The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-05-23
ChristianiZed Indians.


to the Christian civilization of the American Indian
of the Rocky Mountain States
Evangelistic services are now being held at Lap
wal Idaho. Only two three of the families live
within walking distance of the church. The Indians
are all their farms; some living more than
eighteen miles away They have left their homes
and those having cabins the church in them.
Others in teepees, and two families have hired
empty stores in which to camp. They all near
the dear church, and are enjoying the wonderful
meetings
Into these temporary homes they have welcomed
their friends from distance, and Christian and
heather Indians alike experiencing to the ut
most sweet hospitality In one of the camp homes
where | today there were twelve guests; in
another dinner was ready to be served and there
were at least twenty-five places at the table, and
the host oyfully told that there would be second
table Miss Crawford counted eleven beds in
home, all neatly made up The beautiful hospital
ity of these Indians is lesson to us-the more
guests they have the happier they are. Miss Craw-
ford overheard one of the men say to one OF the
Shoshones who had come from Southern Idaho:
'You don't need to stay all the time where you are;
to my house, we are all glad to see you
The significant fact this year is the large number of
haired heather Indians who have come from
distance and being entertained by the Christians
and are regularly attending the meetings. They say
that ninety Indians have come from Kamiah,
large delegations from Sites and Meadow Creek,
a few Catholic Crows from Montana, and fifteen
from the Umatilla reservation. The railroad fare
from here to Pendleton is fifteen dollars for the
round trip, and one night must be spent in Moscow,
with the necessary hotel bills yet Rev. E. J. Conner
and fourteen of his people came over at their own
charges to enjoy the evangelistic service
The Lapwai session appointed committees for every
detail of the work. as reception, entertainment Eng
lish singing, Idian singing Of the teams the
trustees keep the church in perfect order, the
session has entire charge of the program, and then
there is the Weataks boss door,, or chief
of police. Two years ago this long haired
savage, and up at Kamah I myself saw him, in all
his heather toggery attempt to revive of the old
heather customs. Today he is Christian honoring
his Savior by his daily life and because of his con-
sistent Christian life, the people appointed him Weat-
axis, and how he magnifes his office The first night
he said: 81 here to help the pastors and theeders
and all the people. The mothers must not be
troubled if the babies cry in meeting but if they
want to take them out they perfectly safe
outside Nothing will hurt you, for | am here to
take care of you The spirit of helpfulness, of
ing for the weak and the little Ones character
ICES the Nez Perces
1t is utterly impossible to give any adequate i'm
preston of the meetings. Sabbath night, by actual
count, there were 645 people packed in the church
Crawford and l the only whites. There were
Christian Indians and heather Indians in long hair,
restless boys and girls all listening devoutl, all join
ing heartily in the singing.
1t wonderful sight. The deep earnestneSS
of the preachers, such as James Hayes Mark Arthur
and E. ]. Sonner the manifest presence of the Holy
Spirit and his work in mems hearts, made profound
the heathen The following morning
counted thirty long-hared heather in the congre
CATION and there were others [ did not see. 1t is
unusual to have many heather at a morning
session; generally they come out only at night
The temperance meetings have been wonderful
Mr. John Allen, the oldest elder of Lapwa is presl-
dent of the temperance society," and he has presided
at all the temperance meetings. The recent decision
Of the Supreme Court in ordering closed all the
looms the reservation has brought great JOY to
the Christian Indians. Nearly three years ago the
Court of Appeals decided that the clause in the treaty
excluding for twenty-five years all saloons on the
bounds of the old reservation, unconstitutional,
and Immediately these thiry-five saloons open,
md ever since bitter feeling has existed among the