Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-02
EPISCOPALlANS IN SESSION
Quarterly Meeting of the Women's Auxiliary
is Being Held.
ADDRESS BY BISHOP ROWE OF ALASKA
Condition of the Natives Before and
After Coming In Contact with
the White Man II Described
at Length.

The Nebraska branch Of the Woman's
Auxiliary to the Board of Missions OF the
Episcopal church held its quarterly meeting
in the crypt OF Trinity cathedral Wednes-
day afternoon. The question Of supplying
boxes for missionaries was discussed at
some length and Mrs. worthington told Of
the amount or good work that had been done
In furnishing clothing and other necessities
Tor the missions. A letter from Miss
drummer, a missionary at Shanghai, was
read and was attentively listened to. The
letter spoke little OF the missionary work,
but described a trip Miss drummer made
last August during the summer vacation into
the interior OF China. The summer resort is
up In the mountains and was reached by
boat by the Yangtsi river. At 3 p. m. the
women adjourned to the church to hear
Bishop Rowe, the missionary bishop Of Alas
ka, tell the story of his life among the SHOWS
OF that country for the last three years.
Bishop Rowe spoke of the great mineral
wealth OF the country and stated that dur
ing the last year more than 100, 900 men
have gone into Alaska in search Of gold.
He stated that at one time last summer he
was told While on the Yukon trail that
.. that time there were no less than 60, 900
men moving toward the gold fields.
When 1 FIRST came to the country said
ASioAOP ANOWCp VIC Ia u i
In all Alaska. one at Point Hope and two on
the Yukon. In the last three years I have
added nine central missions. Each Of these
stations covers an area many hundreds Of
miles in breadth. The central mission Is
the residence of the missionary most OF the
year, but all around him throughout the
country we have established missions which
he visits at least once a year and instructs
the natives, keeping them strong in the
faith. The natives are eager for instruction.
They know from experience that with the
advent OF civilization comes all that 70 bad
for them; come the men who cheat them
cut Of their all and they know too that in
these times 1t Is the missionaries who are
their best friends and prevent them from
being robbed and defrauded.
1.-THE old saying that a good Indian is
. dead Indian is not true. Until these ma
tives come In contact with the vices Of civil
lization they are good. Among the Alas
I'm tribes there are many Christianised
villagers and none Of them have ever demon
strated that Christla nizing ruined them. So
Ions a. they are kept away from intoxicants
tncy can be depended upon and trusted.
1.-THE success Of our missions has been
very gratifying. But we want to do more.
1t is my intention to start missions among
the white inhabitants Of the interior.
When men are taken away from the lnnu-
ences OF civilization and especially Of good
women they rapidly become brutes. Our en-
tire frontier history bears out this state
ment. The class of men who went to the
gold fields OF Alaska were Of more than
average intelligence and we hope that it
will require but little work to make them
zee the necessity of "a mission among them"
After the lecture Bishop Worthington an
nounced that today the feast of the Purifi-
cation Of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be a
quiet day. that is a day especially set
apart for meditation and prayer on the part
Of the congregation. The religious exer-
cises will be conducted by Bishop Vincent
Of the diocese of southern Ohio.