Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/146

98 Now when the four Flathead Indians in 1832, traveled over the mountains and plains fifteen hundred miles, to find Captain William Clarke, who had been out here a quarter of a century before, to get "the white man's book of heaven," that fact did not greatly excite Clarke, or the frontiersmen of St. Louis. Old St. Louis was not much celebrated for its piety. The fur traders, and the river men, comprising about the entire population, had no religion of their own worth mentioning; and the forlorn natives returned to their distant homes without the bible and without religious teachers. But the fact of their visit and the purpose of these Indians being published in the religious and other newspapers of the day, reached the eyes and ears of the religious people of New York and New England; and behold the great fire the little spark kindled.

The first public notice of this event that we have been able to find is the letter of Mr. William Walker, agent and interpreter at the Wyandotte Indian mission, printed in the Christian Advocate and Journal of New York, March 1, 1833. Mr. Walker says: "Immediately after we landed in St. Louis, I proceeded to the office of General Clarke, superintendent of Indian affairs, to present our letters of introduction from the secretary of war. While in his office and transacting business with him, he informed me that three chiefs from the Flathead nation, west of the Rocky mountains, were at his house and were sick, and that one, the fourth, had died, a few days ago.

"Never having seen any of these Indians, but often heard of them, I was prompted to step into an adjoining room to see them. I was struck with their appearance. General Clarke related to me the object of their mission, and it is impossible for me to describe my feelings while listening to his narrative. I will relate it briefly: Some white men had passed through their country and witnessed their religious ceremonies that they faithfully performed at stated periods. These men informed them that their mode of worship was wrong and displeasing to the great spirit. They also informed them that the white people away over toward the rising sun had the true mode of worshiping God, and that they had a book containing directions, so that they could hold converse with him; and all who would follow the directions given in this book would enjoy the favor of the great spirit in this life, and after death be received into his country to live forever. Upon receiving this information, the Indians called a great council, and appointed four of their chiefs to go to St, Louis to see their great father, General Clarke, and learn the whole truth about it. And on their arrival. General Clarke being sensible of his responsibility, gave the chiefs a history of man from the creation down to the advent of Christ; explained to them the moral precepts of the Bible; informed them about Jesus of Nazareth, his death, resurrection and ascension, and the relation he bears to man as mediator; and that he would judge all men in the end."

This letter was printed broadcast in the papers of the eastern states, but no mention of it is made in the west. The western people had but little confidence in christian Indians, or making christians out of Indians. But Zion's Herald, Pittsburgh Journal, New York Observer, and other papers gave it large circulation. And on March 9, 1833, Wilbur Fisk, president of the Wesleyan university, issued a proclamation calling upon the Methodists everywhere to rally to the appeal of these Flathead Indians, saying in his address: "We are for having a mission established there at once. I propose the following plan: Let two suitable men, unencumbered with families, and possessing the spirit of the martyrs, throw themselves into the Flathead 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."

In the pursuance of this proclamation of the Methodist university, and the wide extended religious enthusiasm which it aroused Revs. Jason and Daniel Lee, Messrs. Walker and Edwards were sent out by the Methodists in 1834; Rev, Samuel Parker by the Presbyterians in 1835, and Dr. Marcus Whitman, Rev, H. H. Spalding, and William H, Gray, by the Presbyterians, in 1836, Revs. Elk-