The Newtown bee., 1907-09-06
A Missionary
 Journey
In the State of South Dakota BY BISHOP FREDERICK FOOTE
 JOHNSON.
Bishops Assistant in South Dakota.

Bishops Assistant in South Dakota.
 While busy prospecting for opportu- mites to minister the gospel of Christ in a portion of the great South Dakota country which has recently been new ly traversed by an extension of one of our important railway systems. cross ing the Missouri River and stretching westward to tine Black Hills. l re- ceived letter from one of our missioffs aries in the Indian Field which ran somewhat thus: s.I intend to have 2 rally of my people to commemorate the Three Hundredth Anniversary of the first celebration of the Lords Sup per at Jamestown. The date have set tied upon is June 21. 22, 23; and the place is Emmanuel church, White Horse Camp. on Cheyenne Reservation. If you could possibly come. it would be great help if you would be with us at that time. It would cheer the true Christian people; it would offset the proposed wrongful way of cele- brating the Fourth of July; it would
 
 can come."
 At first blush said to myself, II don't at all see how I can go. My date book is pretty full of places which l want to visit and which think ought to visit. I have stack of correspond ence accumulated in the postoffice at Sioux Falls which ought to have atten- ton. I recall how one of our bishops, now gone, used to consider the prompt answering of letters almost means of spiritual grace. And recall how the late sainted Bishop of Connecticut used to say that an additional VOW ought to be required of every man be fore he should be consecrated to the Episcopate, namely. Will you an- swer letters cheerfully? These men were wise in their generation and ought to get back and open my letter box. Then, too, my second annual ad- dress ought to be taking shape pretty soon. More than this. the data for my annual financial reports are pigeon holed in my desk at home--items of generous gifts from many sources which have been put in my hands for distribution, and items of little offer ings and little expenditures which have dribbled in and dribbled out these twelve months gone. I ought to be getting at that report to make the two sides tally if Lean. It is curious how many duties to be done man can think of when asked to do some special thing which had been hitherto outside his reckoning.
 I was seating myself to. answer the invitation by saying that, for the req sons which have enumerated and for the additional reason that had made last November, I must ask to be ex- cused, when better counsels prevailed. I remember that he who had sent me the request and the invitation, having offered himself to the gracious Bis hop and Shepherd of our souls for the sacred ministry of His church. had come out to the Missionary District o1 Niobrara in answer to the call of Bish- op Hare for young man who had some knack at carpentering, who was hoi afraid of the untamed Indian nor of the lonely wilderness, and who was ready to undertake anything, from building a cabin or a chapel or repairing brok en-down wagon, to healing the sick nesses of mems souls and building uI heathen men and women in our mos holy faith. 1 remembered that he hat come out more than thirty years az, to what is now the Missionary Distric
 
 term of years than the average life o1 man, in love and kindness and humilit. and fidelity and devotion and courage and heroism he had dwelt among tn cabins of the Indians and had had hi habitation among the tents of tn Sioux. I remembered that the Chey enne River Mission of which he ha: | the oversight and for which he has tn responsibility, under direction of tn bishop, comprises an area once and half as large as Connecticut, ever mile of which must be reached by hors and wagon, whether in the winter wind or summers glare of heat. l r' membered that the missionary's ol portunity for fellowship with men ar women of his own tongue and color
 confined to the small corps of goverl ment officials who are employed { the Agency and that, with exception ( the bishops visitations. practically I white clergyman ever crosses the bo ders of his field. And I said to mysel eff I were placed alone in the midst . the earth as he is, what would like
 receive of my bishop in the way
 cheer and sympathy and helpfulness' And l wrote the Rev Edward Ashle
 for he it was who had invited me, tha if 1 could be of any steadying
 streng gthening comforting help,
 would gladly give myself to carry O
 his plan.
 Cheyenne Agency is about ty , hundred and fifty miles by train al
 twenty by wagon from Sioux Fla
 where Bishop Hare and have o
 home. The point at which MT Ashl
 had planned to rally his Indian peep
 White Horse Camp on the great Che
 enne Reserve, is practically one hr : dred and sixty miles in a straight Ii
 north of the place where 1 was pr
 pecting among the white people WI
 of the Missouri. A three days dri
 if conditions should be absolutely gG
 and no sudden storm should swell