The North-Carolina standard., 1845-04-02
- NATIYE.. "a sIBERIA.. :

-rrzA ma ~ IA OE- lo112AaAet@1-szS5k
"A large congregation Jisteneda few evenings
since in this City, in the Methodist Church, TO a
native of Siberia, who made something OF a
Speech or Lecinre, and sung in his own language
and in that of the Flathead Indians. He does
not seem to be travelling Lecturer, but spoke
here at the earnest request of several gentlemen
His history is, truly wonderful one: He was
born in Siberia, serf of the Russian power; and
was converted to Christianity under the Ministry
of Messrs White and Holbrook, Missionaries
from London to thai cold and inhospita5le elrme.
Previously to his conversion he had been 10 the
habii of gong with his tribe fifty miles to wor-
ship the North Star, in a temple erected for that
purpose j. and his description of this worship was
simple and thrilling The priests would say to
the tribes, " IF ye die here, we'll; if ye die COM
ing we'll; if ye die going, well; no matter where
ye de-, it will be well if ye worship The North
Star-high over alkn And then sprinBiDg wa
ter upon them, he would bid them depart But,
said this man. This name is a Russian one, and
&mprononneeGblel the North-Star did me no good,
aud was in darkness until the bright light of the
Gospel broke upon nc, and showed me the true
way. Soon after his conversion he escaped, with
seven. hundred others, from Sberia to-. North
America, having crossed the Straits of Behring
on the ice, distance of thirty-six miles; and the
leaders of the company having heard from the
Missionaries ofa better land farther South-the
;; United States-they kept on by the course Of the
sun through the Russian and British Possessions,
until with the Pacific on their right, and the
Rocky Mountains on their left, they entered the
FIalhcad Indian Nation. Here they tarried for
some time, but afterwards went into Oregon, from
whence orr Siberian made his way to this City
on foot, having passed the Yellow Stone, St Lou
is, Nashville, Knoxville, and the Warm Springs,
! in Buneombe. From this place he said he de-
signed going to Wilmington, to see brother OF
his, who has been there number of years
He sung in his native tongue Bishop HEBER' s
most beautiful Missionary Hymn, and also song
of the Flalhead Indians and he translated into
the language of that tribe various passages Of the
Scriptures, 10 show the difficulty an-interpreter
encounters in making the Holy Book inteligi-
bic TO the Indians. His manner is forcibie, bat
rough; and his general bearing even LITER a
fifteen years residence in Norh America, shows
that he has indeed been a degraded and suffer-
) ing scrf His talk about Oregon was interest
ing. He said the British had but one fort and
one traeing house in that Territory, whereas the
Americans had ten or dozen and that The
British power was very much dsliked by the
American settlers, who we're rapidly and con-
stantly pouring in.
He described with some accuracy the habits
and appearance Gudging by the, accounts we
have in the books of the Kdmischatdalcs, and
I'VE find him correct. according to the books, in
his account of the chief cities of Siberia. The
following are the Departments of Siberia To
bolsk, Tomsk, lfku.sk, Yakutsk, Kamtschatka,
Okhotsk, and Ycnesnsk At Okholsk, tpronounc-
ed OeOts) as he says, he was converted 1oboIsk
is the Capitol Of Siberia. The population Of Si
beria in 1888 was 2,649,60
4 We not very creduIous and. after all, this
man may not be what he says he is. AT any
rate, his manner appeared honest and his tale
plausible.