d
missionaries, two teachers and farmers, and six women, with eight or
ten children were maintained. This also, covered travelling expenses,
books and printing.

The rude and varied dialects of the different bands of the savage Sioux
had been reduced to a written language. This was truly a giant task. It
required men who were fine linguists, very studious, patient,
persistent, and capable of utilizing their knowledge under grave
difficulties. Such _were_ the Ponds, Dr. Williamson, Mr. Riggs and
Joseph Renville by whom the great task was accomplished. It took months
and years of patient, persistent, painstaking efforts; but it was
finally accomplished.

In 1852, the Dakota Dictionary and Grammar were published by the
Smithsonian Institute at its expense. The dictionary contained sixteen
thousand words and received the warm commendation of philologists
generally. The language itself is still growing and valuable additions
are being made to it year by year.

Within a few years, a revised and greatly enlarged edition should be,
and probably will be published for the benefit of the Sioux nation.

The Word of God too, had been translated into this wild, barbaric
tongue. This was in truth a mighty undertaking. It involved on the part
of the translators a knowledge of the French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew and
Sioux tongues and required many years of unremitting toil on the part
of those, who wrought out its accomplishment in their humble log cabins
on the shores of Lakes Calhoun and Lac-qui-Parle, and at Kaposia and
Traverse des Sioux, Yellow Medicine and Hazelwood.

But it, too, was completed and published in 1879, by the American Bible
Society. Hymn-books and textbooks had also been prepared and published
in the new language. Books like the Pilgrims Progress had been issued
in it--a literature for a great nation had been created. Comfortable
churches and mission homes had been erected at the various mission
stations. Out of the eight thousand Sioux Indians in Minnesota, more
than one hundred converts had been gathered into the church. The
faithful missionaries, who had toiled so long, with but little
encouragement, now looked forward hopefully into the future.

Apparently the time to favor their work had come. But suddenly all
their pleasant anticipations vanished--all their high hopes were
blasted.

It was August 17, 1862, a lovely Sabbath of the Lord. It was
sacramental Sabbath at Hazelwood. As their custom was, that
c