Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-07-09

seek the newborn king III the Jcru-
salem capital. never made more stir
than did the four F'lathead Indians
comin. 10 find the white mans Christ
I'm the Missouri frontier town of 1882.
yet even there in that ST. Louis frontier
town they could not find the white
mans book of heaven. These Flathead
Indians found there the white mans
siEs. but not the white mans God.
Let me now read 10 you the stran-
gest valclictory ever given ut any
place The two older Indians who
came on this mission of seeking the
white mans God had died. When the
two younger braves were about to de-
part for their own PARKWAY wigwams.
one of them in Indian cloluence spake
these words. which were published in
the little frontier paper of that time:
Il came to you over the trail of many
moons from the setting sun. You were
the friends of my fathers. who have
all gone the long way. ! came with
an eye partly opened for more light
for my people. who sit in darkness.
20 back with both eyes closed. How
can go back blind To my blind people
who sit I'm darkness: | made my way
tn you with strong arms through many
enemies and strange lands that might
carry back much to them. l go back
with both arms broken and empty.
My people sent me to get the white
mans book az heaven. You took me
where you allow your women to dance
as we do not ours. and the book was
not there You took me where they
worship the Great Spirit with candles,
and the book was not there. You
showed me the images of the Good
Spirit and pictures of the good land
beyond. hut the book was not among
them To tell us the way. ! am going
back the long sad trail tn my people
of the dark land. You make my feet
heavy with gifts. and my moccasins
will grow old in carrying them. yet the
book is not among them. When | tell
my poor blind people after one more
moon i'm the big council that | did not
bring the book no word will he spoken
by our old men or by our young braves.
One by one they will rise up and 60
out In silence. My people will die in
the darkness. and they will 90 on the
long path to other hunting grounds.
No white man will go with them and
no white mans book to make the way
plain. | have no more words"
whitman's Response To the Call.
IL was the publication of these words.
copied i'm the eastern papers. that made
Marcus Whitman heed the call of the
NcZ Pcrccs Indians; II was the publi-
cation of these words that nerved
Whitman Ia conSccratc all his life 10
giving the Flathcad Indians the white
mans Book of Life" II WAS that re-
solve To go In the name of Christ to
the far northwest which made il posi-
BILE for Marcus Whitman to save Ore
gon Ia the Union.
Marcus Whitman did not go to the
banks Of the Columbia 10 save Oregon
for the Union. He went Ia the north
west To save the red men for Christ
When God calls us To one sphere of
work he will always open for us other
spheres of labor If we will only obey
his first call. which says: Come.
Come. Come now
But Marcus Whitman was a states
man rs well as humble gospel mis-
sionary. Like Livingstone in Africa.
he saw how much could Ice done in
that land 10y the resources of civilian
ton. His prophetic gaze Travelled on
through the centuries. and lie longed
to have that fair region under Christian
influences and prospecting under the
white mans skill and industry. lie
could hear the tramp of the Oncoming
generations. as we'll as the creakins
of his cart wheels by his side. There
fore. when Marcus Whitman. on the
famous Fourth of July. 1886; with his
young bride. spread the blankets upon
the top of the Rocky mountains. with
Mount Hood and Mount jefferson
standing afar of as guarding sentinels.
and dedicated that western soil of God
and his native land. like Paul. he was
surrounded by great cloud of wit
nesses In inspired vision he could
see the farmers of 1904 planting their
seeds in those valleys. He could see
those mighty forests changed into
homes and factories and stores and
libraries and schools and churches.
He could hear the singing of the NOW
ing machines and see the white winged
ships like great sea grlls floating in
those harbors. And as Columbus took
possession of the new world in the
names of Ferdinand and isabella. who
fitted out his small fleet. Marcus Whit
man dedicated this western soil to his
two masters - To his God and To the
United States government.
Fought by Greed and selashness.
lie dedicated this western soil in
spite of the fact that all could he
said to discourage settlers had been
said in calumnious disparagemcnt. The
Hudson Bay company wanted II left
In the undisturbed possession of the
wild animals whose skins they were
turning into gold. They wanted il for
Il perpetual hunting ground. Therefore
they declared il To he land barred by
impossible ranges Of mountains Il land
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