The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-11-01

1
crops /? When the harvest comes, it
often takes all the money realized
| from the sale Of the crops to gay off
the mortgage, and the Indian is left
with nothing for the winter, and per
haps even worse off than some of his
neighborS who may be lazy and shift
less.
But 1t is very important to re-
mem Der that the real salvation of the
Indian must be from the inside. There
J Is solendid opportunity offered now
| for Christian people to guide the Ind
ian into good citizenship, self respect
and fine excellent character. The
time when the Government let's 90 Of
the Indian and he has TO stand face TO
1 face with modern life and all its prob
! lens and perplexities is moment OF
great opportunity for the Christian
people Of this nation. Now, on the
reservation they are scattering about
| like cotton tails among the bushes
Now is the time TO go after the Indian
and strengthen him by the power OF
the Gospel from. the inside. He was
an individual years ago, and he can be
an individual now. Now is the time
TO get hold of the Indian and steer
him in the right direction.
THE Indian comes with long
strides toward you Christian people,
with his long hair anu his blanket
thrown over his shoulder. He kneelS
to youas he has never knelt TO any
other race in all the ayes. He kneelS
before you and he puts in your HANDS
sacred trust.
/" What will you do with the sacred
trust that he has placed in your keep
ing
MI. Clark told Of various other
speeches that were made at the con-
| ference.
A report on the present conditions
of the N. Y. State Reservation showed
! that the Indians were becoming civil
| lied not Christianized. Unfortunate
| ly there is conflict between Federal
and State authorities. The tribal au-
thorities resist any efforts to make
their authority cease. 1t is difficult
to enforce the children TO attend
school.
Mr.. Clark, having finished the ac-
count OF the Mononk Conference, en-
deavored to show just what civiliza-
tion means to the Indian. He said in
part -
"The Indian civilization means the
overturning of his old Ideals. No ma
| tive community was devoid of social
| organizations The old tribal division
was along lines of kinship. All that
has been done away Win. Old occu
paUions have been wiped out. The
great herds of buffalo are no more,
etc. Under tribal conditions the wo-
man had voice In community life.
| She took part 10 the cultivation OF the
ground, she prepared the skins, she
made baskets, etc. Now she is re-
| legated TO the Kitchen. The native
industry cannot compete with modern
inventions. The Indian when he be-
comes civilized gives up the rites and
ceremonies which were, alas, too of
ten accompanied by debasing prac-
| tices. 1t is slow process for him TO
grass the new modes of living, but he
is doing it with degree of courage
that commands our admiration.
"Of course it is easier for the chill
dren than for the older generation.
| Whenever the environment permits,
l
/ Indian mans work All this has
broadened the Indian s horizon. These
| forward steps have prepared him to
revise his Judgment of Christianity.
! lie is beginning TO distinguish be-
tween true and false Christianity.
1.-The Indians sense Of justice is his
strongest characteristic. The best
hope for the Indian lies in bringing
him into the closest possible relations
with the various religious agencies.
The question is often asked What
need Is there to-day for mission schools
when the Government is doing so
much for the educatiou Of the Indian
The Government has lbs boarding
schools with an attendance of about
20 900 pupils, and $50 day schools with
an attendance of about 5000, But
Government schools do not send out
| Indians trained for Christian work
among their people. The ideals set
before their pupils are along the lines
of morality and self,Support.
Good so far as they go, but they
/ donot go far enough. They do not
meet all the needs OF the Indian.
| Therefore there is great need of
| Christian schools. To cnange the
Indians customs, dress, and manner
| of making a living does not bring
about the desired change in the man
himself. After Government has made
| the best possible conditions, given The
Indian equal opportunities with the
white population, and furnished as
good educational advantages as it
| gives TO other Americans, there is
still the large and most essential work
4 OF Outstanding him remaining to be
done.
Zone Of the great mistakes made In
the past is in thinking that in one
! generation we could boost up the
Indian to where we are after genera
lions of training We must begin at
the bottom and work up slowly. All
/ religious work for the Indian must be
weighed In the light of our treatment
OF them as nation, the awful treat
ment they have received hitherto by
the white race.
+" We hear great deal lately about
the righteousness of the Indian, from
college professors and others. 1t yet
remains that the religion of the North
American Indian is religion without
morality. Theirs is pagan religion,
as much so as any which prevails In
heather lands.
{" 1t is not the bringing of the Indian
into our civilization, that is needed SO
much as the taking to the Indian OF
our civilization as the fruit of the
gospel. We owe him more than ra-
/ lions, education, sanitation and ny.
Qione--W0 are his debtors TO give him