Peery Report to Reverend Ames

              -"1 ".
INDIAK  MISSION    JISTjMCT.UISSOUEI  COliiVJiKJJCE
 -y
To  the Rev.£.h.Ames,   Corresponding  Ceoretary of   the
Missionary  Society  of the Methodist  .".pisoopal  Church
for the ^eetorn Conference.
Dear Brother,- The oondition  of   the  Indian mission   district,   iliuuouri  conference,   ic  still  prosperous.     Since our  last
report  there have  been more or less  ricceenions  to   the  societies
at   ».very   et^tion  in  the   uistrici   except   two.     These*   viz.,
Kansas and Pottawatomie,   present ao yet  but  little promises of
I'ucccas.    The   Indians of Loth  these  tribes are in a vretched
condition,   loudly calling lor   the   sympathies  of a Christian  public
¥."ith  the  lOimcr  wo  have  already  expended much labor  ana mency  to
but  little apparent  effect.     Suoh  ore their clannish habits  of
iliu,   uuch  their t&udering aiter  the buffalo  ao  the  only  known
means of  subsistence!   and  such  the manner  in  which  society  is
formed uiiu exists iuoongct  theiu,   that  ive   have not been able as
yet   to bring the GoBpcl   to  bar  upon  them.
The  present missionary,   Rev.G.1V.Love,   has been able
to   spend but  little   time  with then thiB year,   owing  in   part   to
ale affliotion,   and in part  to   their  absence from their homes.
He has  beun  employed  through t .0   su-oucr at  the  ;>elaware   station,
supplying  the  .lace  of  the missionary  there  in his absence  on
the districts
..ith  the i'ot^awatomies we have had no   stationed missionary lor  the last two  years,   except Bouch: an,   a native local
preacher,   employed  by   trie  superintendent,   a man of  sterling
w-rth and  tried  integrity.    We are   strongly of  opinion  that  this
mission  should  be  strengthened if  we  would hope  tc   ouccced.
Aiuong the Shawnees,   Christianity  is  exerting a  ealutary
and growing  influence,   inspiring  tiione habits of uniformity  and
industry  which t.re  always  productive of  corresponding happiness
in   the  social ana domestic  circles.    They  have a well  finished
meeting h-uce,   twenty-live  by  fifty   feet,  neatly pointed with
lime,   and plastered overhead,  and furnished T»ith two   Btoven.
Thle zormB   the  central  point  to which  the   (.iffercnt   claoseo   rith
their leaders  repair  every  liabbath  to  receive  the  instructions  of
God's  --oru ao  expoundod  by   their  missionary.     The prayer and camp
ueotiugc are attended to through th-.; week i:*. their respective
eettlec.entt and clauses .     brother  wtatcler,   the JiJ.ssionary,
has also a weekly circuit,   cons-icting of   some   tUee  or four
appointments indifierent   paite of   the nation,   so   that  the Gospel
is  literally  offered  to   the whole  nation,   bsing brought ao  it
were   to  t/.e  door of every  one.
*ith the  l&lawares re  have about one hundred Church
members,   and  perhaps  over  one-third  of   that  number have  died
happy  in  the  oosoia of  the  Church  since the commencement  of our
operations amongst  them,   beside  .ifteen who  have paused  through
our   society  to  the Baptists.    Re have  at this  place also  a good
meeting-house which is  linished,   and  furnished  with two  good
stoves by   the  Indians  themselves.     Here  we have  our meetings