Spokane County, Washington - Chapter 7: Missiox.\rv Work .\monc. the Spok.\nes, 1900

As already stated, the first missionaries among the Spokanes were Revs. Elkanah Walker and Gushing Eells and their wives. We shall endeavor to avoid repeating facts, but rather to follow the development of missionary labors from the beginning up to the present time. These missionaries pitched their tents at Tshimakain. Walker's Prairie. March 20, 1839. They had begun to stud_\- the language during the winter at the Whitman mission, but their progress was slow, and their knowledge of it very imperfect. The Spokane language has been pronounced "harsh and gutteral." One person on hearing it said, "It makes me think of persons husking corn." "In this respect," says Dr. M. Eells, "it is very unlike the adjoining Xez Perce language, which is soft and musical." The missionaries established a school at Tshimakain in which the Indians for a time were especially interested. .\ large amount of time had to be de\oted to mainial labor. A garden had to be cultivated with the roughest kind of a home-made plow. They planted wheat. potatoes and corn the first year, but the latter was frost killed on August i8th. Religious instruction was imparted through an interpreter. One of the brightest Indians would be selected to whom the lesson would be explained in advance and he wonld reliearse what tlie missionary would say in pu1)hc wurship. Dr. Eells gives account of their work in the Missionary Herald. 1840, page 437.

"Taking this place as the center of a circle Avhose radius shall not exceed sixty miles, it will include a population of nearly two thousand souls, nine-tenths of whom rarelw if ever, leave the ahove specified ground fur any length of time unless it be for two or three weeks in the sjiring. There are five or six bands, each of which has certain lands which they claim as theirs, and where they pass a portion of each year. So far as I can learn they are somewhat regular in their removings. In this respect, let last year be a fair specimen. We shall have no great difficulty at alnmst any time, in knowing where to find a good collection. In April a large number gathered on one plain to gather a root called popo.

;\Iav they returned U< this place and after remaining about three weeks rem(j\-ed ti_> a large camass plain about ten miles from us. The camass is their most substantial root. It remains good from May to the following March. In June salmon beghi to g(j up the Spokane river, which passes within six miles of our house. At first a barrier was constructed near some falls, ten miles from this place and ])erhaps fifteen miles from the camass grounds. .\t that place salmon were taken only during liigh water, and then not in large (|uantities. as the barrier extended only part way across the river. While the men and boys were employed at the salmon, the women were digging and preparing camass, and daily, horses passed between the two places loaded b(ith ways, so that all could share in both kinds of food. As the water fell another liarrier was Iniilt farther down, extending across the entire river: and whencomi)leted men. women and children made m general move to the place. If I judge correctly I saw there at one time near two thousand per- ;sons. and the number was rapidly increasing. From four to eieht hundred salmon were taken in a day. weighing \ariouslv from ten to forty pounds apiece. When they ceased to take the salmon, about tlie first of August, they returned to the camass ground, where they remained till October, and then began to make preparatifins to take the jjoor salmon as they went down the river. During this month they were very much scattered, though not very remc^te from each other. In November they went to their wintering j)laces.

"From March to November our congregations varied from thirty to one hundred, not more than one-half of them usually remained with us (luring the week. They often came ten. fifteen and somtiiues thirty miles on Saturday and returned on Monday. Since No- \eml)er nearly two hundred have remained with us almost constantly. In addition to these just mentioned there ha\-e been frequent visitors from neighlioring trilies, coming in \'arious numbers from three or four to sixty at a time. They usually spend one or two weeks and then return.

"We ha\-e habitually conducted worship with them morning and evening, when we read a portion of Scripture, and, so far as we are able, explain it, sing, and pray. On the Sabliath we have three services. While the weather continues warm, the place for worship was under some pine-trees: but as it became cold, a house was i)repared entirely by the people, expressly for worship. It resembles somewhat in form the roof of a house in New England, making the angle at the top much smaller than that of most modern houses. The frame is made of poles four or five inches in diameter, and covered with rush mats. Mo.st of the Indian houses here are in the same way.

"For want of a thorough accpiaintance with the language much of the instruction communicated has related to Scripture history, though I think we have not failed to give them some correct ideas respecting the character of God. the fallen state of man. the doctrine of the atonement and regeneration, and the ne- cessity of repentance and faith in Christ to secure salvation. It is strictly true that they must have 'Hne for hue' ; every new idea must lie repeated many times. The nearer our teaciiing approaches to Sabbath-school instruction, appropriate for small children, the better it is understood. This people are slow to believe that the religion we teach is to extend farther than the external conduct. They wish to believe that to abstain from gross sin and to attend to a form of worship is all that is necessary to fit them for heaven.

"There has usually been good attention during- the time of worship. At first the appearance seemed to indicate a desire to hear something new. Of late I ha\e perceived what I thought to be a little change, approximating toward a disposition to listen as to an important truth, though I am oljliged to say as yet the word seems to fall powerless, producing no deep or permanent effect upon the inward man. I have not been able to learn that thev ha\-e any realizing sense of the t)dious nature of sin, or of moral obligation. During the last week in November a school was opened. At first it was composed of little more than thirty members, but has been gradually increasing so that it now numbers more than eighty. The attendance is very regular. The schoolhouse and house for worship are the same. Progress in teaching must necessarily be slow till a better knowledge of the language shall ' be obtained and books prepared. As yet all the printing has been done with the pen."'*

Next year Dr. Eells writes: "During the past winter nearly two hundred and fifty Indians have been encamped by us. As lias been usual since we first came here, so

*" Respecting the Indian character I will only say that I think a minister on his tirst acquaintance' with them will be inclined to judge quite too favorably, and give an extravagant account of their readiness to receive the gospel. That error has been committed in this respect is very evident, but it should not be thought strange; for so great is the danger of being deceived that I am almost afraid to say anything on this point, even after being among them for over a year." - Pn 94- 98, Father F.ell's Life.

now there is good external attention to religious worship. If we judge correctly there has been a marked increase in the knowledge of divine truth. This is especially true of the chief mentioned in the Herald b_\' the name of Big Head. It has been a rather general impression among the i)est informed Indians that thieves, gamblers. Sabbath-breakers, and such like will go to a place of misery when they die, but that such as are not guilty of open vices, and attend to a form of worship will go above. \\'e have labored much to correct this and kindred errors, and unless we greatly mistake, our la1)or has not been in vain. The language of the chief is: "I formerly thought my heart was good. I)ut I n(jw see it is not." Resjiecting the wickedness of the heart his expressions are at times forcible. He says to his people: are full of all manner of wickedness - are covered up in our sins. They hold us like strong chords. One thing must be done. Our hearts must be changed or we shall go below wlien we die." Some are respectful and attentive to our instructions, evidently with the hope of obtaining from us some pecuniary reward. "The school has been taugiit fourteen weeks. It commenced the last of November. The whole number of pupils who have attended has not \aried much from seventy, though the average number. I think, has Ijeen about fifty. As was expected, novelty liad its. influence in causing some to attend for a time who ha\e since fallen off. A few of the older members have been necessarily absent so much that they have fallen behind those much _\-ounger than themselves, and, as I suppose on account of shame, have ceased to attend. The manifest interest in the school, both among the parents and children, is as great as can reasonaljly be expected. Instruction has been given in reading, spelling, arithmetic, and music. The proficiency generally made by the schotjl has been quite satisfactory to the teachers. I have been agreeably surprised at the readiness with which correct answers have

During the first year Air. Eells traveled about sixteen hundred miles on horseback in the prosecution (.>t his missionary labors. During the second year the number attending the school reduced materially. 1 he winter of 1846-47 was a very severe one. Mrs. Eells writes. "The past winter has been the most severe in the memory of the oldest Indians. The snow began t(j fall about the middle of November ; about the middle of December it was not far from two feet deep and it cnntinued to increase to the first of March. For more than five months the earth was clothed in a robe of white ; for more than three mcjnths we were literal]}' buried in snow ; all the west side of our house was banked to the roof and would have been dark only that the snow was shoveled from the windows.

"Our meeting house was not opened from the 17th of January till the last Sabbath in March, and then Mr. Eells went on snowshoes. Several Indians went tn wurship on the first Sabbath of April, but Mr. Eells went on horseback ; sometimes it was so cold that the air cut like a knife and about the first of March we could not keep ourselves cnmfnrtable. From the middle of December until some time in April, men, women and children traveled on snow shoes outside of the every day beaten path. The extent of Mr. Eell's and Mr. Walker's traveling was to the Indian lodges and about a quarter of a mile to feed the horses and cattle ; it was only by unwearied labor and greatest ecimomy in feeding that enough of our cattle and horses were saved for present use. Only one horse has died, but we ha\e lost tweh'e cattle. We have, however, had an abundance of the necessaries of life, and more of its lu.xuries than has sometimes fallen ti) our lot." During this winter nearly all the horses and cattle both of the Indians and Hudson's Bay Company died, the latter saving but three out of two hundred and seventy horses. We have already referred to the departure of these missionaries after the Whitman massacre. Messrs. Walker and Eells' desire and purpose to return was so strong that they did not formally sever their connection with the American Board for fi\-e years. Some of the Spokane Indians came to Oregon City in 185 1, to olitain teachers. The mission had not been a great success as far as visible results were concerned, but faithful work had been done, accompanied by sincere praver for God's blessing. The conservativeness of the missionaries was probably one reason why a church had not been organized and some of the Indians made members of the visible church. Subsequent evidences show that there were some among them who were reall_\- converted. After the departure of the nussionaries. some of them assumed leadership as religious teachers, and Sabbath worship and daily worship were conducted in their lodges. Travelers going through the country after the discovery of the Colville mines, testify that they found [jraying men among the Sjiokanes. Major P. Lugenbeel, who had command of United States fort Cohille, and acted as Indian agent, said in 1861 to Mr. Eells, "Those Indians of yours are the best Indians I ever saw. I wish you would go ijack and resume missionary operations among them." Mr. Eells came to Walla Walla in i860. He improx'ed the first opportunity to \-isit Tshimakain. which was in 1862. He spent a Sabljath on the old mission ground antl a large number came from many miles to see and hear him. He was gratified bv finding evidence that his work had not been in vain and that many of the Indians had exjieiienced the saving power of the truth and power of God. To follow the development of Protestant missionary operations among the Spokane Indians brings the name of Rev. Henry Harmon Spalding prominent. His work and that of Rev. H. T. Cowley seems to be the connecting link between foreign and home missionarv work in this country.

Mr. Spalding and his wife, as already stated, crossed the mountains the same time as Dr. and Mrs. Whitman. The journey is justly ce'ebratetl in history as the first ever made by white women across the Rocky mountains. "This alone was sufficient to make the name of Mrs. \Vhitman and Mrs. Spalding historic." Himes. Mv. Cowley, in an article in the Spokesman Review, says :

"In the midst of the wildest rumors, a deleo-ation of three Sixikanes made a visit in the spring of 1873 to the Lapwai agency and entreated Rev. H. H. Spalding, the veteran Nez Perce missionary, to make a preaching tour in the Spokane country, as the natives were again hungering fur instruction. Although old and feeble, and surroun'ded with many perplexities in his own field, he complied, and the month he sj-ent in the Indian camps ;it the root grounds and fisheries distinctly allayed the excitement and reassured the scattered settlers. This response of Mr. Spalding's to the entreaties of the Spokanes was only a half loaf, measured by their eager desires for intelligence, but it produced a lasting impression ui)on their susceptible minds. He returned to Lai>wai in the beat of the July sun, in great bodily exhaustion, promising to make them a visit the following season. But he had made his last effort for the welfare of the red man. and in the summer of 1874 he passed to his final rest."

Dr. Eells testifies that Mr. Spalding baptized two hundred and fifty-three Spokanes at this time. Rev. H. T. Cowley came as an independent missionary among the S])okanes in October, 1874. He did some teaching and preacliing near his present home in a log biuld- Lng erected by the Indians on Enoch's land and a few rods south of the N. P. depot. But the principal Indian nfission was estalilished near Deep Creek, where the Indians erectetl a log building 20x30 feet, but not a very comfiirtable place to spend the winter. Mr. Cowley continued his labors until the spring of 187S. The Indians had no special care from this time to 1S82. On July 23, 1882, Rev. Dcffenbaugh, missionary of the Presbyterian Board among the Nez Perces. \isite(l tlie Spokane Indians. .-\t Chief Lot's camp fMi the Little Spokane reservation, about fifty miles northeast of Spokane, he reorganized the Indian church. There were foimd to be sixty-four members of the Deep Creek church. During a series of meetings, the records state that thirty-five backsliders were reclaimed. - At this time a licentiate was left in charge, an Indian educated by Miss Maclieth. Nez Perce mission, named Enoch Pond. He was succeeded by an Indian named S. H. Whitman. The Indians built a ciiurch of logs, covering it with weatherboards. 25x40 feet. Chief Lot put into the buildings twenty dollars and twenty-seven cayuses out of his income of ninety-six dollars a year. After a few vears of experience with Indian preachers the chief re<|uesled that a white preacher be sent them. On October 25, 1894, a lady found her way alone to the Indians. She was Miss I'dlen W. Clark a native of Kensington, Quebec. .Vfter teaching for several years and jnirsuing a special course of study at the Moody school. Northfield. Massachusetts, she decided to devote her life to labor among tlie Indians. Hearing of the Spokanes as neglected and desiring a teacher, slie found her way to them and started at first an independent school at Chief Lot's camp which was soon adople'l l)y the Woman's National Indian Association. Being an energetic and capable woman she did effective work. The enrollment at the school reached as high as eighty. Miss Clark left this field last summer and went to the Neah Bay reservation. There are two Indian churches and l)uildings, one at Lot's camp known as W'ellpennit, the other at the river near the agency. They are connected with the Spokane agency. The writer agrees with some others who have written on the suljject that these upper Spokanes have not been treated by the go\ernment as well as they deserve. There are now about fi\'e hundred oi them on the Little Spokane reservation. Rev. Robert Gow, a late missionary among them, testified thus, "The Indians here morally are superior .to those of other tribes tliat I ha\e seen. Compared with the white people their morality in some respects is also superior. They are. I should say. so far as their knowledge goes as moral as any of us. There is not much drunkenness, they do not steal, they keep the Sabbath as well as they know how. If you were here some Sabbath (lav, either \\hen celebrating the Lord's Supper, or upon any ordinary Sabbath, and see the interest manifested, the order and decency of the meeting, and hear the prayers, and see the tears as one after another rises and tells of sins committed and sorrows of heart, you would not ask for further evidence whether missionary work had been in vain." Some of these Indians prove themselves genuine Christians. They have the gift of public prayer to a remarkable degree. Miss Clark testified to the writer that .she believed Chief Lot and Enoch and Abraham as good Christians as she ever knew. Thomas Geary, the interpreter, one of Mr. Cowley's scholars, is spoken of as a man of real Christian character.

Re\-. D. D. Allen and wife are at present^ the Presbyterian missionaries on the Little Spokane reservation, and in a letter from W'ell- ])innit mission, dated January 0, 1900, writes: ".After the \Vellpinnit church had been organized, a log church building was erected, about 1 7x20 feet. It was afterwards extended to 34 feet. The congregations increased until this was not sufficient. .Xccordingly work was commenced on a new church building 30x40 feet, during the past summer. The Indians became very much interested in the new building, and subscribed nearly six hundred dollars for the work, besides doing all the hauling, and ])erhaps nearly one hundred dollars worth of work on the building. The Indians have been nearlv all settled on farms which they cultix-ate, and ha\-e liecomc almost entirely selfsupjiorting. They are a peacable. industrious class of Indians. The church work is in quite a prosperous conditirjn. The new church is filled nearly e\ery Sabbath. The church was beautifully decorated on Christmas, and a very pleasant entertainment was given that night, unfler the management of ]\Irs. D. D. .\llen. The young men ;ui(l women took great delight in being able to carry all the parts in the songs. Communion ser\'ices were held on Sabbath,

Friday morning and closed on Monday night with a young people's meeting. The church was packed at almost every ser\'ice. The Inilian ushers went aliout their work with as deft a hand as could be done in any white church. The Spirit of the Lord was truly present. During the i)rogress of the meetings fifty-seven persons came Ijefore the session - some to learn whether the offenses which they had committed would debar them from the Lord's Supper, which they regard as a great privilege. There were twenty-four accessions to the church.

"Chief Lot said, he spent the first twelve years of his life without any clothing. When a treaty was entered into l)etween the government and the Indians, Chief Lot chose, instead of an annuity, churches and schools. He wants his people to be educated that they may be all the same as the white people."

"Lot, chief of the Spokanes. was so named by Rev. Eells, who established a Protestant mission church at what is now known as Walker's Prairie, forty miles north of Spokane. Lot is by far the most respected of any of the chiefs amongst all the trbes of Indians in the Northwest. During the Indian troubles, he took the Rev. Mr. Eells from Walker's Prairie to Walla Walla with a trusted band of Indians, traveling by night and sleeping by day for fear of meeting hostiles. Lot was one of the band of chiefs wlio went to Washington, composed of Moses. Tomasket, and himself, to make a treaty for the cession of part of the lands from the Indians to the public domain. Fred Sherwood acted as interpreter. Aloses, as the great war-chief, was first interviewed. He asked for a thousand dollars a year annuity ( which he still receives), and annuities for his tribe. Tomasket asked for a school house and mills for his people, but Lot asked for a church and a schoolhouse tiiat his young people might be taught the ways of the whites and the Christian religion as taught by ^lissionary Eells.

"There are several interesting reminiscences about Lot while I was agent of the Colville reservation. Tlie first Indian court was appointed Ijy me. consisting of Whistle Poosom (Lot), Sharchjiickin (Cornelus), and Red Bones, as judges. I will say that no court ever administered justice more impartially than that court. One day at the agency an Indian policeman came in with a prisoner who was the chief's son.

"I asked the young man what was the tniuble and he said he had been accused of stealing another's wife, but that the accusation was false. He said his fatlier was coming down the following day to try him. I told the policeman to turn the young man loose, when the prisoner said. no. his father had ordered him to be put in jail, and his father's orders must be obeyed and he wanted t<j go to jail. I told the policeman to put him in jail, where iie remained till the next day. when his father, with two hundred of the tribe, came down to the trial.

"Upon hearing t he evidence the court found the prisoner not guilty, the accusation having been brought about by idle talk. Lot. on that occasion, after his son was declared not guilty, macle the following address to his peiiple : "I am the chief : you are my people, you are my children. When you do wrong, it makes my heart sick ; when you do good it makes my heart glad. But this boy is closer to me than all of you. He is my blood, my flesh, my child. When he does ba^l. my lieart is very sad. when he does good my heart is glad. But Washington (the Government) placed me here as judge, and I forget tliat 1 am a father, 1 forget that he is my blood ; all that I want to do is to do right and see that justice is carried out and the guilty punished.' "

We are indebted for this interesting sketch to the courtesy of Major R. D. Gwydir, ex-Indian agent of Colville reservation, whohas given us the privilege of the perusal of his unpublisiied manuscripts.

The extraordinary work which Rev. II. H. Spalding did among the Spokane Indians makes it fitting to give a sketch of his eventful life in this history. His life has been published tiuring the last year in tlie Whitman College Quarterly, written by Rev. Myron Eells. 1). L).. the Indian missionary at Skokomish. We deem it advisable to give more space to deceased prominent persons than to those living.

Rev. H. li. Spalding was born on November 2(>. 1803, at Prattsb'.irg, New York. Being left an orphan in infancy, he was reared in a stranger's house, but was treated with tender care. His educational advantages till early manhood must have been meagre, for he was of age when he entered Franklin Academy in his nati\e town, where he became a member of the Presbyterian church. He worked his way through the academy and college. His collegiate studies were pursued at Hamilton College. New York, and Western Reserve College. Hudson, Ohio, graduating in 1833. In October, of the same year, he united in marriage with Miss Elizahetli Hart, a native of Berlin. Connecticut, a bright and consecrated woman. They removed to Cincinnati, where Mr. Spalding continued his studiesin Lane Theological Seminary. They were appointed by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions as- missionaries to the Osage Indians. After they had started in a sleigh over the deep snows of western New York, they were overtaken l\v Dr. Whitman. The result was a change of plans and a decision on their part to go to Oregon.

Airs. Spalding's health was such as to make the journey a great hardship. But her pluck and patience, fortitude and faith proved to be phenomenal and with her subsequent life of missionary labors, though l^rief. give her a place among the world's heroines. They reached their destination in due time. Before the end of the year 1836 they had established a mission at Lapwai. In August, 1837, Mr. Spalding made a trip to Fort Colville and preached near- Iv every night on his way. He came in contact with the Spokane Indians and preached to them on this journey. His mission during the first year was a wonderful success. In the latter part of 1838 there was an exciting revival among the Indians. In May, 1839, was brought to this region the first printing press with some type and paper. It was brought from Honolulu by Mr. E. O. Hall. On this press was done the first printing on the Pacific coast, which was an eight-page pamphlet in the Xez Perce language. .-\s early as 1845 Mr. Spalding had begun the translation of Genesis. In the same year a sawnnll began operations. The work was continued at Lapwai under fluctuating circumstances of encouragement and discouragement until the Whitman massacre brought it to a .sudden close. Like the other missionaries, he had to leave his

Held and go to the Willamette valley. He made his home at Calapooya, near ihe present Browns\ille, until he returned to his work among the Indians. Mrs. Spalding died in Oregon in 1 851. It was found that about onethird of the three thousand Nez Perce Indians continued the practice of family or public worship during his absence. Mr. Spalding was not able to resume his work until 1866 and not permanently till 1871. His last years of labor among the Nez Perces were fruitful ones. There was a great revival of religion among them. "He baptized six hundred and ninetyfour Nez Perces and two hundred and fiftythree Spokanes. A chief of the Umatillas visited Mr. Spalding to receive baptism on his deathbed." - Fells. "Very peacefully and quietly without one struggle or moan he fell asleep in Jesus August 3, 1871, at the age of nearly seventy-one, and was buried at the missif>n cemetery at Lapwai."

Savs the Oregonian of .\ugust 22. 1874, in regard to Air. Spalding: "He has been a noble, self-sacrificing laborer for the elevation of the Indians. Perhaps it is to his influence more than to any other single cause, that the Nez Perces are indebted for the distinction they enjoy of being regarded as the most intelligent and least savage of all our Indian tribes. Amid the grateful remembrance of those who came in after him to enjoy the blessings his sacrifices purchased, he rests from his labors, and his works do follow him."