St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-05

other classes that meet weekly. Five rail-
roads paid So, 900 a year towards its sup
port, and valuable assistance was received
from the ladies. They were now preparing
lint, bandages, etc., to be put in every
caboose. The membership was 300.
Mr.. John Mills of one of the Minneapolis
shops was called upon, and spoke in an in
terestng manner about the work, giving re-
view of its development. The first steps were
a series of meetings begun in October, 1854,
held at the cottages of the men. Later,
these meetings were held i'm boarding
houses and in empty coaches. The work
had included visitations to the homes of
the men.
d. A. MACURDY
was another Minneapolis railroad man who
bore testimony to the efficiency of the work.
He spoke of the work of the committee on
the sick and wounded, which extended aid
and entertainment to sick and wounded
members.
The secretary of the international CON-
mittee on this work was present and spoke
briefly.
During the past year there had been an
average of los accidents month, at which
26 were killed and 1913 injured. The aver
age passenger would have to ride day and
night for fifty-five years to be killed. This
illustrated the safety of railroad travel.
There were now sixty-seven associations
giving their whole attention to this work.
Undoubtedly the feature of the con-
vention which awOke the most interest and
feeling was the reception of the Indian
Young Mems Christian association and the
reports by the Indian delegates.
These delegates are three intelligent
SIOUX,
and were accompanied by Rev. A. L. Riggs,
son of the noted missionary, DR.. Riggs, and
president of the Santee Agency normal and
training school, Nebraska, who acted as in
terpreter, the delegates not wishing to at
tempt speaking in English, though they
can converse intelllgibly in that language.
1t may be mentioned that the visit of
these delegates, and the coalition of the as
sociations which have heretofore been dis
tinct, was the result of visit to their field
by State Secretary II. F. Williams, who
appreciated their self-reliant efforts and the
benefits that would flow from union.
Rev. John Eastman, pastor of the Pres
byteran church of Flandrau, young man
of small stature and Indian features, was
introduced He advanced to the pulpit
with his Interpreter and in the peculiar
tones and consonant language of his race,
addressed the audience in a manner that
was worthy of emulation by many of pull
pit speakers. He said that some eight
years ago young man got hold of some Y.
NJ. c. A. literature and talked with him
about it. Sometime latter meeting of
Indian young men was called and they
banded together for Christian work. They
knew nothing about the constitution
of the Y. M. G. A., but thought that they
onnlI hau " ~ anuhnuy
plause. The great result of this work had
been the bringing of other young men to
Christ. Though the first associations had
no constitution they tried to league them
selves with Christ, from whom they had
drawn strength.
The three delegates then sang "Jesus
Loves Me" in Dakota, one of them at the
organ and the audience joining heartily in
the chorus.
REV. CHARLES r. CRAWFORD
of Goodwill church, Sisseton agency, was
the next to speak. Up to eighteen years
ago the prairies were full of buffalo and
wolves. Although the Word of God had been
brought to them fifty years ago, it was a
long time before it seemed to take much
root. But during the last ten years the
Word of God had prospered greatly among
the Dakota people and the spirit that filled
their minds up to eighteen years ag0-that
of hunting the buffalo and deer-they had
abandoned, and now they were hunting the
Lord. There were seven of these assOcia-
lions in his district, each member paying
25 cents on joining and 10 cents a month
thereafter, part of which was devoted to
the cause of Christian work. They held
services of prayer with the sick, and labored
to get others to go to church and embrace
the Gospel of Christ. Last fall Sec
rotary Williams had visited them at
Ascension, a place where hunters
assembled from the lowlands into the hills.
They held a meeting at which 500 were in
attendance, and he had remarked to him
that that was something he had never ex-
pected to see. He read Romans XIV; 6, z,
9, 16, in which the translation substituted
Indians for Gentiles. He had one question
to ask: who among you IS willing to 90
forth as an apostle among the Indians.
He who has the spirit of God in his heart,
he can go among the Indians. My friends
the time is now. We are not able, but if
you will stand by us and help us the world
will be filled with the Word of God"
Edwin Phelps, who is quite young
man, and secretary Of the Confederated In
dian associations of Dakota, also addressed
the meeting, speaking like the rest
through his interpreter. He travelled
far and under difficulties to reach
the railroad, but as the work
was good one, and he wanted to be at the
assembly, he came LAS 1 see you nv
heart grows large, and when 60 back I
will write the report of this to the eleven
associations have charge of, and it will
enlarge their hearts," 1t seemed at one
time that the association would 20 to pieces,
but during the three years that he had been
secretary, it had been more prosperous.
In September, 1888, there were six asso-
Citations with seventy-siX members and
S157.50 had been raised during the year.
In September, 1884, there were seven asso-
Citations with ninety-two members and S140
was raised. In September, 1885, there
were eleven associations with 1877 members
and S30S.40 had been raised for missions
and home work.
The efforts of the speakers made quite an
impression and were received with enthusi-
asm.
CLOSING EXERCISES.
Rev. A. l.. Riggs, who had acted as in
terpreter, made few remarks. calling at
tention to the evidence before them
of the power of the Gospel.
We should have more faith
in that power. If what was seen was true,
did it not give the true solution of the In
dian question? If So was it not the duty
of every Christian and every citizen to push
and encourage this work? There were
twenty churches and 2, 600 members among
the Sioux Indians. The field is white with
the harvest send forth the laborers.
Another Gospel song was sung by the In
dians in their own language and the ques-
ton of receiving the Indian branch into fei-
lowship was considered. Thomas Cochran,
Jr., so moved, stating that he had
done nothing in twenty years that
gave him so much pleasure. The
resolution was carried unanimously,
The exercises were closed with remarks