The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-15
MARCUS WHITMAN
PIONEERING
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION IN SER.
MON ON LIFE OF GREAT MIS-
sioNARY TO OREGON.


gregational church the pastor. Rev
Dwight s. Bayley preached an inter-
esting sermon on the life of Marcus
Whitman. the pioneer missionary to
OF Jehovah spoken to Joshua. as re-
corded in Josh. 1:4-"From the wilder
ness and this Lebanon, ever unto the
great river. the river Euphrates, all
the land of the Hittites, and unto the
great sea toward the going down of
the sun. shall be your border" Mr..
Bayley spoke in part as follows:
As Joshua stood looking out over
the land of Canaan, meditating upon
the conquest which was so soon TO be
begun. there came to him the divine
assurance that all he could see. and
much which lay beyond his vision.
should be his possession and that of
his people. And many another man
since Joshua's time has stood looking
out over the country. and has been
seized with an irresistible desire to
see what lay beyond the horizon. Thus
men. have left the comforts and con-
veniences of home to penetrate into
unknown parts. some impelled by the
explorers curiosity. some by the de-
sire for wealth or fame. some In be-
half of national expansion. and some
that they might declare to others
their religious faith.
As Joshua was destined to possess
the land even unto the great sea to-
ward the going down Of the sun. that
there his people and their descendants
might develop the true and spiritual
religion. SO il was destined carly in the
nineteenth century that Marcus Whit
man should possess the land unto the
great sea toward the going down of
the sum-. where his people andl their
Christian civilization.
His Boyhood.
Born at Rushville. n. r.. in 1902. he
was orphaned before reaching the age
of eight. and was compelled to shoul-
der part of the burden OF the family
support. and thus developed self
reliance and purposefulness which in
later years formed an important ele-
mcnt i'm his character. At the age OF
II he was converted and joined the
Congregational church of Rushyille. He
planned TO enter the ministry; but
later. on account OF a physical defect
in himself, decided to study medicine.
This he did, and after graduation
practiced four years in Canada, after
which he returned to his home and
entered the lumber business in COM
pany with his brother. II seems pos
sible that he might have remained in
this businss indefinitely. had II not
been for an incident which occurred In
st. Louis.
Four Indians of the Flathead and
Neg Perez tribes. having heard from
visiting explorers in the Oregon coun-
try of the white mans Supreme Being
and the Book which told of Him,
journeyed 5000 miles over the lonely
prairies and mountains to st. Louis
in search OF further information and
light Arrived there. they found
General Clark. the superintendent OF
Indian affairs for the northwest. who
entertained them according to the gem
orally accepted standards of social
entertainment. but he game them no
light and no Bible. Two of them died
there. and soon the other two turned
their faces westward Before going.
given in their honor, made the follow
ing notable speech:
Remarkable Indian Speech.
I came to you over trail of many
moons from the setting sun. You were
the friend of my fathers. who have all /
gone the long way. l came with one
eye partly opened, for more light for /
my IN cit In Il let.p I
back with both eyes closed How can /
! go back blind to my blind people: /
/ made my way To YOU with strong /
arms, through many enemies and /
strange lands, that l might carry back /
much to them. l go back with both /
arms broken and empty. The two .
fathers who came with me-the braves t
of many wars and winters-we leave T
asleep here by your great water. They
We're tired in many moons and their
wore out Ny people sent +
me to get the white mans Book of /
Heaven. You took me to where YOU /
allow your women 10 dance. as we do .
not ours. and the Book was Eot there t
You took me where they worship the /
Great Spirit With candles. and the /
Book was not there. You showed me
the images of good spirits and pictures /
of the good land beyond. but the Book 4
was not among them. | am going back 1
the long. said trail To my people of /
the dark land. You make my feet
heavy with the burden of gifts. and
my moccasins viii grow old in carry
ing them. but the Book is not among
them. When l tell my poor blind
people, after one more snow. in the
big council. that l did not bring the
Book, no word will be spoken by our
Did men or by our young braves. One
by one they will rise up and go out
In silence. Ny people viii die in
darkness. and they viii 60 on the long
path to the other hunting grounds. Ne
white man win go with them and no
white mans book. to make the way
plain. l have no more words
This pathetic appeal resulted very
soon. in the year 1884. in the sending
Of three missionaries by the Methodist
conference, and two by the
American board of commissioners for
foreign missions. OF the latter. DIR.
Marcus Whitman was enc, Their
was heraided. SO that they
We're met on the east side of the Rocky