Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-06-04
TribulatiOns of a Great
Missionary to the Indians
Samuel of Vermont Indian Territory Back
III 1925.

Special to The World.
TAHLEQUAH. Okla. June g.
The name OF Worcester recalls not
only the story of the greatest mis-
sionary to the Cherokees, but one of
the most momentOus periods in the
history of this people. The dust of
this eminent minister of the gospel
rests at Park Hill, once the center
of the Cherokee nation west
one hundred years ago. when the
Chcrokees lived east of the Missis-
sippi river. the American board Of
commissioners for foreign missions
sent its first missionary into the ma
ton. He was the Rev Cyrus Kings
bury. who about the year 1910
founded the mission station known in
the annals of the board as Branard
Mission. 1t was in the vicinity or
Missionary Ridge. the scene of ba;-
tie during the days of the great civil
conflict. Following the establish
mcnt of this station there were al
least ten other stations which were
placed in operation within decade.
Th"y were located at various points
I'm the nation. which lay largely with
In the boundaries of Georgia.
Came From Vermont.
1t was to assume charge of one OF
IreSe stations that the Rev. Samuel A.
Worcester. native of Vermont, jour
ncyed to the Cherokee country, and
I'm 1925 took charge of the station at
New Echota. the then capital of the
OLD nation east. As "A missionary of
the American board he was destined
t. spend his life among the Chero-
KEGS to suffer with them during tn.
most tragis period of their history;
to wear, like Paul, the first foreign
missionary chains for conscience
20 lA
laid to rest in the soil of the nation
in whose behalf he spent a laborious
and splendid life.
The ancient ancestral lands of tho
CherCkees were extensive. They were
comprised in the regions in which
now are the states of the Virginias,
the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama
ana Georgia. No other native Ameri-
can people have been as conspicuous
in history as have the Cherokee. We
read of them all through the colonial
period. and soon after the war of the
Revolution we find them receiving
mention. In 1855 they made their
first trcdty-the treaty Of Hopeweli
with the representatives of the
young American republic. First en-
cOuntered by De Soto's expedition IN
1540, often prosecuted. often warred
with by other nations. decimated by
today, more than three hundred ana
seventy-five years after their first en-
counter with men of European blood.
their descendants are yet numerou1
attests the tenacity with which they.
have clung to existence. A bright
page in the history of this old nation
is that which tells the story of the
work Of the missionaries.
Studied Alphabet.
Upon his arrival in the Cherokee
nation in 1925, the Reverend Worces-
ter found that there was a great work
to be done. but he entered upon his
work with zeal and courage In or
der to be better able to reach tnu
full blood Indians. he began the study
of the Cherokee characters, whicl.
had been perfected but a few years
previously by Sequoyah. Having
gained proficiency in the use of these
characters, he decided to give the
Chcrokees the scriptures in their own
language, and with that end in view
iourneyed to Boston. Mass. where 4.
printing press and types We're pro-
cured In his work of translation the
missionary had two valued assistants
in the persons of Elias Boudinot and
the Rev. stephen Foreman. both
Cherokees. who had been educatet
in the east. The entire scripture.
were not translated east Of the Mis-
sissippi. but were completed at Park
li!l some years following the re-
muVal west of the Indians. Tnv
Cherokee hymn and tune book were
also printed in Cherokee and English
Ard there vas the Cherokee almanac
and number OF other publications
While the tasks of translating thu
scriptures and hymn book was Ell
gaSlns the attention of the missionary
ard his helpers other missions wern
being established and placed in op.
GRAFTON at old Brainard Carmel
HlghtoWer, Hawais, Willstown ana
other points. Numbers of men and
women were connected with the
church. the children were receiving
instruction in the various studies,
there were substantial homes. and the
nation had adopted written laws anu
a constitution. The future lookeu
bright but about the beginning of Tn,
thrttes the mi,treatment ana imposi.
tion Of the Georgians began to be un.
bcara5le. Says O historian Of the