Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-02-14
REMARKS OF REV. HENRY r. WILSON,

Late Missionary among the Indians, at
Missionary meeting in Neu York on the
1lth Janury.
Mr.. Wilson said, 'Watchman what of the
night 2" In our present circumstances VIC
may well suppose that this is the feeling o
this audience, and such the inquiry they
would put to one, who has stood on the
watch tower and had partial survey Of the
field which excites our interest. If such be
your feelings, some facts to which would
call your attention would not be uninterest.
ing TO you. With you all | leave the an.
swcr of the question instead Of answering ii
myself, contentng myself with exhibiting
the facts, while in the language of the Sa-
viour | would ask scan We not discern the
sign of the times ~ The prophecies re.
spectng the conversion Of the heathen, and
the command of Christ to preach the Cos.
pel to every creature ought to be sufficient
to interest US in this work, and induce us 10
act and employ our means in carrying it for
ward, till with the aid Of this blessed Spirit
it shall be crowned with complete success.
But we are 'dull of hearing and SOW Of
heart to believe all that the prophets have
spoken" And accordingly God speaks to
us in the affecting language ofhis providence
book that lies open before us and filled
with facts, lesson so plain that 1.-THE way.
faring man though fool need not err" and
that ''he that readeth may rum
Perhaps in the brief time in which ad.
dress YOU, cannot more effectualv show
the great destitution and need of missionary
effort in behalf of American heather, and
the amplitude of the Gospel as remedy
for their woes, than by presenting the actual
contrast between the present and former
condition Of those Indians who are already
evangelical. Until very recently, hardly
any thing of consequence has been done for
the Indians of the distant south and west.
Since the days of Brainard much effort had
been expended on the Indians of the north,
and in the southwestern parts Of our coun-
try; out till of late years, those who dwell in
the region Of the rocky mountains, and who
arc exceedingly numerous, have been neg
lected. They were covered with dark
cloud, pierced by no ray Of light, degraded
by heathenism, and swayed by savage bar.
barity. They are characterized by spirit
of umr, reres.,sse end blood. 1t is Disgrace
full to young man to be unable 10 boast OF
the number whom he has slain, and point to
the scalps Of his enemies, as the proofs OF
his bravery.
INDIANS WITHOUT THE GOSPEL.
There is no natural affection. lnfantl-
eide is almost Of daily occurrence; the
mother is made beast Of burden, ndrath-
cr than be cncumbcred with her children,
or bring them up if females to inherit her
woes, she will dash out their brains against
the trees, and leave their remains. On the
other hand children leave their aged parents
10 perish or kill them. When going on q
warlike or hunting expedition. they collect
the aged and helpless, and leave them with
pit,ance of food, sufficient for few days
only-or destroy them at once. Nor is
this considered disgracc(l.
Wtchcraf prevails in all the tribes, and
is fruitful source Of wretchedness and
bloodshcd. 1t was prevalent opinion
and was mine until my eyes convinced me
was wrong-that the Indians have grea,
skill in medicine. This is very erroneous;
thew rarely resort to medicine, but depend on
the supernatural power of their doctors, who
arc mere impostors, and know that thell
wicked practices only increase the suffering
and hasten the death of their patients. Theil
practice is to cut the patient with knives
and while performing many mysterious Ger
emonies, cram hot ashes and live ember:
down their throats, by which they suttocatt
and die. When such certain result o
their malpractice occurs, the Doctor lay:
the blame of the patients death on some per
son who is said TO have bcwitchcd him, ant
while the doctor escapes, ali innocent per
son suffers death. For at midnight while
he sleeps, the presumed wilch is ASSAULTED
and his head severed at blow; or willis
he walks abroad he is fired on and killed
but his death too must be avenged by m
friends; and thus in bloody succession muir
ders increase, each eXecutloner oecohilis
himself liable to be slain.
To pass some vices which ! do not dar
10 name, but which have been introduces
among them by white men; will mcntlo'
only further that Of intempcrancc, anon!
them as well as elsewhere, the parent Q
weeping and blood. 1t is enough to max
us blush when we reflect that the ChrIstla
missionary can go nowhere, and not I'm
that the arhskcy seller has been before hlf
scattering ''fircbrands, arrows, and death:
, have known the whiskey dealer take th
last buif;,loe-robe of his victim for gallo
of whiskey, when the drunken Indian woul
kill two or three of his family with his tom
ahawk, and be then punished by dcatf
while his executioner by the prevailing la'
of avcnging death, was himself slain by tn
r.l hnI