The Indian Camp Meeting [pp. 282-284]

THE INDIAN CAMP MEETING.
these two chiefs, who, inspirited by the trump of
war, had met as enemies upon the field of battle,
might be seen, after the blowing of the horn, taking
their seats side by side in the congregation, to
listen to the Gospel of peace. There was one chief
on the ground, a Pagan, said to be very influential
among his countrymen, who, during the meeting,
was urged by the missionary to embrace the Gospel, and use his influence to extend it. Amid
expressions of opposition, he gave signs of deep
conviction. After one of the Indian brethren had
delivered an impressive discourse, on Friday night,
this chief arose and opposed him. I had fallen
asleep, but was awaked and informed that the old
Pagan chief was speaking against the Gospel. I
wish, for the sake of your readers, I could paint
with words, and place the picture before them;
perhaps some more graphic pen than mine may
have sketched the scene. It was a fine, calm evening-heaven above us was full of sparkling gems,
the moon shone forth in all her brightness; but the
light of moon and stars was lost amid the glare
of our camp-fires, and our lamps, which were suspended from the trees. The stand was filled with
the preachers; the Indians were, most of them,
seated upon the benches nearest the stand, while the
whites stood upon the benches behind and around.
Immediately in front of the pulpit stood the old
chief, a fine looking, stout Indian, a handkerchief
fixed Indian fashion upon his head, blue pilot surtout coat, broad pieces of silver, some three inches
wide, around his wrists, buckskin leggins and moccasons, his belt around him, and his tomahawk by
his side. There he stood, the orator and champion
of Paganism-fire in his eye and thunder upon his
tongue. When he first arose he gave the Indian
war-whoop, which, amid our leafy temple, startled
both the red men and the Longknives. When I
left the tent and first entered the congregation, he
was speaking very fast and very loud, and appeared
to be pouring forth a torrent of angry speech;
his gestures were very violent; he had a cane in
his hand, with which he pointed first this way and
then that, sometimes toward heaven and then toward the ground. After speaking with great vehemence and terrible energy, appearing to slacken,
an Indian minister (Nagagheek) upon the platform
said, "Stop now, I want to talk;" upon which the
old chief, as if anxious to cease, said, "I done
now; I through now; you talk." We were told
that in his address he spoke of what their fathers
had told them; described their superstitions and
defended them; said it was all true, and he knew
it was true. He described one of their great
feasts, and said that the great Spirit had given it
to the Indians to keep them alive. Finding him
upon rather debatable ground, Nagagheek did not
give him time to change his position, but attacked
him directly, challenging him to tell how he knew
it was true, and especially how it came to pass that
the Indians were moldering away before the whites,
if the great Spirit had given them the great feast
to keep them alive. While the brother was speaking, he appeared very attentive, sometimes laughing; but seeing his position give way, and getting
impatient, he rallied for the attack, saying, "You
stop now, I want to talk;" upon which the brother
stopped, and the old chief again arose and spoke
with considerable energy, though not with so much
impetuosity as at the first. After he had again
spoken for some time, his antagonist replied, and
the discussion was continued until the chief was
completely driven from every position.
I was struck with the contrast. When first I
saw him, his utterance was loud and rapid, his gestures violent and quick, while he waved his cane
around his head as if in defiance, and pointed with
it first in this direction and then that; but at last
he talked low and slow, and kept looking down
upon the ground, at the same time lifting his cane
two or three inches from the ground and striking at
the same spot; until, at last, he admitted Christianity to be good, and said he believed it was true,
and that he would never speak against religion
again. There was a boldness and a magnanimity
about the chief, which was truly honorable; and the
scene to me, and to many others who witnessed it,
was deeply interesting. And, doubtless, it will tell
upon the interests and destinies of many deathless
spirits. It is thought by the missionary, that the
circumstance has opened the door for the Gospel to
fifteen hundred Indians, who are yet in their Pagan
state. The old chief had an affecting interview
with the preachers afterward, in their tent, in which
he expressed a determination to seek regeneration, and requested that the missionary would visit
hial at his village, and preach to him and his band
and teach them. And the old man said upon leaving us, "Good bye, brothers-we all brothers now."
Brother Scott, from St. Clair, was present, to the
great gratification both of the Indians (many of
whom were his spiritual children) and whites, and
rendered very efficient service, preaching both to
the Indians and the whites. His two admirable
sermons will not soon be forgotten, either by
preachers or people. After the sermon on the
Sabbath, a collection was taken up, amounting to
twenty-seven dollars, to aid in supporting Nagagheek, who conducted the discussion with the chief:
our presiding elder, the Rev. Larmon Chatfield,
wvho is also superintendent of the mission, having
engaged this brother to assist till conference, in
cultivating this field, so white already to the harvest. At the same time, also, a subscription was
taken, amounting to sixty dollars, to buy a yoke
of oxen and implements of husbandry for the
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