteville, Ark._ 5.00
North Andover Depot. F. D. F. 1.00
North Brookfield. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 50.00
North Wilmington. L. F. M. 1.00
Palmer. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 9.40
Plainfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00
Pittsfield. James H. Dunham 25.00
Quincy. Cong. Ch. and Soc., Mon. Con. Coll. 18.00
Randolph. Miss A. W. Turner 10.00
Rochester. Cong. Sab. Sch. 17.00
Royalston. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 114.10
South Amherst. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 7.00
South Egremont. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00
South Weymouth. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc., to
const. CHARLES MERRILL and FRANCIS TORREY,
L. M.’s 51.00
Springfield. ESTATE of George Merriam, by
Henry S. Lee, Ex. 1,000.00
Springfield. “M,” $500; South Cong. Ch. and
Soc., $43.25; First Cong. Ch. and Soc.,
$38.84 582.09
Sturbridge. ESTATE of M. A. Bullock, by M. L.
Richardson 50.00
Sturbridge. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 42.77
Taunton. Union Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.73
Templeton. “A Friend” 2.00
Tolland. Rev. C. J. 1.00
Walpole. M. G. 1.00
Ware. “A Friend” 10.00
Webster. Cong. Ch. 15.00
West Boylston. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 22.00
Westfield. H. Holland, M. D. 3.00
Whately. Cong. Ch. 16.47
Wilmington. J. Skilton 5.00
Williamstown. First Cong. Ch. 50.00
Worcester. Union Ch., $32.01; G. M. P., $1. 33.01
——. “A Thank Offering” 20.00
RHODE ISLAND, $4.00.
Little Compton. Ezra Wilbur, $2; G. A. G., $1. 3.00
Slatersville. W. P. 1.00
CONNECTICUT, $3,998.30.