Leave the nightly drumming and dancing and revelry, the daily offering to heathen gods, the daily wailing and cutting of the flesh at the scaffold of sepulture, and one will acknowledge that God alone has wrought this change.
Before the regular sessions of the conference a "theological institute" occupied two days. This was attended by some thirty pastors and leading members of the churches. There were lectures on Bible history, on family relations, on preaching and pastoral work. Then the general meeting opened with a hymn written for the occasion by the organist, a young Indian, and the singing was led by native young men. The topics at the conference were such as the education of children, the missionary cause; and the one that seemed to call out most discussion was, "How to secure the spiritual growth of the Church." The young men showed great interest in their Christian associations, and voted to affiliate with their kindred in the white communities, of whom they heard through the Rev. Mr. Williams, who represented the Christian association of the young men of Minneapolis. The Indian women, too, had their missionary meeting, and show the same traits and give evidence of the same activity and zeal that make their white sisters the main strength of the Christian Church.
So we bid all take heart, and go on upward—iyakaptapi. C. L. Hall.
INDIANS IN THE DAKOTA ASSOCIATION.
This is an ecclesiastical body of a hundred churches that has the opportunity to show the unity of the spirit in race fellowship. Besides the local German Association, one of the five belonging to it, the Indian Mission churches and pastors of the Santee Agency and of Fort Sully, with their superintendents, Revs. Alfred L. and Thomas M. Riggs, are among the members. At the recent annual meeting, held at Huron, September 17th to 20th, there were present the Riggs brothers, three lady missionaries, and two female and four male Indians. The service of Rev. A. L. Riggs, as moderator, was justly commended for its urbanity and promptness. At the meeting of the Woman's Missionary Society, held with the mixed assembly, the two Indian women, Estelle Ward and Ellen Spotted Bear, were brought forward, in their usual white woman's garb, to make talks, which were interpreted by Mrs. T. M. Riggs. During some discussion upon Indian work, the Riggs brothers supplemented their remarks by addresses from Frank Frazier and Stephen Yellow Hawk, a deacon and a pastor. At the Communion, on the Lord's Day, this deacon was associated with three white men in distributing the elements. At the final meeting, on Sunday night, with a crowded house, between the addresses of Rev. Drs. Jos. B. Clark and Jos. E. Roy were sandwiched two hymns, sung by the natives and their teachers, and also an address by the dignified pastor at the Santee Agency, Rev. Artemas Ehnamani, interpreted by Rev. A. L. Riggs. This, and the talks of the other Indians, reported their former condition as heathen and their coming to the light through their missionaries. Particularly touching was the allusion of Pastor Ehnamani to the sainted men, Drs. Williamson and Riggs. All showed the one spirit, that of the common Redeemer.
THE LAKE MOHONK CONFERENCE.
On the 6th, 7th and 8th of October the third annual meeting of the Lake Mohonk Conference was held. Hon. Albert K. Smiley and Mrs. Smiley, as usual, extended the hospitality of their magnificent mountain retreat to the friends of the Indian. The sessions of the conference were of great interest. Eminent men and women read historical and suggestive papers, and ably discussed the great questions of the Indian problem. The conference, after much earnest debate, were unanimous in recommending such legislation by Congress as will give allotments of land in severalty to the Indians—the sale of lands not required for occupancy, and funding of proceeds therefor for their benefit—the early discontinuance of rations and annuities, increased educational facilities, including industrial and especially agricultural, and the dispersion and diffusion of the Indians among the other people of the country, with all the rights and immunities of other citizens.