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REPORT ON INDIAN WORK.

BY S.B.  CAPEN, ESQ., CHAIRMAN.

It is not the intention of your committee to spend more than a moment of the time allotted to it in speaking of the details of the work of this Association among the Indian tribes.

It is a pleasure to note in the Executive Committee’s report that it is in the fullest sympathy with the increased and increasing interest in the solution of our Indian problem.  It has more scholars under its care than ever before, and is steadily increasing its buildings and its facilities for doing its work.  The four new stations provided for at the Northfield gathering call especially for our gratitude.  But why enlarge upon these particulars?

The work of this Association has been spread before the Christian world in so many reports that all know of its great success.  Its preachers and teachers, who have given their lives to this work with such courage and devotion, are also known, and it only needs to be said in a word, that the year that has closed and whose review is now being taken, has been one of great blessing and power.  We approve of what it has done and we commend it for the future without reserve.

We would rather occupy our time, if we may, in looking at this whole Indian question, hoping that we may arouse a more universal interest, and cause, thereby, to flow into the treasury of this Society the funds which shall enable it to enlarge and broaden its work and hasten the complete Christianizing of our Indian tribes.

For let it be said while I have your freshest attention, that it is the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not education or civilization, that is to solve this problem; and all I have to say is to lead up to this thought.  Wherever modern civilization without religion has touched the barbarian it has been to curse him.

The blood of every American ought to tingle at the thought of the foul stain upon our national honor because of the treatment the Indian has received.

General Sherman has told us that we have made more than one thousand treaties with him, but the United States Government has never kept one of these treaties, if there was anything to be made by breaking it; and the Indian has never broken one, unless he has first had an excuse in some cruel wrong from the white man.  No wonder that the Sioux have hesitated to sign their treaty.  Do you not blush at one of the reasons for this hesitation?  Because they doubt whether we can be trusted.  This boasted American Republic is to them a nation of liars.