The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-17

most desired was within their grasp.
1t was theirs for the taking Yet, with
al, his story must have been modest
one, for that trait was characteristic
Of Father DeSmet. His desire was not
for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, but for the
education and advancement in matters
spiritual and moral of the Indians,
away in the beautiful valley, where it
was destined that he should establish
the first permanent mission in the
Rocky mountain region.
So earnest was the young missionary
and SO enthusiastic were his accounts
of the rich promise of success that lay
in the field that he had for the first
time visited, that his desire for the bet
terment of the condition of the Flat
heads and their neighbors was soon
shared by all of the clergy 1t st. Louis
and it was determined that sufficient
number of priests should be sent in the
spring to carry out the ambitious plans
Of Father DeSmet. There were many
volunteers for this service. For the ex-
petition of the springtime, however,
but two priests were selected. These
were young men who had caught the
infectious earnestnesS and enthusiasm
of their companion and who were as
eager as he to aid In the .furtherance
of the plans that had been decided up
on These two priests, Father Gregory
Mengarni and Father Nicholas Point,
| thus entered with the pioneer priest
| upon the missionary work which was
| destined to be their field for the re-
| mainder Of their lives. Their names are
| held in reverence and high esteem by
| many of the older residents of West
| ern Montana to-day, who remember
| their pious, simple lives.
The Return to Montana.
In the spring of 1871 Father DeSmet's
| little party set forth from ST Louis
for the establishment of the permanent
mission which had been promised to
! the Indians in the preceding summer.
Besides Fathers Mengarini and Point,
three lay brothers of the Jesuit society
were members of this expedition,
Joseph Specht, Charles Huet and Will
lam Claessens. They left Missouri
early in May and Joined party of
California emigrants, with whom they
travelled over the Platte river trail
The outfit of the priests party was
composed OF saddle horses and pack
| animals together with four carts and
one wagon drawn by oxen These were
the first oxen to be brought into the
region that is now the state of Mon
| tana.
When Father Desmet left his Indian
friends the summer before he hac
| promised them, as already stated, thai
passed and organize amongst them 6
mission that would be their church
home. This promise was accepted BY
the Indians as the only consolation
that could be found for them in the
departure of the Black Robe who hao
come among them in answer to theil
prayers of many years. and they prom
ised him in return that they woult
meet him at point which they named
and which was near the Wind rive
mountains. The date fixed for tht
meeting was TIE first of July. The In
dams were true to their promise and a
the appointed time a village OF Il
lodges was 20 be seen on the trai
which was Travelled by the miss, omar,
party. The latter, however, were de
layed and it was two weeks after tn
time when they were expected tina
they reached the rendezvous. Thu
food supply of the Indians had becom
exhausted and they had been compellet
to go to the hills for hunting. Blu
they had sent word to Fort Bridge
/ that they were waiting for the priests
: in whose coming they had absolut
) faith. Father DeSmet sent forwart
from Bridger his guide, John Gray, Z
= notify the Indians OF his approach. L
: response to this message a dee"atiol
! of the Indians, with all possible haste
: hurried forward to meet their return
J ing teacher and his friends. This ad
5 vance delegation seems TO Rave bee
: selected with a special view to the re
? | latlons Of it's members to the effort