The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 10, October, 1888Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 10, October, 1888
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
On Mr. Moody's asking how much he wanted, he said that it took $400 to
start a station, and $300 a year to keep it up. He then related a very
pathetic story of an old Indian who traveled 150 miles across the
Territory seven times to get a missionary sent among his people. The
difficulty in getting one arose from the society sending the
missionaries, whose debt was so large that the executive board had
refused to send out any more. ("Board wants more faith," put in Mr.
Moody.) The old man finally went back to his people, saying sadly:
"They must die in their darkness; the Christian people of America
haven't interest enough in the poor dying Indian to try and help him."
Mr. Moody, who had been apparently deep in thought ever since the
speaker had mentioned the sum necessary to start a station, now broke
out, "Got a mission started where that old man wanted it?" in such an
earnest way that it brought down the house. But Mr. Moody wasn't
satisfied till Mr. Shelton answered in the affirmative, and added that
what he said of the Sioux was true of the other tribes, 68 of whom
were untouched by any missionary efforts. At this point, $300 was
handed to the platform to establish a station, and the audience grew
enthusiastic. The speaker continued, illustrating the need of
Christian work among the Indians and their willingness to receive it
by telling a story of a little Indian girl who was converted while
dying. She asked of her teacher: "But, lady, how long have you known
of this beautiful story?" "Many years," replied the missionary. "And
how long has white man known of this?" "Oh, very many years."
"Lady, if white man has known about God and about heaven so long, what
for, why has he not told poor dying Indian about this before? If I
could only get well, I would go and tell all my people this beautiful
story about Jesus and home," and with those words, "Jesus and home,"
her eyes closed forever.
In answer to Mr. Moody's questions, he described the stations, little
buildings of three rooms, and the missionaries' life, at home, and
teaching the Indians to cultivate the soil, as well as preaching to
them; his wife also teaching the women. The audience had become quite
enthusiastic by the time he finished his eloquent appeal, and at this
moment Mr. Sankey offered $700 to start one station, and shortly after
Mr. Moody pledged an equal amount. A lady then handed in $400 to go
with the $300 subscribed during the address. Mr. Moody himself then
made a brief appeal, speaking of the Indian boys and girls in his
school and the high rank they had taken. He offered a short prayer and
then dismissed the audience, telling Mr. Shelton to "make himself
plenty" around the buildings during the afternoon, and doubtless he
would receive more money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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