The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-09-21

""'HS .Missiou WOIk among liell
own people, Many of the churches
are SELF supporting.
The various branches of religious
work ne found among the Indians
and at this conference the Y. NJ. C..
A. was Il leading feature. The dele
gates present Indicated that it had
grown to all parts of the northwest.
The y. NJ. c. A. has attracted
many of the Indians to the religious
cause who could not have been Sc
cured in any other way and in the
the coming year great changes arc
expected to take place in the organ
ization. The Indian men give very
literally to this work to send men
to foreign work of this character.
Temperance also had its strong
organizations among tho Indians,
and it was remarkable the great
amount of interest that was display
cd in this branch of the work. 1t
took some time for them to adopt
this part of the religious system,
and it was hard for some of them
TO give up drink, but they have been
impressed throughout their training
of the evil that exists in it, and the
Christian abstains from it to a bet
ter extent than does the white man.
During the conference the stu
dents association held its meetings,
representing a class of Indians who
have been attending some school and
have returned to their people to fur
ther educate them in the religious
work. These are mostly students
from the Santce Normal Training
School, which was founded by DIR.
a. l.. Riggs, and although bent with
age lie attended the conference and
talked to the Indian who have pass
cd under his tutclagc. DR.. Riggs
was the first man to come
among the Sioux Indians, and
through his kindliness and aided by
DR.. Thomas Williamson they laid
the foundation for the development
of the religious instinct among the
Indians.
Their work vas taken up by Dr..
Williamson, who is characterized by
the Indians as their real leader of
the conferences which assemble each
year. DR.. Williamson is now %
years of age is and still engaged in
the harcest work on the reservation,
he has ministered unto the In
dians for the past % years. On
this occasion the Dakota P~resbytery
In recognition of his long and faith
full service presented him with a
solid gold watch and chain, and the
good wife who has stood by him
all these years, vas remembered
with a bible a some gold coins.
In the course of some CT the
speeches that were made by the In
dians they expressed the opinion
lliul luG SONcltlIISlll mas pa lldliS |
stood in the way of their advance
ment, and declared that the gospel
which has been taught them these |
many years has accomplished more
han the officials who reign supreme
them. The Indian speakers as
serted that many government officials
in the way in the advancement
IF the religious work that is being
on, and cited instances of a
very recent date where they were
rot permitted the leave their reser- |
to attend this conference. |
they cite the cases where Indians !
ire permitted by the government to
DC removed from the reservation to
ioin some wild west show, take
hem to foreign countries and ex-
libit them as the wild men Of the
and presumed to be still liv-
in their native state. These re-
igious Indians assert that their a
S being held up in a spectacle that
S not truly representative of their
advancement in the educational and
'eligious world, and they feel that a
great injustice is being wrought in
heir case.
The conference just closed has
,ccn n of the most successful that
las been held in a number Of years. ]
The converted ones are growing in
numbers steadily, and from the
'anks Of their own class are being
educated preachers and leaders to
axe up the religious training of
heir young. Those in close touch
With the religion and work of the
indians assert that they are more
elf-sacrificing and that they will do
more than their white brethren. that
hey are quite devout in their wor-
hip and that they show a deep APP.
recitation of the men who have re-
with them for so many years
md taught them the way in which
live. The presence Of 5000 or