Missionary Work Among the Ojebway IndiansWilson, Edward Francis
History
Missionary Work Among the Ojebway Indians
Wilson, Edward Francis
Indians of North America -- Missions; Ojibwa Indians
At 3 p.m. the bell was rung, the flags hoisted, and the whole party
ushered into the school-house to find the platform furnished with chairs,
the centre one carefully reserved for the "Kechemakadawekoonuhya" (the
big black coat). By the time the feast was over the sun was setting. Now
the table was put aside, benches arranged, and the signal for the
pow-wow, given on the drum, when all who could find space to sit or stand
crowded in. A few minutes' silence followed, and then Chief Buhkwujjenene
rose, advanced to the platform, shook hands (an invariable preliminary to
an Indian speech), and said, "Chief's, principal men, brothers, and
sisters, we were told many days ago that our new Bishop was coming among
us, and we decided to have a cup of tea with him. Now he has come, and
has eaten and drank with us. Now (turning to the Bishop) we are glad that
you have come, and that you have told us the Gospel." His way being paved
by this brief introduction, the Bishop addressed them, saying that he
thanked them for the feast they had prepared, and the very kind welcome
they had given to him. When Jesus Christ was on earth, Matthew the
publican and others made feasts for Him, and as the Indians had received
him in Christ's name and for His sake, therefore they would receive the
fulfilment of the promise which Christ gave, that "whosoever gave to a
disciple a cup of cold water only should in no wise lose his reward." At
his last visit he told them he would go to school and learn their
language, and he had done this, and as he had a good teacher, Mr. Wilson,
he had been able to read part of their beautiful services yesterday in
their own tongue; it was a hard language to learn, but he would persevere
until he was able to preach to them. He had some good news to tell them
about their church. A gentleman in Toronto, whom he had never seen, had
sent him 50 dollars in aid of it (great clapping of hands), and more, he
was sure, was on the way, for God never failed to hear and help His
children who prayed to Him in their trouble and difficulty. He had heard
that they were going to give him a new name. He had had two names
already, first Edward Sullivan, then Edward Algoma, and he hoped that the
new one would be a good one, and that he would not be ashamed to tell it
his friends and theirs in Montreal and Toronto.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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