In 1867 Alaska became part of the
tnited States. If the people of
Alaska had a right to expect anything
iroin the country that had adopted
them, surely they had the right to
expect Christianity. Here was a
chance for all the missionary socie
ties in the land to extend their efforts
among some 30,000 to 50,000 ignorant,
superstitious people. But five years
passed and nothing was done; ten
years, and only a few earnest Chris
tians of various denominations were
patiently proclaiming and urging the
challenge of Alaska.
One of the most earnest of these
missionary friends of Alaska was
Sheldon Jackson, a pioneer mission
worker in six of the largest of the
Rocky mountain territories. Jackson
was more than eager to extend his
work to Alaska, but his church would
not back him up. The Presbyterian
hoard of home missions felt that
Alaska should remain, for a time at
least, part of the foreign field. The
foreign mission board, on the other
hand, was out of funds'. Alaska could
wait. One short-sighted friend went
so far as to write to Dr. Jackson that
"if all the people in Alaska were
Christians, they wouldn’t be worth so
much to the country and the world
as one live Christian in Arizona, New
Mexico, Utah or Idaho. We need
new missionaries and more teachers.
Where’s the reason for sinking money
in Alaska when so many points, im
portant fields right in the heart of
The country, are unsupplied?”
Dr. Jackson himself attributed the
beginning of Christian work an Alas-1
ka to a soldier’s letter. This was a
pathetic appeal in behalf of a few In
dians who had learned a bit of the
gospel story from the Indians of
British Columbia. "The Stickeens !
and other tribes bevri T,eallv know j
nothing about Christianity,” wrote I
the soldier. “They soon became in- j
terested in the proceedings of their
l
Christian visitors, and a few, after,
many inquiries, concluded to try the!
‘new life,’ of which they had heard.'
since tnen tne lew nave necome aj
hundred, and the tribe are asking for!
a Christian teacher, or some one to
explain to them more fully the wav.”j
ttuch was the appeal.
r *. Jackson not only published this!
letter as widely as possible, but sent'
the original to the board of home mis- j
sions. asking for a missionary for!
Alaska. In answer a man was ap-|
pointed, but before he had received
the appointment he had already ac- J
cepted another call.
Just at this time Sheldon Jackson’s !
own plans for further work were in-!
terrupted by a revolt among the Nez !
Perce Indians, and his thoughts!
turned immediately to Alaska. His!
“vague hope” that he “might yet be,
permitted to go there” became “in- i
tense desire” as he saw the possibility'
of its satisfaction. He decided to
take the trip from Portland, Oregon,
to Alaska on his own responsibility.
A
In Portland Jackson found Mrs. A.
R. McFarland, a former missionary to
Santa Fe, who was not only willing
but ^ager to go to Alaska to estab
lish a Christian school. “So to
Alaska,” as the records read, “the
journey was made, and at Fort Wran
gell, Mrs. McFarland, the only Chris
tian white woman in the country,
with an Indian woman as interpreter,
/ with twenty-seven books, no school
house, and the probability of a boat
“from below” (the States) once a
month, began Christ’s work in Alaska.
She became nurse, doctor, under
taker, preacher, teacher, practically
mayor and administrator generally,
for all came to her.” For seven
months she was the only Protestant
missionary in all Alaska, and for a
whole year the only missionary at
Fort Wrangell.
“On the 10th of August, 1877,”
reads Sheldon Jackson’s own account,
“Mrs. McFarland and myself reached
Fort Wrangell and commenced Pres
byterian missions in Alaska. Upon
landing and passing down the street
I saw an Indian ringing a bell. It was
the call for the afternoon school.
About twenty pupils were in attend
ance, mostly young Indian women.
Two or three boys were present; also
a mother and her three little chil
dren. As the wome^took their seats
on the rough plank inches, each t>ne
bowed her head in silent prayer, seek
ing Divine help on her studies. Soon
a thoughtful Indian man of about
thirty years of age came in and took
his seat behind the rude desk. It
was Clah, the teacher. ‘What a
Friend We Have in Jesus’ was sung
in English; a prayer followed in the
Chinook jargon, closing with the repi
titloft in concert of the Lord’s Prayer
in English. After lessons were
studied and recited, the school arose,
sang the long-meter doxology, and re
cited in concert the benediction. . . .
“God had opened the work in ad
vance of the coming of the usual mis
sionary appliances. The mission
school was in full operation, but un
der great difficulties. They met
around in the several Indian houses,
not always knowing one day where
they would meet the next. But the
ringing of a small hand bell indicated
the school room for the day.
There was a great scarcity of school
books.
“Arranging for the work I returned
to the East, leaving Mrs. McFarland
in charge as teacher and Clah as na
tive assistant teacher, and Mrs. Sarah
Dickinson, a Christian Tongas Indian,
as interpreter. When we reached
Wrangell, this woman was a hundred
miles up the Stikeen river gathering
her winter supply of berries. Learn
ing from a passing steamer that the
missionaries had come, she placed
her children, bedding and provisions
in her canoe, and paddled home,
against heavy hea winds, to give us
a welcome.”
In the East Dr. Jackson collected
funds amounting to over $12,000 and
also secured the appointment of mis
sionary helpers for both Sitka and
Fort Wrangell. In 1878 and 1879
other workers came to help these
pioneer Presbyterians of Alaska. The
natives eagerly welcomed them all,
and then begged and prayed for more
teachers.
August 3, 1879, was a day to be
remembered by both natives and mis
sionaries. “The Presbyterian mis
sion,” wrote Dr. Jackson in his book
called “Alaska,” “had made such
progress during the two years of its
existence that Rev. S. Hall Young,
the missionary in charge, thought it
expedient to form his Christian na
tives into a church. He had for
months been instructing them in a
special class as to the nature and
duties of church membership. The
presence of several visiting ministers
made a suitable occasion.
“On Saturday afternoon, August 2d,
Rev. Henry Kendall, D.D., preached
the preparatory sermon, after which
was held the examination of candi
dates for church membership. This
examination was had through an in
terpreter. . . . The services con
tinued from 3 o'clock p. m. to 7, and,
after a short intermission for supper,
until 11 p m.
“On Sabbath morning at half-past
nine o’clock the church came together
for prayer. At 10.30 a. m. the formal
organization of the church was effect
ed. ... At 3 p. m. the church met for
the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Twenty-three members were receivd
into the new organization, of whom
eighteen were Indians. The follow
ing Sabbath five more were received,
four of whom were Indians.”
The earnest testimonies of these
first Christians of Alaska show how
white the fields were to the harvest:
“I understand,” said one old sor
cerer, “very solemn thing to join the
church. Indians don’t understand as
well as white men about it. Willing
to go on looking to God to help me.
Understand how Christ has spoken
that I must be born again. I want
the new birth. I ask God to give me
a new heart. God hear me. Take
my sins and troubles to God.”
“I wanted to be the friend of God,”
said another. “People say you turn
your heart to God and laugh at me.
I say nobody’s business what I do.
I mean to serve God. Long ago we
blind—all in darkness. We call the
crows, and fish, and everything God.
But God pity us and give us daylight.
He don’t want us to die altogether.
He pity us. Not hard for me to be
lieve in God—that Jesus is the Son
of God. I feel different in my heart.
My old-fashioned heart was different.
I feel my heart is clean now. I live
different. I quit all earthly things.
I try to do right and pray God. I
want to be swift in God’s way.”
Try the Club * Billiard Hall for
golden, silver and royal fizzes. 23-tf
Best coffee in town at the City
Bakery. 2-6t
ALASKA MOUNTAIN NAMED
IN HONOR OF WAR HERO
In honor of Robert Barron of Port-!
land, Ore., well known in Juneau, the
highest peak of Mansfield peninsula,
Alaska, has been named Mount Robert
Barron. The Portland boy, who was 1
the son of James T. Barron, head of
a packing company on Funter bay,
was one of the first American avia
tors to lose his life in the great war,
though not in battle action. He gave
his life near Philadelphia while try
ing to save fellow aviators from
death.
Mount Robert Barron, named so by
Dr. E. Lester Jones, head of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey, is situated off
Southeastern Alaska, overlooking
Funter bay and the town of Funter.
It has an altitude of 4,000 feet.
WITCHCRAF-TIn ALASKA
It appears that witchcraft still is
practiced by some of the Alaska In
dians. The latest example, say ad
vices from Juneau, came to light in
the arrest of the heads of the tribe
of Bear Lake Indians, who are said
to be below the average native in
intelligence and physical endowment.
Cause for the arrest, it is learned,
was the action of the Indians in tying
a girl of 16, a member of the tribe, to
a tree by the hair of her head, and
with her hands tied behind her back.
A small boy was turned loose to wan
der in the timber. When rescued a
few days later the little fellow’s face
was raw from mosquito bites, and the
girl was in a serious condition. The
children were taken to Telegraph
creek to be cared for, and the men
of the tribe responsible for the cruel
ties were arrested.
I s
ARCTIC BOARDING HOUSE
Second St., Next Door to Times
Office
Now Open—Convenient to All
Board by Meal, Day, Week or
Month
Breakfast, 25c and up
Dinner, 60c and up
Supper, 60c and up
Breakfast—6:30 to 8. Dinner,
11:30 to 1:30. Supper, 5:30 to 7.
MRS. VICTOR RIVERS and
MR8. BEN SHERMAN Proprietors
_ ' •■• - __
PROFESSIONAL
DR. W. W. COUNCIL
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
Office and Residence, Cordova
General Hospital v Ostrander
Building).
Phones—Residence, 115; Office, 133
DR. W. H. CHASE
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
Office over Cordova Drug Store.
Calls may be left at Cordova
Drug Store.
Residence, Alaska Hotel.
♦— -———♦;
I DR. W. D’ARCY CHACE
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON
WINDSOR HOTEL
Hours: ■
1 p. m. to 3 p. m. and 7 p. m. to 8 p. rn. j
♦ r-:-*
DR. CHAS. DAGGETT
DENTAL OFFICES
CORDOVA, ALASKA
♦ -4
DR. CORA DAGGETT
SPECIALIST
Pyorrhea and Dental Prophylaxis
♦-♦
DR. VON ZESCH
Dentist
ADAMS BUILDING
v
DR. CHARLES M. RODSETH*
CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN
Northern Hotel,
Phone 158
i-1-4
D0N0H0E & D1M0ND |
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
Offices:
CORDOVA and VALDEZ
FRANK H. FOSTER
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
_ I
ROOM 1, OSTRANDER BUILDING
4-4
E. F. MEDLEY
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR
AT LAW
Room 1, Adams Block
CORDOVA, ALASKA
-:-4
R. H. L. NOAKS
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
SECOND ST., OPP. HOSPITAL
4-*
FRANK A. METCALF
CIVIL AND MINING ENGINEER
U. S. MINERAL SURVEYOR
Juneau, Alaska
MERCY R. MURRAY *
Shampooing, Manicuring, Facial
and Scalp Treatment, Bleaching
md Dyeing. Room 22, Hospital bldg.
Telephone 163, three Rings.
------+
H. I. CALL
Plano Tuning and Regulating
C SL, Opp. H egg's
Phone 123—2 Rings
♦—-*-»
| essage
v! *X
ift T be times have brought new and trying problems to women— |i
ft: problems that have multiplied the cares of housekeeping. It has -ft
ft: devolved upon the modern woman to be mistress of many -ft
ft! things. \Uhile acting as mother and business manager in the ift
ift home, she must give time to many more oroblems than hereto
ift fore. ift
•V ,v
1 To save “me and meet these many demands being made 1
| upon her, the modern woman must simplify her household meth- 1
| ods. This she can do by cutting out the disagreeable and irk- I
| sc,me wash day, by availing herself of the help the MODERN
g LAUNDRY offers. * ift
| The Modern Laundry, with its modern equipment, effi- |
g cient and capable employes, courteous and accommodating man- &
agement, is well qualified to assume, for womankind in particu- •£
| lar, the burden of the family washing. Instead of the old meth- |
|| ods of boiling, bleaching and the washboard, the use of strong I
| soaps, lye and injurious soap powders—all of which tend to de° I
| stroy the fiber, the Modern Laundry employes scientific methods |
| of sousing, rinsing and sterilizing—returning the clothes sweetly I
ift clean and beautifully finished.
11 . If7°Y seek leisure for more devotion to your children, the do- I
| mg of other things more enjoyable and far more profitable, and I
|i§ increased participation in the bigger things of life, could anything
| be simpler than packing your troubles in a laundry bag and send^ |
| big it to Jones’ Modern Laundry? The cost is small in compari- 1
ift son to the benefits and satisfaction your receive.
| Call up Phone 66, and our man will promptly be at your serv
iiii ice. fti
TOJONES
The Modern Laundry
| Phone 66
• • •
CORDOVA
IS ON THE EVE OF
GREATER PROSPERITY
AND THE WISE ONES WILL
TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE
GOOD THINGS
IN STORE BY BRANCHING OUT—AND ALSO
ADVERTISING IN THE DAILY TIMES
_i_