Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-23
Missionary Work In Indian Terri
IOry.

day Saints In the efforts TO carry Int
effect the Divine injunction. 9TH,
Gospel OF the Kingdom shall b,
preached In all the world for n witncs,
unto all nations" has taicn within II,
scope the principal place Of gathering
together Of remnants Of the once
formidable tribes Of Indians Of IN,
United statcs--the Indian Territory.
And Justly 80, from the position the
Saints occupy through the knowledge
impaired by the revealing Of the Book
OF Mormon In this age, by which the
true lineage, character and history Of
the aborigines have CONF to light.
Information concerning those Indi.
ans has been given at various times,
through the public press aud otherwise.
Lately, too, intcrcst has been aroused
because Of disputes which nave oc.
CURED and negotiations which have
been pending between the United
States general government and that OF
Indian Territory regarding land in-
forests and movement TO abolish
tribal relations among tho Indians.
Yet, without tho bounds OF the Terri.
tory, knowledge Is limited as TO
the local and general situa-
ton, and especially to give more
Information relative 10 the spread Of
the Gospel there, an outline OF tho his.
tory OF the mission Is given. II Ia only
lately that the mission has developed
sufficiently 10 Justify the presenting Of
scmi'annual reports, and through the
courtesy Of Elder Andrew KimbalI,
who Is In charge Of that field Of labor,
the following is CLEANED from the first
report.
Some ~ tribes Tor portions thereof
nre Mt present located In Indian Fern.
tory numbering some 1900. Many
Of these tribes aggregate only from 80
TO 500; the largest tribe or nation il the
Cherokee, amounting 20 over -, 900,
or these some tribes are uncivilized;
Others semi.civilized and the largest
ones civilized. The titles TO lands being
held In tho name OF tho particular
nations, save Ia few instances, wheru
allotment has taken place among the
smaller tribes, the privilege ~ Indians
or ADOPTED citizens Those of tho whites
or negroes who have iStcr.marrledl 10
take up rs much land ~ lhsy eau cul-
tivatc or hire cultivated, has brought
Into that country thousands from the
surrounding States, who rent lands
for small fee, make good
livelihood and are free from taxation.
These persons constitute n majority of
tho total inhabitants, amounting 10
nearly 100000 The white, negro and
Indian races arc much mixed; aud
those Of tho pure blooded aborigine are
much Ia the minority; but whether
they be full blood, half, eighth or
sixteenth, they occupy the same POSI-
ton M citizens.
Indian Territory, when nnt out.
lined In 1928, complied n more OK.
tenslye region than at present. It's
now 1000 square miles less In area
than Utah Territory, including the
small territory u Oklahoma, situated
In the very centre. The eastern and
southern portions are those which are
Inhabited chiefly by the larger
nations, where farming, stock raising
aud few Industries are followed.
Previous TO ISIS, tho land included
In Indian Territory. was the home OF
the unclvllized Usage, Comanchc, ETC.,
but from ls2s 10 1885, las the Increase
OF the white population east Of the
Mississippi continued, and the Indian
lands there were exchanged for lands
10 tho westward, the exodus Of several
thousand indians was effected, the
Cher0keea being the pioneer nation.
Then came the Creeks, ChOctaws,
ChickAsaws, Seminoles, and the many
Others from timo 10 time, M the orlgi.
nal homesteads were parted with.
Those who wendod their way IN
those early days from Georgia, North
Carolina, Florida and MississlppI. did
NO amid scenes OF hardship and suffer.
Ing. And those who live today who
passed through the Journeyings ana
experiences incident to such pilgrim.
age, recount with solemn feelings In,
recollection Of their trials, In leaving
congratulated homes, satisfactory 10
them, oven ifhumble aud erected after
their peculiar style; the difficulties en-.
countered In retaining alwllderness,
anu obtaining nm existence thereffom.
Not only did they have 10 contend with
natures obstaclos--of q wild country.
siekly regions and wild beasts, but the
uneivilized tribes warned against them
ior many years, often producing desc.
lalion aud ruin aud spreading ,iiscour.
Augment among those who were Indus.
tflou1ly inclined.
Prior to 1868 there was no effort
70 make known the Gospel 10
these peoples; but an occasion.
al Elder IN travelling 10 other
helds' bad passed through the