Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-19

OF the early history of Montana. Is the
history of the Catholic church in the
state, in fact the history of one Is the
history of the other. They are indis-
sclubly linked together for all time. The
story of the way they were led by a
remarkable series of events first to this
slate lis interesting reading to Catholic
and Protestant alike. 1t was really ow.
ing to Father lgnace Jogues, French
Jesuit, that the little band of Indians
who desired to benefit by the teachings
of the priests, We're finally rewarded for
their perseverance. He located in
Canada and his cruel death there is we'll
remembered. Among the Indians he
Christianized were q band of IrOquois
OF whom he was the apostle and by
whom he mas murdered, and who left
the mission for the northwest in search
OF adventure. Here they met with the
tribe of Indians commonly known as
Flat Heads, though why no one seems
to know for they do not practice head
tiattening and their real tribal name is
Selfish, pronounced Saliah, who were
located in Montana west of and at the
base of the main range of the Rocky
Mountains, then called by them Spetle~
men, meaning Bitter Root Whence
comes the modern name of Bitter Root
valley.
There were about 1000 of them in the
nation and they We're powerful ana
aggressive, but owing to their small
number We're being gradually reduced
by battles with other tribes. Their chief
enemy was the Blackfeet. the chief cause
OF enmity being the buffalo. The Black
feet claimed the entire country lying
east and at the foot of the main range,
a place where the buffalos loved to con-
gregate. OF course the Flat Heads
wanted to hunt them and equally as a.
matter Of course the Blackfeet regarded
them as intruders and fought them off.
The Flatheads would not give up but
kept on visiting the place and fighting.
The latter had only arrows while the
Elackfeet were armed with guns they
had obtained at the trading posts.
The first whites seen by the Flatheads
were Lewis and Clark. and there is now
living at st. Ignatius an old Indian
woman, Eugene. who remembers the
explorers well, being then IA years old
The second was Father De Smet. the
longed-for priest That the Flatheads
learned of the priests was due to that
wandering band of Iroeuois who had
Jogues. This was in 1910 or 1912 and
the Iroquois were led by Ignace La
Mousse, he receiving his name from
Father Ignace Jogues, but he was
Familiarity known as Big Ignace. to dis
tnguish him from a younger Ignace.
They intermarried with the Fatheads
md they became members of the Selfish
tribe, Old Ignace becoming the leader of
all. He told them fthe Catholic re-
ligion, it's prayers, it's priests and it's
doctrines He described the dress of the
priests, and they all came to talk If
them as Black Robes. He impressed
upon them the rites, the Lords prayer,
the sign of the cross and the Indians
followed his instructions, prayed, kept
the Sabbath, baptized the dying and put
crosses on the graves of their dead He
told them they should have Black Robes
amongst them to show them how to live
and die and they discussed the subject
often. Finally at a general council
Ignace proposed that a number of them
be delegated to go to st. Louis, Missouri
and entreat some of the Black Robes to
come to them in the wilderness. That
meant trip of 5000 miles for Indians
who had never seen white village
Four braves left in the spring of 1881
and after a journey beset with perils
they reached St. Louis.
Indians were common there then and
little attention was paid them. In few
days two of them worn out by the trip
died, and as they begged to be baptized
priests performed the ceremony. naming
them Narcisse and Paul. They were
buried as such in the Catholic cemetery
The two others were killed by the Black
feet it was supposed. for they never
reached home. In st. Louis no one knew
their language, but they made the sigr
Of the cross, that emblem of civilization
kissing the cruciix when it was helt
out to them. 1t was learned afterward
that they were Flathead Indians and /
was resolved to bring to them as sool
as possible the religion they SO craved
Others heard of it and both Methodist
and Presbyterians tried to establish
missions among them. The first MethO
dist party of three. Rev. Jason Lee. o
Stanstead, Canada and his nephew. Rev
Daniel Lee. with three laymen were sen
In 1884, but did not remain with tn
Flatheads. going instead to Oregon. o
the Willamette. The Flatheads refuse
tn accept them or their teachings. 1t wa
Black Robes they wanted to teach ther
the way to heaven and they would &C
tept no others.
When they first arrived the Flathead
supposed of course they were the priest
but they soon found they did not wea
black gowns nor carry crucifixes, an
also that they were married. A yea
later Rev. Samuel Parker and DR.. Maj
Gus Whitman were sent to Oregon. TIL
Flatheads, hearing that a missionar
expedition was on the road, set out
meet them, of course hoping they wei
the Black Robes, for they had not "
heard what had become of the fOl
brave Indians who had gone for then
The chief, Ursula. headed the welcomii
party. They had to fight their Wa
through hostile tribes of Indians al
finally reached Green River. Here the
hopes were dispelled for their four el
Vows were not there nor We're there ar