Plans for improving the Natives. 37 



\ 



Tlie pro])araii(>:i of t]ic grniiKl for a church and a school had been going on 

 for a nimith ox two; a builder einjilojred and sent up from Portland had been 

 engage<l in preliminary work; and now there was landed a large assortment of 

 biii'dinj; material purchased wiih funds contributed at Puriland, Tiiat was a 

 bri^^h: day. All visible sgns were au--picious. The heavens smiled, and God's 

 presence filled our hearts with gladness and hope. 



CHURCH AND SCHOOL BUILDINGS. 



Thenceforward the work on both church and school-house was prosecuted 

 with vigor. The latter was to be built by funds collected at the East — the 

 former, by funds not then provided. But the need of a House of Worship, 

 and ihc impirtance of building it at this time, were imperative. A year's de- 

 lay would be ruinous. With seven hundred dollars from Portland, to start 

 with, we undertook the buddings of the Church, in the belief that contributions 

 would surely be made to save us from pecuniary loss. This building will soon 

 be ready both for Pu!)lic Worship and for School. 



liut a brighter day was dawning. The most memorable event which ever 

 took place in Alaska was the visible 



ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH OF GOD 



at Fort Wrangel — an event which bears date, August 3d, A. D. 1879. I' 

 was the first church ever formed by American Christians in Alaska. It was 

 composed of natives and whites. Careful examination preceded the admission 

 of each member. An account of this interesting occurence is given on a 

 previous page. 



ON THE HOME, OR INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL BUILDING 



the woik has been suspended for lacli of funds. Nearly all the finishing ma- 

 terial, the hardware, and shingles, have been provided and paid for; but mon- 

 ey is needed to pay the workmen, and for rough lumber. The rent of the pres- 

 ent premises is a serious burden on the mission-finances. The house is not 

 adapted to the purpose, and much increases both Mr. Young's and Mrs. Mc. 

 Farland's cares. The vigor and usefulness of one great department of ou- 

 woik is abridged by the want of a suitable house, which is already half pro. 

 vidf-d for. The building of both church and school-house is having a powerful 

 influence upon the aborigines. They see in these structures a visible proof, 

 both of our interest in ihem, and the permanency of our plans. Our visit and 

 our I'uidlings have attracted ihe notice and the presence of members of differ 

 ent tribes from various and dibtant localities; and have drawn from them ex- 

 pressions of earnest desire ''or teachers and missionaries. A prolonged suspen 

 sion of these works would therefore react injuriously upon the irihabitants. 



LOCALITIES FOR MISSIONS. 



One of the chief objects of this tour was to examine the spiritual wants and 

 destitu ions of Alaska with a view to the introduction of new missions. The 

 destitutions are evideni enough from the fact that overall that broad region no 

 regular efi"ort to evangelize the natives has ever been made until very recently. 



