The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-26
I TONGUE THEY Knew
Wonderfal SCENE Witnessed by
Visiting Eoclesiasts at 81.
SSS Mary's Mission.

E%NANthM%&4 B~T-rEM &AE&@S%d
Rassisa play Az II Appeals TO tn.
1naginatisn Of the Red Mem In
the North.
sss Dishop Brondel. Or Helena. Who has JUS
SAs~SstuYnsd from 4 "trip 70 the Roman Catholi,
a# Euiesions Or British Columbia, gives an In
tereating story OF his visit and what he saw
There were in the party, besides Bishop
Brendsl, the following ecclesiastical digni,
Naxies; Archbishop Duhamel. Of Ottawa
bishop Lafsche, Of Three Rivers; Bishol
Ierraine, OF Rsmbroke; Monseigneur Ham
nsl, r~sprsasntiae Cardinal Taschereau. q
Qusbec; Vicar General Marechal, Of Mon
Sreai; Canon Luo Roulsau. OF Rimouski
Vicar General Allard. OF 81. Boniface;
Z Canon vssina, OF Trois Pistoles; Canon
Bslanger. Of ST. Andre-Avelin; Bishop
0rouard. Of Athabaska, On the Mackenzie
river, and many priests from Montreal and
ether points In the Dominion. The bring
I'M together Of so many men high in the
church was duo to the efforts Of Very
Rsv. Father Iacombe, vicar general
os5 6t. Albert. Forty-two years ago Father
Laeombe went up to the Saskatchewan Val
ley. Peace River and Lesser Slave Lake
country, almost to the verge of habitations,
nave BY the Esquimaux, and long before
any white man, except a Hudson Bay COM
panyss officer here and there, had set foot in
she land. He has spent that long period
lahoring among the natives there in a state
cf barbRrity. and at last in the sunset of
hin days be SEES those whose spiritual good
has caused him 30 many priyations grad.
ually adopting the ways Of civilization and
crying to live more useful lives. Several
times he has expressed the wish that the
leading clergymen of the Roman Catholic
church should visit the various missions
hVt not until this year has the party been
not together. President Van Horne. of the
Canadian Pacific, placed the sleeping car
Canton at the disposal of the party.
The Roman Catholic missionaries of the
province have established the custom of
holding grand mass meetings of the In
dams under their teaching every two years
in order that by spectacular means they
ma sbs pl nss;yss m1 ~ im lsss;nr tyu a1 ms Of m rsiis
sious teaching. Two years ago . monster
gathering Of this nature was held at So
ohelt village. at which UPWARDS of 1900 ma
tives were in attendance. This year st.
Mary's mission, the center of the mainland
corps Of workers. was selected az the scene.
Prettiiy situated on the abruptly sloping
bank Of the Fraser, with the wide valley in
'front.', shut in by wooded hills. no more
picturesque and romantic scene could be
chosen. The convent and the boys school
with the adjoining buildings furnish accom-
mediation 70 the visiting c%lsrgymen, while
AAhA EVAAAR Rfwnr ghARnrnAH n rrnnf hIrh wuu
for natives 80 accustomed to canoeing, to
gather at this point. On the way there
stops were made at Winnipeg, st. Boniface,
Calgary. 81. Albert, and other points, the
party receiving accssaions at each place.
Among those who Joined the party at
. Ernine Skin, = shief Of the Cree In
dians from Bears Hill, between Calgary
and Edmonton. shout fifty miles from the
latter point, and the other Alexander
6tonyman, : chief of the Assinibolnss.
from 81. Albert, twenty miles beyond Cal
ths Cree Indian, probably 55 years of age,
withshsir reaching to his shoulders, tall. and
with q stolid dignity which marks him as
an exceptional man. He was dressed in a
blanket suit Of white, bedecked with eiab-
crate ornaments in beaded work, in which
were of srmine skin, from which no doubt
he takes his anne. while a broad, light
colored sombrero for a head piece com-
plsted the figure. Stonyman was a smalle:
man. and also younger. and wore a modest
black suit with red seams. Both before
being brought under the teachings Of the
missionaries we're noted warriors, and the
deeds Of their bravery and prowess are
many Since their conversion to Christi
antty they have been as remarkable for
deeds OF kindness as TOR those of daring in
the past. Both are comparatively wealthy.
lE@8# At M 0rvVQ 1pnfnn nraanptp6 mn n IL
and picturesque sight to the seventy five
excursionists from Vancouver who alighted
there ut II o'clock on Thursday, June 2.
Pitched in regular lines along the base of
the hill which leads up to the mission
buildings were the hundreds of snow white
tents Of the Indian visitors. The camping
ground was slightly contracted in limits, so
that the tents we're close together. Crown
ing the eminsnce were the convent, the
chapel and the boys school. with the few
other buildings in connection. Almost
from the boys school a large tent made
into a temporary chapel had been erected,
while along the walk in front of the
grounds were several steps of plank, from
which the bands would play for the torch
light procession to take place next evening.
Tho indiana present, kloochmen, children,
boys and girls from the mission, wore all
assembled at the station to receive the
incoming clsraymen. The Squamish brass
band and that from the boys school were
beth present and played several times.
Greetings were exchanged and the people
addressed through an interpreter. The
visiting clergynen were then taken to the
convent, where a luncheon had been pre-
pared for them.
The Roman Catholic church has adopted
the plan of teaching the Indians the events
of the Bible almost similar to that adopted
in England in the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries. that OF miracles or tableaux.
Az thsir language is not we'll adapted to CO.
Siccs and graphic description it is hoped
by this means to bring the events of bibli-
cal history SO wildly before the mind of
the natives that they will never forget. For
this purpose the crucitixion and the scenes
we're enacted.
The Indians gathered like an army on the
lowland, and at a given signal the process
sion moved up the steep ascent. First came
the women, oarryinR the pappooses, then
the young bucks, and after them a mixed
crowd Of old mon and women, boys and
girls. Slowly they moved up the hill,
chanting in Latin. broken by the cultural
sounds of their " language. the passion
song. 1t seemed to affect them greatly,
for now their voices would rise high and
shrill, and now would die away to a low
moan. At the crescendos the Indians
would throw back their heads and wave
their arms in religious frenzy. The play
had no speaking parts, but was presented
In a series of eight tabieaax. The stage
was the broad, hard boulevard leading past
the mission buildings. The tableaux were
all placed at once. ono after another at in
g.