em. The church survived, and the
whole settlement took in the spirit of civilization and took on its
forms. A year later were added the missions to the Chickasaws, and
now, about the close of the year 1830, it seemed as if the fruitage
of this Indian missionary consecration were at hand. Half the
Cherokees in Georgia could read. Civilized life had taken firm hold
on them, and they were governing themselves with Christian laws.
Eight churches were in life and power among them. The Chickasaws had
their church in Arkansas, and the Cherokees there, another. The
churches of the Choctaws had received to their communions that year
two hundred and fifty members who were hopefully converted, and in
all the Indian Missions of the American Board there was a steady
increase of hopefulness, while the members in tribes were also
increasing.

"Everywhere the fruits of the missions among the Indians were
abundant. No more docile pagans were ever approached with the gospel
than some of these peoples."

Nevertheless, from this period of time, Indian missions cease to be
successful for a generation.

The mission to the Chickasaws was abandoned in 1834; to the Osages in
1836; to the Stockbridge tribe, in 1848; to the Choctaws, in 1859; to
the Tuscaroras, in 1860; and to the Cherokees, in 1860; until at last
but a single mission remained, that among the great Sioux tribes or
the Dakotas. Twelve missions and forty-five churches, which reached
about one hundred thousand Indians abandoned in twenty-six years!

The question now asks itself: "Why were not these hopeful missionary
efforts to these pagan tribes more permanent? What turned the tide of
success and left the missions stranded?" Here comes the story of
dishonor. The Indian was here when the white man came. The Christian
white men recognized the Indian's right of occupancy as a right. They
did _not_ hold that half a million savages had a right to dispute the
ultimate sovereignty of civilization, but they agreed that when
civilization should move forward and barbarism should retreat, the
Indian should have Christian justice and not un-Christian wrong. He
should not be oppressed. He should be treated equitably. His rights
should be acknowledged, and if the demands of the greater number and
the greater life asked for a surrender of his rights as original
occupant, then there should be fair consideration, compensation and
honesty. It may be the providence of God that barbarism shall be