THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

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age; that there are at least twenty-five thousand real Indian citizens of the United States; that the seventy-one military posts formerly set to control them are reduced to ten; and that of the two hundred and fifty thousand Indians of the country two hundred thousand are already self-supporting. The efficiency and excellence of the work done for and by the Indians in the schools has surprised the whole country, and one need but look over the well certified reports of these schools to see that their results compare well with those of schools for any race under like conditions. Those who have visited the schools operating for one month each within these exposition grounds need no added testimony to the natural ability of the Indian, or to his will­ingness to work when the usual motives of civilization are permitted him. Did time permit, many interesting illustrations might be given of the success of well-endowed Indian young men and women who have in a few years obtained a good elementary English education; of others who have graduated from colleges and institutions for special professional education; of some who have been trained by our own associa­tion as physicians and nurses, or been aided in the study of law, and even of art.

The first Indian woman physician was thus educated, and is now an honored gov­ernment physician and Christian worker among her own people. The achievements of some of these Indian patriots among their own people would read like epics could they be written.

We can here cite but one case: One who followed the wild, free life of an Indian boy—happily remote from vicious rough white borderers—till fourteen years of age, when, hearing from beloved lips the story of the Christ, and being won, he followed his Divine star to an Indian school one hundred and fifty miles distant; finished his course there, entered and graduated from college, achieved a three years’ medical education, again graduated with honor, and to the persuasions of white fellow-stu­dents to stay east and get rich he made answer: “Do you suppose that I have studied here seven years to stay and make money? No. 1 go to help my people.” And back to barbarians, to isolation, to hardships, but to noble service, he returned, expos­ing life again and again in the emergencies of his consecrated labor.

In the fifteen years given to work for this race, and in visits to tribes in every state and territory of the Union but three, it has been my happy lot to meet not a few men and women, sometimes in blanket, paint and feathers, who were jewel souls by nature, richly worth the effort of any patriot to save and uplift them into noble man­hood and womanhood; and some of these have by God’s grace become jewels in Christ’s crown and consecrated workers in His kingdom. Some of them have heard of Him for the first time in dying hours and have said, “Now I am not afraid,” and have with the last breath asked the Divine light for their people. Reproaches that can never be forgotten have fallen from some dying lips for a gospel withheld from be­loved ones; from many tribes now come earnest pleadings for schools and for Chris­tian teachers.

Among the many noble endeavors of today, what is nobler than redemptive work among these native Americans, to whom we are under so great and so lasting obliga­tion? There are still needed forty mission stations in order to bring the Divine light to all these native tribes, and the presence and effort of a consecrated pair of friends and helpers in each tribe would discover the jewels worth polishing; would detect and go far to remedy wrongs among them; would foster all good impulses; would evolve and strengthen manhood and womanhood, and would inspire toward industry, patriotism and Christian living the worthy men and women of the tribe. With forty- four states it should be easy to provide these needed missions; and, rich in mental, moral and spiritual power, it should be easy for American Christian women to finish the solution of the Indian question.