The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-02

A large audience last evening COM
iortably filled tho First Presbyterian
church and heard very interesting
talk on "Ala'ka and Its Future" by Mr.
Edward MaEsdCn, a native Alaskan,
who has been q student at Marietta
College for lhs past four yeRr', and who
viii! soon take tho tho theological course
in Lane Seminary, preparatory to his
ministry among his own people in Alas
ka. The now choir, uudor tho dtrcc-
ton OF Prof, Hammond, gave thorough
satisfaction, and thu decorations wore
very beautiful.
In prefacing his talk, Mr., MRrsten
said that he was the TAtnatlvo Alaskan
college graduate aud he trusted that he
would be the fret to return an or
daiasd miHitteF GHdaF the Presbyterian
church. lie proceeded to give birds
oye view OF Alaska from the AIaskRn's
point Of Wow. Very little is known oil
Alaska, said the speaker, although in
territorial extent It ia nearly no
large a. all the states OF tho union east
Of the Mississippi. II il noted for its
fur seals--of which so much has been
heard Though tho international dis
putes-ASh aud lumber industries.
Transportation facilities are OF limited
character. being mostly in sailing vos-
soils and canoes. The steel rail hns not
yet made It's appearance The country
is not agricultural, though vegetables
are grown in the southern portions, and
experiments made under the auspicea
Of the United SsntoS government show
that many OF the fruits Of tho northern
temperate zone caa DO grown.
The natives are divided into many
tribes aud over sixty languages arc
spoken. The ErQutmGaux inftabis the
Arctic region aud further south on tho
Iilands, Of which there are May, are
found tho AItutians. 10 the south var
ious tribes OF Indiaug arc found. Tho
EnClish Language Is fast being adopted
all over Alaska.
The country was discovered City yoara
before tho present century by an expe.
ditton OF Russians under lehriHe The
islands were first discovered aud later
tho strait which bears the great naylga'
tors name. On Behring's return stor'
los oil the great wealth in turs OF the
new country were told, aud soon over
ono hundred sailing vessels started Tor
the new EdoradO. The rush was 80
mad that fifty OF tho ono hundred voS'
sells we're lost at sea. The first tity
years alter the discovery was a period
OF bloodshed, the Russians caring very
little for the rights Of tho natives. Dur.
ing the 100 years OF Russian rule moth
ing for tho good Of Alaska was done, but
that country reaped n golden harvest
from the iur industry.
II was not until 1867. when Alaska
was purchased by the United States.
that advancement began. However, for
ten years after the purchase, no al
vance was made, the country remaining
under military rule. In 1877 General
Howard, an earnest Christian, was ia
Alaska and saw the great need OF the
presence OF the Christian missionary.
Dr. Shelby jackson won't up there aud
also saw the pressingneed oil the mission
AIRY. Since that time the work has been
progressing gradually, the work Of the
missionaries being represented by 5000
native Christians.
The school at Sitka IL ono OF the most
important institutions Of the land.
Hero 1850 scholars are taught, Tho
Bible, English aud the groundwork
stndies aud an industrial department,
form the course OF instruction.
In 1880 a new system OF laws was
given the country and has caused added
prosperity. A surprising feature is a
se,f.sastaiHiHg native church in SitGa
which, in fact, has sent money to the
home aud foreign missionary funds Of
the church CnriItianitv and eduCa.
ton arc hand in hand doing wonders
for half frozen Alaska. Education is
reaching tho head aud Christianity is
reaching tho heart,