Lapwai, Dec 2^nd, 1873

Rev. J.C. Lowrie D.D.

Dear Sir
If Dr. Lowrie has given S.L. McB. a thought in the month, it has perhaps, been a thought that she was very remiss in not reporting herself - as she should have done at once, on her arrival here. But I have been so unsettled.

Mr Ainslie has doubtless reported to you that Mr Howell failed to come to this station, and that I was detained to take his place in the school here until another teacher could be obtained - and leave me free to go to Kamiah as I expected. Mr A. told me the other day that a gentleman from the states (I forget his name) had promised to come, but could not start until Feb. so it will probably be March before he reaches here.

I was one month all save one day on the journey. Spent the first Sabbath at Omaha where I recieved much kindness from Dr Stewart. I reached San Francisco late Friday night. I had taken one very large trunk with me and when it was brought to my room that night I found it broken past all hope of mending. I would need to buy another and repack before going further. I intended to spend the Sabbath in San F. & start the beginning of the week for Portland (D.V.) I did not know one hotel from another in the City and was rather strangely drawn to the Grand. (It is too long a story to tell now but is another experience added to my many experiences of the truth that Our God is a living God who hears & answers prayer.)

While at breakfast in the large dining room the next morning two of my dearest friends from St. Louis walked in and took a seat at the table next mine. I knew the moment I saw them why I had been sent there, and Who sent me. At no other hotel in that great City could I have met a familiar face. And I did not know they were in the City. Mr Bredell is a millionaire & goes where his fancy prompts & he, his wife & adopted daughter had come out to spend the year in Cal. and made their home at the Grand. Mr B is an elder in our church in St. L. While waiting for them in the parlor after breakfast the Rev. Mr Condit came in. I had a letter to his wife from her sister who had also written to them of my coming and he had seen my name among the arrivals and had come to take me home with him. But Mr & Mrs B would not listen to my leaving them. On inquiring we found that only one vessel left San F. for Portland each week, and that on Saturday A.M. at 10 O’clock. There was no help for it I would need to wait in San F for a whole week. Monday A.M. when Mr Condit came again, I asked him to get me a cheaper boarding house. I like him & Mrs C. very much, and would visit them but would not tax their kindness for so long a time. While we were talking Mr & Mrs B came in & utterly vetoed my leaving them at all, save for a short visit - said I must remain at the hotel as their guest. I saw they would be hurt if I refused and I knew money was no object with them & so I remained.

Mr B paid my hotel bill $24.00 in gold which Dr Lowrie can credit to him as a contribution to mission if he thinks best, although it was not meant as such. But enough of this.

I had a delightful week in San F. Mr Loomis, my old friends W.C. Ralston & others called. But my chief pleasure was in going with Mr & Mrs Condit among the Chinese. I spent the most of my strength among them, and I never was more deeply interested in any people. Dr Lowrie need not be surprised should God give S.L. McB life & strength - if she should apply to him some day for an appointment to China or to labor among the Chinese in this country. (I had another experience with the Chinese in Portland)

I had a delightful sea voyage my roommate & myself were the only ladies on board who were not the least sea sick. I was detained five days in Portland (to make connections, I have an old home friend there - Dr. Glenn, Dr Lindsley was not at home but his daughter went with me to one of this elders Gen. Babbitt to learn about my up river voyage. I found that Gen Babbit had been stationed at Ft. Towson C.N. years ago. Knew all my old friends among the Choctaws. His son-in-law was Pres. of the Col. River Co. (boats) & gave me half fare ticket to Walla walla. ($6.00 instead of $12.00) After I left Wall walla I had about two days of staging such dreadful staging too. But with this one exception, I had a very pleasant journey. All the way I felt that God was with me - sometimes caring for me so strongly that I could almost see his guiding guardian Hand, as well as feel it. I had not the least trouble in making any of the changes. I never once needed a helping hand, but that hand was promptly extended (God made them)

My R.R. ticket to San F was $131.50, sleeping car, provisions, hotel bill at Omaha &c brought it up to about $150.00 My expenses in San F. Mr paid and he exchanged the other $150. for gold at the bank recieving in exchange $133. Everything on the Pacific coast must be paid for in coin (in Idaho too). When I reached Lapwai I had $30.00 in gold of the Boards money remaining & a $20.00 gold piece of my own. I bought part of my bedding in San F & the freight from Walla walla by stage or any way is exorbitant. I found when I reached here that I had to provide not only bedding but everything else I needed for my room - a rough bedstead, table & stand. Mr Montieth Sen. gave me a chair of his own making. The Agency carpenter made the others. I boarded for two weeks with the sawyer - paying $5.00 in gold per wk. for board alone. I am now living alone in a little house near the school - board with the school. Butter, fruit, or whatever I use more than the fare for the Indian children I have to buy at high rates. So that besides the money I brought I have had to take $10.00 of the Boards money, leaving only $20.00 in gold. Shall I send that? or wait until I receive the first installment of my salary. (I do not know exactly when that will be paid) & send a cheque for $100? So much for ‘business’.

I have twenty-four Nez Perce boys and girls in the school room besides several children of the employees. Dr Lowrie knows that there is a much lower civilization among the ‘treaty’ Nez Perces even than there was among the Choctaws in 1861. While the ‘Non Treaty’ are still generally pure savages. Still, the later are a noble looking people and I like the Nez Perces as a whole. But my intercourse with them, is as yet, of course very limited.

How thoroughly I can realize the longings of the Rev Walter M. Lowrie for the ‘gift of tongues’ as he sat or walked among those who ‘knew not God & Jesus Christ whom He has sent’ in the first months of his missionary life in China - and the intense longing to speak to them of Jesus - while as yet he could not, for his was ‘tongue tied’. Many Indians have come to Lapwai to spend the winter in the valley but scarcely any of them speak or understand English. Last night and this morning I heard the ‘drummers’ performing their heathen worship over the sick or the dead in the lodge to the south of me. Last Sab in a lodge on the north, Night and Morning the songs of praise to the true and living God reach my ear, from a lodge to the East the father gathers his household around him in family worship. So that heathen and Christian are both around me, but I cannot speak to either. Very few of the tribe speak or understand much English. Only three or four of the Indian pupils can understand me when I speak to them. And I want so much to tell them about Jesus and teach them to pray to him. Dr Lowrie doubtless knows that Mr Spaulding translated the Gospel of Matthew into Nez Perce. Mr Ainslie has constructed a phonetic Alphabet but there are no elementary books, dictionaries, or helps to teach either missionaries or people. And it seems to me that there should be a written language or rather that the Nez Perce should be reduced to a written form as speedily as possible. If they only had the word of God in their own tongue and were able to read it.

I am in a manner compelled to try to learn the language or be able to speak my word for the Master and I cannot be content without doing that. The interpreter of the Agency, Mr Whitman gives me lessons one evening in the week and with his help I have dug out the conjugations of the verb, cases of nouns (6 like the Latin) prepositions, conjunctions &c. I have besides collected two or three hundred words from the natives for a Nez Perce & English Dictionary. Dr. Lowrie, if God spares me, & prospers me, and we prepare anything worth printing can it be printed for the use of the missionaries & the Nez Perce? I would have been so glad when I came to have had in my hands even as much as I have collected now.

And that reminds me. I sent the last of the MSS of the history of the Choctaw Mission which I had begun writing to Dr Dulles just before I started and I have not heard from him or written to him since. I can do nothing for it here - and left it in the hands of the Presⁿ Board of Pub. I do not know if Dr Lowrie is connected with that Board. If he is, will he speak a good word for my book if it deserves it? (I quoted pretty largely from his Manual of Missions crediting him of course. Does he care?)

But as usual I am letting my pen run whither it will in talking to Dr. Lowrie. I hope he will forgive me, but I cannot feel, never yet have felt, that I was talking to a stranger in addressing him. But I must not forget that he is burdened heavily with other cares and duties, and his time is precious.

Many many thanks for the "Memoir of the Rev. Walter M. Lowrie’ which I found awaiting me here - like the face of an old and dear friend in a distant land. I can understand it so much better now than when I read it before, shortly after its publication - and I find many precious messages in it to my own heart. Oh for more of his spirit - or rather - the spirit of the Master whom he loved and followed and is with.

I scarcely dare ask for an answer to this and yet, I would like one so much if it will not tax Dr. Lowrie too much to write it.  Again forgive me for taxing Dr Lowrie with this long, rambling letter, and believe me to be

cincersly & gratefully yours

S.L. McBeth

(Address is,
S.L. McBeth
Care. Mr J.B. Montieth
Lapwai Idaho