The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1873-06-08
An xxtrasraiaary Letter.

dian agent in Idaho Territory. He is Pros
byterian, whether Clergyman or not VI
are not yet advised. Il is probable that he is
Now the many Indians in that Territory wan
to live in peace with the whites, and are al
most all favorable to Christianity. They are
however, NO admirers of John Calvin and bii
ilised creatures in maniiesting their dislikes
They have had priests of the Church of God
! among them, and as matter of course they
want to be Catholics. Monteith is aware that
| with Catholic Missionaries. Profit and loss
make no part of the Catholic plan of saliva
tion: Profit and loss are Mr.. Mon teith's two
cardinal Principles Of evangelization. Know
ing that the present rulers Of our Indian Affairs
at Washington have thrown every obstacle in
tho way Of Catholic Missions, Mr.. Monteith,
determined to make those obstacles, at least in
bis own baiiwiok, simply insurmountable.
He accordingly denounced the priests 60 the
Indians, and thwarted the apostolic work of
In an unlucky moment for himself he sought
to secure formal and notorious sanction for his
bigotry, intolerance aud speoulations, and ao-
sioner Of the Indian Office at Washing gton, ask
ing for permission to drive tho priests away by
the strong hand, and keep them out of his
Presby terian agency and mission"
The Indians would not consent to this high
handed outrage, and in his despair Monteith
was no doubt materially induced to write to
Commissioner Smith, with the view of aid and
SSSAs AAoA4A W0oAuSCOu, IN INC shape Oh
soldiers, who might argue theology with the
Indians with Bibles and bayonets. The Com
missioner was cornered by the pious Monteith,
and had to deny his Calvinistio petition. Here
ls MS answer. 1t proves the extraordinary
condition of Indian affairs, to which We ad-
verted in our leading article last week. Now,
let the Catholic prsss unite in demanding JUS
tice for the poor deluded red men aud fair play
for our Catholic Missionaries:
WARRINGTON, May &c. 1873
Sr-hofeFflnX to your letter of Nav
stating that there are thirty or more Catholic
Indians on the Reservation, and that their
ceremonies in the school-house, which was
promptly refused him; also, that their request
to erect o church ten or twelve miles from tho
agency was refused, and that of late the priest
Indians, and to your inquiry, "Have the
right, this being q Presbyterian agency and
mission. to exercise such control over the NOR
ais of this people as will enable me to prohibit
the teaching Of the Catholic faith, OF the hold
ing Catholic service among them, even though
the indians desire it and clamor for it Z" I
have to say that the fact that your agency ia
snder 5no1 the charge of the Presbyterian Church
power, and that while it is desirable in all
cases that the mission work should be done
under the direction of the religious body
persons that have another faith, and desire
religious services Of their own, it is not in ac-
cordanee with public policy or the spirit of
Aoh$ious LoiorStAon 20 1orDld or hinder any
such service in any way. If it is not desirable
to hold any religious service in the school
house, and your refusal was on that ground,
1t Is justified, otherwise not. It 10 believed
such arbitrary prohibition would work moro
harm than the division of feeling likely to
result from the working of moro than one mis-
sion on the same reservation.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. p. SMITH.
wal. Idaho Territory.
CT
congratulate him on his tolerant spirit. We
thank the prosecuting Monteith for bringing
the subject to light 90 conspicuously, and We
invite the Catholic editors of tho United States
to join with MS in q bold and untiring advo-
cacy OF justice and religious federation for the
Indian race.-Baltinore Mirror.