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During a considerable portion of the last month I have been “riding double,” as our honored Secretary, Dr. Beard, has been in the saddle with me.  His knowledge of the field, gained through these frequent personal visits, is of great advantage to the work and highly appreciated by the workers.  We jogged together over many miles of country, comparing notes, discussing plans and expressing our mutual surprise at the wonderful and far-reaching work which is being accomplished, and the prophetic glories of the future.

An account of the mountain campaign, through which Secretary Beard went with me, will be the subject of future notes.

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The following churches have been organized in our Southern field during the past few weeks: 

Deer Lodge Congregational Church, Deer Lodge, Tenn., organized Nov. 16, 1887, with thirteen members; Calvary Congregational Church, Pine Mountain, Tenn., organized Nov. 26, 1887, with thirteen members; Second Congregational Church, Decatur, Ala., organized Nov. 30, 1887, with fifteen members.

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THE INDIANS.

WHAT AN INDIAN THINKS OF IT.

The writer of this letter is Loafer Redhorse, a son-in-law of the Titon Chief, Swift Bear, whose band have colonized as homesteaders along the Niobrara River near the mouth of Keya Paha River.  Their colony is one hundred and thirty miles from Rosebud Agency, to which they belong.  Their settlement we call Burrell Station in honor of Dea.  Burrell, of Oberlin, Ohio, who gave the money to build the school-house and home for the teacher.  Mr. Francis Frazier, son of Pastor Ehnamani of Santee, has now been their teacher two years.

Loafer Redhorse is anything but a loafer.  He is one of the most industrious men.  He is one who would naturally be first in war, as he says, and now also is first in following the plow, and learning the ways of the white man.  Among other things it is interesting to know what he thinks of prohibiting the use of the Dakota language.

MY FRIENDS:  Let me speak now.  I am sad because of one thing which I will now speak of.  Since our school-house (the Burrell station school) was built, I, with my children, have attended with a glad heart just as if it were my own.  And now I hear that it is likely to be closed, and I will speak about that.  And this is why I have something to say.  The scholars who go out from the Brules to go to school, come back without knowing anything, for the reason that they don’t teach them anything except to work.  That is the reason they don’t know anything, I think.

And I will tell how it was with us under Indian customs since the time I had understanding.  Then the Indian tribes were happy.  Into whatever country was good they roamed just as they pleased.  At that time, although there were many Indians on all sides, there was a great country in between full of buffalo.  It seemed to be the buffalo’s country.  And the Indian people were made happy because of the buffalo.  The people would move their camps and pitch their tents again and the buffalo would come right in among their tents with a great noise.  Then it was that the people had great joy.