Photo by Clinedinst
THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY
Every line of her splendid reports teems with heart-and-soul enthusiasm. She has just put out a book entitled, “Course of Study for the Indian Schools of the United States, Industrial and Literary.” Besides the common school branches, it treats of the elements of agriculture, bakery, basketry, blacksmithing, carpentry, cooking, housekeeping, laundry, physiology, shoemaking, tailoring, upholstering, and, in fact, almost everything needed in daily living. Through it all runs a real practical teaching in morality—that good work is truth, bad work is untruth. Work in any one is the measure of character.
You remember President Roosevelt, in his New York speech concerning missions, spoke of the great underpaid army of faithful clergymen all over this land who, in obscure places, hold up the correct models of morality, who keep the ideals of the nation to honest, simple, earnest, true daily living. Much more is this true of the missionaries among the Indians.
I remember once visiting the Indian school at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Professor Bryan was then at the head of it. The school was partly supported by funds from the Presbyterian Church and partly by government money. At the table I was trying to find from each one his or her share in the great work they were doing. I asked each one, and each gave me a short, graphic account of his work. I sat at Professor Bryan’s right hand; just opposite me sat a brightfaced German, looking the wisest person at the table. As I came to him I said, “And you, Professor?” “Madam, I am the cook.” Whether my face flushed with surprise or not I do not know. No one smiled. After a somewhat embarrassing moment for me, he said: “Madam, since I was a little boy I have desired to be a missionary to the Indians. I received a good education, graduated at the Berlin University, took a course in theology at a seminary in Germany, then came here, where I found that my imperfect English was an insurmountable barrier to religious work among the Indians. We had no cook. Some of our best teachers were ill nearly all the time, so I became the cook, and I do it unto God, believing that every soul saved by these devoted workers, whose health I have improved, is part of my work. Do you approve?”
“Do I approve?” I said. “Why, every pot and kettle becomes a sanctified implement in your hand. The Master said: ‘And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’”
XXIII
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
The great necessity for a separate building for a Congressional Library was first urged by Mr. A. R. Spofford, in his Librarian’s Report in 1872. An appropriation was made for the purchase of the ground in 1886. The site consists of ten acres of ground, facing the east front of the Capitol. The ground and the old buildings upon it cost $585,000, and the building itself, $6,032,124.34.
It is the handsomest, most convenient, and best lighted and ventilated library building in the world, and I believe it to be the handsomest building for public purposes in the world. The building is of the Italian Rennaissance order of architecture. It has three stories and a dome, and covers three and a half acres of ground. Its dimensions are 470 × 340 feet, and the height of the wall 69 feet.
The Library, or collection of books, was founded in 1800, Congress appropriating $5,000 for that purpose. When the Capitol building was fired by the British, this Library was nearly destroyed. It also suffered from fire in 1851.