Smyrna times., 1882-02-08
A Visit to the Modocs.

|
ance," writes to the Boston Adrertiser a
most interesting account of her late visit
to the Modocs, in the Indian Territory.
from which the following is extracted:
The next day was Sabbath, and troop
ing from every side came the swarthv-
faced men, women and children of this
strange race. In a pretty church, answer
ing the double purpose of church and
| school, we gathered for morning service.
1t had been decorated in honor Off NV visit
and the motto of our Women's Christian
temperance Union was arched in ever
green letters behind the simple pulpit !:
For God, and home, and native land i,
The sunday-schoOl lesson for the dav was
Answers to Prayer and after Scripture
recitation, in which all the younger ones
participated, with remarkable clearncss of
English, | was asked to tell then, the
story of the Temperance Crusade-tbe
greatest prayer movement of the nine
teenth century. When I had finished that
pathetic story, those Indians, with beam
ing eyes, sang Rock of Ages as have
seldom heard it sung, in church or prover
meeting
Every man, woman and child wears
the ribbon and belongs to the w. C.T.U..
ana many of them are members of the
Society of Friends. The Indians then
stood forward, one by one, to speak. an
exercise of which, by the way, they highly
| approve. With inimitablc reverence
ocar-Face-Charlie, Long George, Steam
boat Frank and others, pointed to the
great gilt-edged Bible, as the book that
makes the white man what he is. and
with impressive gravity to the bottle of
alcohol | had just used in an experiment.
as the fire-water,' which has reduced the
the Indian to degradation.
Steamboat Franks wife spoke with
more freedom and cloquence than anv
other person, and the Modocs recognize
her as decidedly superior to her husband
albeit, he is the preacher of the tribe.
The perfect equality Of men and women
in the Lords house has of course. been
thoroughly set forth by those enlightened
Quakers, and is heartily accepted by the
Indians, abhorrent as would have been
the thought seven years ago.
And now four little Modoc girls came
forth, with bright hands and faces. roouisb
looks, and in their hands a pretty bead
basket, trimmed with gay ribbons. In
perfect English and musical unison, thev
thanked me for my visit (Kiawatha fash
ion, since you came so far to see us y.
and said that as poor little Modoo girls,
they hadn't much to give, but had made
this little basket to remind me of them
when | was far away concluding with
the sweet Bible benediction the Lord
bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make
His face to shine upon thee, and be gra-
clous unto thee; the Lord lift up His
countenance upon thee, and give thee
peace.
When those fresh young voices ceased
1t was very quiet in the little church, for
| tried in vain to speak, and we all cried
together. Somehow, it was so blessed.
and so wonderful, the change in these
Modocs, of the lava-beds,' and the dear
gospel temperance cause, which brought
us face to face, had renewed so many
ruined lives of those who sat about me.
that | wished in vain my tongue might
utter the thoughts which arose in me,
After awhile, l told them that, though |
had been welcomed by noble people in
nearly forty States and territories. for the
Temperance Unions sake by Governor st.
John, of Kansas, and Governor Colquitt.
of Georgia, in words most brotherly. and
though | had talked with the great Chief
at the White House, | had never. until
these little Modoc girls spoke kindly to
me, been SO deeply touched by human
words, that l had vainly tried to make re-
| ply. Missionaries can come and 90
here, at pleasure; travellers camp out, mi
nus escort or weapons; ladies drive their
spirited horses hither and yon, with none
to molest them or make them afraid We
must revise our ignorant fancies of the
Indian Territory, by the fact that it
abounds in churches, school houses, and
homes; but is minus bar rooms and grog
shops"