The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-11
INDIANS TO.
HONOR SERVICE
OF WHITE Man
Sioux Tribe Will Pay Tribute
To Rev. Ashley of South
Dakota
FRONTIER MISSIONARY

New York, Aag. 1l.-Five thousand
Sioux Indians will do unique honor
to a pale faced brother in the heart
Of the South Dakota prairie on
August 10, when Rev. DR.. Edward
Ashley, friend Of Roosevelt and Gus
ter, of Rain-in-the-Face and Sitting
Bull and the long line of Dakotan
braves who were famous in Indian
warfare, will round out his fifticth
year Of service as missionary
among the Red Men.
DR.. Ashley is the sole survivor OF
the trainers Of the treaty of 1876
which opened the Black Hills coun-
try to gold seekers, stripping the In
dams OF their hunting grounds and
incidently leading to Custer mass
acre at Little Big Horn. Later he
was present on the Cheyenne River
reservation during the Ghost Dance,
or Messiah Craze, which eliminated
in the battle of Wounded Knee.
where the Federal troopers avenged
the slaughter Of Custer and his men.
Still later it fell to his lot to lead to
Christianity Chief Gaul, one Of the
chief participants in the Little Big
Horn affair, of whom he gives testi-
mony that "for the rest of his life
he was conscientious Christian"
As a boy, DR.. Ashley came to Mich
igan from England to practice the
trade of carpenter. But the mission
field attracted him, and within few
months he was on his way to the Da-
kotas where he entered service un-
der the late Bishop Hare. In the en-
suing fifty years his life was spent
among the Indians, counsellfng and
advising them, acting as intermediary
for them in their relations with the
government ut Washington, serving
on their tribal councils, ministering
to them when they were ill., acting
as peace maker, drilling them in the
ways of civilization. He has been
the personal friend and confidant Of
such noted chiefs as White Bear, Bad
Lodge, Drifting Goose, Rain-in-the
Face, Sitting Bull, Dull Knife, Gaul
and others. He has mastered half a
dozen Ipdian dialects, and for his
services in preserving the language of
the Yanktons, Sissetons and other
tribes of the Sioux nation he has re-
ceived the degree of L. L. ID. from
the University of South Dakota.
On the occasion Of the anniversary
which will mark also the meeting Of
the Niobrara Convocation of Chris
ltianixed Indians, of which DR.. Ashley
is the Archdeacon, there will assem-
BILE 5000 Sioux who live under the
Jurisdiction Of Rt. Rev. Hugh L. Bur-
Lesson, Episcopal Bishop of South Da-
kota. From n radius Of five hundred
miles around the Indians will come
to White Horse, which is twenty
miles from the nearest railroad sta
ton. in automobiles, in prairie
schooners, on horseback, or in print
tive conveyance made from tepec
poles; and in the heart of the Great
American Desert will erect city
of tepees, in the centre of which will
Ue tHTOWu Wy All Opcu-uIT tdUcIudClc
and altar.
Here for four days these Christian
Indians will hold daily worship, dis
cuss the business affairs of their
church, make their annual donations
for it's support, consider tribal af-
fairs, and on the final day Of the
Convocation, will give fitting obser.
walton of the half century of service
of the man whose life has been de-
voted to their temporal as we'll as
their spiritual welfare. In large
measure, it will be final meeting OF
the past and the present, for the In.
dian whom DR.. Ashley knew when he
first went among them has passed
on. This will be a meeting of farm
ers and herders, of mechanics ant
shop keepers, even Of bankers ant
wealthy business men, for thes'
Christianized Sioux have finally beer
absorbed into the civilization of tn,
great west. Those who come il
leather leggings, buckskin and feath
cred headpiece will simply emphasiz,
the fact.