2021 Spring Newsletter

Mr. Richardville's first wife had left him without cause, she had been the guilty party and that his second marriage was right in the sight of God. Besides all this had happened before their conversion and Christ had received thee: while they were husband and wife and to separate now would, be a sin. So I gave them a charge to abide together. The Indi ans were moved out of their silent gravity and expressed joy at the decision. The husband and wife seemed satisfied and many men arose to express their approval of the way the trial had ended. An old Indian brother by the name of George Washington began a rousing hymn and the others joined in. Soon you might have mistaken the assembly for an old-fashioned camp meeting instead of an Indian council. Almost as suddenly as they had come, the Indians disappeared and I said to my deacon, 'The sun is almost down, let us be driving home." "No," said the interpreter, "you stay for supper you make Indian people mad." So, he led the

way to a nearby house, where a banquet had been prepared. At this feast, my imagination defeated my appetite and cheated me out of a good supper, though I was hungry. I always heard that on great occasions, the Indian sacrificed their best dog to make the feast. The long table was set with all the luxuries the woman could prepare with the supervision of a white woman they had brought from Paola for the occasion. The men filed in, and solemnly took their places at the table, all the women except the two who stayed to serve the dinner disappeared. After the men had eaten to their satisfaction, the women came in and ate what was left. Upon the table was a beautifully browned roast, which to my imagination was about the size and shape of the hind quarter of a fat dog and I was certain that was what it was.

After I had returned thanks the plates were heaped up and I saw plainly that this roast was the favored dish of the meal. I dared not refuse my piece without giving offense, so I accepted it with what grace I might and bravely took one bite. The longer I chewed that bite, the bigger it grew and, like Banquo's Ghost, "would not go down". I slyly slipped that bite from my mouth to my pocket and made out my dinner on other things.

Sometime after this, I asked Brother Tom Richardville to tell me what kind of meat they had at the council sup per. He answered, "Mutton, I bought it from Brother 0.H.Cook, up here on the prairie, for you know it is the custom among our people for the one in whose interest the council is called, to furnish the feast." I felt, as they say now, "like thirty cents" for there is no meat I'm fonder of than mutton. Of course, he wanted to know why I had asked, and I told him of my suspicion. You should have heard him laugh, and when an Indian laugh, I'm sure he is amused."

Historical Note : R ev. A. H. Deane was first listed in the BlueRiver Baptist Association, MO. minutes in 1856. In the 1860 Blue River Association meeting, he was appointed to serve as an evangelist. In the 1877 meeting, he preached an introductory sermon from Psalm 6:4 and in 1885, he preached on "The Atonement." These are the churches he organized or served within that association:

Antioch Baptist Church (f. 1889), changed to Buckner Church in 1883, 5 mi. NW of Harrisonville, MO. Hopewell Baptist (f. 1835), aka Harrisonville Baptist Church (1849), Harrisonville, MO.

First Baptist Church (f. 1860), Paola, KS. First Baptist Church (f. 1872), Belton, MO. Freeman Baptist Church (f. 1872), Freeman, MO. Peculiar Baptist Church (f. bef. 1883), Peculiar, MO. Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church (f. 1868), 6 mi. south of Harrisonville, MO. Pleasant Valley (f. 1883), present Cleveland Baptist Church, Cleveland, MO. United Baptist Church of Blue Ridge (f. 1848), present First Baptist Church Grandview, MO. (Former member: Harry S. Truman)

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