Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22


ship in America.
From earliest history and tradition Upper
Ssndusky was an Indian town of import
ance, and when the Wyandots were assigned
this section of the State for a reservation
Upper Sandusky continued to be their head
quarters. Their reservation was 14x19 miles
in extent, and contained IA, $40 acres of as
fertile land as the sun ever shone upon.
The Wyandot tribe was one of unusual
intelligence and was governed by regular
officers elected in times Of peace, each tribe
having a separate chief, and all these chiefs
together acted as sort ofcabinet to the head
chief. The head chief had an assistant
(Little Chief who in time of war appointed
all military officers. One chief called War
pole was placed at the head of military
affairs and all subordinates had to obey him.
These officers were held responsible to the
nation for the results of all wars, and at the
close Of each campaign compelled to make a
report which was either approved or con-
demned by a popular expression of the
tribe.
THE FIRST MISSION.
Atthe opening of the century the Catholics
had mission at this place and maintained
it until 1913, several Jesuit priests living
among the Indians. After the missionaries
departure in 1913 the Indians drifted back
to the old barbarous state, only few being
found loyal to the belief in 1916, when John
Stewart, q alulatto, appeared among the
Indians to preach the gospel. Stewart was
a free colored man of Virginia, having
Indian blood in his veins. After years
spelt in dissipation he became converted,
and while praying in field near Marietta.
o., one day he claimed to have heard a
heavenly voice calling to him and directing
him toward the northwest. He believed
this to be a divine command to 20 as q mis-
sionary to the Indians, and though but
poorly educated and not ordained minister.
he at once started out on foot. His wander
ings were long and his suffering great,
but he finally arrived at Upper
Sandusky early in 1916. He was not we'll
received by the Indians at first, but was
maltreated and abused in a terrible manner,
What was his surprise, however, to find
among the indians cOlored man whom he
had known as slave many years before in
Virginia. This mans name was Jonathan
Pointer, and he was as much of a pagan as
the Indians themselves, having lived as one
of them for many years Stewart could not
speak the Indian language, but he prevailed
upon Pointer to be his interpreter. He
preached and Jonathan would interpret to
the 4ndians, occasionally remarking:
"That's what the preacher says, don't be-
lieve it"
A SLIM CONGREGATION.
At Stewards first public meeting there
was present only one old squaw, but he
preached all the same. The next time the
squaw was there again and the audience
was increased in size, one old and crippled
brave accompanying the squaw. Every in
suit was heaped upon Stewart, but he bore
and braved all and went steadily ahead
with his preaching. The first convert of
note was "Between-the-Logs," chief of the
Bear tribe, who afterward became a re-
nowned Indian preacher and whose bones
now lie close beside the old Mission Church,
A start being made, other conversions fol-
lowed rapidly, and soon promising church
was established.
The news of Stewards labors and his
wonderful success spread throughout
the land and was the cause OF the
first awakening of the missionary