What Christianity Has Done for the Indian Woman
By MISS HELEN CLARK,
Missionary at Neah Bay. Wash.
CHRISTIANITY means everything to the Indian woman; not only life and light, but also love and hope. It found her chattel, it made her owner; it found her man's slave, it made her his companion.
An Indian who knew all the depths of woman's wretchedness among his people said: "The poorest white man makes a better husband than the best Indian."
"She is mine, I bought her, I can do as I like with her," is often heard.
On this plea of ownership even an educated Indian, unchristianized, kicked and ill-treated the pretty little woman who had been bought for him.
When an Indian woman becomes a Christian, her whole life proclaims it. As a daughter in a Christian family she has many privileges denied her less favored sisters. With her brothers she shares the love and care of both parents. She is no longer regarded as a piece of merchandise to be sold to the highest bidder. Her wishes are consulted in the choice of a husband, and her father, instead of receiving gifts, helps the young people to start in life. She is mistress in her new home. If she does not please her husband in every particular she is not liable to be traded or sold, as in the old days. Neither is she required to share her home with two or three women with equal rights. Her husband no longer eats the best of everything while she waits upon him. They sit together, and share what provisions they have, and want bites him as well as her. When he visits friends she accompanies him. In everything she is his companion and counsellor, and purse holder as well.
Even a heathen husband appreciates a Christian wife. He knows such a one can be trusted, and she is more industrious. Not a few Indian men have been won to a new life through their Christian wives. One good woman came in tears because she had not been living a true Christian life before her heathen husband. She said he would find fault and she would get "high." He would laugh and say, "I'm better than you; I don't get mad at everything." She said with evident emotion: "I don't want to give Jesus a bad name. I want my husband to be a Christian."
Insofar as they know the right they strive to do it.
If a Christian Indian woman takes the burden of the work, it is because she desires to do so. Some of them still think it a disgrace for the men to do certain kinds of work. They are like an old Scotch woman in the bygone days, who indignantly asked: "D'ye think I'd see my mon under a coo? Nae, nae, I'd reyther milk twal coos alane every nicht." This pride dominates some Indian women. They look up to their husbands find serve
