Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-01
BURDETTE TALKS OF
BAPTIST CONVENTION
GIVES GRAPHIC SKETCH OF
INDIAN DELEGATES
Members of Five Nations Have Raised
> Conversion Fund of $500, and
Gathering Is Reported
Great Success

sTwo hundred blanket Indians at
tended the recent Baptist northern con-
vention at Oklahoma City," said Rev.
Robt ]. Burdette, D. D., pastor OF rem
pie Baptist church, who with Richard
Green was accredited as delegate OF
that church to the big gathering.
"Grapes of Eschol was the theme
of DR.. Burdette's discourse, which was
delivered at the Auditorium yesterday
morning.
.sThe Indians pitched camp near the
CITY and attended every session of the
gathering." continued DR.. Burdette,
telling of the aboriginal delegates.
.eThey were dressed in business suits
while their deacons were clad in clothes
similar to those which your pastor
wears on state occasions.
"Their wives had more color In thelr
attire than the men, and they addeo
thus a bit of interest to the gathering
"These Indians, most of whom had TO
speak through an interpreter, never
asked for money, as did their Wnlte
brethren. but they did ask for teachers,
and missionaries and more Bibles.
when one of them, a tall Arapa-
hoe chief named Left Hand, VINO oi9
not know how many white scalps had
hung at his belt in the old days or the
trail, had finished relating some OF MS
past war experiences, a white-ha1red
minister in the convention, named Ty-
son, arose and said that forty-four
years ago, when in the army, he had
fought against Chief Left Hand, ana ne
wished to shake hands with him now.
"Accordingly he was led to the plat
form and there the instant his ex-
tended hand touched that Of the great,
tall indian the latter clasped his smaller
white brother to his bosom. small
wonder was it that the entire conven-
ton sang Praise God from Whom All
Blessings Flow
Again, a Kiowa chief prayed IN the
most tender fashion for his white
brethren and asked God to bless them
for sending the missionaries to them
And the truth was that this Indian,
after the many injustices pract1ced on
his people by this government ana
greedy whites individually, had the
right to call the curse of Naboth upon
this nation of Ahab, whereas he prayed
for us, his white brethren-a deep,
striking commentary on the words of
our Masters prayer, Forgive us our
debts as we forgive our debtors.
"Another thing in which those In
dams excelled. Although most of them
needed an interpreter to speak for them
everyone of them knew the Eng1sn
phrase, 'Inat ALL w lleH LHey iSdChco
the end. of their speech they would
not take ten minutes feeling around
for some place to stop, but would close
by saying That's ALL which was the
most fitting peroration Imaginable
Mrs. Burdette, who attended the con-
vention with her husband. says that
the Christian Indians of the Five Ma
tions have got up fund of $500 to ex-
pend in bringing the unconverted In
dams of those tribes to walk In the
Jesus road" as the Indians phrase
the act of conversion.
The fact that the Baptist denomina-
ton was more solidly knit together IN
this gathering than ever before; that
a great laymen's movement is being
started, and that the example set by
the women's societies of getting out of
debt is being followed by the mems or
ganizations, We're points of interest
concerning this convention, which has
taken the place of the old-time, poor
ly organized Baptist anniversaries"
where there were no accredited dele
gates and but little system.