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
_Nov._ 21.--The Indians held a great council in the school-house
this evening. Chief Buhkwujjenene was the principal speaker. He spoke
very eloquently, feelingly, and quite to the point,--describing his
journey to England and his kind reception by so many friends there.
Then he spoke of the proposed Institution, for which money had been
collected, and told the people that an opportunity was now given them
of improving themselves and their children, and he urged upon all to
support the movement and to give up their children to be educated.
Chief Little Pine spoke of the increasing value of their land and the
desire of the white people to purchase it from them. Our wealth, he
said, is our land. As long as it lies idle it is worthless. We must
clear our land and farm it, and then it will be of the greatest value.
He also spoke of the Institution, and advised the people to send their
children. Misquaubuhnooke and Shabahgeezhik also spoke, and each found
fault with the Indians for not exerting themselves more; they said the
congregations were not large enough on Sundays, and that many of the
people who had families did not send their children to school.
_Dec._ 1, _Advent Sunday._--Heavy snow falling, but good
congregations. I preached from Rom. xiii. 12. "The night is far spent,
the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armour of light." We have commenced a weekly
offertory, and it amounts to nearly two dollars a Sunday. Two
churchwardens have been appointed, and one of them has charge of the
Church funds and is supposed to purchase all that is necessary in the
way of fuel, oil, &c. The collections ought to be ample to meet all
expenses besides paying the sexton; but if not constantly watched the
Indians are apt to spend the money on things not really wanted, while
we are shivering for want of fire, and blinding ourselves for want of
light.
_Dec. 27._--Evening Communicants' meeting at William
Shabahgeezhik's; about twenty-five present. I spoke very plainly to the
people, and urged none to come forward to the Sacrament without due
preparation. I said I would rather see ten persons kneeling at the rail
and feel that they were truly in earnest, than thirty people who had
come forward without thinking of what they were doing. I invited them
to come and talk with me individually in private. I said God had
brought me to this place to be their friend and counsellor, and to help
them on their road to heaven, and I hoped that they would regard me as
such.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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