Feb.6 1879

My dear Mrs Perkins
I have been wanting to write to the Phila friends for a long time but it has not been possible. The winter days are so short in this latitude and I dare not use my eyes to write at night. I injured one of them years ago by night writing. Since then if I use my pen at night, I am sure to suffer for it. And my days are so full of duties. My school room is in my house, and my pupils come to me in the morning, generally as soon as it is light enough to read, and I teach them without intermission until 1 and 2 o’clock P.M. and this teaching in two languages is very exhausting. After dinner is over, and necessary household matters attended to, the daylight is well-nigh ended.

I do not remember if I told the ladies of the appointment of two of my pupils, Archie B. Lawyer and Mark Williams, by the Indian Dept. at Washington, as teachers, to Joseph’s band of Nez Perces in the Indian Territory. James Reuben, another Nez Perce young man was appointed at the same time. The U.S. Agent here Mr. J. B. Montieth, was ordered to take some of the late hostile Nez Perces who returned home from Sitting Bull and surrendered last summer and place them with their Chief Joseph. Our boys accompanied Mr M. and the prisoners last September.

Feb. 22^nd

Robert Williams, one of the native preachers supplies the church at Kamiah, spending occasionally a few days or a week or two at Lapwai with me studying. Preaching as he does twice or three times every Sabbath, besides ‘talks’ at the prayer meetings he holds twice each week, and with so little help in his studies in the way of books etc. comes to get a fresh supply of ‘hamtaktpama’ (sermon-stuff) and after his riding sixty miles through cold and snow, over the mountains from Kamiah for this purpose I gladly spend all the time and strength left from my school duties, upon him. While he is here letters not absolutely necessary must wait. His coming caused me to lay this letter aside from the 6^th to the present, when he returned to his post. He is also pursuing his studies with at view to ordination this Spring, if God will, and needs help which as yet, his teacher only can give, because the explanations must be made principally in his own language. He is a noble man, an earnest worker and a successful one among his people. Pray that God may give him the grace, wisdom and strength he so much needs.

Then too, since Mark and Archie have gone to the Indian Territory, I have had ‘two hearts’ as the Nez Perce express it, one here and the other with them. Joseph and his people received them with the old hostility to them and to their teachings, and for a time they were almost in despair. Then save one short visit to Portland, it was their first absence from home and they were very homesick. "We are in an enemys country’ the wrote ‘and with a sick longing for the dear ones at home." Both of them left their wives here, and Archie a little son whom he dearly loves, because there was no provision made for their wives travelling expenses, and their own going was something of an experiment.

Their teacher laid aside even home letters to talk to and encourage and help our boys, and try to raise up friends and helpers to them among the Christians in her own race, in their vicinity. Their last letters are more hopeful. Mark is a sweet singer and a good player on the cabinet organ. Archie too, sings well and they have many Gospel hymns translated into the Nez Perce. At first the teachers worshipped alone, no one would meet with them. Then a few came and listened to the singing in silence. Then presently a few voices would try to follow them. "Pray much, tell all the Christians to pray much for us and for this people" they wrote. "We hope the hearts of some are ‘haito’ (becoming brittle like ice in the river when it is ready to break in the spring). The work is not of us, but by the power of God."

On a recent Sabbath evening our boys appointed a [illegible] in the ‘long house,’ a tent made of seven lodges united into one dwelling for seven families, and has seven fires within it. While they were singing, praying and preaching, one after another of Josephs people came quietly in and seated themselves on the (ground) floor, and listened, until about 200 were assembled and the lodge was crowded to its utmost capacity. Presently other voices chimed in, trying to follow words in the hymns, and all appeared to listen attentively to the Gospel message. When in the midst of the exercises two of the leading chiefs, who are still opposed to the Gospel, appeared at the door and ordered their people to leave and return to their lodges, which they were compelled to do. Our boys waited quietly until all had left except the occupants of the lodge, about 30, and then continued the exercises with them. In a little time, one after another of the scattered congregation stole quietly back through the darkness, until nearly all had returned, and they finished the meeting without further interruption.

When our boys reached the Territory they did not know what [illegible] would have, if any, and they found no provisions made for their return travelling expenses, so that the fear was that they were cut off from home and dear ones, added to trouble. But recently the Dept has appointed or promised them a salary of $700.00 yearly, each, and so the burden is taken from them. But they are surrounded by the heathenism from which they themselves emerged less than ten years ago, they are cut off from church helps, and Christian companions, standing alone. Pray that God will keep them and guide them, and bless their work among Joseph’s people.

I am taking it for granted that the Phila. Friends, having adopted Miss McBeth, have adopted all her Nez Perces, and are interested in hearing about them. I have written first about those who are absent, because they had had the most to do in delaying this letter. My present class of seven Nez Perce men are making good progress, I think. They are all but one married, supporting themselves and families by their own labor, as did Robert, Archie, and Mark.

For three years these studied with me nearly every morning and worked on their farms in the afternoons and Saturdays, providing well for their families by their own work. It was hard, and many times I felt sorry for them, but it helped to develop them into strong helpful, self-reliant men. My present pupils are pursuing the same course only that I let the Kamiah men go home for about three weeks in the Spring to plough, put in their crops, etc. and then return to their studies. They harvest their crops in the Summer vacation. I doubt if many white men in like circumstances would do much better, or make more progress.

Was the effort to teach and elevate them (my first class) discouraging and wearisome at first?" you ask. I found them so ‘hungry to know’ as they expressed it, and so quick to learn that teaching them was a pleasure from the first. Then too, the greater part of the revelations of that Wonderful Book was new to them. If you could have watched them as they bent over its pages, and drank in many its stories and teachings for the first time, and heard their exclamations of wonder and delight, it would have touched you as it did me, many times. "Do the people know that?" we would ask, "No," "Then tell them." Then on Sabbath and at other times they made known to their people what they had learned in the week. When our work on the language, which was an unwritten one except Father Spauldings translation of Matthew, about a dozen hymns and one small book – gave us much pleasure and as we had no interpreter added much to the interest of the days lesson to us. We enjoyed ‘digging’ among ‘roots’ (verbal), especially the background which had never before been explored. And then attached to those same roots would come up into daylight, an old time Nez Perce custom or habit, or a part of their heathen mythology, or a legend or tradition. The language stood in place of the absent [illegible] companionships to us.

I have now collected about 10,000 or 15,000 Nez Perce words with their English definitions, together with the outline of a Nez Perce and English Grammar. It was partly for this Dictionary and Grammar we wanted the printing press, and still want it. When we have translated and are still translating many hymns, and we want to scatter translations of portions of Scripture among the people. And we want a small monthly paper in English and Nez Perce, for besides this tribe, quite a number belonging to neighboring tribes understand that language, and we might reach many of them in this way. Perhaps some of the friends at home would subscribe, and thus the interest in Indian missions be increased.

Mark was the one I had destined in my heart to take charge of the printing press, but the Master had some other work for him. If I had the press, though, I think I have a printer, in my new class.

I wish you could hear James Hays my youngest pupil singing and playing on the organ in the school room, as I write. ‘Jesus of Nazereth passeth by’, ‘Every day and hour’ etc. In Dr Lowries last letter, he speaks of a school for Nez Perce girls, which he thinks needful and so do I; not only for girls but for young married women. Something ought to be done for them soon. If a good lady missionary was among them today she would find ample work, for the too ‘are hungry to know,’ and the few I have been able to reach, I found as quick to learn as the men. When I first came to Kamiah where this Theological work was put into my hands, I began a mixed class, but that is not best, it is better to teach them separately. But when I am through with my own class I can do little for the women, much as I would like to. I shall be most heartily glad if something can be done for this very important half of the tribe, and will do anything in my power to aid.

That little extract in Woman’s Work, perhaps has been the means in Gods hand of prompting kind Christian hearts in the East, South, and North, to send me words of cheer and Christian sympathy which have done me good. If I had time to answer them, I would be very glad, but God will reward them. I want more letters. Do not forget in your prayers the Nez Perces and their teacher

S.L McBeth