The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-09
SHELDON JACKSON
GOES TO REWARD
Noted Presbyterian Minister.
Educator and Pathfinder.
Called by Death.
FOUNDER OF WESTMINSTER
COLLEGE in SALT LAKE
Will Long Be Remembered for
His Splendid Work Among
Natives i'm Alaska.

Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson, Prcsby.
terian minister, missionary, educate,
aud Alaskan pathfinder. has gone to his
reward. Belated news of his death
which occurred at Ashevillc, \. c., last
week, reached Salt Lake Saturday.
DR.. jackson was probably the best
known Presbyterian missionary west of
the Mississippi river and had record
Of hftyone years Of magnificent service
in his chosen field. Short of stature
AMI modest in demcauor, DR.. jackson
was easily the most prominent figure in
mission work in the West. He also was
known as 50 Reiudeer;' Jackson. be-
cause Of the fact that he introduced
reindeer into the wilds Of Alaska. the
Introduction of these hardy animals
proving godsend 20 the people of the
frozen north.
DR.. Sheldon Jackson had a most
evcntful and heroic career and was con
sidered one of the greatest leaders the
| cause Of home missions ever had in this
country. He has probably planted new
churches IN more communities. terri
tories and new states than any other
man. The account of the labors and
| hardships through which he passed. the
long and perilous journeys he made in
meeting his preaching appointments,
and the wintry storms in Wisconsin and
| Minnesota 6fty years ago, when rail
roads were scarce, aud of his pioneer
missionary work in the great territories
west of the Missouri river. reads like
thrilling romance. He Travelled on
| Indian ponies. buckboards. and noun
| tain stages, after sleeping on the ground
at night and subjected to all the incon
! venicnces of frontier life. But he al
ways ''got there in some way
Nearing Four-score.
If DR.. Jackson had lived until the
f.! 18th day Of May he would have been
| IS years old, for he was born in Mont
gomery county. New York, in 1884 He
received thorough education, gradu-
ating from Union college, \. Y, in 1855
and from Princeton Theological sem
I mary in 1858 Beginning his mission
AIRY career in Indian Territory. the fol
! lowing year, he was put in charge of
! home mission work In western Wiscon-
sin and southern Minnesota where he
| labored until 1869 In 1868 his pa
trIotic spirit led him to serve in the
army hospitals in Tennessee and Ala
hama and in the Christian commission.
BY this time his signal ability as
home missionary leader caused his ap-
pointment as superintendent Of mis-
sions for northern and western Iowa;
Nebraska and .'tbe regions beyond,
comprising one fourth Of the United
States, with headquarters at Council
! Bluffs. At this time he gave special
attention to the organization of churches
in Nebraska and along the line of the
Union Pacific railway
Y 1. 4 - {r.,
ferred to Denver and he became super
intendent of home mission work in the
great territories Of Colorado, New Mex
leo and Arizona, Wyoming, Montana.
Idaho and Utah, In this region he
planted churches by the score. which
have been the centers of education. mo-
rality and patriotism for nearly forty
wears DR.. Jackson first visited Utah
in the summer of 1869, stopping at
ing previously sent Il Presbyterian min
lister to begin Christian work there. III
the person of the Rev M, Hughes,
whom he assisted r year later Iii or
ganizing Presbyterian church This
was the first church which the Presby.
tcriau denomination organized i'll Utah.
First Visit to Zion.
In July 1871, DIR. Jackson made his
tirSt visit to Salt Lake City. lie saw
at once the Importance of the location
aud arranged for sending the first Pres
bytcrian minister here, namely, the
Rev Josiah Welch. who began his
preaching services the first Sunday IN
October, 1871. On November II, Or.
Jackson assisted him in organizing the
Firs5 Presbyterian church with eleven
members All over this iptermountaln
region this remarkable man was doing
similar important work, laying the ed
ucational. moral and religious founda.
tions of half dozen future. great and
prosperous states Look at the follow
ing illustration OF the tireless energy
hero: During an emergency IN the
church at Corinne he volunteered 10
supply the pulpit four Sundays IN three
months from his home IN Denver. Ana
the records show that from February
3, 1871. to April 23, he made four round
trips of 1900 miles each To keep tb'S
engagement. He was not only. bene'
tian work, but he constantly lifted ny
the claims and merits of these com1hg
states in his stirring public addresses,
and in the weekly paper which he pup
lished, and helped to attract worthy
class of citizens.
In the summer of 1877, a new ms
sionary era in DR.. Jackson IS life be-
gan by his first visit TO Alaska. For
the next six years he continued 10
preach for this needy part of our coun-
fry aud net for some time with severe
criticism for diverting the resources OF
the church TO that useless region; but
he kept st work until he brought the
church and the United States govern
nent over TO his side. About 1854 the
church made him superlnte ndent OF ME
,ions in Alaska, and the government
made him its educational agent: For
more than twenty-fivc years he did this
double work in Alaska, developing tne
salents of statesman and poiitlcal
economist. =,
Through his influence civil govern,
nent was established in Alasha' ana