Among the Sioux

heights of Sisseton, South Dakota, a strangely beautiful scene was spread out before the eye. In the distance the waters of Lake Traverse (source of the Red River of the North), and Big Stone Lake (h

e passing to and fro and pressing round the doors and windows. We descended and found ourselves in the midst of a throng of Sioux Indians. Instinctively we asked ourselves, Why are they here? Is this one of their old pagan festivals? Or is

nlands icy

ia's cor

on! O S

ul sound

h remote

ed Messia

, ye winds

ye wate

e a sea

from pole

is, this strange congre

ge council of war. It was the fifteenth grand annual co

Renville was the preacher. His theme was Ezekiel's vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. We did not knew how he handled his subject. But the ready utterance, the sweet flow of words, the simple earnestness o

of the chief white workers, as a boy had the site of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a play-ground, and the little Indian lads for his playmates. That week we spent at Iyakaptapte was a series of rich, rare treats. We listened to the theological class of young men, students of Santee and Sisseton. We watched the smiling faces of the women as they bowed in prayer, and brought their offerings to the missionary meetings. Such wondrous liberality those dark-faced sisters displayed. We marked with wonder the intense interest manifested hour by hour by all classes in

ota customs benefit or i

ittle-Iron-Thunder said "When I was a boy I was taught the sacred dances and all the mysteries; to shoot with the bag; to hold the sacred shell. To gain a name, the Dakotas will suffer hunger, cold, even death. But all this is

deavor Societies. These are two of the most hopeful features of the work. With the young men and maidens of the tribe in ca

, like that of a herald mingled with our day-break dreams. Had we been among the Moslems, we should have thought i

is coming! Wake up! Wake up!

g the Lord's Supper. Probably one-third of the males in that assemblage were participants in the bloody wars of the Sioux nation. The sermon was delivered by Solomon His-Own-Grandfather, who had taken an active part in the war of 1862, but was now a missionary among his own people in Manitoba. The bread was broken by Artemas Ehnamane ("Walking Along"), who was condemned and pardoned, and then converted after that appalling tragedy in 1862. The wine was poured by the man whom all the Sioux lovingly call John (Dr. John P. Williamson) who led them in the burning revival scenes in the prison-camp at Fort Snelling in 1863. And as he referred to those thrilling times, their tears flowed like rain. It is said that Indians cannot weep, but scores of them wept that day at Ascension. One of the officiating elders wa

hat wondr

he Lord, b

hat preci

is blood,

ounds of sweet music-joyous ones-echoing and re-echoing over the prairies-"He leadeth me, Oh precious thought," "

the tie

s in Chri

hip of Chri

to tha

est in our bed of new-mown hay, we breathed a prayer for the slumbering Sioux around us; May the Cloud, by day, and the Pillar of Fire

Missionar

-brown women of the plains. A matronly woman welcomes you, and presides with grace and dignity. A bright and beautiful young maiden-a graduate of Santee or Good Will-controls the organ and s

ving, we a

nd and a

e on age

ving is

with their present, pure life of glorious liberty in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then they sing, so earnestly for they are thinking of their

an heralds,

hrough Emma

lands the t

e Rose of Sh

in Christian homes, educated in Christian schools and trained in the Young People's societies for efficient service, shall control their tribe, and move the great masses of their people upward and God-ward, and elevate

tell us o

rning seem

arkness take

terror are

et thy wand

to thy q

lo, the Pri

on of God

e exercises. And oh, what wondrous liberality these

average annual contributions per capita to missions, by these Sioux sisters, have fully measured up to the standard of their more