The American Missionary — Volume 32, No. 05, May, 1878Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 32, No. 05, May, 1878
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
In January and February, I was absent some three weeks at an Indian
festival, ninety miles from here. They are wholly heathenish, but
thus far it has been about as impossible to prevent them as it is
to prevent a river running down stream; hence, the next best thing
is to guide them. Drunkenness at such places is one of their worst
dangers, and the principal Indians are beginning to realize it.
About 550 Indians were present, seventy-five of whom went from
this reservation. I have made the trip by canoe several times in
the summer, and in the winter by steamer, but the prospect was not
pleasant of traveling 180 miles in an open canoe; camping out when
it might rain, snow or freeze all the time. But the chiefs there
and here urged me to go, and assist in guarding against worthless
white men and Indians. There was no one else to go, and it did seem
that if they should get on a “big drunk,” and I should be asked
why I did not go and try to prevent it, and should reply, because
I was afraid it would be stormy, it would be a poor excuse. It
was a hard place to attempt to elevate the Indians, though I held
several services with them, but there was a prospect that I might
prevent their falling as deep into the pit as they would otherwise.
The result justified the work. One drunken Indian was arrested,
one drunken white man and wife were sent home; and it was plain
that, had I not been there, no one could have told where it would
have ended. Out of the seventy-five who went with me, I do not know
of more than half a dozen who have been drunk within four years,
although nearly all drank more or less previous to the adoption of
the present policy; and it is considerable to say that 550 Indians
were together for a week, and that there was only one case of
drunkenness, and only one of quarreling.
* * * * *
GREEN BAY AGENCY.
Education Among the Menomonee Indians.
JOS. C. BRIDGMAN, KESHENA, WIS.
Education among the Menomonee Indians is making very perceptible
headway. At the suggestion of Colonel E. C. Watkins, United States
Indian Inspector, the three day-schools upon the reserve were
merged into a boarding-school, in September, 1876. This has proved
a success beyond our most hopeful expectations. No like school
among white children, so far as my observation goes, shows more
enthusiasm on the part of the scholars, more zeal on the part of
the teachers, or better progress, when the obstacles to success are
taken into consideration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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