Arizona republican., 1911-03-28
SERVICES D|STASTEFUL
 ID MEDICINE MAN
DELEGATE OF PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF MISSIONS HAS
 UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
Indian Medicine Man Holds Pow Wow and Orders Indians Not
 to Attend Meeting.

Johh \. steele or Syracuse, New York. the special delegate, has noted
 with surprise and qualification the | eager acceptance accorded by the In-
 dians to the doctrines Of the Chris | tian religion. Rev Steele. who be- fore coming to the Salt River valley. spent some time in Ford Mohave and ! Needles, California has had an all most unrivalled opportunity to ob- serve the progress made by the tribes
 of the southwest, and his reports concerning them have surpassed in every respect the expectations of the home board
 The work which the board of mis- sions inaugurated in Arizona some time ago. similar to that carried on elsewhere. aims to provide teachers and missionaries for the Indians, and to give them every opportunity to learn and follow the precepts of Chis-
 tianity. An eminent divine of the Presbyterian church. who has devoted some time to a study of conditions among the Indians. said >recently: The spread of Christian religion among the Indians will have greater influence to civilize them and bring them from the ways of their bar
 barrie ancestors than any other thing
 The influence of Christ will do for
 them what it has done for the rest of the world-lifting them. broaden
 ing them, and giving them the new
 outlook and understanding of the
 great essentials of right living which will be so necessary to lead them from the darkness which at present surrounds them
 On Sunday. March 12th, Rev Steele
 preached to the Indian congregation
 at Mcdowell, where the work is car
 ried on by Mir. and Mrs. Gibby. two
 able and consecrated missionaries.
 and he speaks of the condition and
 progress of the mission there with
 the higher commendatiOn. Dr. Camp 1 bell, pastor of the Presbyterian church
 in this city. has said that provided
 it proves convenient number of
 the young people of the Christian
 Endeavor of his church will go to
 Mcdowell on the second Sabbath of
 April to attend the Indian services
 there
 It was during his trip to Gila
 Crossing, and while inspecting the
 Indian missions carried on by Mir
 and Mrs. Richards through a vast
 territory of which Gila Crossing is
 the center. that the delegate had the
 most unique experience of his trip.
 To reach the remote villages and towns in which classes had been or
 ganized it was necessary to drive through the mountains and valleys for ten days, holding, during that time. twelve services. There were many discomforts attending such travel, but they did not deter either Rev. Steele, or the two missionaries who accompanies him from reaching the most distant parts of the dis trict The majority of the meetings were held out doors near the Indian tents or huts, and generally in the evening. Speaking of these out door meetings Rev. Steele said: After darkness We used lanterns to light up the meeting place. and the pie ture made by the party of Indians squatting on the ground in the fitful light of the lantern, and the red light of fire, made a scene for the brush of a Rembrandt" At every service there was a good attendance and the dusky pupils of the white mans reli- zion maintained admirable order. such order. in fact, that there has not been a single serious disturbance at any meeting. although at a number inci- dents have occurred which might have been considered disturbing had they happened elsewhere among a more conventional congregation.
 With one exception there has been no protest against the instruction of the Indian in religion. This exception was due to the great antipathy a Maricopa medicine man conceived against the faith which promised to lessen his ancient authority among the tribesmen, and although it was not made unpleasantly. it had the desired effect among the braves and squaws of his village. Rev. Steele | had held services outdoors at this | medicine mans house, and during the | meeting. preaching and singing. the | Indian physician sulked visibly. not | liking the proceeding. Afterward he | gathered his braves around him and | had a grand pow wow in which he | voiced his strong objections against l a continuation of these services. and | commanded them to absent them | selves from future gatherings of the | hihNs -Nol Htt Dtiilb lIct liOilt tiifli ancient fear of his authority and | power over the spirits of darkness | the Indian men and women obeyed, and no more meetings were con ducted in the village This dicta torial and jealous medicine man bears the title of Buffalo Bill" name. which considering his action in pro- hibiting further services. might be considered appropriate by a student Of American slang. This interference | was the only one that occurred dur ing the time of Rev. Steele's extend ed trip. and this spirit of antipathy | will without question be eradicated in short time as the Indians gain a better understanding of the pur- pose the board of missions has in sending Christian teachers among them.
 Laguna will next be visited. and Rev Steele left last evening for that place. where he will prepare a report of the work which has been carried on among the Cocopah and Yuma Indians.