The morning call., 1893-10-05
DANGER OF DEATH.
Missionaries in Alaska
Reported Murdered.
LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD.
Several Religious Bodies Represented
in the Work of Evangelization
in the Far North.

Telegraphic advices received at Portland
from Alaska state that there has been
sudden uprising among the natives OF
Alaska. 1t is reported that mum Der OF
whites have been murdered. Among the
killed are believed to be several mission
aries sent out by the various religious de-
nominations.
Within the last six years there has been
large influx of American clerical and lay
instructors Into Alaska. Nearly all of the
church bodies have representatives in that
northern field. In addition to the rectors
Of churches there are number of medical
missionaries and many others in the en-
ployment Of religious ORGANIZATIONS. who
have established schools where young
Aeuts and Indians are given secular
education.
Prior to the requirement of the Alaskan
territory by the United States priests of
the Greek Catholic church were in the
field with a considerable following. The
next to engage in missionary work were
Moravian ministers. Two clergymen OF
this faith, accompanied by their wives, set
out from Juneau on rowing commission
10 preach to the natives. They underwent
innumerable hardships and practically
took their lives in their hands. Their
work prospered. however. and in spite of
many privations and discouragemeDts
they established the nucleus of what is
now fonrishing religious colony. They
have since been re-enforced by others of
the same faith, and their labors have been
so successful that an attack upon them
was the last thing apprehended.
tl0uIiSning mission under the control
of the Society of Jesus has been in opera
;lon for about six years. Members of the
order are scattered throughout the Terri
tory, some being located over 200 miles
from any settlement. The work is under
the direction of Rev. Father Tos, superior
of the society. Associated with him are
five other priests and four lay brothers.
Tne headquarters are at kozyTevsky,
where the superior resides. the other
fathers travel through the country minis
tering TO the needy. both in spiritual and
in a physical sense. The work is under
the general jurisdiction OF the Bishop of
Vancouver.
The names of the missionaries are: Rev.
Paschalis Tosi (Superior), Rev. Paulus
Muset, Rev. Aloisius Robant, Rev. Fran
ciscus Barnum, with Carmelus Giordano.
JoaDneS Negro RS coadjutors, all having
a nominal residence at KoZyrevsky; Rev.
Aloisius Ragaru, Rev. Guglielmus Judge,
Joannes Rosate, with headquarters at st.
Petri Claver; and Kew. Aloisius ParOdi,
Rev. Josephus Treca, Bernardus Cunning
ham and Thomas Power, who are es-
tablished al mission on the banks Of the
Yucon River, 600 miles north OF st.
Michaels. There are also in the territory
six Sisters of Lorato, sent out from st.
Louis. aud number from other sister
hoods, who came originally from Canada.
Rev. Father Tosi visited the members of
his order at st. Ignatius College last sum-
mer, returning to bis northern field about
two months ago. When here he was very
sanguine about the progress of his religious
work, and expressed great encouragement
at the results thus far achieved. IL CON-
menting on the reported massacre, Rev.
Father JacQuette of this city expressed his
confidence last evening that no Catholic
missionaries had been harmed. He re-
lated instances of the devotion shown by
Aleut, and Indians, even when not chris
tlaniZed, to their religious prece ptors. and
said that the natives had been known to
take extraordinary pains TO serve the
fathers, whom they regarded with the
greatest trust and affection.
The strongest mission in Alaska, nu-
merlcally considered. is that uuder the
direction of the Presbyterian church.
Nine regularly ordained missionaries.
with their families. are in the field, located
at Sitka, Juneau, Point Barrow, Fort
Wrangel. Hydah, Cnilcat. Hoonah and
ArgOUn. IDtre are also tHiTty-SeVeD lay
teachers, many Of them women, scattered
throughout the country.
Rev. j. Q. Adams, pastor of the West
Minister Presbyterian Church in this city,
stated last evening that on several occa-
sions the teachers had experienced trou-
bic with the natives in the history OF
Presbyterian WORK in Alaska. Iu each
case the difficulty has been due to the
ignorant superstition of the Aleuts. whose
prejud ices were aroused when while
strangers attem Dted 10 teach their chill
dren. Many of the clergy and teachers
have deterMinedly opposed the sale of
liquor to the natives and it may be that
the Indians, craZed by whisky and their
lust for blood Quickened by the murder of
Thornton, have attempted to massacre
other instructors whom they believed to be
antagOnistic 10 native customs and pagan
rites.
The Episcopalians have a missionary
bishop in Alaska, and several ministers
and band Of lay readers and teachers.
While not so long in the field as some
other denominations. they have done good
work at their stations.
The Baptists have ordained pastors at a
number of outlying posts, and the Method
ist Board of Home Missions has several
Alaskan missionaries on its roll. The Con-
gregatonal representatives are not so
numerous, and their location, being nearer
the settlements. probably has not exposed
the missionaries of that denomination to
the dangers of aSSa SsinatiOn.