Church, Native American, Christian, History 

This book examines the careers of churchmen of six religions in the Indian mission fields of Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Utah:
Cyrus Byington, a Presbyterian linguist
John Jasper Methvin, a Methodist educator
George Washington Bean, a Mormon frontiersman
Joseph M. Cataldo, a Jesuit priest
Albert K. Smiley, a Quaker philanthropist
Henry B. Whipple, an Episcopal bishop
This book emphasizes the interactions between these churchmen and the distinct groups of Indians with whom they lived and worked. The authors characterize the beliefs of such diverse peoples as the Choctaws, the Chippewas, the Kiowas, the Utes, and the Nez Perces, showing the complex layering of responses to attempted Christianization. They also address the varied worlds that the Indians and the clergy represented. As the worlds came together, crucial elements, began to emerge: the problems of language and communication, the unique role of go-betweens, and the influence of existing tribal and church organizations. The chapters are paired to enable readers to consider three major themes: the "Protestant paradigm" of Presbyterian and Methodist missions the frontier setting of Roman Catholic and Mormon activities, and the organizational style of Quakers and Episcopalians. The contributors, all scholars of Indian-white relations, bring to their chapters a commitment to present both sides of a very human confrontation. The focus on individual lives heightens our awareness of the dilemmas faced by both the missionaries and their Indian opposites. The book will be of particular interest to readers who seek better understanding of the interactions of religion and culture as they affect individual and societies.