1885 Board of Indian Commissioners
"Annual Report of the Board of Indian Commissioners," pp. 755-887. In U.S. House. 49th Congress, 1st Session. Report of the Secretary of the Interior, 1885 (H.Ex.Doc.1, Pt. 5, Vol. 1). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1885. (Serial Set 2378)

From: Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Missions Among the Indians, pp. 801-810.

. . . Nez Percé Mission.—The Nez Percé Mission has suffered from the absence of Mr. Deffenbaugh, during much of the year. The work in the hands of Misses S. L. McBeth and K. C. McBeth, has, however, gone forward, "covering," as Mr. Deffenbaugh says in one of his letters, "every form and phase of Christian work among the Indians." Miss Sue L. McBeth has, as heretofore, given her chief attention to the work of preparing young men for preaching the gospel. Her own letters give some interesting accounts of the way in which these pupils have been transformed. One of them particularly, by the grace of God attending his instruction, has been changed from a "wild blanket Indian youth" to a comely, dignified, and even refined Christian man and Christian preacher. Others have had a similar history. Miss Kate McBeth’s work for the Nez Percé women is hardly, if at all, less important and encouraging. These sisters have, indeed, been greatly prospered from on high in their faithful instruction and example.

The report given by Mr. Deffenbaugh for the first quarter of the year, the period previous to his return home on leave of absence, is full of interest, though, as he states, "the mission is at present in a state of transition," and lacks the settled order which is desirable.

The nature of the work devolving upon the missionary is largely that of itinerating or periodical visits with one or more of his native preachers, during which protracted services are held, including the communion of the Lord’s Supper, baptism, marriage, &c.

The following extract from the quarterly report will afford an idea of the nature of the work:

"On Tuesday, July 21, in company with licentiates James Hayes and Peter Lindsley, I started for Spokan Station. On Friday evening we rode into Deep Creek settlement. The beaming and earnest face of our martyred elder, William Threemountains, was missed. No truer blood than his ever stained the ground, shed in defense of the truth. He was ever unsparing in his denunciations of the wicked practices of his people, and was shot down while remonstrating with a drunken half-breed. We missed his kind ministrations on our arrival, and for a time wandered about seeking friendly shelter. On Saturday and on the Sabbath the usual meetings were held, and the communion service was appointed for the following Sabbath. Word was sent out on Monday evening to the different settlements for the people to assemble for services during the week. On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday the people came filing in from different directions, bringing their household goods. As arrangements were to be made for the communion service one of the elders mounted his pony and started to the sutler’s store at Fort Spokan, 15 or 20 miles away, to get some raisins for the sacramental wine.

"Among the exercises of Wednesday was a long conference with the elders in regard to the nature of their duties and the responsibility of their offices. I had announced that at the close of the service all unmarried members (who had lived together as husband and wife in the native way, in quite unsettled relations), should present themselves for Christian marriage. The elders went to work and gathered eight couples. They were seated in a row on one side of the building to receive some words of instruction, after which the couples rose up separately and were married. In the intervals of service we spent a short time in prayer and praise. Four persons were examined and received to the membership of the church, after which followed the sermon and the administration of the Lord’s Supper.

"At the service next morning, Peter Lindsley was preaching, and I took a census of the people present, with the following result: Men, 39; women, 40; boys, 9; girls, 9; babies 12; in all, 109. These people are certainly not on the decrease, and a more evenly divided congregation as to sex would be difficult to find; and be it said to their credit that only three of the men wore long hair and blankets."