The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-02-26
WILD WOMEN
Are Those in Arisons and New
Mexico.
Wonderful Revelations a. to the
Degradation Of Women on the
Frontier.

who are fesplendent ir bright col,rs and
fashionable raiment. and who enjoy every
luxury Of wealth and civilization, it would
be veil, perhaps, to turn to the less FORUM
ste condition Of their sisters in the Far
West. Rev. Sheldon Jackson, Of Denver.
Colorado, Presbyterian Home Missionary
on the frontiers, delivered an address in 81.
Louis, last week, from which We excerpt the
following: The address, which was very
interesting, was more especially intended
for the ladies connected with the various
Presbyterian Churches of st. Louis, with the
view Of awakening lively interest in the
Home Missionary cause, more particularly
with reference to the degradation Of heather
women Of the United States, especially on
the borders of American civilization, New
Mexico, the Indian Nation, Arizona, the
Aztecs. Utah and Alaska being particularly
mentioned. The lecturer said that although
there were not many present, he hoped those
who were on hand would difiuse the informa-
ton he should impart as widely as possible.
REV. Mr.. jackson
then spoke Of the paucity Of chnrch privi-
leyes on the borders, and said, in the South
ern part Of Colorado he attended meeting
held for the purpose Of establishing .
Church, and went home with lady to dine
at her ranch, where she had lived for six
teen years. A years rolled on, and child
after child vas added to her flock, her heart
sank within her because there was no church
Tor them to attend, and therefore her dar-
lings could no, be properly trained to love
and serve the Lord. She said that in view
Of their condition, she felt IA though she
could willingly lay them away to rest in
their collins while young, rather than haye
them grow up in the ignorance they were
compelled to endure.
Degraded heather women. BY this term
| mean precisely what you mean when you
speak Of the female natives of Asia and AT.
RIGA.
| IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY
the women do nearly all the work they
pack the hay for the animals, the wood for
fuel, and other necessary articles, on their
backs, work IN the fields, ETC., and when il
| il deemed advisable to change their places
Of residence the husbands, or "l0rds,"
shoulder their rifles and start of. leaving to
the women the task Of taking down their
lodges, pack them on tn the backs OF mules
or ponies, and then. with load Of fifty or
sixty pounds ON their own backs, trudge
along after their lords and masters. These
women all have immortal souls to save, and
something should be done to elevate their
condition.
In Arizona and New Mexico such a thing
as chastity in a female OF twelve years and
upwards is not known. 1. a common
practice for mothers to sell t.-ir daughters
Of twelve or fourteen years To such traders
or trappers as come along and desire to re-
main for few months, the girls to act in
all the capacities Of wives to these men for
the time being, and when they leave, the
same thing il repeated with the next men
who Come along. There is not one out Of
10000 Of there women that can read or
write. Certainly something should be done
for these poor Ignorant women.
In Alaska matters are IN a scarcely better
condition. Mrs. A. s. Mcfarland il the
only Christian missionary woman there,
and she has only been there . short time.
IN THE AZTEC COUNTRY,
where, in 1910. the explorers Of this country
found wonderful stone buildings from two
to six stories high, the women are in acorn
plete state oi heathenism. To be sure,
they are comfortably fed and clothed, bat
they still continue to worship idols made OF
~ 81 If ,wk e~k 49,
exhibited. When they wish to pray, they
take one of these idols and attach to 1t
feather Of q turkey, an eagle or Of some
other bird which is considered sacred, and
place it in corn-6eld. This is PRAYER
for good crop Of corn. Ii it is . good
crop OF grass that is desired, the same thing.
is placed in grass field.
The natives are also greatly given TO
fetish worship. lnc;.n.at;Ons for the pre-
vention and cure of disease. O course,
these fail. Last summer the country was
scourged with small pOx to such an extent
that almost the entire child population was
swept away. And thus they have been
left for years, to 9" down to death, With no
outstretchei hand To save them; no Christ
ian women to talk and sympathize with
the many show them their error. There are
nov twenty-five villages Of Aztecs. and in
all Of these, only thre. are occupied by
missionaries. The Christian women Of
this country should organize and endesvor
to rescue these poCr delu.led sisters from
their present superstition and ignorance.
Roman Catholic symbols are quite plenti-
ful, but owing to the Ignorance Of the peo-
pie, they have lost sight of the true object
Of the symbols, and worship the latter emily.
/ have known Of women crawling over
fields Of prickly cactus on their bare knees
towards an image Of Christ, long distance
away. the blood flowing from the wounds
caused BY sharp thorns.
UTAH AND IT'S MoRNONIsN
was the next Territory spoken Of The
speaker, however, before entering upon bus
address, took the precaution to re-
quest the reporters to refrain from re-
porting his remarks upon Utah, n
il would only result in the
additional persecution Of the few mission-
ares nov out there. He said the Mormon
authorities have everything in their own
power, and although the United States
Government il ossensibly recognised, it il
only for the sake of avoiding trouble. In
the practical, every day working, however,
nearly everything has to bow to the sway
of Mormonism.
No man, particular q missionary or .
Gentle, IL permitted to converse with any
one Of the two or twenty wives Of . Nor.
mon. Good Christian missionary women,
however, could Be made most useful, a
they would be allowed to associate with
these Mormon women. and thus, in time.
reclaim them OF at least he the means Of
rescuing Thousands Of girls from the life
Of degradation in which their mothers now
live.
WOMEN MISSIONARIES II
are the only ones Who can reach the women
Of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and the
Astec people. Already there are some f.
male missionaries, and many more ap-
plicants, but they can only Be sent - fast
u funds in can Be obtained for their sup
noPt. and the eaiaina of thee fnnds In What