Letter Robert Tomlinson to Church Missionary Society 12 February 1875
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[1] Metlakatla
[2] February 12th/75
[3] Reverend and Dear Sirs
[4] I feel it to be my painful duty to bring
[5] under your notice of the following facts which occurred
[6] at Fort Simpson in the middle of last month.
[7] On Friday the 15th of January some of the people from
[8] Kincolith Mission detained at Fort Simpson by stress
[9] of weather were invited and urged by Mr. Crosby
[10] Methodist Minister, resident at Fort Simpson to
[11] join in a prayer meeting on the plea that as they
[12] worshiped the same God, believed and taught the
[13] same truths there was no reason why they should not
[14] worship together. They attended. Mr. Crosby called
[15] on all who love Jesus to stand up. They together with
[16] several Tchimsheans obeyed this call and were then
[17] invited to take their seats on some forms previously set
[18] apart for that purpose. Mr. Crosby then Called on them
[19] to pray. All prayed aloud at once. Mr. Crosby
[20] in English the others some in Tchimshean, some
[21] in Nishkah. As there was no set form, nor did they
[22] follow any leader, each prayed whatever came unto
[23] his mind at the time, and thus they turned the
[24] sacred office of prayer into a mere Babel of tongues
[25] which could not benefit the listeners for it was
[26] impossible for them to hear all at the same time.
[27] This is not a mere Indian report of what happened
[28] but has been verified by Mr. Crosby, who though he
[29] urges his favour that he did not tell them to pray aloud
[30] yet admits that neither at that time nor since has he said
[31] anything to discountenance the practice. that it has sometimes
[32] occurred before he sees no reason why it should not occur
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[1] again. On Sunday the 17th January Mr. Crosby baptized at
[2] Fort Simpson to children from Kincolith Mission
[3] who are amongst those weatherbound at Fort Simpson
[4] on their return from Metlakatla to Kincolith. Their
[5] mother died at Kincolith last summer and just before
[6] her death she charged the grandmother (who by Indian
[7] rule is the proper guardian when the mother is dead)
[8] to keep the children at Kincolith and from that time
[9] the children have resided at concordat the two oldest
[10] being regular attendants at our school. As the
[11] grandmother was too old to accompany the Children
[12] on their visit to Metlakatla at [Christ]mas time, the Father
[13] who was away to the Gold mines when his wife died
[14] and had only just returned before we started for
[15] Metlakatla, accompanied the children to Metlakatla.
[16] While detained Fort Simpson by the weather on their
[17] return to Kincolith they stopped in the house of a
[18] Fort Simpson Indian (whose wife is related to the children)
[19] This man bears us a grudge for opposing him in a
[20] lawless attempt he made to get some property
[21] some 3 or 4 years ago. and he persuaded the children’s
[22] father to ask Mr. Crosby to baptize his children. He
[23] baptized two of them. At an nterview I afterwards
[24] had with Mr. Crosby I learned the following facts.
[25] 1st That he (Mr. Crosby) was aware at the time that these
[26] children belong to the Mission at Kincolith, had
[27] been to Metlakatla and were on the return to Kincolith
[28] 2nd He had not seen the children before and had no
[29] reason to suppose that they had any intention of
[30] remaining at Fort Simpson.
[31] 3rd He knew that their father was not baptized
[32] 4th he had asked the father why the children had
[33] not been baptized at Metlakatla and had received
[34] the answer that he brought (the father) did not know.
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[1] 5th He knew that I was at Fort Simpson the day he baptized
[2] the children.
[3] 6th He advise the children to return to Kincolith after he
[4] had baptized them
[5] 7th That he considered it to be his duty to baptize all
[6] infants brought to him by his parents. even when those
[7] parents were living in heathenism and without the
[8] opportunity of learning about God themselves or having
[9] their children instructed in the [Chris]tian religion.
[10] 8th He would baptize any infants brought to him by
[11] their parents from either of the mission stations of
[12] Metlakatla or Kincolith.
[13] In the case of the two children baptized, he endeavoured
[14] to excuse himself by saying that though I had several
[15] times visited Fort Simpson since that he arrived there I
[16] had never once called upon him and thus had denied
[17] him that courtesy which he considered he was entitled
[18] to and therefore he had no reason to know how any inquiries
[19] about the children (had he felt desirous to make them) would
[20] have been received. I replied that he, either in person, by
[21] letter, or through a third party, made any inquiries and
[22] I have declined to take any notice of them his excuse would
[23] be valid. As he had not thought proper to do so and I had
[24] previously given him no reason to suppose that any such
[25] inquiries would not command my attention, his excuse
[26] must fall to the ground. To see who have, hitherto always looked
[27] upon the ministers of the Wesleyan Methodist body as brethren and
[28] fellow labourers in the harvest of our great Lord and Master
[29] it is extremely painful to be that’s brought into collision and
[30] that to a point of all others which seemed least likely to execute
[31] a difference with one of them especially as he assserts that these
[32] practices are quite in conformity with the spirit and letter of the
[33] rules of that body.
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[1] Trusting that you will see the advisability of bringing these matters
[2] under your notice. I would earnestly entreat you in prayers on behalf
[3] that in this and every other trail we may be guided aright.
[4] Yours Very respectfully and sincerely
[5] Rob[er]t Tomlinson
