Mt. Idaho Oct 4^th 1887
Mr Wm Rankin

Dear Sir
Your kind letter of June 7^th enclosing a check for $300.00 my salary from Jan 1^st to July 1^st/87, was duly recieved. Many thanks for it, and for the words of cheer, and sympathy which came like a ‘cordial’. Dr Ellinwoods letter of Aug. 8^th in answer to Miss McBs last request for an allowance for a helper was misdirected to Lapwai, and laid in the Office of the Lapwai Agency until my sister returned to Lapwai from her vacation visits, and only reached me last week. Miss McB can understand how in the press of many other thoughts and cares Dr E should have forgotten that it is Kate C and not Sue L McB who is at Lapwai. But what troubled days and nights of suspense and uncertainty and halting (known only to Our Father). It would have helped to brighten as Dr E purposed it should. A few words in Mrs Nasons letter of Aug (asking for the histories of some of our boys) helped to lift the cloud a little by shewing that Dr E had not forgotten us – even in the silence which seemed so strong.

Please thank him (Dr E) for his kind words, and promised help. I have heard nothing further from him about my helper yet – but am starting forward on a new school year (D.V.) in faith. I know Dr E. will not let the suspense continue a day longer than he can help. He may have written to Rev. T. M. Boyd but Mr Boyd has been long absent from Lewiston (in Oregon on his vacation) and will not return until after Synod (after Oct 13^th). As to my school the new order in regard to ‘English teaching does not affect us of course. Our vacation months usually are Aug & Sept. This year we had no ‘vacation months, really. Our boys coming and going as they could (between crops &c) all through the summer. That and the long continued mental strain (which hurts Miss McB physically more that does work) leaves her to begin (God willing) tired. And all the work of missionary boxes (helps to pupils & families in the way of clothing &c (which have not yet reached us, we not knowing certainly what would be needed) will have to come (if boxes come) in the midst of school duties. But that cannot be helped now.

Our boys know nothing of the threatened ‘halt’ of course. It would not have been wise to tell them unless compelled; and Miss McB was expecting a letter from Dr E by every mail – is still expecting it daily. Last week I sent down word to our boys that school would open for the coming year (D.V.) this week, and I am expecting some of my pupils this (monday) evening (D.V.) though the families will not remove until after Communion at Kamiah (next Sabbath (D.V.). They all wish to be at K for the Communion of course (as I to have them be) and it would be too much trouble to bring the little ones here, and take them back by saturday to return so shortly. I hope Dr letter or word from him will be here before then (for Harrys sake, too) For the first months of school until the families are prepared for winter’s cold and storms Miss McB is in a ‘whirl’ almost, out of school hours and can scarcely touch a pen is why she writes this now she being compelled this year to be more prompt in writing to (‘dunning’) Mr Rankin. She is not quite sure that she is addressing Mr Rankin. She saw a notice last spring & think that Mr Rankin purposed resigning – a notice which I hope is not true, or if true, than that he has withdrawn that resignation.

The Nez Perces need him, and so does Miss McB though I do not wonder that he is weary of her. No one else in his place I think would so have borne with her and shewn the long suffering unvarying patience & kindness through all these long years in which she has taxed them so sorely. She purposed when she began this to write only of her school (for fear of another of the long letters which have so tried and wearied him) but she finds that she cannot close without a hasty glance over Nez Perce land for Dr Ellinwood and Dr Lowrie if Mr Rankin will please be so kind.

The Kamiah Christians, still so far have peace and rest under the new Agent. The church at K in harmony and prospering – save the ‘under the surface’ efforts of the Lawyers to draw away members to swell the numbers of their ‘Church Band’ at Alder Creek. They having succeeded in getting Mr D (whom Archie manages & leads as always) to organize a church there. (The adult population of Alder Creek being now church members. The board church can only grow by the addition of those who can be drawn out of other churches. It is a strategic point between K & L.) Not many Kamians have gone off the Reservation on long hunts this fall (as in the past troubled years) The majority are attending to their Kamiah work, tracking, packing to mining camps &c timing their trips so as to be at Kamiah at the coming Communion Season (D.V.)

The Alder Creek community are still absent at the old stamping ground in the Wieser Valley it is said. They are now free to ‘drift’ where they will or, are wild & without restraint of church the main ‘plank’ in the ‘platform’ of the Ader Creek organization (as the people under stand it – of course the white did not then) having ‘no disciplining of church members. "Wats tots" (‘not good, bad) is the church which ‘sakiyukes’ (cuts off, excommunicates) a church member’ was (is) the teachings of Archie & Co. "Not good are the Elders who discipline a church member. The Elders (session) ought to love every one, the bad as well as the good alike. If a church member sins they ought not to rebuke or discipline him, even if he persists in sinning." They ought still to love him, and not excommunicate him, but still keep him in the Church and be kind to him, and after a while he will straighten himself &c. The plan of the Ls is to have Silas (now fully subservient to Archie) put in charge of the Alder Creek children church for the present, he having a brother an Elder in the Kamiah church, upon whom they are subtly operating. I would not write all this only in the hope that there may be help even yet to save my Alder Creek Nez Perces and Silas from being lead astray.to their ruin May God forgive Mr D for that Alder Creek organization There was (is) not the least need for a 4^th ch there even if that 4^th church should continue to be Presbyterian.

(A Catholic Colony has moved upon land a few miles from Alder Creek outside the Reserve as the building there. Archie’s late wifes funeral services were held at Lapwai in a darkened church, with the lamps lit, at mid-day. The Church at Alder Creek is predestined to be called by whether name will win the most power & unite heathen & Christian in one church board) Miss McB cannot even imagine the ‘Report’ which the white friends have received of the visit to the Crows, the reports of Silas & Archie (to the Nez Perce as she is told). The Reports differ & vary to different localities. At Kamiah, Archie told that he had been seeking a place to which to send the Licentiates (who are in his way here) and had found one; at Lapwai that he was going himself in the Spring. The arrangements he had made he told at K were to have four Crow Chiefs visit the Nez Perces this fall. If the Nez Ps wanted them to come, they (the Nez Ps) were to collect money to send to the Chief for their travelling expenses. When they came, all the N.P. tribe were to contribute food, and make a big feast for them (such as was the old time custom to give to those whom they sought as allies in war). I do not know the object of the feast, save to revive old times. It is very certain that there are not in any of As plans pupils for the school which it is still his untiring efforts to hinder or break up. The Evangelists were only absent about a month; did not visit the Shoshone or preach to the Crows that I can learn. Silas (James told) says that they only went out and in the houses among the Crows talking over old times with them. Archie I am told says like the Crow Agent said that no one was to write to him but he alone &c. But cui bono? That visit is past. We will know its true story among the Crows when ‘the books are opened.’ Here among the Nez Ps A is using it (with the help of the picture of the brave Chief ‘Sitting Bull" and other warrior Chiefs which he brought back with him) to revive in the Nez Ps a longing for the return of freedom & glories of their old heathen days with their Crow allies, and to regain his own personal influence among the Nez Ps & their confidence through his having been sent on such a mission to the Crows by the Church. There was no work for the Lord in Archies travels.

Perhaps God meant that the A should be sent on that visit. He seeing the future as we cannot see it. Even though it causes present hinderance it may save greater hurt to His Cause in the future if He please. (There are some things which perhaps the N.Y. friends might never have learned.) He is very busy at present. He is now on the Reserve at the peoples ear and the Agents. Her hopes for the wild tribes had not been threatened too. A hasty glance at a ‘little story’ which Harry Hayes told me the other day about one of the bands of one of those wild tribes – the Shoshones at the Lemhi Agency as the story was told him by his brother Alex (a rover) who has just returned from a long visit to the Lemhis. The Agent there seems to be a good Christian man and in his talks with the Shoshones Chief - perhaps the old Chief Tendog. I did not (but must try to D.V.) to learn the name of the Chief and the Agent. Harry could only give me the Indian name of the Agency. But Lemhi is the only agency in the region. Harry thought from the Agents talk as Alex reported it that he was a minister but he may not be. Told him of the ‘two worlds’ after this life one of them a very happy world to which he wanted so much that he and his people should go; and he told him something of the ‘way’ there. I must, (D.V.) try to get the story more fully from Alex.(D.V.) If she only could get some of the Lemhi on Fort Hall for her school if she has a helper.

"Is the white man there?’ asked the Chief" "Yes." "Huh." was the answer "There is no place there for me, then. If it is a good world as you say, the white man would soon come along, and, if he saw I had a good place, he would want it himself. He wouldn’t let me stay there, but would drive me out again, and take it himself." "No." the Agent told him. "That could not be done." Heaven was for the red man too, just the same as for the white man. That God loved them both alike &c. But he would not believe it, until Alex told him that it was all true; that the Nez Perces believed it, and that many of them had started on the road there. "I wish I knew about these things too like the Nez Perces do" he said. He learned one or two of Gods commands (one I think was about the Sabbath) and before A left he heard him tell his people "I have heard" he said "that there is One above and over us all and He says that you must not do that whatever command they were breaking." Poor grouping soul!

It is no use to talk now (and to have talked sooner would have been ‘interferance’ of the two ‘pioneers’ who were kept for two years past at Lapwai. I do not know why when they could have been at work among the heathen wild tribes, at no greater expense to the Board. Only, now of the two ‘pioneers’ Silas & Peter, brought (I do not know why) to ‘W.C. on the Nez Perce Reserve, and placed under an influence which is leading them to their run astray (that is the greatest grief to Miss McB after all her labor with and hopes for them). And they were doing a good work with the Umatillas and Spokans. If they only would be set at work among the wild tribes if only for their own sake before it is to late. The Lemhi Indians (Shoshones and affiliated bands) number from 556 to 600, nearly as many as the Spokans, who have two preachers; one third as many as the Nez Ps who have five and one F.M. It was the Fort Hall Agency Shoshones who sent the ‘call’ to my first class, nearly 10 years ago. There are over 1400 Shoshones & Bannocks at that Agency. I do not know if those sending that call are living yet.

But it is growing dusk & Mr. Rankin is weary. Forgive me. Please shew this scribble to Dr Ellinwood & Dr Lowrie if Mr Rankin would be so kind. It is now partly in answer to Dr Es letter. I hope to hear from him by tonights mail, if God pleases. Pray much for us, for the Nez Perces and for the heathen wild tribes around them. Pray much.
In the Masters work

Yours truly,

S. L. McBeth