The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-07-14

Big Picnic and Good Time
Characterize the Day at the
Old Mission Church

old Indian mission in Stockholm.
There is estimated to have been
about one thousand people pre-
sent and all had a most delight
full time Notwithstanding the diff
ficulty many experienced in
reaching the grounds on account
of bad roads. Several noted
speakers were present, among
them being Rev. Daniel Renville,
who was the first and only preach.
er the church had ever had and
Rev. John P. Williamson, general
missionary of the Presbyterian
church among the Sioux Indians
in South Dakota. The latter
gentleman donated the land upon
which the old church stands to
the Grant County Historical
association.
Rev. Williamson was one of
the principal speakers of the oc-
casion and made special reference
to the early history of the Indian
mission work of the west, among
which the old mission just dedi-
Gated to the Historical association
formed an important part. He
SAID that the Stockholm mission
was organized in 1876 and that
Rev. Daniel Renville, an Indian
missionary was the first and only
preacher the organization ever
had. The church was built in
1877 by settlement of Indians
who were connected before the
massacre with the old Indian
church at Lac Qui Parle, and
that they bore the expense of the
building of the church and con-
tributed money for it's main tain
ance from the aid they received
from missionary society. The
first missionary work among the
Indians was started at Lac Qui
Parle by his father DR.. T. S.
Williamson, in 1885, at Joseph
Renville's old trading post. Mr..
Williamson was a physician and
preacher both, and gave much
valuable aid to both the whites
and Indians. This old Indian
trading post was where the
speaker was born. This mission
was the nucleus of all the work
since done among the Indians,
and it had had a great deal of in
fluence to make better people of
the Indians. The Indians who
were connected with the church
had shown that their conversion
led them to be faithful to the
United States. Most of the
scouts and those who were friend
ly to the United States had been
connected with the missions.
Among the friendly Indians of
whom almost everyone has heard
and who did valuable work
fo-' the whites, were John Other
day, who saved the agency party
at Yellow Medicine, Lorenzo
Lawrence who used to livearound
Big Stone lake up to the time of
his death five or six years ago;
Peter Big Fire, and Simon All
NOW wag mani, all Of whom had
saved captives and otherwise
rendered valuable service to the
government in the earlier davs.
The leading members of the
Brown Earth church had been
scouts under Gen. Sibley and it
was their desire that when they
were released from scout duty
that they might settle down and
make themselves homes like
white people. That wherever
religion had been introduced
among the Indians it had had a
wonderful effect in the better
ment of all grades and classes.
The earlier history of the mis-
sion church has appeared in the
local papers and is known by
everyone. 1t had been formerly
purchased by Scandinavian de-
nomination, and as they were
through with it had sold it and it
was to have been torn down. o.
P. Johnson, of Stockholm, and H.
S. Voikmar had become interest
ed in the old historical structure
and by small contributions had
raised enough money to purchase
it, and Rev. John P. Williamson
on whose farm the church stood
had donated two acres of land
with it. Last Sunday marked
the closing scenes and pinto and
memorial services were held, the
church and land will be donated
to the Grant County Historical
association, after a new found
alton has been built and it has
been restored to it's former con-
dition. It is a log building.
Til I'll.