Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:01 In the late 17 hundreds early 18 hundreds according to the Flathead tradition, no old Indian couple lived in the Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana, although they were childless, enjoyed a very happy, the very simple life. When the wife died, the old man was so long. He did decide to climb a high peak in the mountains to try to see the place where his wife had gone. When he reached the top, he saw that there were even higher peaks beyond and so he sat down to rest. Suddenly he had a vision of a man who told him to return to the Valley and way as a designated price for another message. So Indian climbed down into the Valley and there he had another vision. He was told that his wife was happy but that she was where snow one could go and kill. The angel of Jeff came to take him there.
Speaker 0 00:56 He was told he should live his life as best as he knew how to away for the coming of pale men who are long black robes and spoke of the one almighty God. These men would teach them how to reach the place of happiness where God lived. The old man returned to his tribe in a way, did the coming of the black girls. They saw man may have very well been the slap, had prophet named shining shirt according to their tradition shining shirt, had a vision about the future and he prophesied the coming of fair skin man wearing long black robes who would teach the Indians a new way of praying and a new moral shiny shirt wore in the Flathead and their neighbors the Ponderay to not resist the black ropes. Now, besides the fact that this pagan nation was expecting black ropes to come, the flatheads also had a high standard of natural morality.
Speaker 0 01:54 A member of the Lewis and Clark expedition knew passed through their territory in 1805 said quote, the flatheads are the only tribe that has any idea of chastity. Close quote, a third trader who had worked in upper Columbia regions from 1812 to 1814 noted. The flat heads had far more noble qualities in any of the other Western tribes. They were honest, obedient to their chiefs. Cleanliness and their lodges and personal habits and hated lying. Polygamy was almost unknown amongst them. The why's are excellent. Why are the women were excellent wives and mothers and famous for their fidelity? 1816 a band of Catholic Iroquois Indians, they Ignatius and it's 24 companions, left their village near Montreal and migrated eastward westward from Eastern Canada till they found themselves in Western Montana. They were still warmly received by the Flathead nation that they decided to join them. Big names. The chief for this Iroquois Dan was a man of great bravery and virtue and this naturally made a big impression on his new brothers.
Speaker 0 03:06 When the flat hits mentioned the prophecies of the black ropes they eat nice, told them that this mysterious men with a great black robes who are long black gowns carry crucifixes shed the big prayer. I wish he met the mass who did not marry and went around teaching people how to please God and how to be happy in the next life. He maintained that the Indian religion was false, that they were in danger of being thrown into hell. He taught the tribe the principle truths of our faith. He shows them how to do the sign of the cross to say to our father to pray together in the morning and evening and observed Sunday and to Mark their grades was crossings. Every time digging NACE would speak to his adopted brothers. He'd finish by saying, quote, would I tell you, is nothing compared to what? The black ropes? No close quote. Over time, the desire to have a real black corruption struck them became an obsession. In 1831 the flatheads and their neighbors and as peers decided to send men to st Louis to find a black Crow. After an incredible journey. The very first thing they did when they arrived in st Louis was go to a Catholic church and pray for success. Two of the men got sick and died, but not before receiving baptism.
Speaker 0 04:34 They were given a Requiem and buried with full ceremonies. The surviving men left for home without a black road. In the spring of 1832 and 1834 the five heads got excited when they learned the band of missionaries was coming to their tribe. But when they arrived without black robes, without crucifixes, without the big prayer and with wives, well the flatheads just weren't interested. What had happened, the Methodist and st Louis, it caught wind of their journeys down to st Louis to get praise and they thought they'd send guys out there and horn in on the action. The next year, another attempt was made by crossing missionaries, but once more, the flat heads were not interesting. Even they set off in 1835 on a third expedition or a second expedition to st Louis. Both the Bishop and the Jesuits in st Louis told big NACE they would send a pretty soon.
Speaker 0 05:35 And so with those promises, they get gaze headed back towards Montana. But on the way he decided to spend the winter with a band of his people. And where were they? What's your trekkers from the olden days show that a group of Catholic Iroquois and Eric boy, Flathead mixed blood Indians that were getting worried by the delay in getting black to come out West, immigrated from the Rockies and settled on the city side right here in Kansas city in February of 1834 two Iroquois Flathead Indians were baptized. And in fact, the very first marriage recorded in the limits of what's now Kansas city, Missouri was that out of two Iroquois Indians somewhere else to living up by Leavenworth, you're the Jesuit mission to the KickUp host. After he spent the winter there, you can ACE went back home expecting black roads by 1837 no black robes had yet arrived in Montana. So big nays let a third expedition for st Louis, but in Nebraska, a suit water party jump them and they were all killed in scalp, which this to themselves bragged about to traders at Fort Laramie. Another year and a half passed and still no black robes that arrived in Montana. So in the summer of 1839 a fourth expedition sent out to the Iroquois, doctored by a flat heads join some Hudson Bay man who were going to st Louis and canoed all the way to st Louis.
Speaker 0 07:09 Excuse me. They met with the Bishop, had a long meeting and he told him that he'd send a priest there. The next year, the very next day after the meeting, one of the men took off from Montana to bring his people the good news. Now he took off even though it was the very end of October, and then he made what has to be one of the all time, incredible trips in spite of the fact his horse gave out on him. And then he's facing cold and starvation daily. He traveled alone across the great Plains and the rock. He's in the dead of winter across the country, filled with hostile tribes and he still made it into the Bitterroot Valley around the end of March with the great news that a black row was finally coming, the chief sent 10 men to go ahead and meet the black Crow. Well. He followed behind with the rest of the people.
Speaker 0 08:05 Meanwhile, the other man spent a winter in West port waiting the guy, the black robe put his people and his Providence would have it. The black club chosen for the Rocky mountain mystery was the great Jesuit father appear to Smith. That's the same father to snap it. Then a dear friend of st Philippine DuChene since 1823 and then to April they left West port with a party of traders from American fruit company heading up to the trappers rendezvous on the green river in Western Wyoming. They arrived at the Ron D at the end of June until their surprise there. Mr cow, the mountain men and Indians were at 10 Flaget braise who are waiting to meet them. That Sunday right there at the rendezvous with the mountain men seeing hymns and Latin and French and the Indians singing in their native tongues. Father to Smith celebrated the first mass in the Rocky mountains North of the Spanish possession.
Speaker 0 09:03 He preached in French and English and spoke through an interpreter to the Flathead and snake Indians. Since that time, that place has been known as the Prairie of the mass and it's marked on maps. Can I just looked in the road outlets right before I came into mass and it's Mark right in there. If you look near Pinedale, Wyoming or Daniel Wyoming, you'll see it marked right on your map. Father Smith left around if with his escorts and set out to meet the people, they traveled to Jackson hole and over the past the Tetons and there met up with some 1600 flat heads, Andres and his peers, many of whom had traveled over 800 miles to meet him 800 miles to the wilderness to meet a priest. He was led to the lodge of the great chief big face who greeted him saying, quote, this day, the great spirit has accomplished our wishes and our hearts are swelled with joy.
Speaker 0 10:04 Now father speak and we will comply with all that. You will tell us, show us the way we have to go to go to the home of the great spirit. Close quote. Think about that father speaking will comply with all you will tell us. Show us the way we have to go to the home of the great spirit. Then big face actually tried to resign as chief and get father to snap his authority. The father of your snack refuse to become chief and told big face. He'd only come to save souls. You see the amount of man as a translator, father preach to them four times a day and had our prayers translated into their language. They were so eager to hear the word of God that they even towed it out other sick people and laid them close by so they wouldn't even miss a word of what father was teaching them at daylight.
Speaker 0 10:58 Every morning, one of the chiefs would ride through the camp shouting for everyone to get up because the black girl would soon be speaking and he would tell the people, quote, open your eyes, address your first thoughts and words to the great spirit. Close quote. It began traveling through Montana or towards Montana. After 15 days of teaching, other snap pulled out and that LFR lady and promised it to the first man who could recite without any mistakes the our father. The hail Mary, the creed, the 10 commandments, the act of contrition, the act of faith, the act of hope, and the act of charity. We've all had more than 15 days.
Speaker 0 11:46 Well, no sooner did father say this, but a chief stood up and said, father, your medal belongs to me. And it did. So father made the chief catechist and he asked you to teach the tribes in less than 10 days. They all knew their prayers on this trip. Father just met, actually baptized around 600 people, children who hadn't reached the age of reason and old folks who might die before he had the chance to return. They traveled up to their hunting ground at the headwaters of the Missouri, which is near present day three forks, Montana. And at the end of August, PAJ Smith announced that under obedience he had to leave for st Louis to bring back more missionaries and supplies. The sorrow of his Indians could not be consoled until he gave him a formal promise that he would return in the spring with more missionaries. Father to SMAPP quote.
Speaker 0 12:38 Morning prayers were said, a Mitch the tears and sobs, the Indians which drew tears from my own eyes otherwise endeavored to control my emotions. I sorted the tribe to serve the great spirit with fervor and avoid anything that Mike is scandal dwelling once more upon the principle trues of our Holy religion and I gave them as their spiritual chief intelligent Indian. I had myself carefully instructed. He was to replace me during my absence night and morning and every Sunday they were to recite prayers in common and he was to exhort them to the practice of virtue. I also authorized him to privately baptize the dying and infants in case of need with one voice. They promise to obey with tears in their eyes, but Indian tuition me a good and safe journey, old big face and Rose and said, black road made a great spirit accompany you on your long and dangerous journey. Morning and night. We will pray that you may safely reach your brothers and st Louis and we continue to pray the us until you return to your children of the mountains. When the snows of winter will have disappeared from the valleys and when the first screen of spring begins to appear, our hearts, which now are so sad, well, once more Riccio ice, as the metal grass goes higher and higher, we will go forth to meet you. Farewell, black, RO farewell.
Speaker 0 14:16 Oh, this is the first part of a two part sermon. I kept trying to squish it into one, but I can't get it done. There's a whole treasure trove of religious truths here. Well, let's just consider a few things this morning. The flatheads were a pagan nation located out in absolutely the middle of nowhere. He had think about how God showed his love for them by sending them visions and then the Catholic. You're a court.
Speaker 0 14:46 Think about the incredible hardships and sacrifices they went through to get a priest. Think about an incredible value they placed on learning the faith. Think about their eagerness to know the truth and their eagerness to be saved. I think we should all really ponder this. We should try to see through the eyes of those flat heads what we have been given and all too often take for granted. We can get a tiny glimpse of how really blessed we are, how much God really loves us by giving us the true faith. We all know the devil has got a bumper crop that Judas priest and there's hair seems scandal. They're who we know that fine. You know, let's Grande, all that, but don't let that cause us to forget the incredible, breathtaking beauty of our religion fruit. Let's not forget the incredible love that God has shown us by sending us praise, by giving us the sacraments, by giving us the knowledge we need to live correct in this life and to get to heaven. Our Holy faith is an absolutely priceless gift. It's absolutely priceless. And even if we have all eternity to ponder that and heaven, we won't even begin to understand the love God has for all of us. And for each and every one of us. Our religion is the story of a love affair. It's always the story, a love affair. And he loved us first. And we don't deserve it.
