The school work of Mrs. St. Clair in Scott County has been remarkable. Three years ago there were 27 saloons and two Sunday-schools in the county, one school held in Mrs. St. Clair's tent and the other in a blacksmith shop; now there are three saloons and 25 Sunday-schools, and the good people are praying with much confidence that their prayers will be answered for three less saloons and three more Sunday-schools. Mr. R. F. Taft, of Worcester, Mass., was sent down to help in this field. His labors were wonderfully blessed. Two churches, one at Robbins, the other at Helenwood, were organized. He is not able to continue in our service, but, in speaking of what has been accomplished, he has this to say: "Wherever I went the people were so eager to hear the Gospel that it was a joyous work to me. All came together, natives and Northerners, and our colored brethren. If the A. M. A. has accomplished nothing more, it has broken down the line of color, and to-day all mingle together in seeking after the pearl of great price." The work of Mr. Taft has been taken up by Rev. W. E. Barton, a recent graduate of Berea College, who finds already so much on his hands that he is crying for help.
WORK AMONG THE INDIANS.
STATISTICS.
| Churches | 5 |
| Members | 301 |
| Ministers | 7 |
| Schools | 15 |
| Teachers | 52 |
| Pupils | 706 |
| Sunday-school scholars | 776 |
Our Indian work is chiefly in Nebraska and Dakota, among the great Sioux nation that numbers about sixty thousand, and the tribes that mingle with, or are located around, them. We have three main stations, Santee, Oahe and Fort Berthold, all situated on the Missouri River, and at points strategic for pushing missions out among the people.
Santee.—Here is planted the Santee Normal School, under the care of Rev. A. L. Riggs. This institution, pioneer of its kind, began work for the higher training of Indian pupils fifteen years ago. Its history and experience show the great advancement that has been made by the Indian mind. At first the pupils came as to a sort of picnic, and expected to slip out when the fun stopped. But now the discipline, attendance and class work are of a high order and will compare favorably with schools of similar grade elsewhere. One thing quite noteworthy about Santee is that while it is often impossible to fill the desired quota of girls for other schools, applications at Santee from girls and young women far exceed the ability to receive them. This school, with its 177 pupils busily engaged in their studies under the instruction of an able corps of teachers, in possession of buildings that are up to the times in all their equipments, reaching by its influence every Indian village of the great empire of the Missouri River basin, is an institution from which, with God's blessing upon its work, we have a right to expect great things in the future.
Pilgrim Church, under the joint pastorate of the Rev. Artemas Ehnamani and Rev. A. L. Riggs, honors the faith and polity of the Pilgrim Fathers in its co-operation with the school, nurturing and extending the cause of Christian education. Its roll numbers 164 names, and its Sabbath-school reports an attendance of 183.
Great and urgent fields inviting missionary occupancy lie all around Santee. Swift Bear's colony, numbering sixteen families, an offshoot from Rosebud agency, has located along the Niobrara. Others are coming down this fall as soon as their little crops are harvested. All the land on the north side of the Niobrara, twenty miles east of the mouth of the Keya-paba, and much of the land on the Ponca Creek close by, is now taken. Here has just been built a school-house given by Deacon Burrill, of Oberlin, Ohio, a little building of two rooms, one for the teacher's residence, and the other for the school room and chapel. A son of Pastor Ehnamani, of the Santee Church, is to take charge of this station.
Among the Poncas, since last December, we have had a missionary, Rev. J. E. Smith, who, while maintaining Sabbath services with good attendance, has during the week taught a government school. At the Upper Ponca settlement, during the months of February and March, a mission day school was kept by Albert Frazier, a native teacher.