Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/203

Rh considered savages and barbarians sending out a commission of their members who must travel three thousand miles through a wilderness and through the country of their enemies, the Blackfeet, to complete their mission. Sitting in the darkness of Paganism, these children of the forest Send out their messengers to seek the light and truth of Christianity. What a commentary on the uninspired and lifeless professions of Christiamity that expended millions to confound the doctrines of Confucius and Buddha, and gave not a thought to

General Clark himself explained to the Indian messengers the history of man-his creation, the advent of Christ, the moral precepts of the Bible, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the doctrine of his mediatorial service. But the poor Indians could get no teachers to return with them. Two of them died and were buried in St. Louis. One of the surviving messengers is reported to having made a farewell speech to General Clark of which the following is given as a version:

"Our people sent us to get the white man's Book of Heaven. made our feet heavy with the burden of gifts, and our moccasins will grow old carrying them, but the Book is not among them. We are going back over the long, sad trail to our people. When we tell them in our great council after one more snow that we did not bring the Book, no word will be spoken by our old men, nor by our young braves. One by one they will rise up and go out in silence. Our people will die in darkness, and they will go on the long trail to other hunting grounds. to make the way plain. We have no more words farewell."

This speech of the unlettered Indian caught the attention of the United States and stirred the hearts of Christian men as nothing else had ever before. On March 22, 1833, Wilbur Fisk, president of the Wesleyan University. published in the Methodist church paper an address from which the following extract is You have No white man will go with them, and no Book of Heaven taken:

"The appeal of the Flathead Indians to General Clark has excited intense interest. We are for having a mission established among them at once. Let two suitable men possessing the spirit of martyrs, throw themselves into that nation, live with them, learn their language. preach Christ to them and as the way opens, introduce schools. agriculture and the arts of civilized life. Money shall be forthcoming. I will be bondsman for the church. All we want is the men. Who will go?"

From that Indian address, and from the appeal of Dr. Fisk, interest and action was aroused far and wide. Meetings were held everywhere through New York and New England by the Methodists. Congregationalists and Presbyterians. and organizations formed to raise money and equip missionaries: and from that beginning the missionaries were sent to far distant Oregon. The information about Oregon dinned into the ears of the Christian community by Hall Kelley for years had laid the foundation for thoughtful men to act upon; and the appeal of the benighted Indian furnished the impulse, aroused men to action and fired the train.

Not all the missionaries came to Oregon from this cause. Blanchet and Demers came in answer to a petition from the Catholic employees of the Hudson