“The first time I became a Christian, I found it a very hard thing
to do, but I kept asking Jesus to help me, and so he did, for I
grew stronger and stronger. So, my friends, if you will just accept
Jesus as your King, he will help you to the end of your journey.
You must trust wholly in Jesus’ strength, and yield your will, your
time, your talents, your reputation, your strength, your property,
your all, to be henceforth and forever subject to his divine
control--your hearts to love him; your tongues to speak for him;
your hands and feet to work for him, and your lives to serve him
when and where and as his Spirit may direct. Don’t be proud, but be
very good Christians; be brave and do what is right.
“Your young friend,
“---- ----”
It is but just to say now that the first two of these have been
suspended from the church for misconduct, and still stand so on our
record. The other one has done a good work, and has been one of the
leaders of religion with the older people, sometimes holding one and two
meetings a week with them and teaching the Bible class of fifty on the
Sabbath.
The Twanas and the Clallams were formerly at war with each other, and
even now the old hostile feeling, dwindled down to jealousy, will show
itself at times. A like unpleasant feeling has often been shown between
the whites and Indians, yet, on the first Sabbath in April, 1880, three
persons united with the church and received baptism, who belonged one to
each of these three classes. Another noticeable fact was the reason
which induced them to become Christians. In reply to my question on
this point, each one, unknown to the other, said that it was because
they had noticed that Christians were so much happier than other people.
Two of them had tried the wrong road with all their heart, and had found
to their sorrow that “the way of transgressors is hard.”
The following table will show the state of the church during the ten
years:--
=======================+=====================================================
| Added by Letter.
| +-----------------------------------------------
| | Added on Profession of Faith.
| | +-----------------------------------------
| | | Of those Joining on Profession,
| | | these were Indians.
| | | +---------------------------------
| | | | Dismissed by Letter.
| | | | +---------------------------
| | | | | Died.
| | | | | +---------------------
| | | | | | Excommunicated.
| | | | | | +----------------
| | | | | | | Membership on
| | | | | | | Last Day of
| | | | | | | Fiscal Year.
| | | | | | | +----------
| | | | | | | |Absentees.
| | | | | | | | +----
-----------------------+-----+-----+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | | | | | | | |
Organized with | 9 | 2 | 1 | | | | 11 | |
June, 1874-75 | 2 | | | | | | 13 | |
June, 1875-76 | 4 | 4 | 1 | | | | 21 | |
June, 1876-77 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | | | 16 | 2 |
June, 1877-78 | | 3 | 3 | | | | 19 | 2 |
June, 1878-79 | | 6 | 4 | | 2 | 1 | 22 | 4 |
June, 1879-80 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 1 | | | 36 | 5 |
June, 1880-81 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | 3 | | 40 | 10 |
June, 1881-82 | 2 | 5 |4[A] 5 | 16 | | | 31 | 13 |
June, 1882-83 | 1 | 5 |6[A] 5 | 6 | | | 31 | 13 |
June, 1883-July, 1884 | 1 | 18 |7[3] 17 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 10 |
| | | | | | | | |
-----------------------+-----+-----+--------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| | | | | | | | |
Total | 27 | 61 | 64 | 37 | 6 | 2 | | |
| | | | | | | | |
=======================+=====+=====+========+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+
The large diminution in 1876-77 was caused by the removal of employees.
The same cause operated in 1881-82, for then the Indians were believed
to be so far advanced in civilization that the government thought it
wise to discharge all of the employees except the physician and those at
work in the school. During that year the church also granted letters to
seven of its members who lived at Jamestown, to assist in organizing a
church there. Thus when the reasons for the reduced membership of that
year were considered there was no particular cause for discouragement,
but rather for encouragement. One white man and one Indian have been
ex-communicated.
The next year the agent moved away, and while he still retained his
membership in the church, and aided it financially almost as much as
when he resided here, still his absence has been felt, as from the
beginning he had been its clerk and treasurer, for a part of the time
its deacon, and his councils had always been of great value.
The absentees grew in number mainly because white employees moved away,
and did not always unite with another church.
On July 4, 1880, the first Indian infant was baptized. Some cases of
discipline have been necessary, four being now suspended. Most cases of
discipline have resulted favorably.