Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-23
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the wcek
Beginning Jan. -.
BY REV. s. H. DOYLE


BY REV s. H DOYLE.
reptc-Hone missions. The progress OF
the Indian.-Issa. Kill, ISL
There Is probably no nation on the
GAGE of the earth to which some proph-
ecy of their coming unto God does not
appiy. In the reference from Isaiah
there are several descriptions that are
particularly applicable to the Ameri-
can Indian The Indian of today re-
members not the former things nor
considers the things of old. but is alb
sorbed with the new conditions of bis
life which God has brought 20 him.
The prophecy, Il will make q way in
the wilderness" is also descriptive of
them. and of the Indian it may be
truly said, This people have ! formed
for Myself; they shall show forth My
praise" In the bringing about of these
changes we can easily trace the prog
ress of the Indian along new spiritual
lines
If we win glance at the condition
of the Indian when Columbus discover
ed America and at his condition today
we will be able to see the progress lie
has made.
The Indian of the past was the orig
NAL inhabitant of America. Whence
he came to this country has never been
discovered When Columbus came to
America he was here, with every ap-
pearance of having been here from re
mote antiquity. The character of the
Indian has been variously estimated.
Some have idealized him. and other
have scarcely found language In whic''
to express their opinion of tie cruelty
and treachery of the Indian character
He had a passion for war. and his
false and barbarous principles of war
fare largely account for the cruelty OF
his character. His religious life was
most marked. His ''untutored mind
saw God in the cloud and heard Him
In the wind" He called his Deity the
Great Spirit, but in addition TO the
Great Spirit he saw "indwelling spirits
fn everything" He also believed in
q future life - his happy hunting
ground beyond the grave. The med
cine man was the prophet and priest
Of his religion, but in his religious life
he was far from the true God. and. ike
Ill the nations and races that knew not
God except through nature and natural
instinct, the Indian was very much in
need of the God of revelation, revealed
in His inspired word, and especially II
His Son Jesus Christ
The present religious condition of The
Indian is In marked contrast TO his
past religious status. And this change
has been brought about through mis-
sion work among these aborigines of
America. The Protestant church be
gan its missionary work among the
Indians in New England in 1913, and
this work has been carried forward SO
successfully under the blessing OF God
that the tribes in America today are
practically civilized and Christianized
They now worship the true Great
Spirit" Their hope for the future life
is based upon faith in Jesus Christ
The pagan rites of their former re
ligion have been abandoned for the
true worship of the true God. The mis-
sionaries are still at work among them.
and especially effective work is done in
the Sabbath and day schools for the
young. Few races of men have been
so completely transformed by Chris
tianity as have the Indian races. The
American people owe them a great
debt, and it can best be paid by giving
them the gospel of our Lord and Saw
iour Jesus Christ.
BIBLE READINGS.
lisa. Iii, I; Nah. i, 10; Matt. V, IL, u;
xviii, 10, 20; Acts i. Ill; Rom. tx
Is; K, IA, 10; Cor. iii, $40; II Cor. ii,
1888; Rev. xii, II.