no business experience, or any but in the ministry; but I was sure
of one thing, that good, honest, persistent effort would bring good
results. I had heard about many of the iniquities and shortcomings
of agents. My friends warned me against the position. I knew that
the name of Indian agent had become almost a synonym of rascal or
cheat. I felt, however, that it was a position a man could fill
with honesty and integrity and good results. So I went to work.
I was horrified at the state of things I found. For many years
an agency had been established; thousands of dollars had been
expended; a great many men had been employed. But I saw that the
Indians were discouraged, doing nothing, sulky and averse to
effort. I arrived at the agency early in April, and found that
the fields had been left for a year untilled and in a filthy
condition. I had had early experience as a farmer. I called the
Indians together, and told them they must clean their fields. They
said they had no teams or ploughs. I asked if they couldn’t at
least clean them up? They said yes. I told them to begin and I’d
see what I could do for them, but there was no time to lose. They
said they would start to-morrow. The next morning I was waked by
loud talking. I looked out and saw at least fifty women with hoes,
axes and shovels on their shoulders—not a man among them. I took an
interpreter and went out to them. They said they had come to clean
the fields. I said that was good, but I hadn’t sent for them, but
for the men. They laughed at that idea—it was a novelty. I told
them the men must come, gave them some good advice on household
work for women—on which I am well posted—and sent them home. They
went their way, and that was the end of the work. I couldn’t get an
Indian man out that time. I was puzzled what to do next. I went
out to the fields with the interpreter, and we did find one old
man who had gone to work. I told him to go on, and I’d plow what
he would clean up, which I did. This encouraged one and another by
degrees, with the gift of extra rations, and so at last we got the
fields cleaned and planted.
The first year, though, was very trying, owing to my ignorance
of the Indian character. I spoke to them as I would to any one
else about truth and duty, etc., but met constant, persistent
opposition. I was wearied to death with their councils. Fifty to a
hundred great stalwart Indians would walk into my office, sit down
on the floor, and begin to smoke. Then I would wait with patience
till one of them would rise and make their wants known, and I
would answer them. But everything I proposed they would oppose,
for some reason I did not understand. They would tell me my words
were sweet, but that like all other white men, I was a liar. So it
went on for a year. It was rather hard to take their plain talk,
especially as I am somewhat of a muscular Christian. I gave them,
however, as good, plain talk as they sent, and let them understand
what I thought of them.
But at the end of a year I thought I might as well give it up. I
wrote to my friends that I thought of resigning. Then I called
the Indians to a last council. I told them what I felt, why I
came, what I had endeavored to do. I spoke feelingly. When I had
finished, an old chief, “Struck by the Ree,” got up and said: “We
have listened to your words for a year. We have now come to the
conclusion that we will both listen and obey. We had been told that
you were not a good man. Many of us believed what we heard, but you
have convinced us that you are good, and we will obey you.”
Well I stayed, and I had no more trouble, except such as was
unavoidable. The councils were more and more pleasant. I never had
a rude or disagreeable word from them again. They would sometimes
disagree with me, but generally took my advice, and were always
courteous.
I laid before them first this plan. I told them that rations and
aid from government are only temporary. They will come to an end.
They are given to aid them to be self-supporting. I told them I had
come to help them to become so. They were not much interested in
that idea at first, but as continued dropping wears away the rock,
my words from day to day had some effect, and here and there I saw
some improvement.
I found all the work at the agency done by whites—only two Indians
employed out of 2,000 Sioux at the station. I employed the Indians
as fast as possible to give them work. I put one boy in the
blacksmith shop, another with the carpenter, another in the mill,
two or three with the agency farmer, two in the butcher house, and
to help issue rations. When I came there I found the cattle were
slaughtered in a brutal manner, shot in a filthy yard, where the
Indians dressed the meat in a careless, unclean way. I applied for
a slaughter-house, cattle-pens and a proper butcher, and got them.
I put my Indian boys with him, as I said, and at the end of a month
they could take hold and do the work properly themselves, and did
it so six years. The beef was issued clean.
The system of employing Indians and encouraging industry was
pleasing. They were glad to see their young men employed; they were
willing to go to work when there was any encouragement to do so.
I had several thousand bushels of wheat to harvest. I succeeded in
getting the ground broken, the crop cultivated, the wheat ground
and eaten up, too. While they were threshing one hot day, some of
the Indians gave out. They sent me word from the field that two
more men were needed. I went out on my horse and looked about,
but couldn’t see an Indian anywhere but in the field. I rode to
the trader’s store, and there I found a young Indian _gentleman_,
gotten up in fine style, with red blanket, embroidered leggings
and moccasins, looking glass and fan; face painted, hair braided
and ornamented with feathers—“a fancy buck,” so they say out on the
frontier. I went up to him, laid my hand on his shoulder, and said,
“Friend, I want you.” He looked up with an independent air, and
said, “How!” I told him to get on his horse and follow me, which
he did. I took him into the field and up to the threshing machine,
and told the interpreter to tell him I wanted him to work and would
pay him so much. The Indian boys around laughed. I told them to
be quiet. He said “How,” and went at it. The only vacant place at
the machine was where the chaff and dust comes pouring out—not an
agreeable place for him—pouring out on his paint and oil. He never
had a pitchfork in his hands before, but he went to work manfully.
Pretty soon off came his red blanket; then off came the paint
itself in streaks. Piece by piece came off the rest of his toggery,
till the Indian was an Indian but not much besides. But he stuck
to that pitchfork. I watched him; if he had given out I would have
taken his place; but there was no give out to him; he worked right
on for three days; at the end of the time his delicate hands were
all bleeding.
That shows the pluck of the Indian. I have had other employés, who
had never done a thing before in the way of labor, work till the
blood ran down their hands. This one was, of course, a remarkable
case. But I have had Indians who labored for me industriously for
eight years without ever losing one day.
It was difficult to get them to save their wages. I finally adopted
a system of banking for them. They let me lay aside their wages
till the end of the quarter. Then we talked over the question what
they had better buy, and under my advice they generally spent their
money in useful articles, wagons, harness, stoves, furniture, etc.
I received satisfactory evidence that the Indian can be made a
laboring man, but in order to do it we must pay him good wages to
start with.
* * * * *
THE CHINESE.
* * * * *
MISSION WORK IN MAY.
REV. W. C. POND, SUPERINTENDENT.
The dry figures are as follows: Eighteen schools, forty-one
teachers, the number of pupils enrolled, 1,043; the average
attendance (lessened doubtless in San Francisco by the fact that
just now our street lamps are not lighted, and our dark streets
are not viewed by Chinese as conducive to their personal safety),
435. Total number enrolled during the nine months now past, of the
present fiscal year, 2,470. Word came of at least five among the
pupils who, during May, professed to have turned from the worship
of idols, and to have become the followers of Christ. It seems to
me that in several of the schools the interest in spiritual things
is deepening, and that the prospect brightens for a continuous and
large harvest.
“ALL QUIET UPON THE POTOMAC.” This proverb, dating back to the
troublous times of 1862, has often risen to my lips, as, week by
week, or day by day, I have asked tidings from our North School
in this city. In April it was established in permanent quarters,
where we believe it will grow to a size, and will cheer us with
a fruitfulness, second only to our central school. But in almost
every locality where we plant a school we are obliged by passive
resistance and patient endurance to “conquer a peace.” The struggle
has been longer and harder than usual in our North School, but
it seems to be over, and peace to be won. Our hoodlum neighbors
tried what virtue there was in outcries and in stones rattling
upon the roof and doors and blinds till they could have been
picked up by the bushel, and in various tricks which it would be
a waste of paper to describe, but have retired at last defeated
from the field, and the work moves on undisturbed. We have reason
to speak well of the protection extended us by the police, and to
remember with hearty admiration the heroic lady teacher who was the
principal sufferer and the champion in the fight.
A PROTEST FROM OROVILLE.—As the most strenuous efforts seem
unlikely to secure the funds needed in order to continue our
full work, we look about to see where the knife can be applied.
I thought that a vacation would do as little harm at Oroville
as anywhere, and I sent word to close the school from June till
September. The following protest came back signed by sixteen of
the pupils: “Dear pastor.—We heard from you that you told Miss M.
Deuel to close this school at present. We are very sorry, because
this school is doing very well. We would like to understand the
words of truth, but we cannot do it without the teacher’s help. So
we hope you will consent to open this school continually. Some of
the boys just became Christians. If school to be closed seems we
like the sheep without a shepherd; perhaps we going other ways and
fall in the river of death. Or, this Oroville have many precious
souls; if this school to be continue may be other people come to
school and hear who are speak the gospel of Christ and come to him,
that their souls may be save.” They go on to say that they know
that the school cannot but be smaller in summer than in winter, and
that they will try to sustain it without a Chinese helper, but they
cannot bear to have it closed.
How could I be deaf to such an appeal? I wrote them to do their
utmost to help me by their offerings and their prayers, and the
school should be continued. I confess that I do not know how I am
to maintain so large a work as ours now is, on resources so scanty;
but when souls are asking after God I cannot shut away the only
light that shines upon their path. I must trust God and trust God’s
people, and move on.
LETTERS FROM HONG SING.—Hong Sing has been a helper for four or
five years. At present he is stationed at Santa Cruz, where special
interest has existed for some time, and five of the pupils have
been led to Christ. Two recent letters from this helper giving
accounts of his discussions with the heathen about him have greatly
interested me. They are too long to be inserted here, and I
scarcely know how to condense them without spoiling the charm which
comes from his queer attempts to get the English idioms. But I must
make the endeavor to give one.
It describes in a pleasant way some of the petty annoyances to
which the Christian brethren are subjected by their heathen
countrymen; annoyances which, he says, make him think of Paul and
the other apostles; “though our trials it is a very trifle thing,
compared with theirs, _nothing_; yet I am dismayed because I get
impatient with them. I pray that God may open the blind of their
mind that they may see the Salvation of Christ.”
He then goes on to say: “They argue with me several times, but
every time they get angry, then I stop. * * * They say: ‘You tell
the people must not gamble, not smoke opium, not swear. These
things are very suitable for us. But tell us not worship gods and
our parents when they die, this hurt our heart. You just think your
mother: how much pain when she bear you, and now you grow to be a
man, so you forget and ungrateful. It seem to me you are not come
from your mother but from the mountain bank, so that you will not
honor father and mother. If you were my brother, I would kill you
instantly.’”
To all this Hong Sing replied: “Question is now, friends, _which
way_ we ought to honor father and mother, in life time or in death
time, with a kind word or with wrath answer your mother. Mind your
mother is honor or disobey is honor. Suppose when you come to
California your father and mother give you good advice—must not
gamble, not smoke opium, not go among the bad men, not be indolent
but industrious. You just see how many has been gambling, how many
smoke opium and do such evil things. Is this obey parent, honor,
admire? I think not at all. This is disobey, dishonor, ingratitude.
When I was in China I often see and hear of many men has beat
mother with a stick and not like to support her living, but permit
her starve and not let her have good food. But when she die then
you put ten pound pork and chicken and many things set on the
table, ask her to eat. In life time when she can eat and drink,
never buy five cents worth meat. When die, no eat, no drink. So you
will kill a calf, set on a table to ask her to eat and drink. It
is vanity. Our Confucius has said, ‘If any man were good conduct
and endeavor to walk on the wisdom way and good virtue that show to
obey and honor father and mother. Therefore, every man know he is
a good man and understand that he must have had good parents, and
he never said to honor our parents by worshipping them when they
die.’” Other points were made which cannot be reproduced. Under
ordinary circumstances I discourage all debating with the heathen.
I advise our helpers to keep close to their own work, which is to
preach the gospel.
* * * * *
BUREAU OF WOMAN’S WORK.
MISS D. E. EMERSON, SECRETARY.
* * * * *
NOTES ON MEETINGS OF STATE SOCIETIES.
The Woman’s Home Missionary Society, connected with the State
Association of Michigan, held its session during the meetings of
that body. The ladies present were addressed by Mrs. Norton, of
Dakota, and Miss Rose M. Kinney, of Georgia. Brief remarks were
made by Messrs Clark, Cobb, Gilbert and Pike. Mrs. Leroy Warren
was re-elected president, and measures were adopted providing for
co-operation with the benevolent societies of the Congregational
churches working in this country. It is probable that efforts will
be made by the ladies to bring the claims of these societies before
the people of Michigan in the early autumn.
* * * * *
The ladies of Iowa will continue to support their missionary, Miss
A. D. Gerrish, at New Orleans, La., and as they too have organized
for better co-operation, it is confidently hoped that the response
from the ladies will enable them to assume the support of a second
missionary, at some other point. They have selected as a State
Committee Mrs. S. H. Smith, of Davenport, and Mrs. J. H. Ellsworth,
of McGregor.
* * * * *
At the recent State Conference of Vermont, a special meeting of
the ladies was called to hear the claims of the A. M. A. missions
presented by Miss D. E. Emerson, and a good degree of interest
was manifested, resulting in the appointment of a committee of
three, Mrs. A. W. Wilde, of Charlotte, Mrs. Henry Fairbanks, of
St. Johnsbury, and Mrs. Bowman, of Newport, to secure co-operation
among the ladies of the Congregational churches of Vermont in
support of a missionary in the South.
At the meeting of the Woman’s Aid to the A. M. A., in connection
with the Maine State Conference, there was a large and appreciative
audience to listen to the reports of their two missionaries, Misses
Lunt and Farrington.
It was evident that the frequent correspondence with these
missionaries, and the knowledge thus gained of the field, had
quickened the sympathies of those contributing to their support,
and there is every reason to believe that the collections will
increase so that a third missionary will in good time be adopted,
either in the South or in the Indian Mission. Miss D. E. Emerson
addressed the ladies on the general work of the A. M. A. in the
South. In order to vary the means of raising funds and to awaken
more interest in the churches, a system of rotation of committees
is followed, and a new State Committee was therefore appointed:
Mrs. Hubbard, of Hiram; Miss L. C. Vose, of Dennysville, and
Miss S. Waldron, of Augusta. It was gratifying to learn that the
Committee of the past year, of which Miss Smith was chairman, laid
aside with regret the duties which, though involving considerable
care, had proved more a pleasure than a burden.
* * * * *
The ladies of Illinois have adopted the same plan of aid to the
A. M. A. as the ladies of Maine, and have appointed as a State
Committee Mrs. E. F. Williams, of Chicago; Mrs. H. L. Boltwood, of
Ottawa, and Mrs. Charles Perry, of Geneva. Already the conferences
have been districted to the State Committee, and the sub-collectors
appointed. They will continue the support of a missionary at
Mobile, Ala., and have adopted also Miss Rose M. Kinney to
represent them at Little Rock, Ark.
* * * * *
One of the ladies appointed at the Illinois Meeting has written an
encouraging letter which indicates the heartiness with which the
work is entered upon in that State. She says: “Last month we heard
the sound of the new departure from Maine. When we are sure it is
the Master calling, the sound flies quickly, and we are thankful it
has so soon reached Illinois. We already, from the new consecration
it arouses in us, are buckling on the armor. I assure you that from
the ladies of this State will come no uncertain sound. We must do
the work.”
* * * * *
[That our friends may know the spirit that pervades our missionary
teachers, enabling them to rise above the discouragements and
trials of the field in the joy of Christian service, we give
a few gleanings from recent correspondence not written for
publication.—D. E. E.]
—I never enjoyed my work so much as during the past year, although
it was never so hard before.
—The year’s work has been such a pleasant one that I am reluctant
to bring it to a close, although I feel the need of the coming rest.
—I hope my return another year may be favorably considered by you,
as I must see _my boys_ through. I have but just begun the work.
I like it and feel that another year I could accomplish much more
than I have this.
—My health has failed and it is thought to be a risk for me to
remain through the year. It is a great disappointment to me,
I believe the greatest I ever had, for I love the work and so
strongly hoped I should be able to continue. But God knows best.
Perhaps in years to come He may grant me such measure of strength
as will enable me again to enter this field.
—Our scholars have done good, faithful work for some time past
and the results will show, I am sure. I _do_ enjoy the work
thoroughly. Of course there are times of discouragement, days when
we wonder if some one else could not do more or better for those
who are under our instruction, when it seems as if it were spending
our strength for naught; but I suppose every person knows what it
is to feel so, and I certainly am glad to do what I can while I can.
—We are very busy now, this last half of the year. My room is
very full—sixty-eight. They sit thickly together, close up to my
platform, and three with me by my desk. I enjoy my school very
much, even more than I anticipated, especially now that I really
know my scholars individually. I have many who are eighteen or
twenty years old and I feel anxious for them to learn all they can,
for fear they may not come another year. I really trust I may be
led in just the right way in this work, for I came here with that
one desire.
—On reaching here I found Miss —— busy in her preparation to leave
in answer to your call. The young people look as sad as though
parting with a mother, and several, both old and young, said to me:
“Do tell them in New York they must send her back—she understands
us so well and we her, and it would take a long time for a
stranger, to know us.” One old man said, “I tell you she is smart.”
Oh, how I do wish she could go before the ladies of our Northern
churches and tell of this work. I know that they are very ignorant
in regard to the needs of these fields. I know, too, there is a
willingness to do if they could only be shown the needs and be once
awakened.
* * * * *
WORK AT THE DAKOTA MISSION.
In the AMERICAN MISSIONARY for April we gave a statement relating
to the transfer by the American Board of its Dakota mission to the
A. M. A., and published a list of the missionaries. Among these
were Miss Illsley, Mrs. Steer, Miss Voorhees and Miss Webb, who
were laboring at the Santee Agency. We have gleaned from their
circular letters in the _Word Carrier_ the following extracts which
indicate the importance and success of woman’s work for the Indians.
Miss Illsley says: “As each one who writes will naturally tell of
her own work, it becomes my pleasure to speak especially of our
life at the Bird’s Nest. Miss Brown and I think we have seventeen
as interesting little girls to look after as can be. Our oldest
is twelve, and our youngest five years of age. All are doing well
in school. Our little girls love to learn their Bible verses, and
while we teach them the words, we hope and feel that God impresses
the truths on their hearts as we cannot. Many of them say, ‘I am
going to read the Bible to mamma when I go home.’”
Mrs. Steer writes: “I deem it one of the highest privileges granted
to me in this life to be numbered among the Dakota missionaries,
although with the care of my family I can do but little definite
missionary work. Yet I would be loath to stand as an outsider. God
granting me the strength of body, I hope soon to take a more active
part in this grand work. We have strong evidence that God’s Spirit
is with us at this time, and a number of our young people have
been led to think seriously of their spiritual condition, and have
entered the fold which has Christ for its Shepherd.”
Miss Voorhees writes: “I have had nineteen boys in my care, until
the Poncas left. Seven are now in bed with the measles. Some of
them are very sick, but all are so patient and obedient that it
makes the work of caring for them comparatively easy. The three
Berthold boys are very interesting, and I think promising boys.
Miss Calhoun, Mrs. Hall’s sister, is associated with me at present.
Though our boys are too small to see any decided results just yet,
one of them has expressed a desire to unite with the church.”
Miss Webb says: “The amount there is to be done and overcome too
often discourages and overwhelms us, and it seems to me in a letter
like this, a few thoughts on points of progress and improvement
may be helpful. There seems to me to have been progress in
spiritual, mental and physical aspects. There is a hidden principle
in our girls to which we can effectually appeal, which has been
developing, and makes dealing with them by force and various
contrived punishments less and less necessary. They are more open
to reason, and are more influenced by kind talks, and a knowledge
of our desires for them. There is not the clannishness among them,
which made it so hard to discipline one, because all would rebel
and side with the erring one. These are a few of the indications
which show the heart is being educated, and the seed is taking
root. There is also more gratitude manifest, more diligence in
study, and more real live interest shown. We hear less frequently,
and more reasonably, ‘give me this or that,’ which seemed to come
so continually, and in such a way as to make us feel all they
thought or cared about was what they could get out of us, and there
is less fault-finding with what they receive. Looking at them in
a physical aspect it would almost seem as if some of them had
new bodies, so much have they improved by their regular life and
habits.”
* * * * *