New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-21


One such simple record, which comes as q
weak cry from the edge Of the Wilderness
full, as it seems to us, of an inexpressible
pathos-we venture To place before our read
ers, believing that it may suggest another side
to the Indian question than that Of war-paths
and tomahawks and one equally worthy OF
consideration. In 1861 a paralyzed woman in
Albany (for twenty-five years confined TO a
bed of suffering) became interested IN these
door red-skinncd sayages who appeared 10
her unworldly eyes not as subjects Tor butch
cry, but as some of those very children oil
her Master who, having suffered mschanccs
in life had been committed to our keeping.
She could not rise and go to them with help
in her own hands all she could do was TO
persuade another kind-hearted woman and
some little children to aid her. Together,
they contributed the small amount tSl5O per
annum) needed for the education of native
Indian, to become a religious teacher among
his own people. The man chosen to receive
their gift was one Paul Mazakute,
Dakota. For twelve years this converted
heather (bOrn only for determination
as we are tolG) went quietly and
earnestly up and down among the tribes.
preaching, teaching, helping to build their
rude churches with his own hands. His sue
cess, we are told, was exceptionally great; his
influence strong and abiding. AT last, find
ing that his end was near, he came home to
his own people. He died about year ago.
the disease having been brought On by his
unflagging zeal 10 work Just before his death.
however, it entered into the poor Indians
head to write his last words for the whites to
L. infriy
making a queer little book in short chapters
of few sentences, in his own dialect, TO be
translated when he was gone. Tho mans
heart must be hard that would not be stirred
to its depths by this cry from dying man In
dying nation. Strange to say, there IL no
pain nor complaint in it; it is the simple
history of how life bad Jared with him since
he had become civilized and a Christian; OF
his people, the Dakotas, of his little children.
There Is in it the directness and simplicity OF
that old book of Bunyan'5 which has iniin-
enced the lives OF all Christian people. Yet
that was an allegory; this Is truth:
,avage led out of darkness by the
hands of little children to look at the
face of One hanging upon the cross.
There is IN this last message, too, cheerful
ness, an inexphcable light which has In 1t
pathos beyond tears There is no talk OF
doctrines, only again and again the remem-
brance of how when no twas in tho midst OF
many fears, and no man on earth to save
chin, all at once tho Good Shepherd, he who
sis never tired, who walks bravely in difficult
"places, came upon him." Notice, too, tho
Inconsistencies of the man of any debt due
to his race by the whites, his eager gratitude
g. @bo oburo haa nd mi all N -hOuSp9
hero and there. He "gives thanks to his
friends in the country called the United
Estates ~ he trusts them children do
their elder brothers; tells them as child
might do "how that this is in my mind that
81 am now going home to our Fathers house;
that | am going home where our Elder
Brother dwells )" talks Of the country to
which he is Fastening, in which we find
curious likeness of the hunting-grounds
of his savage belief; " the everlasting
mountains bright and ever green, the city
always brilliant; the houses pleasing In their
"color as the leaves of autumn" Ho leaves.
| too with the faith of child, legacy to
these far-off white brothers. I" have five
children. four boys and a girl. If any, no
"matter where they live, will have pity on
them for my sake, and teach them letters to
9" lead them along the way of Christ they will
make me thankful. | know that TO men
"upon earth children are given to care for
"and to instruct, and if were to live it
"would be a shame for me to say this thing
"But when children are left orphans it is the
privilege of any person, having charity, to
care for them. Therefore if any one will
pity me and take one of my children and
make it wise, and 80 cause me to meet 1t IN
Heaven, my soul will have great joy. AS
"was the first minister from the Dakota
people, so if God my Father shall so bless
Inc, from mine shall grow up another min
lister who shall bear my name and finish the
"work now lay down."
One practical conviction remains. On one
side we see, as the result of popular policy,
massacres of Piegans and Modocs, the sowing
of bloody teeth which yield fresh crops of yet
greater savage butcheries; on the other, this
little record of noble life, of churches built.
village civilized, heathens in six tribes con-
verted through the influence of far-oif sick
woman and some little children.
To be yet more practical. the work is yet 70
do. A letter we have just read from Bishop
Whipple states that owing to the panic all the
work of aiding the Indians is crippled. IL any
of our readers wish to help the people for
whom Paul Mazakute labored, we Will Willingly
| give them directions how to make their ad d.
once effective.
L .R