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

vout congregation. A rude altar had
been reared on an elevation on the
plain, which the rough audience had
| decorated with boughs and flowers
| gathered in the valley. The Indians
| nave always since referred to TINS place
as the Prairie of the Mass.
The Gospel of Peace Presented.
But there was no time for lingering.
| A deep responsibility rested upon the
| young priest and he was anxious to
| meet it. On the day following the cele-
| bration of this first mass accompanied
| by 1snace and the Flathead embassy.
| Father DeSmet left the overland tran
I and started northward. In the mean
time the main body of the Flatheads
| was hurrying- to meet him ana at the
| end of eight days of rapid 1ourneylhg
| the missionary met them. This meeting
| occurred near the southern boundary
| of Idaho, the Flatheads having Travelled
| upward of 500 miles to greet their new
| teacher. Scattered bands of Nez Perees,
| Pend dOrielles and Kalispells had
| Joined the Flatheads, till the total NUM-
| Der of the members of the expedition
| was 1000. The sentinels of the camp es-
pied the approach of the little party
| from the south the hlack-robed figure
of the priest 1t once revealing his ldeh-
tity. The whole camp rushed to meet
was like the triumph of returning
victor. Father DeSmet wrote at the
time that men. women and children
| rushed forward to greet him and to
take his hand. He was at once con-
Quoted to the tent of the chief, Big
| Face who delivered a formal address
| of welcome, which was translated by
Gabriel Prudhomme, a half-breed who
| had been adopted by the F7atheads.
This address is a fine specimen of In
dian simplicity of language. 1t has
been translated by Father Palladino,
as follows:
This day the Great Spirit has ac-
compllshed our wishes and our hearts
are filled with joy. Our desire to be in
structed was SO great that three times
had we deputed our people to the great
Black Robe in st. Louis to obtain
priests. Now, father, speak and We Will
comply with all that you tell us Show
us the way we have to take to go to the
home of the Great Spirit
After the delivery of this speech Big
Face offered to resign to Father De-
Snlet his authority over the tribe 1t
was the old mistake made centuries be-
fore, at the beginning of the Christian
era. 1t was not easy to make clear the
fact that the kingdom of Christ is not
q temporal kingdom. 1t was with diff
ficulty that the old chief was made to
understand this. He had anticipated
new SpOCH LOT ili5 people anu Idu looh-
ed forward to the time when they
should become great under the tempo
raj as well as the spiritual guidance of
the Black Robe.
| The First Preaching in Montana.
On the evening of that day. July 10,
1870, Father DeSmet recited prayers in
the presence of more than 1000 Indians
who had assembled. With what joy
and thankfulness must his heart have
been filled on that summer night! This
speedy fulfillment of his anticipations
had hardly been expected but it SUBJ
Stantiated the statements that had been
made in ST. Louis by the enlissaries of
the Flatheads. There was now no doubt
Of the sincerity of the people and it is
easy to imagine the eloquence and sim
cerity of the prayer of thanksgiving
that was offered by the young mission
airy on that occasion. In all that vast
audience of 1000 men, women and chill
dren there was probably not one who
: did not strive earnestly to follow the
service and to join in the common
prayer. What wonder is it that Father
!, DeSmet, in writing later of this even
ing service, said: II wept for joy and
admired the wonderful ways of that
kind Providence, which. in His infinite
mercy had deigned to depute me to
these poor people to announce to them
, the glad tidings of salvation 1t was
;, a supreme moment, such as enters The
lifetime of but few men. There were
the Indians. wrapt in ecstatic joy at
the realization of their fondest hopes
and the simple man of God, rejoicing
in heart that he had been made the
instrument of the salvation of these
| poor souls.
The interest of the Indians in the in.
structions of the priest continued I'M
ahated. Shortly after the holding of this
first service the camp was moved tt
Henrys lake at the headwaters of tht
Snake river. Here the devotion of hit
new charges and the continued success!
of his work inspired Father DeSme
anew. Surrounded by the grandeur O.
the mountains, in the midst of the beau
tiful valley and elated by the early sue
cess Of his labors, Father DeSmet in
scribed one day. upon stone on thu
summit Of the range. the inscription
"Sanctus Ignatius Patronus Montium
die % Julii 1870" 1t was at this camp
too, that he composed in the fullnes
OF his joy, this stanza. which is herr
translated from the original Latin il
which 1t was written:
eye Rockies. hail majestic mounts!
OF future bliss, the favored shrine!
For you Gods heart, of gifts divine,
Opens this day its precious founts."
Successful Missionary Work.
By easy stages the camp was move
on toward the home of the tribe. Camp
were made at Red Rock lake: on TIL
BeaVerhead; in the Boulder valley, ant
then near the three forks Of the Mis-
souri,. The first service held in wha
is now Montana was in the Beaverhea
valley. The missionary abors of Fathe
DeSmet had been begun at the tim
of his meeting with the tribe in Pleas
ant valley. All along this journey t
the Bitter Root they We're continue
with unfaltering zeal and devotion. Flo
two months Father DeSmet continue
his work among the Indians who gath
cred at the camp in the jefferson va
ley Several hundred of the rude pee
- pie were prepared for baptism an
es more than a thousand others receive
O. instruction.
g. This was the first season OF mission
IN airy work in Montana. Its abundant re
2 suits convinced the young priest tina
re the field was a rich one for a continu
t. ance OF the good work. Father DeSme