The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-02
S.. Mlary's mission.


and the journey perilous. tribes of hos
tile Indians occupying much of the in
termediate territory. but the black
gown of his society was a sure defense
and, after many privations, he reached
his friends and in the spring of the
following year returned to his Indian
charges. with two priests and three
lay brothers of his order. These lay
men were mechanics and. under their
direction. the first mission church in
what is now Montana was erected.
The location chosen was on the Bitter
Root river near the present site of
Stevensville, the exact spot being
where the wagon bridge at that town
now spans the clear blue stream. which
waters this remarkable valley. On
Rosary Sunday. 1s41. a cross was rails
ed and fearful faces turned toward
heaven. while the pioneer of Christian
ity prayed for the success of this new
mission. But the tears were tears OF
Joy and hopefulness and the fathers
carried on their work increasingly.
Not only did they labor for the spirit
ual welfare of the red men but they
also sought to improve their physical
condition. A chapel and a residence
were completed that year and sur
rounded with a palisade for there were
hostile tribes across the range. The
Indians were instructed in agricultural
pursuits, which they eagerly followed
and their condition was materially inn
proved.
This was the first mission in the
Northwest and here was planted the
germ which was likened to a mustard
seed. Faithfully and devotedly did the
heroic priests labor I'm their new field
and the Father whom they served in
deed blessed their efforts. In the rude
little log church which was erected in
! the shadow of the cross which was
planted on that Rosary Sunday, the
faithful teachers led their savage
charges in the way which their relig-
/ ion taught them was the true one.
Their daily life was one of constant
service and unending devotion to duty.
| They never faltered in the good work
which they had undertaken and they
administered faithfully to the moral
/ and physical needs of the Indians
I priests, teachers and physicians. as
| the case might be. 1t is a source OF
regret that the log building which
served them as a church in these early
days was afterward torn down, when
] the IIllSSlOI was loCdltu a.
little farther up the river.
After spending a busy year at the
mission. organizing the work and
studying the needs of this new field.
Father DeSmet returned to st. Louis
and from there went to Europe. where
he obtained new assistants to accom-
pany him to his field of labor in the
distant wilderness. In the latter part
af M
the Pacific coast. the party including
several priests and lay brothers and
six sisters of the Congregation of our
Lady. After an uneventful journey
although a tedious one. they reached
Fort Vancouver I'm August. 1874.
The fathers and lay brothers then
made the perilous overland journey to
the Bitter Root valley in safety and
with additional help, Father DeSmet
took up again the work which he had
inaugurated three years before. Among
the fathers who came with Father De-
Smet from Europe at this time was
Father Ravalli. the grandest figure In
all the history of the Northwest.
man of wonderful ability and amazing
capacity for work. he entered into the
duties of the mission with a zeal which
could have been inspired by no ordinar.
motive. His career I'm this state has nj
parallel in the annals of civilization
He was a man among millions.
With this strong support Father De
Smet was able to accomplish much II
the way of civilizing the Indians. Th'
work progressed rapidly and for si'
years was uninterrupted. Then the ad
vent of the fur traders caused troubl'
among the Indians and the unboundet
faith which they had had in the father
was disturbed. The position of tn
missionaries became dangerous and II
1850 the mission was regretfull!
abandoned. For l6 years IL was un
occupied.
One can imagine the grief of tn
fathers as they saw the results of thei
long years of denial and labor swep
away and that by the faithlessness o
whites. IL was sad blow and the mis-
sionaries felt IL keenly. They had pos
sessed the unbounded confidence of tn
red men until men of their own rae
set the example of perfidy and fraud
which the Indians followed. IL must b
confessed, more readily than they ha
, learned the lesson of the priests. TIL
! discomfort of the Indians was aggra
, waited by the invasion of their huntin
grounds and grazing lands by the traT
pers and traders and they rebelled. TIL
, fathers driven out. the Indians soon r,
? lapsed into the old conditions an
, habits of their savagery and IL was nc
until 1866 that the mission was N
, occupied.
In that year Father Ravalli returne
= to st. Mary's-"dear old st. Mary's
. he always called it-and he never LEI
II again. There his remains lie in tt
= little cemetery back of the churcl
, amid the scenes which he loved !
dearly. When he returned he found
: necessary to build a new church, and
location was chosen about a mile U
a the river. where the present building
O were erected. The work Of the missio
was carried on successfully until n
, Bitter Root Flatheads were remove
. TO the Jocko agency.
Since that time the church is bl