Show UNJUST inhibition the following statement of an unjustifiable attempt to prevent the elders from preaching the gospel to the aborigines in indian territory is extracted from a private letter written by a missionary laboring in that part of the country the communication muni cation is dated june I 1 I 1 you may remember the letters which were published in your paper some two months ago containing the visit of brothers hill hilf and ashton to the osage country those elders had a very nery pleasant interview with the head chief eu cis ti wah ti au ka and left a written application as to their purposely purpose seln in wishing to preach among the indians indiana the indians appeared very friendly and the chief was much interested and promised to present the matter for the indian council to act upon for said he if you get the approval of all the council each will carry the message to his neighborhood and they will expect you and be more friendly if they do not know of you they will be suspicious and may deal treacherously the elders also obtained the consent of the agent mr smith to carry out their object viz the teaching of the gospel to the native races brothers hill and ashton then returned to our headquarters toward the close of last month brother hill and myself were delegated to visit the usages and learn the result of the application when we reached this place mr john A richards a member of the church proffered us the use of df his horses and buggy and as the trip to the agency is a long one and houses being scarce in many places we accepted the offer on our road there and back we of course held meetings and spread the gospel reever we could on the ath ast we drove into the osage agency and having previously learned that the new administration had appointed another agent we went direct to his office and stated our object in calling on him also informing him of the fact that the previous agent had con dented dand and given permission the agent mr miles told us that un the order of the secretary of the interior all missionaries were to be allowed to proselyte among the indians but in our case we being mormons cormons Mor mons he would consider the question and do what he thought best beet when he had considered the position which the government had assumed regarding a portion of mormon belief and practice next morning we called on mr miles and he informed us that after consulting with a dr dorchester of boston who is now residing for a time at the agency and who holds a prominent position as superintendent in of the indian school he had decided to refuse us th the e privilege of laboring among the ingmans In indians glans he gave no special reason for this action only remarking that he would forward an appeal adz to the interior department if we desired to make one As mr miles decision was based upon the views of dr dorchester at our request the former gave us a note of introduction to the latter and we called on him to learn his reasons for opposing our labor the doctor a very intelligent gentleman said his purpose in taking the action he did was based U upon the as a body still maintained that the law of celestial marriage was from god and though it yas was not openly advocated as missionaries of that church it would be improper to allow us among the indians even if we did not teach it at all I 1 we tried to reason with him that the teaching of gospel principles was our only object and it it was unjust to deprive the indians of the benefit which would result from our labors as well as abridging the liberty of religious belief in being obstinate in refusing our request 1 but I 1 said he as you are mormons cormons Mor mons and do not believe cis as the united states government swo says you must you are not entitled to the enjoyment of the same religious freedom granted to other religious sects and thus through the mere opinion of one man our labor among the remnants of the ancient people of god was checked many think our ideas concerning the indians are unreasonable and foolish and wish to debar us from making known that which will be of good to them and turn them from savage customs to be an enlightened race for no other reasons than prejudice and the fear that their ow own perversions of truth will be uprooted ifa if an n appeal is made to the higher authority the department at washington and consent granted we will not be under the disagreeable duty of asking the opinion and consent of every agent who is appointed to succeed a former one whenever a new administration steps into the executive chair our visit was an excellent time to present our request to the indian council for the chiefs were in session at the time of our arrival but the action of the agent stopped further movement on OD our part I 1 there was also a noticeable difference in the friendliness of the indians indiana formerly they were very friendly this time very reserved we met the principal chief the one the application was left with but he did not refer to it in any way there is no doubt that he be handed the ar application to the catholic priest and that functionary put a quietus on it and used his influence to turn the indians against us which he evidently succeeded iu in doing to a great extent there were only a few indians around the agency as it was a week too soon for their assembling to receive their quarterly annuity but the chiefe were be decked in all their native fancies having their heads shaven with the exception of a portion in the ane centre which is trained to stand erect and ornamented with paints and feathers those we saw are of large stature ranging from 6 beet to 6 feet 6 inches we attended their council remaining a short time in other res respects ets our trip was successful both rn in acquiring new friends and in meeting with bitter enemies many were more friendly after hearing our doctrines and others exhibited a willing desire to learn more concerning mormonism while in two towns we were colw told in emphatic terms that our presence was not at all desirable and their schoolhouses were securely closed against us it is the white class whom we find our bitterest opponents and seldom do wo we meet an indian but who shows that he be is not dot directly opposed to us but they axe are more or less reserved either because of the opposing influence and prejudice of the white man or of our being strangers to them by word from the other elders w we e learn that all are well and that the visit of brothers jack and ashton among the and in the north has been very enco encouraging and F six or eight baptisms w will U likely toke tak e P place ace before they return and d during u rin the next two months our travel els will have to be partially abated because of the intense heat which prevails during the months of july and august 11 we now intend making our way wong along the grand and verdigris divers alvers toward manard for the weather is now beginning to get op Pie seive though up to dat ethe frequent rain showers have had the effect of keeping the atmosphere cool |