The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-09-05
The Indians.

The injustice of the world Is my stery of
iniquity. Of this sad truth there is not
more prominent evidence in history than
the determination of the Indians on this
northern continent. 1t is the very embodi-
ment of the br nte philosophy implied by
Darwin's theory of evolution as formulated
sssurvival of the fittest." The old proverb
"God sends meat, and the devil sends
cooks" finds it's perfect parallel here. God
gave magnificent continent, capable OF
subsisting one fourth the human race, and
in less than four hundred years after
Columbus sighted American soil the Indians
are nearly an extinct race. God gave land
enough to support all that were OF them and
all that are of the whites. bat the Devii
seems to have possessed the white man
with policy of determination alone.
The Indians could have been civilized
aad preserved as they were under the
Jesuits in Paraguay. Bat Professionalism
possessed domination in this northern con
einent and Professionalism never yet either
civilized or christianized any country. IL
has failed with the Indiana Of North
Americs, who are rs savage now a. they
moro eo--except in those Tribes wheCe-the
Catholic missionary has been. In his life
time Father de Smet and few like him,
have done mere for Indian civilization than
| all the governmental agencies, up to
Grants Methodist peace policy, have enec
ted.
| Whilst the vile oppression Of the Indian
| 10 being ventilated in the newspapers and
before the commissioners, in the matter Of
euppiies and agencies, controlled by Orv1tle
Grant, brother of the President, this
christianixation by Catholic missionaries u
going ON wherever they are not driven OF
the reservations by Protestant preachers IN
charge of posts. A few examples of this
will encourage white Catholics to take an
interest in the work of the Propagation o.
the Faith.
u In another place We allude to new mis-
zion founded near Victoria Vancouver
Island. Recent accounts tell as of tn
| severe labors undergone by the missiona
ries. A notable example of this is that O
Father Cataldo, s. j., who 10 locate'
amongst the Nez Perces and other 1ndial
tribes Of Northern Idaho. This father ha
q endured untold hardships in following tn
indians through their wanderings for years
Yet in all that time he has had no ehurc
!, into which he could gather them. This
: now changed, as by extraordinary 81
q ertions the good priest has succeeded !
{ erecting q small church uRder most advere
t circumstances, and without any hei
q whatever from the United. States Govern
Q voluntary contributions OF the poor Andiar
themselves, aided by few whites and O.
q sisted By the Chinese who work In Il
;. mining regions in vicinage of the mlssio
u The Indians belonging to the Nee Perce
Cour d. Alene, and Umatilla tribes wei
!" most liberal in their contributions towaI
It it's erection, and many months they ma,
devoted a portion of all the proceeds OF I'll
=; chase to this simple structure which is
noble monument to their faith. The Gil
zens of Lewiston, Walla Walls, and Fo
Lapwai - Catholics and others - mob
it seconded the efforts of the Indians, al
lastly the Chinese-although they new
ovnnNkn6 Tn Qntar EhTiltlRn DI0Co
" worship - gave their mite towards
completion. Thus, through the untiri
energy of q true missionary Of the cross
70 oh urch has been 81 ected and paid for IND
circumstances that we think have no ps
aileli in the history of the world.