M

RS. BURT writes from Crow Creek: "Our South Dakota delegate to the Woman's Auxiliary meetings at Richmond went from Crow Creek. I think it was the event of her life, that trip! She is full of it, and says it will take her all winter to tell us all about it. I am so glad the privilege was hers."

No wonder an Indian delegate from South Dakota enjoys the triennial of the Woman's Auxiliary! She has known the pleasure of the guild meeting at home, its happy work for the home parish, and its missionary prayer and giving; she has shared the delights of the annual convocation meeting, when with her fellows she has laid before her bishop the united gifts to be used within the district and without. These things have prepared her to appreciate the larger gathering, when women from all parts of the Church assemble for their great united service and offering of thanksgiving. She looks back to the day when, sitting by the missionary's side, the convocation delegates counted out their money and resolved what part should be contributed toward this; and when the overflowing golden almsbasin was raised to the altar in the Richmond church, her heart rejoiced that the Indian women's gift was there. A private letter from Yankton Agency shows something of the methods of these Indian workers.

"After spending a few weeks among one's own people and friends, it seems hard to settle down to work again, but when our good women get together to begin their new year's activities, I seem to catch the spirit of enthusiasm, and,

forgetting all else, fly into the work with renewed zeal.

"Our guild opened Friday with service at the church, at which over sixty were present. After the service they came to the lace room, where they held their business meeting. The delegates to the convocation first gave their report, after which they proceeded to the election of officers for the new year. Everything passed in such an orderly way, yet with much interest and enthusiasm, in which all seemed to join, without the least show of unpleasant feeling. There were about fifty at the business meeting, and our little room was crowded; the chairs were filled and the older ones sat on the floor; many had to stay out of doors. I often wonder if at other places preference is shown to the younger ones! Here, if a younger member enters the room a little late, one of the aged ones will get up and offer her chair, then herself go and sit on the floor, and the young girls never think of such a thing as sitting on the floor. They would stand through the whole service rather than do such a thing. It is really quite amusing sometimes to note the reversed order of things, is it not?

"A beef had been given to the guild by some one, in memory of some departed friend, and that meant a feast of course, which was one reason of there being so large a number present. Our average attendance last year was from twenty-five to thirty, and I presume it will be about the same this year. The Yankton women are certainly devoted to their guild work, and to me it is both interesting and inspiring to work with. and among them."

A

T last we have our organ in use, for the first time on the Sunday after Christmas. It would

have been a treat to have had it for Christmas Day. We like its tone very much, and its appearance is neat, quite in keeping with our other exceedingly simple church furniture.

The little church seats, comfortably, fifty people in its ten pews. There are twelve windows, of plain glass. When the bishop was here last he mentioned a church where they were going to have a new altar, and he thought perhaps the old one might come to us, but we have heard nothing more about it, and suppose it has been disposed of otherwise. So for the present we are using a box, covered with white cloth.

At Christmas time the church was prettily trimmed with cedar and pine, brought by some of the white boys who, with their sisters and two of the

mothers, helped us, and on Christmas. morning there was a short service at ten o'clock, attended by both the schools, with a few of the grown people.

Our Christmas preparations were a great rush, and on Christmas Eve it was midnight before we got to bed, and not one Indian child's present had been marked. It was found, too, that more were wanted, and a few extra ones had to be purchased.

Here is a brief sketch of the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas and of the day itself.

On Monday at nine in the morning Miss Carter went up to the school to train some of the children to sing in the entertainment. At 1:30 we both, with Red Moon and East Wind, went up for a fuller rehearsal. Then with the white children we went into the church and began to decorate, and after supper, getting the boys to bed, we went

off again for about two hours; all this in addition to the usual work.

On Tuesday morning there was some washing to be done and dinner had to be cooked, and then came our Christmas box to be unpacked and the things piled up, and at seven at night we were again at school for a full rehearsal, and that night an Indian woman with her daughter appeared, thinking it was the time for the entertainment. They came to stay for the night, as we were having our supper in a most hurried way, and theirs had to be prepared also.

Our Christmas dinner consisted of cranberries, given to us already cooked, and a salad very quickly made, with a cup of tea; then came hard work all the afternoon, with the help of two of our dear little white girls, the mother of one of them marking and packing presents. Miss Carter had to help with the tree while I cleared the rooms, and at last we were ready for the evening entertainment. There were tableaux, and Miss Carter had trained some Indian girls to take part in one of them. They looked very pretty and did very creditably, as we thought. Two of the white girls spoke in such a way that I felt proud of them, and the whole occasion passed off very well. It was interesting

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to watch the parents of the Indian children. Their faces just beamed while the little ones were singing the Christmas songs. Of course the distribution of the gifts was the feature of the evening. All this festivity meant a great deal of preparation and many practices were required. My girls came here almost every afternoon, after school, for some little time.

It seems almost impossible to make out a proper quarterly report, as I am not asked how many meals I have cooked or about sweeping house and washing dishes; and if I should put down having paid two visits, how it would look! But perhaps to keep the house after the manner of a missionary home is of some benefit, and we welcome to it such of our friends as the Indian woman and daughter I have mentioned, and Corinne, who was with us when her baby came, and who, before she left, was baptized with her baby girl and little. boy, the older girl having been baptized before. Corinne's husband, Mountain Lion, a name which amuses us greatly, for he is so gentle he ought to be called Meadow Lamb, told Corinne that she must stay at home now and not gamble; that was what it (baptism) means. Four of my class of Indian girls have also been baptized.

F

OR six months I have had the privilege of helping in the Hospital of the Good Shepherd. The opportunity for good work here is wonderfully great. Indeed, Indeed, there seems almost no limit to what the hospital might accomplish, with the good

start it now has and the strides it is making in the good graces of the Indians all over the reservation, as they see for themselves the cures that are made here. They are a delightful people these Navajos-at once so shrewd and so innocent, and with such a refreshing sense

of humor. They are the most absorbing and trusting of patients, and when they are installed in the ward their confidence is artless enough to be rather pathetic, because they think such omnipotent people as these white people at the hospital can cure any one. A great many of them come from the clutches of the medicine men, having been fleeced by them of all their worldly goods. Just what the dominion of the medicine man means does not come home to us until the ignorance and ingratitude are actually seen. But surgery is something medicine men cannot compass; and there the hospital is especially striking in its results. Most of the time that I have been here there have been ten and twelve patients at once, and when they are operative and very sick cases the strain upon one nurse is heavy and night work is almost impossible.

If our

I suppose the cry for workers and funds is an old story from the mission field, but the need is so great. Our sick in hospital are even now having to go with out the medicines they need. Church people could only know the suffering which these Indians have helplessly to endure, it would seem as though even those who can bear with equanimity the Indian's ignorance and heathenism would be moved with pity for the actual bodily pain.

As I leave, I venture to say on Miss Thackara's behalf that there is work here which would legitimately occupy the time of two nurses instead of one. It is a problem to get nurses to come to such an inaccessible place, but I shall try. It is an impressive thing to realize what one woman has accomplished in gaining the confidence and great affection of these Navajos for miles around. It could only be realized when Miss Thackara returned from the East: big and little Indians rejoiced; old Indians put their arms around her and welcomed her back, having feared that she had left them forever.

Of course the hospital must be kept open for a place of refuge, physical and spiritual.

MRS. MATTHEWS'S

WELCOME HOME

[In the summer of 1906 Mrs. Matthews was forced by ill health to leave Cape Mount and was absent till October, 1907]

ARRIVED here quite safely on October 24th. Mr. Matthews and all the white people, and many of the boys, came on board to meet The captain invited all to lunch, so it was quite a frolic. The boys had no school or work for the day, which made it a gala occasion for them, too.

me.

Mr. Matthews had everything beautifully prepared for me. The house is nicely painted inside, and a large stone bell-tower has been built. This cost $100, and the money for it was raised here. We are very proud of this, for it is the first thing which has been done through the efforts of our little flock. We have been two years raising it, but we are delighted it is done. Also, we have beautiful new chancel carpeting, and strips for the aisles and choir. This we bought with the Church alms. Now Miss Ridgely's girls and our boys are all working to raise something toward an organ fund, but for this we are going to ask help from home, as we shall need $450 in order to buy an organ built for the Tropics. Mr. Matthews was most glad to hand my school over to me. The boys have advanced well since I left. To-day he and all the boys are seining, and meanwhile I am trying to answer some of the accumulated letters. We have a hundred boys now, and I am sure one hundred boys, anywhere, are enough to keep one busy. But Mr. Drake is a great helper.

Miss Ridgely seems so well, but we hope she may be able to come home next year for a short stay.

The frame of the little church at Bendu is being gotten out now by the people, but it is very slow work, as all native work is. As soon as it nears completion we shall send for the zinc, etc., from England, and soon have it up.