Article-1856, May 9

An Indian Dream.

   At the recent anniversary of the American Congregational Union in New York, the subject of’ building churches in Kansas being under consideration, the Rev. Richard Knight of that territory related the following anecdote:

   The conference of the Methodist Church South, which met at a place near the borders of Kansas some time ago, literally flooded the Territory with ministers of that denomination. He was happy to say, however, that the greater part of them had retired; the people had enough of that kind of Gospel already. They were aware doubtless of the character of one man, JOHNSON, who had been there for a number of years as a missionary among the Shawnee Indians, and whose influence had brought the Gospel and Christianity into disrepute. He was a Slaveholder and his associate was a Slaveholder. He (the Rev. gentleman) would relate in this connection a circumstance which, while illustrating the fact to which he had adverted, would also show the mode of Indian thinking. At a quarterly meeting held a short time ago at the Shawnee Mission this Mr. JOHNSON requested one of the Indians, a good man, to speak. He refused for a considerable time, but was finally prevailed on to do so. Indeed, he had objected for a considerable time to speak whenever Mr. JOHNSON was present, so bad an opinion had he, and all the better class of Indians, of JOHNSON. When he got up, however, he said he felt considerable reluctance to say anything in consequence of a dream he had which had greatly troubled his mind. He had dreamt, or thought he dreamt, that he died and had gone to Hell. After he had been in these doleful regions some little time, Mr. JOHNSON, their missionary entered; and the moment he entered, his Satanic Majesty immediately twisted off his tail, which he (the speaker) supposed was his scepter of supremacy, and handed it to JOHNSON. “Now, JOHNSON,” said he, “you take this; I am no longer master here.”

The Evening Press, Hartford, Conn. May 9, 1856, ”Webb Scrap Book,” v. 12, p. 74.