Among the Sioux : a story of the Twin Cities and the two Dakotas
Page 5
Solely on account of the barrier of the language, the missionaries and churches among the Dakotas, petitioned the Synod of Minnesota to organize them into a separate presbytery. And the Synod so ordered and
it was so done, September 30, 1867, just twenty three years after the first organization at Lac-qui-Parle. By this order, the limits of the Presbytery of Dakota became the churches and ministers among* the Dakota Indians. It is the only Presbytery in existence, without any geographical boundaries. At present, there are seventeen ordained Indian ministers upon the roll of this presbytery—workmen of whom neither they themselves nor any others have any cause to be ashamed. There are, also, under its care, twenty-eig'ht well-organized churches, aggregating more than fifteen hundred commtmicants, and eight hundred Sabbath-School members. The contributions of these fifteen hundred Dakota Presbyterians in 1904, exceedied the sum of six thousand dollars for all religious purposes.
Among the "Dispersed" of the Sioux nation, in Manitoba, there is one organized Presbyterian church of twenty-five communicant members. It is the church of Beulah and is in connection with the Presbyterian church of Canada.
In all, twenty-one Sioux Indians have been ordained to the Presbyterian ministry, by the Presbytery of Dakota. Of these. Artemas Ehnamane, Titus Icaduze, Joseph Iron Door, and John Baptiste Renville have all passed on, from the beautiful prairies of the Dakotas, to the celestial plains of glory. And how warm must have been their greeting as they passed through the pearly gates of the city, whose builder and maker is God. Gideon Pond, Dr. Williamson, Samuel W. Pond, Stephen R. Riggs and Robert Hopkins, Margaret Williamson, Mary Riggs and Aunt Jane and Qth-
er faithful missionaries and thousands of redeemed Da-kotas,' welcomed them, with glad hozannas, and sweet are the songs they sing as the}- walk together, under the trees, on the banks of the River of Life.
The Dakota Congregational association has under its care thirteen organized churches, with more than one thousand communicants and one thousand Sabbath school members. The prominent leaders of its work are Alfred L. Riggs D.D., of Santee, Nebraska, and Rev. Thomas L. Riggs of Oahe, South Dakota. They arc the worthy sous of their famous father, Stephen R. Riggs, D.D., one of the heroic pioneers in the Dakota work. The native ministers are Francis Frazier, Edwin Phelps, James Garvie, James Wakutamani and Elias Gilbert. This association is a mig'hty factor in God's plan, for the upbuilding of the Dakotas, in the things that are noble and of good report.
The Presbyterian and Congregationalists have wrought together, side by side, for seventy years, in this glorious enterprise. Under their auspices, forty-four churches, many schools and other beneficent organizations are in efficient operation among these former savage dwellers on these plains.
Seven other natives have, also, been ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church, making thirty-three in all, who have served their fellow-tribesmen in the high and holy office of the Christian ministry. There is not a single ordained Romish priest among the Sioux Indians.
'AVatchman, tell us of the night. What its signs of promise are."
Seventy years ago, among the twenty-five thousand Sioux Indians in the United States, there was not a single churcli. not even one professing Christian.
They were all polytheistic pagans. There were signs of pagan worship about every teepee. It might be the medicine sack tied behind the conical wigwam, or a yard of broadcloth, floating from the top of a flagpole as a sacrifice to some deity. There was more or less idol-worship in all their gatherings. One of the simplest forms was the holding of a well-filled pipe at arm's length, with the mouth-piece upward, while the performers said, "O Lord, take a smoke and have mercy on me." In the feasts and dances, the forms were more elaborate. The Sun-dance continued for days of fasting and sacrificial work by the participants.
Now these signs of pagan worship have almost entirely disappeared among the Dakotas. These facts speak volumes—one in eight of the Dakotas is a Presbyterian. There are two-thirds as many Congrega-tionalists, twice as many Episcopalians and twice as many Catholics. More than one-half of the Dakotas have been baptized in the name of the Triune God and thousands of them are professed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now what has wrought this great change among the Dakotas ? It was the power of the Holy Spirit of the Lord, vrorking through the means of grace as employed and applied by these faithful missionaries. They lenoimced heathenism, not because the government so ordered, but because thev found that there was no
Gcxi like Jehovah and Jehovah said, *Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Even those who have not accepted Christ have generally cast away their idols.
Now do missions pay? Do Indian missions pay? Let the grand work among the Dakotas and its glorious results be an all sufficient answer. It does pay a thousand fold.
Hear the Christian tribesmen sing the Hymn of the Sioux.
Lift aloft the starry banner,
Let it wave o'er land and sea; Shout aloud and sing hosanna!
Praise the Lord, who set us free! Here we stand amazed and wonder
Such a happy change to see; The bonds of sin are burst asunder!
Praise the Lord who set us free. Long we lay in darkness pining,
Not a ray of hope had we! Now the Gospel Sun is shining:
Praise the Lord who set us free. In one loud and joyful chorus.
Heart and soul now join will we; Salvation's Sun is shining o'er us!
Praise the Lord who set us free. *
PART II.
SOME SIOUX STORIEHES
Part II
CONTENTS
SOME SIOUX STORIETTES.
I. The Dead Papoose.—The Maiden's Feast.
II. Grand Mother Pond.—Oak Grove Mission.
III. Anpetnzapawin.—A Legend of St Anthony Falls.
IV. Aiinit Jane—^the Red Song Woman. V. Artemas—the Warrior-Preacher.
VI. Two Famous Missions—I^ke Harriet and Prairievill6.
VII. The Prince of Indian Preachers.
VIII. An Indian Patriarch.
IX. John—the Beloved of the Sioux Nation.
X. The Martyrs of Old St. Joe.
THE DEAD PAPOOSE
The Tndian mother, when her child dies, does not believe that swift angels bear it into the glorious sunshine of the spirit-land; but she has a beautiful dream to solace her bereavement. The cruel empty places, which everywhere meet the eye of the weeping white mother, are unknown to her, for to her tender fancy a little spirit-child fills them.
It is not a rare sight to see a pair of elaborate tiny moccasins above a little Indian grave. A mother's fingers have embroidered them, a mother's hand has hung them there, to help the baby's feet over the long rough road that stretches between his father's wigwam and the Great Chief's happy hunting grounds.
Indians believe that a baby's spirit cannot reach the spirit-land until the child, if living, would have been old enough and strong enough to walk. Until that time the little spirit hovers about its mother. And often it grows tired—oh so very tired! So the tendei mother carries a papoose's cradle on her back that the baby spirit may ride and rest when it will. The cradle is filled with the softest feathers, for the spirit rests more comfortably upon soft things—liard things-bruise it—and all the papoose's old toys dangle from the crib, for the dead papoose may love to plav even as the living pipoose did.
THE MAIDENS' FEAST
Of the many peculiar customs of the Indians in the long ago, perhaps the most unique was the annual ''feast of Maidens." One was given at Fort Ellis, Manitoba, some thirty years ago, in a natural amphitheatre, surrounded by groves, fully one thousand feet above the Assiniboine River.
It was observed at a reunion of the Sioux, and of the Assiniboines and the Crees, three friendly tribes.
In his "Indian Boyhood," that brilliant Sioux author, Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman, great-grandson of Cloudman or Man-of-the-sky, that potential friend of the missionaries in pioneer days at Lake Calhoun, graphically describes it thus :�
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"One bright summer morning, while we were still at our meal of jerked buffalo meat, we heard the herald of the Wahpeton band upon his calico pony as he rode round our circle.
''White Eagle's daughter, the maiden Red Star, invites ail the maidens of all the tribes to come and partake of her feast. It will be in tlic \'ahpeton Camp, before the sun reaches the middle of the sky. All pure maidens are invited. Red Star, also, invites the young men to be present, to see that no unworthy maiden should join in the feast."
The herald soon completed the rounds of the different camps, and it was not long before the girls began to gather. It was regarded as a semi-sacred feast.
It would be desecration for any to attend, who was not perfectly virtuous. Hence it was regarded as an opportune time for the young men to satisfy themselves as to who were the virtuous maids of the tribe.
There were apt to be surprises before the end of the day. Any young man was permitted to challenge any maiden, whom he knew to be untrue. But woe to him, who could not prove his case. It meant little short^ of death to the man, who endeavored to disgrace a woman without cause.
From the various camps, the girls came singly or in groups, dressed in bright colored calicoes or in heavily fringed and beaded buckskin. Their smooth cheeks and the center of their glossy hair was touched with Vermillion. All brought with them wooden basins to eat from. Some who came from a considerable distance were mounted upon ponies; a few for company or novelty's sake rode double.
The maidens' circle was formed about a cone-ehaped rock, which stood upon its base. This was painted red. Beside it, two new arrows were lightly stuck into the ground. This is a sort of altar, to ^vhich each maiden comes before taking her assigned place in the circle, and lightly touches first the stone and then the arrows. By this oath, she declares her purity. Whenever a girl approaches the altar there is a stir among* the spectators and sometimes a rude youth would call out; 'Take care! you will overturn the rock or pull out the arrows!"
Immediately behind the maidens' circle is the chaperons' circle. This second circle is almost as interesting to look at as the inner one.
The old women watched every movement of their respective charges with the utmost concern. There was never a more gorgeous assembly of its kind than this one. The day was perfect. The Crees, displaying their characteristic horsemanship, came in groups; the Assiniboines with their curious pompadour well covored with red paint. The various bands of Sioux all carefully observed the traditional peculiarities of dress and behavior.
The whole population of the region had assembled and the maidens came shyly into the circle. During the simple preparatory rites, there was a stir of excitement among a group of Wahpeton Sioux young men. All the maidens glanced nervously toward the scene of the disturbance. Soon a tall youth emerged from the throng of spectators and advanced toward the circle. With a steady step, he passed by the chaperons, and approached the maidens' circle.
At last, he stopped behind a pretty Assiniboine maiden of good family and said:
''I am sorry, but according to custom, you should not be here."
The girl arose in confusion, but she soon recovered her control.
"What do you mean?" she demanded indignantly. ''Three times you have come to court me, but each time I have refused to listen to you. I have turned my back upon you. Twice I was with Washtinna.
She can tell the people that this is true. The third time I had gone for water when you intercepted me and begged me to stop and listen. I refused because I did not know you. My chaperon Makatopawee knows I was gone but a few minutes. I never saw you anywhere else."
The young man was unable to answer this unmistakable statement of facts and it became apparent that he had sought to revenge himself for her repulse.
"Woo! Woo! Carry him out!" was the order of the Chief of the Indian police, and the audacious youth was hurried away into the nearest ravine to be chastised.
The young woman who had thus established her good name returned to the circle and the feast was served. The ''maidens' song" was sung, and four times they danced in a ring around the altar.
Each maid, as she departed, took her oath to remain pure until she should meet her husband.
GRANDMOTHER POND.
Grandmother Pond is one of the rarest spirits, one of the loveliest characters in Minnesota. She is the last living link between the past and the present—between that heroic band of pioneer missionaries who came to Minnesota prior to 1844, ^^^ those who joined the ranks of this glorions missionary sen^ice in more recent years. Her life reads like a romance.
Agnes Carson Johnson Pond is a native of Ohio— born at Greenfield in 1825. She was the daughter of William Johnson, a physician and surgeon of Chilli-cothe, Ohio. By the death of her father she was left an orphan at five years of age. Her mother married a Avorthy minister of the Associate Reformed Presby-ian church, Rev. John McDill. She had superior educational and social advantages and made good use of all her opportunities. She was educated at a seminary at South Hanover, Indiana. There she met her future husband. Robert Hopkins. He, as well as she, v/as in training for service on mission fields. They were married in 1843. He had already been appointed as a missionary teacher for the Sioux Indians. The young wafe was compelled to make her bridal tour in the company of strangers, by boat and stage and private conveyance from Ohio to the then unknown land of the upper Mississippi. It required thirty days then, instead of thirty hours, as now, to pass from Ohio to the Falls of St. Anthony. The bride-groom drove his own team from Galena, Illinois, to Fort Snelling.
(iRA.NDMOTLTKR POM>,
The Last Living A/fember of the Heroic liand of Pioneer Missionaries to the Dakotas, in the 8ist Year of Her Age.
HER HtJSBAND DROWNED.
Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins were first stationed at Lac-qui-Parle. After one year they were transferred to Traverse des Sioux, near the present site of Sf. Peter, Minnesota. Here they gave seven years of the most faithful, devoted, self-sacrificing toil for the lost and degraded savages around them. They built a humble home and established and maintained a mission school. Five children were born to them there. Two of these were early called to the celestial home on high. Their life at Traverse des Sioux was a strenuous, isolated, but a fruitful and happy one. It was destined, however, to a speedy and tragic end.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1851, Mr. Hopkins entered the river for a bath. He was never seen alive again. A treacherous swirl in the water at that point suddenly carried him to his death. His wife waited long the carefully prepared morning meal, but her beloved came not again. He went up through the great flood of waters from arduous service on the banks of the beautiful Minnesota to his glorious rev/ards on the banks of the still more beautiful River of Life.
Broken-hearted, the young wife, only twenty-six years of age, laid him to rest on the banks of the river whose treacherous waves had robbed her of her life companion. Sadly she closed her home in Minnesota and, with her three little fatherless children, returned to her old home in far-distant Ohio.
Rev. Robert Hopkins enjoyed the full confidence of his colleagues and was greatly beloved by the Indians. His untimely death was an irreparable loss to the mission work amonof the Sioux.
/)6 AMONG THE SIOUX.
SFCOND r.RTDAL TOUR TO THE WEST.
Shortly after the tragedy at Traverse des Sioux, Mrs. Sarah Poage Pond, wife of Rev. Gideon H. Pond, died at Oak Grove Mission of consumption. In 1854 ]Jr. Pond visited Ohio, where he and ]Irs. Hopkins were united in marriage. She made a second bridal tcur from Ohio to Minnesota, and toiled by his side till his death in 1S78.
In every relation in life in which she has been placed, Mrs. Pond has excelled. While she long- ago ceased from active service in mission fields, she ever has been, and still is untiring in her efforts to do good to all as she has opportunity. She is strong- and vigorous at the age of eighty. She still resides at the Oak Cirove ]Iission house, her home since 1857, universally beloved and regarded as the best woman in the
world 1)v about one hundred descendants.
John P. Williamson, D. D., Superintendent of Presbterian Sioux Missions. For-tv-five years a missionary to the Sioux.
OAK GROVE MISSION HOUSE.
This old land mark is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, twelve miles southwest of Minneapolis. Here in 1843, Gilbert H. Pond established his headquarters as a missionary to the Sioux Indians. He erected a large log building in which he resided, taught school and preached the gospel. Here, in 1848; the Presbytery of Dakota convened, and ordained Mr. Pond and Robert Hopkins to the Presbyterian ministry. For many years it was the sole source of social, moral, and spiritual light for a wide region for both races. It was also the favorite gathering place of the Indians for sport. In 1852, a great game of ball was played here. Good Road and Grey Iron joined their followers with Cloudman's band of Lake Calhoun in opposition to Little Six and his band from Shakopay. Tw^o hundred and fifty men and boys participated in the game, while two hundred and fift^• others were deeply interested spectators. The game lasted for three days and was won by Cloudman and his allies. Forty-six hundred dollars in ponies, blankets and other such property changed hands on the results.
In 1856, the present commodious residence was e-rected of brick manufactured on the premises. For twenty-one years it was the residence of Rev. Gideon Hollister Pond. He was for twenty .vears, also, pastor of the white Presbyterian church of Oak Grove He was a member of the first territorial legislature: the editor of the "The Dakota Friend" the first re-