The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-20
RACE
NOT DYING OUT

Atlantic City, N. j., Jan. 2O.-The
American Indians as race are not
dying, as SO many people think. On
the contrary, they show this year
slight numerical increase as COM
pared to IL months ago, according
to DR.. E. E. Higley, of Chicago, sup
dams of the Board of Home Missions,
of the Methodist Episcopal church.
DR.. Higley disclosed this condition
in an address today at the annual
meeting in this city of the Home
Mission council Of the church. The
Indian census year ago showed
34O,838 Indians. now they number
340,917.
There is no field Of home mis-
sionary endeavor where the spirit'
and processes of cooperation among
these UNCONVENTIONAL boards and
works is more manifested than in
the field of christian work among
Indians" continued DR.. Higley. Fl.
"The christian missionary work
among Indians, includes study Of
the missionary stations and native
churches, their economic and spirit
ual resources. (2) an estimate of the
Indian schools, both governmental
and mission. their educational stat
US, and the opportunity presented
for unified religious educational
program; ca a survey of the M7
reservatio ns and other communities
where Indians ore to be, found in
any appreciable' number. ~ $. So
There are 10000 Indian boys and;
girls between five and 16 years. OF.
age who are Of school age, about
10000 are enrolled in governments
schools with 10000 in public schools,
and the remaining $4,000 are stiH
without school privileges, In the In-1
dian schools especial emphasis is put
upon agriculture and home econom-
les. In the large non-reservation
schools many trade courses are pro-
vided. The manner in which the In
dian Bureau for the last two years
has worked for the fuller enrolment
of unsch ooled Indian boys and girls,
is matter for favorable comment.
I'm the old days the Indian GEN.
tered everything around his religion,
and his religion entered into every
phase of his life. He cannot under
stand christianity which is not in.
someway related to his physical well
being, to his planting and his har-
vesting. At present health conditions
in many places are deplorable. The
Christian order of the day is for So
cial and community services which
are an expression Of the religion of
Jesus that shall be sufficient for
both worlds, this world and the
world to come That social religion
appeals to the Indian. The modern
program Of the rural church among
Indians is needed for the young peo-
pie coming home from school life.
They do not want to return to their
pagan religions, they know they are
false. The church must plan a more
careful program for Indian endeavor
which will satisfy the religious in
tellect and social desires of the
youth as we'll as the aged. The church
must even use the Indian dialect,
but it must emphasize English
speech in training native leadership.
1.-THE church must discover and
develop a trained and native chris.
tian leadership. The Indian young
people should be encouraged to go
further than the sixth grade COM
monty provided by the government
reservation schools. Educated Indian
farmers and their wives, teachers,
and other professional men and wo-
men, and well-trained Indian mis-
slonary above all. are urgently need.
ed"