Mary and I: Forty Years with the SiouxRiggs, Stephen Return
History
Mary and I: Forty Years with the Sioux
Riggs, Stephen Return
Dakota Indians -- Missions; Riggs, Stephen Return, 1812-1883
"'The children all about are sad,' said an Indian woman. 'I too am
sorrowful. I wanted to see her again.' The little Theodore, whom she
had loved and tended, folded his hands and prayed, 'Bless Miss Emmie
up in heaven,--she was sick and died and went to heaven,--and bring
her back some time.' Sweet, childish prayer that would fain reach out
with benediction to her who is beyond the reach of our blessing,
eternally blest.
"As she passed away from the fond, enfolding arms that would have
detained her, she breathed a message for us all. Listen! Do you not
hear her speaking? 'Work for the missions, work for the missions.
Christ died for the missions.'
"On the wall of her room still hangs the Scripture roll as it was
left. And this is the word of comfort it bears:--
"'I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness.'
"'His servants shall serve Him and they shall see His face.'"
THE DAKOTA CONFERENCE.
The sixth annual meeting of the Conference of churches connected with
the Dakota Mission took place at T. L. Riggs' station on Peoria
bottom, near Fort Sully, commencing on Thursday, September 13, 1877,
and closing on Sabbath, the 16th.
The very neat new chapel, which had been in building only a few weeks,
was pushed forward so that it made a very convenient and comfortable
place of meeting. The Sabbath immediately preceding, it was occupied
for religious service. It was very gratifying to see the house filled
by the Indians living here. In the general interest manifested in
religious instructions by the people of these villages, there is very
much to encourage us. Old men and women, young men and maidens, flock
to the new chapel, and express great gratification that it has been
erected for their benefit.
On Wednesday, the 12th of the month, the delegates began to come in.
The first to arrive were from the homestead settlement of Flandreau
on the Big Sioux. They had come 260 miles and traveled ten days. Then
came the delegation of more than twenty from the Sisseton reservation,
near Fort Wadsworth. And in the evening came the largest company from
the Yankton and Santee agencies. In all there were over sixty present,
about forty-five of whom were members of the Conference, and all had
traveled more than 200 miles. The last to arrive were John P.
Williamson and A. L. Riggs, who, being disappointed in getting a
steamboat, had to come all the way in the stage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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