Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-06-05

! anOUA GIuicrSAllle- Joln " Ian
ner, who has slept in 4 horse-trouch
10 avoid capture by the Georgia
militia d. b. Cummings. who
came west with the Cherokees. died
a member Of the Indian Mission
Conference, and sleeps in an un-
marked grave IN Missouri /; Green
y. d. Scales, with native helpers !;
John Duncan, Turtle Fields. Young
Wolf, Joseph Blackbird, and inter
prefers Jack Spears, Z. G.. Smith.
Johnson Fields, Jack Foster. All
these wrought in the work. In 1880
there were S5S members Of the
church, and FIVE schools with about
100 pupils.
At the division of the Methodist
Church, the missions of the Indian
Territory came under the charge of
the NJ. Z. Church South. In 1914
the Indian Mission Conference was
organized by order of the General
Conference, and held its first ses-
sion in October of that year at Ri
ley Chapel near Tahlequah, Bishop
Thomas A. Morris presiding, and
Wm- H. GoOde secretary. Fifteen
preachers answered 10 rOil-call, to
wit: J. c. Bergman. E-T.Perov,
W N. Talbot, 7. B. Ruble. D. B.
! Cummings, W. H. Goode, johnson
Fields, Thomas Birtholf. James
Essex, sc. Patterson. in. Steele.
Z. B. Duncan. L F. Collins, Wm.
Mcintosh, L. B. Stateler,. There
were reported 50 white, 133 col
ored and ,, ,992 Indian members.
The reports of 1850 show 3S0pu-
pills under instruction in the liter
ary institutions of the Indian Mis-
sion Conference. Meantime all the
appliances Of worship and religious
training were supplied.
The preachers filed their ap-
pointments with regularity, Sab
bath schools were organized, and 4
general pastoral supervision and
discipline maintained camp-meet-
ings were held. and many demon
strations of divine power were wit
messed. Very many were convert
ed. and the hearts Of the mission
aries were cheered and strength
ened by these evidences of the sue
cess Of their labors. The disturb
ances Of the civil war affected dis
astrOusly all the tribes of the In
dian Territory; the work of the
missionary was broken up, and
much property laid waste. Some
identified themselves with the
South, some with the North, while
their country was laid waste, the
houses and fields destroyed, and
the stock driven 20 Kansas or Mis-
souri,.
Dark indeed was the prospect TO I
the missionary of the NJ. Z. Church /
South, as he mournfully viewed /
the desOlation of MANY happy /
homes, the lone chimney, the mute /
memorial of war of extermina- |
ton. His church charged with te-
ing a rebel church the missionary /
treasury empty, with MANY out |
standing obligations due and press
ing. The work Of disintegration
and absorption had deprived the |
Indian Mission Conference of a
large membership, chiefly cOlOred |
members, Delawares, Shawnaes,
WyandOttes, Kansas Indians, Pot |
KickapOOs and Qua /
paws.
In September, 1866, Bishop f. VI. !
Marvin held the 2lst session OF /
the Indian Mission Conference Al
Bloomfield Academy. Chickasaw
Nation, J. H Carr, secretary. The /
statistics show so members and :
preachers. The report Of 1867
shows ,776 members and preach
ers, and y preachers appointed to
charges.
Time would fail to tell inciden ts
of Christian experience, of self
sacrificing labor, of triumphant
faith, while we consider the mer-
cies bestowed by the God of our
and by his blessing the In
dian Mission Conference Of the NJ.
+. Church South now numbers Is
travelling preachers, 100 local
preachers. and 500 members with
in the limits of the five nations.
According to the best iniorma-
ton IN the possession of your
speaker. the first preacher to visit
md preach in your town was a Rev.
Adams of the Baptist Church. and
! member o: the Delaware tribe.
The second was Rev. H. Balentine
IF the Presbyterian Church. who
ior some time kept 4 regular ap-
pOintment and organized a Sunday
school. The owner of the shop.
however. IN which services were
leld, was unwilling to furnish ac-
,ommOdatiOns without compensa-
ion, so the services were discon-
inued.
In November, 1873, n small COM
lany assembled for worship in an
unfinished house, the property of
!. W. Green, now the residence of
Dr. 3 J. Thompson The floor was
.Overed with lime and sand scant-
ing supported by goods boxes were
he seats barrel was improvised
or a pulpit and candle-stand, but
n many years experience rs min
ster, a more deTOut or bettor-be- :
iavod congregation has not been
0und- The occasion was the
Of the first sermon by a .
Iethodist circuit rider, your speak
T, IN the town Of Ninita.
In June, 1874, a society Of seven (
no,,,h hars ,r-- o-rorsrva1 Of -,-bf.l,