The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-05-05
EARLY NORTH DAKOTA MISSIONARIES
BY Bertha r. Palmer
State Supt. of Public instruction

The word martyr" brings the men.
tai picture Of a thin. severe-faced
prematurely old person with dis
heveled hair and agitated expression
OF tace,-one who has endured great
suffering both physical and mental
but this picture will not fit any Of
the three persons who willingly gave
their lives while still less than 80
years old for the Faith that was in
them. Now. IS years after their
deaths, this northwest country will
gather ut their last resting place to
hold a reveren. Memorial June 20,
1927, for the Walhalla Martyrs and
recall TO this generation their ser.
vice to their country and the religion
Of their Fathers.
Elijah Terry. the young Baptist
missionary, was killed and scalped by
Indians in June, 1852, while cutting
logs to complete building for mis-
sion school; Mrs. Alonzo Bernard.
died Of consumption in October, 1883,
induced BY the hardships Of life as
the wife Of . pioneer Presbyterian
minister; the third is Mrs. Cornelia
Leonard Spencer, wife Of d. B. Spen-
Ger. o Congregationalist. whose fam.
lily came out to the Pembina Country
with the Bernards in the spring Of
1858, and who was shot by Indians
during the night Of Angus; 80, 1854.
Elsewhere in these stories men
tiOn has been made of the influence
Of the pioneer missionaries in the
frontier life of the new country being
rapidly opened up. It i. well in these
days Of general physical comfort and
luxury to recall the sacrifices made
by these God-fearing men and wom-
en-. and the suffering endured that
the command laid upon the Christian
Church 1000 years ago-;o carry the
Gospel into all the world-might be
heard on the undeveloped plains Of
Dakota land. Not only did these
daring souls bring with them the
Christian religion, teaching the prin.
ciples and faith necessary to enter
upon and partake Of the comforts and
joys Of the hereafter; but by estab-
fishing schools, they laid the founda-
ton for the civil development Of the
country and many times the mission
aries stores Of meager possessions
contained the material where-with- all
for carrying on definitely the best
culture of the communities from
which they had come.
The First MelOdeOn
The Bernards and Spencers brought
with them two such articles Of cul-
tural worth which must receive more
than passing mention here. One was
an old.time melodeon which Mr.. Ber-
nard had bought in New York in
1846 and which had accompanied the
family in all their travels. Can we,
today, with orthophonics and radios
to bring to US the very best from the
world Of lecture and music. imagine
the pleasure and spiritual value at
tached to the possession Of melo-
deon in those days of undeveloped
community life! This instrument
was one of the earliest inventions of
its kind. The bellows were worked
with the left elbow instead Of by the
feet. This was doubtless the very
~6vst-musical instrument Of it's kind
brought into the Northwest
The second article Of special inter-
est brought out by this group was a
complete portable printing press. 1t
il Of added interest to know that the
Bernards and Spencers were all four
Oberlin College students. and this
printing press was the gift Of their
colowe friends when the group turn
Cd their faces toward the West to
begin their lives Of service. 1t had
been bought in Cincinnati, and is de-
scribed rs "of unique pattern with
frame and legs Of wrought iron; and
was one Of several that had been
built a. compact - possible, and de-
signed for use on shipboard on trip
around the world" When one re.
calls the amount Of printed matter
today. It is interesting to reflect that
q humble missionary brought into a
vast territory and used in his work.
the crude little wrought iron hand
press which was the first and actual
pioneer Of the multitude Of superior
and complicated presses from which
now constantly issues an ever in
crossing flood Of printed material
Of every sort and description.
Pioneers indeed! But to return to
the Spencers. It will be recalled that
the Spencers shared the sorrow Of
the Bernards in the death Of the wife
and mother. Mrs. Spencer was COM
forter and many times foster mother
to the little Bernards through the
winter months. till Mr.. Bernard took
the children East in the spring to
the care Of relatives in Ohio. He
did not return to the st. Joseph
country till late in the summer when
upon the return trip he stopped at
their former home in Minnesota and
met Mr.. Spel\,er with his now moth
erless children making his sad trip
By OK cart to St. Paul. The story Of
this third tragedy is not an uncom-
mon one in the history Of pioneer