The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-11-09
For the State Rights Democrat.
LECTURES BY REV. H. h. SpAULDING
Early Oregon RaissiOns---Their Inn.
pOrtance i'm Securing the COUn.
try to Americans.
NUMBER THIRrY-Two.

\
the principal chiefs, in waiting for us.
The next day the Nez Perces chiefs,
In council with the Cayuse and Walia
Wallas and the officers of the Fort,
cheerfnlly confirmed to the writer, ac-
cording to their offer at Rendezvous,
the title to the land at the Lapwai
Mission station as a home for hiH'seJ
and teifie for Ire.
After the council a party ofIndians
under the lead of the Lapwai chief,
whom named James, started to Fort
Colville, 200 miles to the north, and
snow on the mountains, with % hors-
es, to procure flour and grain for us
and to meet us at Lapwai.
All things ready, and now about to
separate, each to 90 to his chosen field
of labor and there to engage for life
in the work of Indian missions, our
little band united fervently in humble
prayer, with many tears, commenting
each other and our new and great
work to the heavenly guidance of Him
who had plainly called us to this dis
tant land-whose cloud had been our
ouide-whose hand had wonderfully
provided for and protected us; and
bidding farewell, also, to our warm
friends ut the Fort, on the Esd of No
vember my angel wife and myself
mounted our horses again, now much
recovered from their summers hard
ships. and turned our faces toward
the Nez Perces country. The JOY of
the Indians was unbounded when they
saw-we had parted with our white
brethren and were actually on our
way to- their country with our five
cows and effects. 1t was late IN the
afternoon, and we had % miles to go
to reach camp. The principal portion
of the indians had left in the morning
with our packs, which loaded 20 hors-
es. The war chief who adhered to
Us from Rendezvous, and some others,
remained behind to conduct US to
camp, where we arrived at 10 o'clock
at night, and were surprised to find
everything arranged in such good or
der-tent pitched, snow brushed away,
grass cut and spread, bed put down, a
rousing fire, our provisions opened
and supper cooked. After supper the
bell rang and the whole camp assem-
bled for evening worship.
The next day Mr.. Gray, who had
been for four weeks previous assisting
DR.. Whitman in. the erection of his
house, overlook US to render like aid
to us.
On the memorable 29th of Noyem-
ber, 1886, ar evening, we arrived at the
spot on Lapwai selected for our sta
tion, whereahe whole nation, tabout
10000, had already camped in waiting
for us. No pen can describe the joy
manifested by the whole people-men,
women and children-at our arrival.
We had paid good horse for buffa-
10 lodge, which was soon pitched In
good Indian style, with our stove ar
ranged In the center, one half of the
lodge sacred to Mrs. Spalding and the
other half free to the Indians at all
times of day or night, and most sa-
eredly did they abstain from putting
themselves IN the way or meddliDg
with anything without asking liberty.
They were from the beginning most
persevering and ingenious in teaching
us their language; aud they were
ALWAYS readily and eagerly watching
to render assistance indoors and out.
They at once took sole charge of the
horses, the cows and the milking of
the firewood and the water; and as
fast as they could learn-which was
very encouraging-they rendered us
most important aid in the kitchen, on
the farm and in the mills. But their
peculiar trait of character, and that
which attracted our constant and
prayerful attention, was their eager
ness to be instructed from the word Of
God and In the ways of civilized life.
The next day after our arrival was
the holy Sabbath, and as the great
congregation of perhaps 5000 souls
assembled in the open air, l felt as
never before my nothingness and my
weakness to engage in the oyerwhelm-
ing work that [ saw fairly upon my
hands. In humble, earnest prayer /
east myself into the hands of my Sa-
yfior, for Him to direct my every step
and my every word.
As for my angel wife, the church at
home norithe world could not have
produced more suitable person for
that station and that people-nor one
more entirely devoted to her work
Her conservation to her Savior, in the
town of Howard, d. Y, Feb. goth,
had included everythiDg-the whole
soul and body for all of human life,
with all hazards, tolls, selfdenials and
.eveven death. The Indians saw in her,
the first day they met her, a something
they had never met with befor in NOR
tai being-a friendship that beamed
from her lcouptenance and shone from
her eyes, and which at once fastened
their affections upon her; and by her
sweet countenance and her readiness
to instruct and encourage old and
young, her quick step to the lodge OF
the sick, her repeated and unceasing
efforts and ready hand to guide the
pen or pencil, the needle, cards OF
shuttle, by painting the Sayior's name
and the name of God upon slips of pa.
per, by teaching some prepared hymn
sor7the Lords prayer both in English
and in, native, and by her, unyieIdine
deyotion to the Sabbath and her uni
formly overdoWing love Of soul fol
her people, she won their entire conf
dence-they threw their whole souls
into he. hands. To crowd around hel
by hundreds, to listen to her words Of
copy her IesBons into their little books
was their meat and their drink and