The new era., 1860-03-29

"Reminiscences of Missionary
Life in the Northwest.
By REV. SHERMAN HALL


By REV. SHERMAN HALL
Il was about the beginning Of the
year 1881, while the writer of this wa.
a member of the senior class in the
Theological Seminary at Ando yer,
Mass, that one of the Secretaries Of
the american Board of Commissioners
for Foreiga Missions, Visited that insti-
tuition for the purpose of enlisting the
feelings of the young men there in be-
half of the Ojibwa Indians ofthe North
west, and oftrying to find some persoISs
willing to undertake u Christian mission
among them. For some years previous
to this time, the Board had maintained
mission station and boarding school
for Indian and hal-breed children at
Mack:naw, an island which lies in the
Straits. between Lakes Huron and
Michigan. At the time of which we are
speaking, the furtrade with the Indians
of Lake Superior and of the region
west and northwest Of it, within the limits
of the United States, was carried on
principally through the American Fur
Company, at the head of which was the
late John jacob Astor Of New York
Mackinaw was then the head quarters of
the Company's business. There they
kept their depot Of goods for the trade !;
a d to this place the traders Of the inte-
rior resorted every summer, to bring
their furs and peItries which they ha
collected during the previous winter,
and to get new supply of goods.
Through the intercourse of the Mis-
sionaries at Mackinaw with the traders
from the interior country, during their
annual visits to that place, much infor-
nation had been obtained respecting the
character and condition of the Indians
in the far off country around the shores
of Lake Superior and oiithe upper MIS-
sissippi, and about its head waters.
Some Of these traders, in their seclusion
from Christian, and even civilized So
ciety, had become hopefully pious men.
Most of them had families, and were
desirous Of having their children cdu-
Gated. Several Of them were desirous
to have missions established in the in
terror Of the Indian country, and some
offered liberal aid in case a missionary
society would undertake this work.
On learning these facts the Board
thought it favorable time for making an
effort to establish a mission among this
then little known portion Of the aborigi
nal inhabitants Of our country. They
were situated in a distant portion of the
national domain, in "a region tina. had
been but little explored, in high nor
thern latitude, and not at all easy Of
access from the more southern and
settled portions Of the land. Commune
cation with the States was much more
difficult, and occupied more time, than
with the most distant nations Of Europe
or Western Asia at the present time.
Little could be learned Of the people o
whom we were to be sent, except that
they were living in the rudest state Of
savage barbarism, and knew scarcely
anything of civilization or the arts Of
life, and were supposed to be friendly
towards white men.
On learning the wishes of the Board.
and having acquainted ourself with the
general facts in relation to the contem-
plated mission, the writer offered himself
in the capacity of missionary, in case
they should see fit to send him to this
field. He was accepted I; and shortly
after, the Rev. w. T. Boutwell,. who
was then his classmate in the Seminary,
decided to engage with him in the mis-
sion, and accordingly received appoint
nents from the Board. They were
ordained to tina work Of the gospel min
istry, by the Andover Association at
Woburn, Mass on the 9tn of June,
1881. In the meantime, Mrs H. had
received an appointment as member of
the mission. bs4g} .tss tse
On the 18th the patty left Boston for
the scenes Of their future labors, trav-
elling by way Of Providence New
York. Albany, Buffalo and the great
Lakes. Those We're net days of rail-
roads and fast steamers, and travelling
was slow and tedious compared with the
present facilities on the great thorough
fare. When we reached Schenectady,
we decided to travel by the Western
Canal, and there took the packet boat
for Buffalo. Our first week from Bos-
ton, brought US to Utica. On the SD
we arrived at Buffalo most heartily glad
L