The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-10-09
THE ALASKAN MISSIONS.

Some idea of the need of laborers in this vine
yard and of the need, too, of material help IN which
those already there stand, may be gathered from
the following details
The valley of the Yukon and its tributaries,
which is the section under Of the Jesuit mis-
sonaries, contains 1915 square miles, being sec
ond only to the state of Texas In area. In this
vast region there are estimated to be about $4,000
inhabitants. How many of these are Indians 1t IS
impossible to say. The Indians, who live princl-
pally along the coast and the rivers, from which
they derive their food supplies for the most part,
are very docile and simple; and where they have
not come into contact with the whites they are very
free from vice. The missionaries are very hopeful
in consequence. The great obstacle in their work
is found in the opposition of the Russian schls-
MATES on the one hand and of the Protestant mis-
sonaries on the other. Both of these are literally
subsidized by their governments or by missionary
societies. whereas the Catholic missionaries are de-
pendent on aims Indeed, the cry among non
Catholics these times is the conversion, not alone
of Alaska but of the world-a very praiseworthy
ambition and one that they working hard to
accomplish We may wonder at their enthusiasm
and smile at their over-sangune expectations, but
we must admire their generosity. which only last
year contributed nearly $9,000,000 for their for
eign missions. We think we hear the old, we'll
work remark, "Protestants have the money" 1t
might be replied that Catholics also have the mon
ey but are minus the good will to glve-at least
many of the wealthy are, and it may be stated, IN
all truth that from the poor comes our largest sup
port perhaps, because they know what suffering
and poverty mean. There are some generous souls
among the wealthy but the burden of support rests
upon the men and women of ordinary means; not
alone this work for souls but every charity can
testify that the united offerings the mites of the
roor have been the sustaining force. Moreover,
in Alaska the conflicting claims of all three, Cath
ocs Russians and Protestants make it difficult for
the Indl ms to decide where the truth lies. How
ever. here as elsewhere, the courage and dsinter-
estedness of the Fathers and the fact that they
have neither wife nor family, slowly disposing
the Indians in their favor. The grace of God will
do the rest.
Strength of body is needed in the missionaries
who come here" writes one of those actually work
mo Alaska "and steadiness and strength of mind
70 face the difficulties and dangers of this kind of
life"
The further north the missionary goes the
Greater becomes the dangers and difficulties. The
cold is intense during the winter months, mark
ing on an average from 80 to 40 degrees below
zero. and on the coolest days ranging low
60 and 20 degrees The snow, which covers the
low ground and even a good portion of the noun
tain sides during eight months of the year, makes
the earth so soft and swampy that travelling by
land except in the depths of winter agree
able. and then the danger of being frozen to death
is one the missionary must count Travel is by
sledpes drawn by dogs, or in summer by canoes on
tho rivers which are the natural roads of the
try In summer the heat causes rapid growth
of grasses and weeds and these send up swarms
of MOSQUITOES and black flies whose bites are as
onnoving as they are dangerous. The food is of
the nlainest consisting of -four and salt meat for
+be most part with frozen fish thrown in occa-
sionallv. or a wild goose from time to time or the
tail of young whale. Everything is to be done.