| Excerpts from: LUTHERAN MISSION WORK AMONG THE AMERICAN INDIANS Rev. Albert Keiser, Ph. D. Professor of English at Augustana College Sioux Falls, S. D. 1922 The choice of the leader of the missionary settlement was a happy one. Friedrich August Craemer had passed his thirty-second year when in 1844 he offered his services to Loehe. After completing his university education he had been, for a time tutor in Saxony and England, where at the University of Oxford he held a professorship, until the opposition of this man of strong character and iron will to the Puseyites made his position untenable. His perfect knowledge of English also would prove very valuable in approaching the Indians. When in the Among the American Indians spring of 1845 the organization of the colonists had been perfected by the adoption of an elaborate constitution governing their congregational affairs, Craemer was elected as their pastor and leader. On May 20, 1845, the colonists sailed from Bremerhaven and landed fifty days later at New Friedrich August Craemer York. On July 17th they reached Monroe, Michigan, where Rev. Hattstaedt and his congregation welcomed them heartily. Rev. Schmid and missionary Auch also proved to be of great assistance in making the settlement. The place selected was 135 miles from Monroe to the north in the neighborhood of Saginaw City. The colonists went to Saginaw just as soon as possible and made it their headquarters until the purchase of a tract of 680 acres for $1,700 had been concluded. The real purpose in planting the colony was not forgotten. Seventy acres of land was set apart for the benefit of the mission. Already in Saginaw the colonists had made the acquaintance of Chippewa Indians, and as soon as the colony was established and Craemer's health permitted, the missionary took energetic steps to bring the Gospel to the Indian village twenty miles away. He was fortunate in securing the services of Jim Gruet, a half-blood of French-Canadian extraction, who acted as his interpreter. Beginning with the spring of 1846, regular visits were also made to the Kakawlin, Swan, Chippewa, Pine, arid Bell rivers. Some of these places were from fifty to seventy miles from Frankenmuth, and the trips generally had to be made on foot. In time three main preaching places were visited once a month. The hardships endured during all kinds of weather in the trackless forest and the wigwams may easily be imagined, and several times the missionary nearly lost his life in crossing Saginaw Bay. Craemer also tried to induce the Indians to settle at Frankenmuth, but only one man with his children and grandchildren, the medicine man Old Jim, accepted the invitation. Naturally Rev. Craemer paid special attention to the children, for if the Indians could be induced to entrust them to his care, the adults would in turn be influenced. In this he was successful. The influential chief Bemassikeh was the first to comply with the missionary's request and turned his two sons over to him. When some time later he honored his ''friend" with a visit of ten days, the number of pupils increased to five. Later five additional children were secured thru the cooperation of Sauaban, another chief. The ice being once broken, others followed, so that in 1846, one year after the establishment of Frankenmuth, the missionary had thirty children under his care. What labor the instruction and supervision of these children of nature involved, may readily be imagined. The children were taught to spell, to read, and to write both English and German. Special emphasis was laid upon singing and instruction in religion, where Luther's Small Catechism served as a manual. On Sundays the children would first voluntarily attend the German service, reverently joining in the recitation of the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed. In their own service, which followed, they sang hymns in their native language, devoutly recited the prayers, and listened attentively to the lessons from Genesis and the Gospels. Manual training was not wholly neglected, special emphasis being laid upon the sewing and the fancy work of the girls. The Indians had shown great confidence in Craemer by sending their children more than sixty miles to school. When an assistant had become absolutely necessary, an appeal was sent to Loehe, who endorsed the request and communicated it to the Mission Society at Dresden. That body sent Rev. E. R. Baierlein. The new missionary arrived in 1847. He took over part of Craemer's work and bent all efforts on learning the Chippewa language. A log-house was built, one-half being utilized by Baierlein's family, while the other part served as a school room. Much attention was also given to the Indians on the Pine river, to which Baierlein made several trips. And soon the relations were to become still closer. The persistent efforts of the Methodists to gain entrance evidently hastened the development. At his visit to Frankenmuth during July, 1847, chief Bemassikeh complained bitterly about their conduct. But he had given the following characteristic answer to the endeavors of the slanderers: "The German blackcoat visited me first; we are friends and wish to remain such. But you I do not like. You howl early and late, and leap and move hands and legs as if you would jump into Heaven. When a short time ago my son died, I also lamented, for he was my son. But you howl without cause, until God shall give you a cause; then indeed you may howl." When in the fall of the same year Baierlein returned the visit, the chief proposed that his white friend settle among the tribe and instruct old and young alike. However, as the men were on a hunting expedition, definite arrangements were somewhat delayed, for such an important matter could be decided only by a council of the whole tribe. According to agreement Baierlein returned to the Indian village in May, 1848, accompanied by a half-blood as guide and interpreter. The whole tribe was in camp, but he found them almost starved on account of the food shortage, which caused Baierlein to call the place Bethany, which means house of misery. In the morning after his arrival a council was held, which the missionary later described in his book Im Urwalde. Bei den roten Indianern {In the Primeval Forest. Among the Red Men). About nine o'clock the men appeared in their best, while women were also present. The proceedings were in accord with Indian custom. The chief presided and addressed the audience at some length, his speech making a distinctly favorable impression. The chief pointed out the degeneration of the tribe, which had caused him to invite the pale-face to settle among them and to give them aid. But before making a decision, he wanted to hear the opinion of all the men, which would determine his action. Once more the chief addressed the warriors, exhorting them in his impressive manner. Then he approached the missionary and with a hearty and prolonged handshake received him into the tribe. The braves followed his example. The chief's son called him father, and "my father'' became Baierlein's name among the Indians. He was to dwell among a savage heathen tribe, far from the nearest white settlement, swallowed up, as it were, by the primeval forest. But as a member of the tribe he was protected against insult, injury, and interference with his work, as no one would dare to commit an act which constituted an offense against the whole tribe. Soon Baierlein moved his household effects to Bethany and made his permanent home there. As the Indian village had thus become the center of the missionary work, Frankenmuth lost its original importance. Most of the Indian children were transferred to the mission school taught by Baierlein. And when, in 1850, Craemer was called as professor to the Practical Seminary at Ft. Wayne, missionary work at Frankenmuth was abandoned entirely. Altogether Craemer had baptized thirty-one Indians. Naturally the main missionary work centered in Bethany at 'the log house of Baierlein. Here also the Sunday services were held, and according to the agreement reached at the council, were fairly well attended by the Indians. The resemblance to regular divine worship, however, was at first slight. The audience would sit on benches or dispose itself on the floor. The sermon could not be preached without many annoyances and interruptions. The children were accustomed to play, and some of their piercing cries drew forth words of reproach which added to the noise. The women in turn gossiped and attracted the attention of the audience. Meanwhile the men smoked and listened to what the missionary told them with the help of an interpreter. But they gave him by no means their undivided attention. Sometimes one would ask in a loud voice for fire or step up to the fire place and light his pipe. It also happened that one of the braves approached the speaker, shook his hand, and dryly remarked that he did not hate him on account of his residence in Bethany, but his words he did not intend to follow. If Baierlein asked if they had understood him, one might answer indifferently, "0h, yes, I have understood it; for I have heard it more than once." The school, which was opened in August, 1848, with an initial attendance of eight, showed greater promise. Chief Bemassikeh was especially interested in it, for at first he came evefy day and watched the transformation of the unruly children Among the American Indians IS into well behaved pupils. As some orphans were intrusted to Baierlein's care and greater interest shown in the school, the attendance increased to nineteen during the latter part of the year. The first Christmas at Bethany could be celebrated according to German fashion. There were presents, and for the festival occasion the missionary with the help of the interpreter had translated Luther's hjmin ''Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her'' (Good news from heaven the angels bring), the first two lines of which read in the Chippewa language as follows : 'Widi gishigong ishpiming Kidonjibiotisinim, ^ Nimpidon tibajimowin Wenishishing keget 'nawon. The children were very anxious to learn the words and rejoiced to sing them, especially when the brilliant Christmas tree shed radiance and happiness everywhere. It might be well to point out here what Baierlein in course of time did for the sound instruction of the pupils. The study of the Chippewa language had of course been diligently continued all this while. In order to facilitate the instruction and to make it more beneficial, the missionary wrote a primer. It consisted of two parts with an appendix. The first part served as an aid in spelling, the Chippewa words being rendered into English. The second part was a reader, the lessons being taken from the Bible, while the unknown Chippewa words were explained. The appendix contained a few prayers and hymns. Baierlein himself made a trip -' 76 Lutheran Mission Work to Detroit, which was about ISO miles from Beth- any, and in the winter of 1852 saw the books thru the press. They proved to be of great help in the school. The children became fond of the reader, being especially delighted with the stories from the Bible, which they would read to their parents and friends. The hymns were eagerly memorized and the German tunes correctly rendered. The school also furnished the first candidate for Baptism. -When the fourth part of Luther's Catechism was explained, four boys and one girl expressed a desire to be baptized. The parents made no objection, and in the early part of 1849 the children together with the infant daughter of the missionary and some relatives of the chief were baptized by Rev. Craemer of Frankenmuth, in all ten Indians. On this occasion was sung the Indian rendering of '^Blessed Jesus, we are here," the first stanza reading as follows: Oma sa nindaiamin, O Tebeningeion Jesus, Chidodamang eshiang Ima kitikitowining, Mab' abinoji k'dodisig, lu chiwiawangomod. During the latter part of the same year three others received Baptism, among them as the first adult the widowed daughter of the old chief. Others followed in rapid succession, there being at Baierlein's departure for India, in 1853, a congregation of sixty members. The old chief Bemassikeh remained the steadfast friend of the mission, but was never baptized, postponing the rite from one spring to the next. He was suffering from tuberculosis, and had an eager desire to regain his health. The missionary could only give him relief, but no promise of complete restoration. Then he sought the help of the medicine men of his tribe and also sent for famous doctors elsewhere. His lung trouble became worse in time, and during a trip of the missionary he suddenly died. However, on his deathbed he warned his relatives and people against the traders and the Methodists, exhorting them not to forsake the '^German black coat." He also urged them to become Christians, a step he himself would have taken If his life had been prolonged. The mission had made rapid strides during the few years of Baierlein's work, and the meeting place proved too small. Sometimes there was not even standing room for the growing congregation and the visiting heathen. Therefore the missionary decided to build a log church abutting his house, a door from his study leading into it. It was planned by the missionary himself and finished with the help of others, only the tower giving no little trouble to the unskilled workers. On the whole it made a very respectable appearance. The tower was adorned by a cross, and a bell cast at Chicago served to indicate the time of worship. The inside was very dignified. It contained benches, altar, and pulpit. The altar and pulpit decorations were presented by pious women of Dresden, the Count of Einsiedeln giving a crucifix and candelabrum, and the Leipzig student society "Philadelphia" a communion set. These gifts Miessler, a student designated as Baier- lein's assistant, brought over with him in 1851. The whole structure including the bell had necessitated an outlay of 230 dollars. The church now became the center of the spiritual work in the village.There were two services each Sunday, one on Wednesday and one on Friday However, Baierlein's work among the Red Men was now rapidly drawing to a close. Delicate health alone had prevented his sailing to India in 1846. When his help was urgently needed there, the mission board recalled him from America in 1853. The mission board of the synod had asked Rev. Sievers of Frankentrost to be present at the farewell in order to lessen the grief of the Indians. In a congregational meeting which he convened, he pledged them the further sup- port of the synod. Then the men, one after the other, arose, and in a dignified manner gave ex- pression to their regret over Baierlein's leaving and their fears for the future. Not only Christians, but also heathen were present, and one of the latter, Misquaamaquod (Red Cloud), gave utterance to what all felt: "Even if every one of us should rise and stretch .out his hands in order to hold back our father, we could not hold him back. He has been called and he will go. However, if we could only get a man in his place who would be like him, we might be well served. But if not, then I fear that we shall be as a pile of dry leaves when the wind blows upon them." The last days before Baierlein's departure his house was thronged with visitors. The old blind Sarah came twice a day in order to see "her father." Pemagojin also made his appearance, but steadfast- ly declared that he would not witness Baierlein's departure. He kept his word. The day previous he came for the last time. When the missionary tried to console him, he suddenly rose, embraced and kissed his friend, then disappeared in the forest. This was the last Baierlein saw of him. The scene on the day of departure, May 19th, the missionary has described in a touching manner. Leave was taken from the members of the congregation. For the last time Baierlein saw his school room and knelt at the altar of the church, scenes that for six years had witnessed a labor of love. Then he tore himself away, and while Rev. Sievers and the Indian congregation sang the hymn "All Glory be to God on High," the boat bearing the missionary and his family floated down the river. It ended Baierlein's activities among the American Indians, and from now on he was engaged for thirty-three years as missionary in East India. |