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Letter #51.
Columbia Mission-April 21st 1838
To Revd David Greene
Sect of the A. B. C. F. M.
Missionary Rooms-Boston Mass

Dear Brother

We the undersigned in behalf of the above named mission under the patronage & supervision of your honored Board, beg respectfully to offer through you the following, for the consideration of the Revd Prudential Committee

After a residence of nearly two years in this country, during which time we have spared no pains to acquaint ourselves with the character of the country, the character & condition of the native tribes, have made inquiries of gentlemen more or less acquainted with the country & natives, have traveled ourselves some thousands of miles, & received delegates from 8 or 10 different tribes, we have come to the settled conviction, that you can no longer suffer this great harvest field to remain unoccupied by laborers without inflicting an incalculable injury upon these immortal souls & incuring the fearful displeasure of Heaven -- Our reasons are the following. While pening these lines, standing upon these Rocky Mountains our eyes are open upon unnumbered thousands, standing around us with outstretched hands for help. We see others in the back ground with closed eyes & quick steps, hastening through the wide gate & down the broad road, not knowing whither they are going -We might name a few tribes open for & anxious to have missionaries settle among them-viz. The Cudalane [Coeur d'Alene], Flat Head, Pondaray [Pend d'Oreilles], Colvile, Sapwell, Okanagan, Walla Walla & many others North & East of us. The Snake, Bonack & Eutaws South & those in the region of Pugets Sound West. We do not mention those betwene Walla Walla & the mouth of the Columbia R. as they are entered by our Methodist brethren. We are persuaded that missionaries might travel safely with the Black Feet a very extensive tribe of Indians & also might settle safely in the Crow & mandan countries.

To occupy these fields immediately, we ask as the least possible number which God & our conscienciences will admit us to name, for 30 ordained missionaries, 30 farmers, 30 school teachers, 10 physicians & 10 mechanics, with their wives-We ask that every reasonable facility be furnished them sent by Cape Horn, or the Mountain route,
as you may think properthat they may engage immediately & efficiently in their work-for with all possible dispatch on your part & of those who may engage as laborers there must necessarily many thousands of immortals take their leave of this world & pass beyond the borders of hope, leaving the blood. of their souls in the skirts of somebody,
before the laborers can arrive on the ground & after they shall have arrived, many thousands more must go the same way, before the mighty tide of moral death can be finally arrested in its onward course, & the waters of life flow broad & deep over the land. We expect that a good number of these laborers are now, or will soon be on their way with brother Gray. The remainder we shall look for without delay. Revd Jason Lee of the Willamette Mission, has just favored us with a visit, on his way to the States for more laborers & more extensive means for carrying forward the great work of civilizing & christianizing the long neglected natives of this vast region of the earth. He expects, God willing, to return in 1839 or - 40 - This will afford a favorable opportunity for your missionaries-We know to whom we make requests-they are made to you dear brethren whose hearts are accustomed to feel for the poor heathen, & who have long been pained, that so many millions should continue to dishonor God from year to year& age to age. They are made to you dear brethren, who are the representatives of a large body of the followers of the Lamb---,& here every thought of being disappointed in these requests are hushed at once, by having before us at this moment, a correct copy of the articles of agreement entered into betwene these christians & the Lord Jesus Christ. Agreed to on earth & regestered in the annals of Heaven, & witnessed by angels & men. An agreement the most solemn & binding that can be made betwene inteligent beings, but one containing most ample provisions for the benighted
heathen, on the part of Jesus Christ, & the most unqualified promise on the part of every christian, to see that these provisions are carried out. Among others we notice the following -"If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments". Freely ye have received, freely give." Go ye into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature." With such facts before us we can do no less than make the request for the number of laborers, above mentioned, & you can do no less, holding your responsible stations, than send them with a proper outfit with the least possible delay. You have only to make the request known & the men & money are at your command at once. Every christian will come up to the work at once. There can be no mistake here, for the bible is plain. It is as certain, as it is certain that the friends & patrons of your Board are on their way to heaven. You may reply that though this is all true in theory, it is very far from being true in practice. Our answer is, we cannot take the defects of christians, as an excuse in this matter. The men & means must come, or yourselves, or those you represent must take the responsibility of withholding from these dying immortals the bread of life.

And now in relation to ourselves, or rather the stations we occupy.

We have duly considered your letter of Jan [7] 1837, but we cannot bring ourselves to believe that you intended in that letter to give us other instructions than what we have ever understood to be the design of the Board. viz. that its missionaries, in whatever field located, should, after prayerful deliberation, adopt such measures & pursue such a course as will according to the best of their judgment, result in the greatest good to the natives to whom they are sent. We find the natives of this country, poor in the extreme, depending entirely upon roots, fish & game for subsistance. We see them fast decreasing in numbers, not from any prevailing disease, but actually from the want of the necessaries of life- & we see causes now in existance, which were not in former days, which must to all human appearance, result in their entire annihlation, unless a redeeming power be interposed-We believe that redeeming power to be the means of civilization & a permanent subsistance; & therefore while we point them with one hand to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world, we believe it to be equally our duty to point with the other to the hoe, as the means of saving their famishing bodies from an untimely grave & furnishing the means of subsistance to future generations.

In taking this course, we believe we obey not only the dictates of common sense & the voice of humanity, but act in accordance with the medical man in the civilized world-What would be thought of that pious physician, who, called to a patient racked with the pains of a broken limb, or burning up with a raging fever, or fainting with the loss of flowing blood, should sit down & preach the gospel as a sufficient remedy, & withhold all medical aid! We believe, that, that man, though he might possess ardent piety, would fail to receive an appointment from your Board, simply for the want of common sense- & yet are we to be made to believe that it is your wish, or the wish of the church which you represent, now we are appointed, we should act upon that unwise, inhuman principle? Why then do we hear you call loud for physicians as important laborers in your fields, & why do we see you send them out with medecines & instructions to establish hospitals & dispensatories! is individual sickness of more consequence that the malady of an entire people? But you have long since learned that these tribes are actually starving to death, & now will you send in one vessel to one part of the world, a physician with medecines for the benefit of individuals, & instructions to us in another, to withhold corn-fields & other means of subsistance from this people, the same to them, as a nation, that proper medecine is to a sick man. For what then did you send to this country only to bury these tribes, as they die with famine, & then return home? for we cannot think that unearthly (though not heavenly) notion has found its way into your purposes, that it is God's will that the Indian tribes should soon become extinct, & therefore all that christians have to do, is to try to save a few of the present race without making any provisions for future generations. No, we believe you sent us to this country to carry out the principles of our holy religion, to say with emphasis, to these poor, heathen "Be ye warmed & filled"-& also as speedily & as far as possible "Give them those things which are needful to the body" while we lead them to the bread & water of life.

With these views, we will proceed to state the supplies we need & which we shall expect without delay from some source. Irons, bolting, ready prepared coggs for a flour mill-the stones can be obtained near us. There is no timber in this upper country suitable for coggs. A sufficient quantity of iron with some steel, to have the debenture taken off. You can easily ascertain by inquiring of a merchant. We shall need several tons ourselves, & the new locations will need the remainder. In this way, half the price will be saved, & little or nothing lost, by sending a large quantity at once. We shall need iron for our blacksmith whom we hope you have already or will soon have on his way to this country, to work up into farming utensils&c. A sufficient quantity of ready made balls, 30 to the pound, or lead with molds, to have the debenture taken off, that it may also be obtained for half pricewith a due proportion of powder -2000 gunflints. This ammunition we shall need to trade for provisions, labor & skins for clothing. Fifty blankets 2 1/2 pts. 50 do~ pts,~ 50 gross Indian awls-100 Doz. scalping knives - Five hundred yards of striped or checked cotton for shirts to be made by native girls. Books, slates, pencils, ink-powder, ink stands, & paper suitable & sufficient for two English schools of 50 scholars each, say the books shall be spelling books, testaments, & very many small elementary books. We find scripture cuts very useful-4 Doz Sab School Hymn Books

Four pitt saws, handled with files - 2 cross cut saws handled. 3 two inch augers- 2 inch & half, 6 inch-2 broad axes. 2 adzs. 2 set of planes stocked - 2 set of framing chisels-

2 cook stoves with furniture of the most approved patterns 6 common box stoves No 5-sheet iron for 300 feet of pipe 2 brass kettles with bails of 20 gallons each - 2 cast iron kettles with bails 15 Gal 2 do-9 gal-2 do-6 gal 4- do 3 gal-2 do 1 1/2 gal- with bails 4 smothing irons 8 lb each-2 large fire shovels, 2 pair large tongs 4 3/4 inches [and] 4 half inch augers. 4 bucks saws 4 doz com iron spoons-3 doz knives & forks the most durable kind 4 do Dining plates-4 doz breakfast plates-4 doz butter do-2 doz deep sauce dishes 6 large platters, 6 small do-6 doz quart bowls 3 doz pint do 1 doz chambers with covers-2 doz strong glass tumblers 4 doz tea cups & saucers 4 tea pots sugar bowls & cream cups. 8 two qurt pitchers 4 wash bowls 2 stone jars 4 gal 2 do. 2 gal 2 do I gal 2 casters, set- 2 doz 6 quart tin pans 2 doz 4 do - 4 doz one quart 4 milk skimmers 4 short handled milk dippers, 2 long handle brass skimmers 2 tin lantern, 2 glass globe do 4 draw shaves 4 bed pans- 1 Websters octavo Dictionary I do Watts Hymns 2 doz Village hymns 2 sets scrip cards- for Inf School-2 doz Parleys Geography, A large supply of plates cuts of all descriptions, maps & charts &c

The sources from which these supplies & all supplies in future are to be obtained

We are now convinced that we must depend upon other sources than Vancouver very soon, for supplies-Not but that Doct McLoughlin & all the Gentlemen of the Co in this country have & will doubtless continue to show us every possible favor-Doct Mc Loughlin in his last to us, advises that you appoint an agent in London, say one of their clerks who will purchase our supplies-And thinks the H B Co would be disposed to allow our freight in their vessels for any articles of English manufacture which we may require -& that while in London, he will be happy to render any assistance in his power, should you see fit to write him, according to his address at the close of the letter.

Revd Jason Lee of the Willamette mission, who is the bearer of this, should he visit Boston, can give you more information in relation to this subject, than we can by writing. Mr. Lee with his brethren has received the same advice in relation to an agent in London-Doubtless the same man could act for us all. We hope you will advise with brother Lee, should he visit Boston, with the same freedom, that you would, were he one of your own missionaries, for you may depend upon his deep interest in your missions in this country. We have but one heart, one work & one name on this side of the Mountains. Perhaps however you will choose to furnish our supplies from the same source & in the same way, that you do your missionaries at the Sandwich Islands, securing in the mean time, their transportation to Vancouver in the H. B. Co vessels

The above named supplies, you will forward us, either through an agent in London, or through your agent Mr Chamberlain at the Islands, as you may think proper & let us know by the return of Mr Lee where to look for supplies in future.

The settlements in prospect of which you speak in a late letter, must of course be confined to the lower country, there being no tillable land, to any extent, in the upper country & can be of no benefit to us, 400 or 500 miles distant & separated by almost impassable mountains. There is a flour mill at Fort Colvile 200 miles distant from one of our locations & 300 from the other, but it is designed to supply the Co Forts in the interior

We therefore must have a flour mill-

Praying that the friends & treasury of the Board may increase, till there shall be no want of men, or means to meet the wants of the heathen world & that the Board may have grace & wisdom to deliberate wisely & act efficiently

We remain your fellow laborers in the great work of preaching the gospel to every creature

Marcus Whitman
H.H. Spalding

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Letter #2
Missionary House, Boston.
March 21st. 1839.

Doct. M. Whitman &
Rev. H. H. Spalding.

Oregon Territory.

  Dear Brethren,

Your joint letter of April 21st, 1838, and those from Doct. W. of May 8th & May 15th, came to hand on the first of November. The several topics introduced in those letters I will remark upon briefly at the present time, hoping to write again soon.

Of reinforcements I would say that your expectations are too high for the means of the Board or for the spirit of the Christian community, or, as it seems to me, for the good of the cause of Christ in your region.-If the Board should attempt all that you request, it would be equivalent to about doubling the present number of laborers under its patronage, & of course, doubling the expenditures. We hope to go on increasing from year to year, & believe the Christian community will sustain the Board in so doing; but we have no evidence that they will, at our call, double their donations in a single year, & for one mission, & that a comparatively new one. By the general prevalence of a more devoted [piety?] the community must be prepared for such an advance.

But suppose it practicable and really attempted, it seems to me quite doubtful whether so sudden and great an increase of laborers would hasten the desired result. The jealousy & opposition of the traders might be awakened; and through them suspicions of your designs might be excited in the bosoms of the Indians. The missionaries would not be likely to be so well located, & to labor so harmoniously & efficiently themselves, as if the field had been opened and occupied more gradually. A steady growth from small beginnings is undoubtedly more consistent with economy. To one who witnesses the deplorable condition of the Indians, their miseries, their rapid progress to the grave, and their unfitness for heaven, any delay to make immediate proclamation of the gospel to them all seems criminal & inhuman; but still an attempt to do this may not conduce most to the desired result.

Somewhat similar would be my remarks relating to furnishing you with the large amount of various articles which you ask for the use of the Indians. To a certain extent they need assistance, before the spirit of industry, and enterprise, & self dependence can be awakened in them and lead them on to provide for themselves; but go one step too far in taking care for them, & you begin to undo what you were aiming to do; they grow inefficient, look to your skill & your abundance for all, and soon become soured if you will not do all. The less you can do for them and yet get them started & encouraged to go on & do for themselves, the better. Several of the stations of the Board, which felt themselves ruined by the late curtailment of their allowances, because the aid to the natives must be cut off, now say that it has contributed greatly to their success in this very particular, and would be unwilling now to be furnished with the very means which they formerly most urgently called for.

But I must not pursue this subject further. You & the Committee have one and the same object in view -the temporal comfort and the future salvation of the Indians. Both will strive to promote these in their several spheres. The Committee cannot do otherwise than desire that you should be in the highest degree efficient and successful in your labors. For this they will consult and pray. And their hope & belief are that you will never forget that after all your exertions, and the diligent use of all the means you can devise, your success, so far as the spiritual illumination and conversion of the Indians are concerned, must depend on the Spirit of God. Plan no dependence on anything else. So live, so preach, so pray, so act in all your intercourse with the Indians and all other persons that you can expect the divine blessing; and be ever prepared to hear the Indians of every band among your hills & vallies crying out, under the deepest conviction of their sin and ruin, "What must we do to be saved?". Many of the people of God among our churches have become deep[ly] interested in the Indians beyond the mountains & in your mission to them. They pray much for you; and tidings of your success would awaken much gratitude and praise to God.

May the Lord strengthen you and your associates for your work, guide and succeed you in it, and through your agency train a multitude of the Indians for the holiness & joys of heaven.

With Christian regards to your wives and all your fellow laborers,

I remain very truly your servant in Christ
David Greene

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Source:
Marcus Whitman, Crusader, edited by Archer Butler Hulbert and Dorothy Printup Hulbert; with maps and illustrations. Hulbert, Dorothy Printup - joint editor. [Colorado Springs]: The Stewart commission of Colorado college and Denver: The Denver public library; 1936; 3 v. : ill. ; 25 cm (Overland to the Pacific. v.6-8. Notes: OCLC no: ocm03463986; LC card no: 36017963; Half-title: The Crusaders; the Charles B. Voorhis series of Overland to the Pacific, a narrative- documentary history of the great epochs of the far West, edited by Archer Butler Hulbert ... and Dorothy Printup Hulbert; Vol. 1: First printing July 1936; v.2.: First printing June 1938; v.3: First printing June 1941; Contents: pt.1. 1802 to 1839.--pt.2. 1839 to 1843.--pt.3. 1843-1847.

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