Chapter 2

How uninteresting, you must think, and she probably thinks the same of you. She does not know that you care for her. She feels that she is different in some way, and most likely if you smile upon her she will not know it, for she is too modest even to look at you; but speak to her in a pleasant tone and offer to shake hands with her and notice her baby, and she begins to think that _you_ are a woman. In her no trace of dignity nor Pocahontas beauty are discernible, but she is untidy in person and attire, her movements are decidedly lackadaisical. An uninteresting object, indeed, to one who does not care to help her. But _we_ believe that she has a woman's heart; and more than that--she has a soul.

Her aspirations for herself are limited, but she wants her child to grow up in the white people's way. Yet how small her conception of how this is to be accomplished!

She is a heathen--hemmed in on every side by fear and superstition. Her gods are gods of fear. She believes in witchcraft, is afraid of a world full of evil spirits. Under a pagan religion her place is next to the mere animals. She goes with her husband to the hunt, not as a companion, but as the drudge, the human pack-horse; she prepares the food, and her husband devours it regardless of her needs; he may boast of his "old woman" as being "nina mimi heca" (swift or good to work) for that is the only accomplishment required in his selfish, egotistical mind. "The Indian woman comes into the world under a species of protest--every Indian parent desiring to have boys, rather than girls, hence she grows up into a condition of servitude." "In the Indian nation to purchase a wife is the honorable way, all other ways are dishonorable, and the man having bought his wife, although the custom of the country does not allow him to dispose of her to another, yet he may put her away, or leave her, at his pleasure. He may also whip her and beat her, for she is his money." I never shall forget one poor woman who came to me soon after we went to the Indian country. She showed me her back covered with the marks where her husband had beaten her.

Now I have given you a brief description of the Indian woman _as we find her_. What can be done for her? What would _you_ do for her? There is only one thing. _Help her to become a Christian._ This is not to be accomplished in a hurry, for she is in bondage to her husband--to her religion. But faith and prayer, together with a genuine interest in the Indian home, can accomplish much. Desolate and comfortless though that home may be, it can be transformed, and the husband even can be made to see that there is something more real, something that is more satisfying, something that is more comforting than this life of fear and bondage to his heathen gods. "The man has more to give up than the woman if he becomes a Christian. If a woman changes her gods and her religion, no one cares very much; it is 'only a woman.' But a man must abandon his ancestral faith, which binds him more strongly than the woman, for the very reason that he is a man, and has been inducted into manhood through the ceremonies of his religion."

He can be led to see that his wife is worth more to him than his horse or his dog; and he begins to see that he can do some of the work which she has been obliged to do, and thus she is enabled to make home more attractive. With the dawn of Christianity comes the first effort toward civilized ways. The husband now brings the wood and water, and little by little a few household conveniences appear, such as chairs, a table, a few dishes; also knives and forks are used instead of fingers; even lambrequins are sometimes seen--hung, however, in the most absurd way, outside the shades--and we are astonished to see in some of the houses white counterpanes and ruffled pillow-shams. Also a U. S. T. D. blanket is often spread down for a carpet, and the rude, rough walls are covered with pictures cut from illustrated newspapers.

We find them ready and anxious to be taught many simple and needful domestic arts, such as making light bread and preparing wholesome dishes of food for the sick. The teaching of making light bread became quite an important part of my duties as a missionary's wife, and for the Indian women to take lessons in bread-making became quite fashionable.

Then she shows a desire to dress like white women, and instead of the broadcloth skirt tied around her waist with a string and the short calico sack, and moccasins upon her feet, she appears with a kilt plaiting around her dress skirt, and, what probably in her mind is an improvement upon white woman's taste, the plaiting is headed with two or three rows of bright worsted skirt braid. As she admires the thin and lightly covered head of the white baby, she closely clips her own baby's hair so as to have it as nearly like a white baby as possible. But all this is the mere outside of life--one benefit which Christianity brings to her personally. She begins to show that she has become a missionary at heart and that she has a desire to send this great blessing which has wrought such a change in her home into other homes; and as others like herself, near at hand, have been treasuring up the blessed words of the Lord Jesus, "Go ye and preach my gospel," they begin to think that they can do something to send the good tidings to those who are in the darkness which so recently surrounded themselves.

Now, in the Dakota mission, we have thirteen churches, and in every one a woman's missionary society, and the money raised is used to support native missionaries--that is, Christian Indians are sent out among the heathen Indians as missionaries, and are supported by Indian societies. The Indian woman's society is conducted very much like any sewing society among white women. Some woman is appointed to lead the devotional exercises, and we have our officers appointed annually. They make children's clothing after the white woman's fashion, and many useful articles similar to those usually made in sewing societies. Those women who are able make articles after their own styles, such as moccasins, pretty bags handsomely ornamented with porcupine, bead or ribbon work. These articles are gifts to the society, and we have no difficulty in disposing of them to those who wish specimens of Indian woman's skill in fancy work, or who may wish to help this native missionary work which is being so nobly carried on. Some of these women are really wonderful in their zeal and faithfulness, walking six, seven, or eight miles to the meeting every week. I could tell you many things about these faithful Christian Indian women, but do you wish any better proof of the hold Christianity has upon Indians?

As I said before, an Indian woman's aspirations for herself are limited, but she wants her child to grow up in the white people's way. Now, if we are to elevate the Indian nation, let us plant in the homes the desire for the Gospel, and as we do it gather the children as fast as they are old enough to leave their mother's care into Christian training schools. Now out in the Indian country we are all the time carrying on missionary work in the homes, planting schools, organizing churches, and sending out native missionaries.

We have at Santee Agency, Neb., a large school of advanced grade, well established for the education of children and youth. So well known is this school among Christian Indians that our accommodations have become very limited, and last year we were obliged to refuse many who wished to come. I think you cannot know how hard it is for us to say, We cannot take you.

The great Dakota nation is ready to receive the Christian religion. We have the Bible in the Dakota language--a monument grand and beautiful to one who has just gone to his reward. Years of patient, quiet toil were spent in translating the precious words from the Greek and the Hebrew into the language of over fifty thousand savages. Then what hinders the work? We have hymns in the Dakota tongue. Who will go and sing these precious words to those who never heard them? There are those who are ready to go, but where is the money to send them? If you cannot go, what hinders you from sending some one? To be sure, this is a work of difficulty, for how can we expect a few years of training to so revolutionize a savage's live that he can withstand the heathenism which still permeates his native home? But we have those whom we can trust, and who are filling places of responsibility and usefulness. Besides those who have gone out as missionaries and teachers, we have in our school at Santee native teachers, and our own children are taught by them. One of our pupils is assistant matron in the Dakota Home. One who has been under our care is in the little city of Pierre, D. T., giving music lessons to white pupils. I give only a few instances, to show that we are beginning to see the results of our work.

Then give the free Gospel of the love of Christ to this great heathen nation right here so near us. Here is the Bible, here are the hymns; who will provide the means to scatter them, and who will go to carry them? We are preparing those who will go with you as assistants and interpreters. We hear of those who wish to get rid of the Indians; the surest way to do it is to educate them and Christianize them.

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THE CHINESE.

EXTRACT FROM ADDRESS OF MRS. W. C. POND.

I will not waste time upon an introduction. I will only say that I am glad to be among you; glad that you are interested in the Chinese work, with which we have been connected so many years in California. We feel that we are greatly privileged in having these dark souls within our reach. We can obey our Saviour's last command, "Disciple all nations," without having to go far from our homes and native land. They are with us and we have but to open our hearts and our churches to them and they will come in. They _are_ coming in; not in large numbers but one by one. In the church of which my husband has been the pastor for nearly ten years there are over seventy Chinese members--about one-third of our whole membership.

Many inquire how Chinese converts are tested. They join the Christian Association on probation and after a test of six or eight months are recommended to the church. Then they come before a committee of the church and are examined, and after studying the articles of faith, in their own language, for several weeks they are propounded for church membership, and if they prove satisfactory are baptized and come into full fellowship with the church. They are not hurried into the church and are themselves timid and prefer to wait.

We have no work among the Chinese women that we can call our own. Both Presbyterians and Methodists have such a work in San Francisco, and it divides into very little sections what can be at best but a small work, because there are only three or four hundred Chinese women in San Francisco, and not a tenth of these accessible. But if means would allow we would be glad to attempt a work among the women at Sacramento, where nothing is done for them. With our very limited resources we can save more by working among the thousands of men and boys.

But we have much work _by women_ of whom I would like to make mention. Patient and heroic, prayerful and soul-saving have been their efforts among the Chinese. I would like to tell you of one who has recently gone to her reward. Before leaving my home two months ago I called upon her and found her strength failing. But she was hopeful respecting her recovery, and the strongest incentive she had to get well was that she might have more opportunities to tell the story of Jesus to her boys, as she called those in the Chinese school. And when death came to her, six Chinese acted as pall-bearers at her funeral, at her own request. The church was more than half filled with Chinese, and the scene was touching in the extreme, as one by one they went to look upon her face for the last time.

You are all, doubtless, more or less familiar with the _American Missionary_, and read from time to time Mr. Pond's reports found therein. I will give a few statistics quoted from my husband's report, read recently before the General Association of California, convened in Santa Cruz. They are as follows:

Nineteen schools, as against 15 the last year; total enrollment of scholars, 2,823, as against 2,567 the former year; 40 teachers, of whom 14 were Chinese, as against 31 teachers the previous year, of whom 11 were Chinese; number of those who have professed to cease from idolatry, 175, as against 156 the year before; number of those who have given evidence of conversion, 121, as against 106 the former year, and the whole number of those who have turned to Christ during the history of the Mission, 400, who are scattered over the United States and in China. We hear of many of them who are doing good work for the Master and for the salvation of their countrymen.

Toward the expense of the Mission during the past year the Chinese themselves have contributed $730.05.

I would like to have you remember the name of our church. It is "Bethany." Remember us in your prayers, for God has laid a great work upon us. We started in much weakness, but God has been with us and blessed us. We have felt His presence in our Bethany as Martha and Mary of old did in theirs. We have heard the Master's voice saying unto us frequently, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

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MOUNTAIN WHITE WORK IN KENTUCKY.

BY MRS. A. A. MYERS.

There is an unnoticed class of people dwelling almost in the very centre of the settled portion of the United States. "Our brother in black" has been held up to the view of two continents for the last fifty years. And what is America going to do with him and for him, has been a question which has interested the whole civilized world. This same question for a still longer time has been propounded in regard to the red man of the forest, and in later years concerning the Chinese. And right nobly has the Christian brotherhood evidenced its purpose to make men of these degraded classes. But until recently it has escaped the notice of these Christian workers that we have another class as needy perhaps as any. No spice of romance is connected with them. No barbarous tale of cruelty could be told to awaken sympathy in them. They are simply poor people, who during slavery were unable to obtain large plantations and so were driven by the arrogant Bluegrass slaveholder on the one side, and the greedy cotton-planter on the other, back into the mountains, where they are shut away from the rest of the world by mountain barriers, and still more hopelessly by the haughty caste spirit of the slave-holding monarchs, who disdain to have anything to do with them except to seek their votes.

These people are not really poor. Most of them own farms of three or four hundred acres; and the soil, if properly tilled, would be quite productive. Their plowing is done in the most primitive manner. A single horse attached to a little shovel plow simply tears the sod a little, enough so the weeds spring up luxuriantly, and the women and children must work hard in the hot sun to destroy them, while the lord of the home saddles his horse and rides to town, to sit on store boxes and tell low stories. This people, especially the male portion, seem to have a natural distaste for labor. They would be aristocratic if they could. In days of slavery they had their household servants, and tried to imitate the more wealthy slave-owners by living in idleness, and they still look upon labor as degrading.

They make no effort to get themselves homes. The large majority live in log cabins, with no windows. The doors stand open winter and summer. The women in cool weather always sit with a little shawl around them and a sunbonnet on.

There are generally two rooms to each house, usually with a chimney or open hall between them, so you have to go out of doors to pass from one to the other. In the kitchen (which also serves as dining-room) is a large fireplace and a cook stove, if they are the happy possessors of one.

The other is the sitting and sleeping-room. You will often see three beds and one or two trundle-beds in a single room. Here the whole family and all the visitors sleep. We have sought to rest with thirteen of us in a room, perhaps 15 by 20 feet, and not a window in it and the doors shut. Fortunately the large-mouthed fireplace gave a pittance of ventilation. No carpets are used, and furniture is very limited. I believe nine-tenths of the people could put all their goods on a couple of loads and be ready to move at an hour's notice.

Families are large, numbering twelve, fifteen or even nineteen children. Girls marry young, and seem to be entirely satisfied with their condition. You seldom hear a desire expressed for anything they don't possess. Give them a box of snuff and a stick to chew it with and you never hear a murmur escape their lips. Tobacco is indispensable. Old and young, male and female, are wedded to it. I have known of an old gentleman working all day for fifty cents and spending forty cents at night for tobacco for himself and wife and nine children.

They seem to be without a standard in the land. They live so isolated, and have measured themselves by themselves until they have lost all idea of accurate judgment. Morality and sobriety are hardly looked for, even among church members and ministers. "Religion may be up to fever heat, while morality is down to zero." People "confess," as they call it, and join the church, and in their entire life thereafter you could never know any difference.

They are satisfied if their names are on the church book. I don't think they ever question their eternal salvation after they are once inside a church. If a person dies without having joined a church his friends frame some theory on which they rest their hope of his salvation. A young man was shot a little while ago in a drunken broil. As he fell mortally wounded he cried, "Oh, Lord!" His mother is sure he is safe because he called on the Lord. They have no conception of _living_ religion. They have no prayer or conference meetings. Aside from our own I doubt if there is a prayer meeting nearer than Berea, seventy miles away. There is no family prayer in all the land. I asked my class of boys, twenty or more in number, how many had ever heard their mothers' voice in prayer. Not one of them could raise a hand. At another school I asked a still larger class the same question, and only one girl raised her hand. There is no gathering of the little home nestlings together and instructing them--no Bible instruction given in the family. It has ceased to be a wonder to me, to ask nearly grown boys some of the most simple Bible questions, and hear them answer, "I don't know."

An M. E. minister in one of his pastoral visits took occasion to dwell with some stress on the blessedness of _walking in the light_. The mother showed how she literalized by promptly remarking, "Yes; I've told John I wanted a hole sawed in this end of the house, but he won't do it." During the same call he asked a young lady if she was preparing to go to judgment. She replied, "No, I reckin I won't go. If I do I'll have to walk, for we hain't got but two nags, and Rachel and Becky always ride them."

The prevailing churches are the Reform or Campbellites, the Methodists, and the Missionary and Anti-Missionary Baptists. The latter church is strong all through the mountains. They are bigoted and ignorant, and boast that their knowledge comes direct from the throne, and they have nothing to do with man-made theories, as they call education. Their preaching is a sort of canting reiteration of the text and what few Scripture verses they chance to know and some hackneyed expressions. They are great on arguing, and it would be laughable if it was not so pitiful to hear the profound questions they discuss. Last season one of these preachers nearly broke up one of our mission Sunday-Schools, which we could attend only each alternate Sabbath. In the passage that reads "And anon they tell Him," he contended that A-non was an angel, and _they_ referred to the angel A-non. Each Sunday when we were not there that important question had to be discussed.

One of these same preachers took his children from school because they were taught the heresy in geography that the world is round. They do all they can to prejudice the people against our work. They call our religion railroad religion. They are great barriers in our way. Still we have been cheered this year to see that their hold on the young people is loosening, and we are getting their hearts in spite of the protests of their parents. One of our mission Sunday-Schools, which has averaged this season one hundred, is composed almost entirely of young people and children, seldom ever a parent there.

The Smith American Organ Co. have honored God and themselves, and will ever be held by some hearts in grateful remembrance by their gift to that society of a new organ. I have some times thought, as I have heard the young voices ring out with such enthusiasm, that, though critics might smile at our endeavor, Heaven would not disdain our offering of praise. The dingy low walls, the glass-less windows, the tobacco besmeared floor, become transformed to a holy temple, where God deigned to make visible His presence, and it has been a sacred place. Our hope of this people centres largely in the young. If it were not for them, we could not feel it right to stay among them.

Another barrier to be overcome is their habits of worship. They have meetings but once a month during the summer and none at all during the winter. When they have service it is more for a visit than worship. Their churches are rough log houses, and so small that the greater part of the congregation remain out of doors. Four or more ministers are always in attendance, and all must preach. The congregation expect a tiresome time, and from the first are restless. They go out and come in, and they keep a constant march to and from the water pail, which usually sits on the desk in front of the speaker. Several grown people at a time will be standing waiting on each other at the pail. The speaker seems to be used to such things, and not at all disconcerted. Nearly all their services are funeral services for those who may have been dead for years. They bury their dead the same day or the day following death. They have no religious service, except a prayer at the grave, if there chance to be a minister present. Generally about a year after death, but often from five to fifteen years after, they have the funeral sermon preached.