The Dolores star., 1922-09-29

and from the annual rendezvous in the Green II
River valley, or in Perres Hole under the Tetons /
Four braves volunteered to carry the request for
Blackrobes TO St Louis. There were Blackrobes
at this outpost of civilization. Their presence
there IS story in itself The restoration of the
Society of Jesus in 1914 after Il years suppress
sion, found few old Jesuit priests at Whtemarsh
Md. who had established there the first noyitate
in the United States. In 1923 an offer Of land at
st. Louis was made them. Twelve set out for
St Louis April II, 1923. They walked all the way
carrying their goods in wagons. Among them was
young De Smet, who had come from Belgium in
ISL at the age of twenty. In 1927 he was or
dained priest. In 1881 the Missouri mission was
made Independent. In 1884 the petition of the
Second Provincial council at Baltimore that the
Indian Roman Catholic missions of the United
States be confined to the Society of Jesus was
granted at Rome. Thus the JesuIts entered upon
virgin field of labor of more than half the area
of the United States
The four Flatheads Joined the 1881 return
train of William l. Sublette, one of the famous
Rocky Mountain Fur companys traders and
reached st. Louis October l. They presented their
petition to Bishop Rosati. Two of the Indians fell
III. They died and were buried in the Roman
Catholic cemetery. The two survivors left St
Louis the following spring, but never reached
home. They may be the Indians George Cat
lin painted-Nos. 2o7 and 20s in his gallery of
Indian paintings.
This unique request from the Flatheads gained
nationwide publicity A sympathetic account was
published in the Christian Advocate. In 1888 an
editorial in the Christian Advocate pronounced IL
call to the Christian conscience of the world
and eXhorted the Protestant churches to take it
up in earnest. In those days, the East the name
Flathead included all the tribes in the vast area
from Montana to the mouth of the Columbia and
northward into Canada
The MethOdists raised funds and in 1894 started
a missionary expedition under the leadership of
Jason Lee of Canada. The party kept on past
the Bitter Root country and began operations near
the mouth of the Columbia.
The Presbyterians in 1895 sent Marcus Whitman
10 Oregon. He returned, reported, and in 1896
went back with his wife and party to begin his
labors at Waiilatpu among the Cayuses
Thus the net result of the first Flathead expe
diton to st, Louis for Blackrobes in Montana was
Protestant missionaries in Oregon
The Flatheads of Montana tried second time
to get Blackrobe. In 1885 Old Ignace with his
sons Charles and Francis went to st. Louis and
returned the following spring with the promise
that Blackrobe would be sent in time
In 1887 the Fatheads started their third deputa-
ton. In consisted of Old Ignace three Flatbeads
and Nez Perce. All massacred by Sioux
route to ST. Louis.
Not in the least disheartened by these three
failures, the Flatheads sent to st Louis n fourth
time. The two petitioners, Young Ignace and
Pierre Gaucer, Travelled safely by canoe down the
Yellowstone and Missouri and arrived October 81
1889. Bishop Rosati promised them Blackrobe
the following spring. Gaucher Immediately set
ont with the good news. He arrived in the Bitter
Root valley early in the spring-a most remark
able journey.
Father De Smet volunteered for the arduous
mission. At Westport (Kansas City, he Joined
the 1910 expedition of the American Fur company
to the Green River rendezvous. There De Smet
found Gaucher and ten Fatheads to meet him
They went to Pierre's Hole, where were encamped
the main body of the Flatheads. who had come
800 miles to meet him. together with bands of Nez
Perces Pend dOreilles and Kalispes-about 16OO
in all. He baptized and instructed postponed his
visit to the Bitter Root and reached ST. Louis by
way of the Jefferson and Missouri rivers Decem-
ber 81. 1910.
He was then Informed that there were no funds
for the promised expedition. So he went and
raised funds. The spring of 1s41 found him on
the Oregon Trail accompanied by two priests and