charge or the society that gave it. The people gave freely and promptly, and seemed to regard it as a great privilege. The amounts thus collected would range from twenty to thirty dollars from each mission. charge. "The Indians are fair singers compared with the white people that have no more culture. They have good voices, and are full of emotion. We had books printed for them with the Indian and English languages on alternate lines or pages. I learned some of their choruses, and would join with them in their native tongue as they sang and made melody in their hearts unto the Lord. I remember some of them yet. The following is a chorus much loved by the Creeks: Hul we minah pe ye koth lese, The English of which is: I am bound for the kingdom, "In our labors among the Indians there was not a great amount of discipline required. When one erred in his course, there was a consciousness plainly visible of unworthiness to remain in the Church. Leaders' meetings were called and delinquents cited to appear. They were not severe in taking account of erring members, but very firm. The defaulting one must make acknowledgment, show penitence, and pledge reformation or be excluded from the Church. "At first the missionaries experienced the greatest difficulty with them in regard to their marital relations. The Indian custom is, if a man and his wife cannot live together in peace, they simply 'agree to disagree,' and each one goes his way. They feel free then to form another alliance. The missionaries endeavored to teach them the sacredness of the marriage relation and to impress upon them the great truth that it could not be dissolved for slight cause." CHAPTER XVI. Sketch of Colaborers-N. M. Talbot-N. T. Shaler-Edward T. Peery-J. T. Peery-Thomas and William JohnsonJerome C. Berryman-Nathan Scarritt-David KinnearA. Millice-Charles Boles-J. H. Slavens. I CANNOT pass from this scene of Mr. Stateler's labors without speaking more particularly of some of the noble characters who were associated with him in the Indian Mission work and whom he held in high esteem to the end of his life. It will be remembered that the Peoria Mission was made up of remnants of various tribes-Peorias, Weahs, and Miamis-who spoke the same language, thus requiring but one interpreter. Rev. N. M. Talbot was very successful in his work among them, a large majority of whom were converted to Christianity. After laboring for twenty-four years in mission work, desiring his family to have the benefits of civilized society, he transferred to the St. Louis Conference, where he labored until the war came on. During the war he served as chaplain in the Confederate Army, in which relation he was very popular and greatly useful. After the war he returned to the itinerant ministry and remained in it until 1872, when the Lord called him home. Rev. Nathan T. Shaler took Mr. Talbot's place among the Peorias. He continued for many years in the mission work, was earnest and faithful, and in strumental in accomplishing great good. He joined the St. Louis Conference, in after life was superannuated, and many years ago went home, departing with a shout of triumph. He was much loved by Brother Stateler. Rev. Edward T. Peery commenced work in the Holston Conference, and was sent in 1832 to the Shawnee Mission, and served in various fields and in different relations. For a time he was Superintendent of the Indian Manual Labor School, and was also presiding elder. He subsequently settled near Kansas City, where he died and was buried in the fall of 1864. He was regarded as a humble, faithful, and useful minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Johnson brothers-Thomas and William-were the pioneers in the mission work and opened the way. They came from Virginia. William labored mostly among the Kaws. He was a missionary in the truest sense of the word, was noted for the sweetness of his spirit, and his early and triumphant death, which occurred at the Manual Labor School in 1842, made a profound impression upon all who knew him, both whites and Indians. Of Thomas Johnson, Rev. W. S. Woodward, in "Annals of Methodism in Missouri," says: "He was born to be a leader and ruler of men, and right well did he fulfill the mission of his life. Of large physique and commanding presence, and with a penetrating eye and a full and pleasant voice, he attracted attention. He pleaded the cause of the Indians before the Mission Board in New York, and made himself felt by the authorities at Washington. His end was tragic. He was living just across the line in Missouri near the close of the Civil War when, at a late hour one night, a company of armed men who were unknown called at the front gate, under pretense of asking directions to Kansas City, which were given. They then asked for water, and Brother Johnson pointed them to the well, told them to help themselves, stepped inside, and closed the door, when they immediately fired a volley, the bullets penetrating the door and killing him almost instantly. Who the assassins were was never ascertained." Rev. Jerome C. Berryman was also among the first to enter this field. He was sent to the Kickapoo Mission and School in 1833, and continued among the Indians until 1846 or 1847. Part of the time he served as Superintendent of the Manual Labor School. He was delegate to the General Conference in 1844, at which time the famous "Plan of Separation" was adopted and the Indian Mission Conference was organized. For a number of years he served as Superintendent of the Indian Mission work, and was evidently the leading spirit in the Conference. His wife died and was buried in the mission burying ground near the Manual Labor School. Left alone with a considerable family to educate, he transferred to the St. Louis Con *Since the above was written a statement has been published to the effect that the murderers were citizens of Jackson County, that their purpose was robbery (as Mr. Johnson was thought to have money to the amount of one thousand dollars in his house at the time), and that most all of them were hunted down by the United States soldiers and slain. ("Methodist Missions in Kansas," page 3.) |