Conclusion to Father Paul Ponziglione's Memoir.
Conclusion.
My object in writing these memoirs having been to show how faithfully Father John Schoenmakers did answer, to the expectation placed on him, when in 1846 he was charged with the duty of establishing a mission among the Osages, confident of having done my task, I am over with my work, and feel happy to have at the same time complied with what I considered a duty of love and gratitude I had toward one, who for the whole of 32 year had been to me a kind, and dear Father.
However here at the end, I must answer a question which perhaps more than one might address me, namely “Did after all the good Father succeed in civilizing the Osages?” To this I must reply that in great part he did, though there be as yet left a large room for improvement. From history we learn that the civilizing of savage nations, and bringing them from an aboriginal condition, to that of culture and refinement has never been the work of one day.
In fact, neither the Gaul's nor the Teutons were induced to abandon their barbarian customs in the course of but a few years. It took long terrible wars, years and years of toilsome missionary labors and it was only after hundreds of self sacrificing men had lost their life in the midst of hardships and trials that at last the great work of their civilization was accomplished. And through the lapse of many centuries, the nature of those wild people has been almost entirely changed, this very day, a traveler over the Pyrenees, the Alps. or Apennines will find here and there, in the fastness of those mountains, remnants of ancient aboriginal races, living in a condition not much better that that in which their grand, grand fathers were living a thousand years ago.
All this well considered, what wonder is it if Father Schoenmakers, after exercising all his best energy for over 35 years in behalf of the Osages, could not succeed in totally changing their nature, and from savages, whose very name used to be a terror to the settlers of western Missouri, were not all turned by him into industrial American citizens? But this I am allowed to say, that his labors were not entirely fruitless, and the seeds of probity, and self control, the love of industry he did have among them, have gradually developed, and begin to bear some fruit, the great advantage of the Osages. Finally, I must acknowledge, that not all those to whom the Father did impart the benefit of a good education would once, out of school, act according to what they had been learned; nay in many instances they would turn the knowledge they had received, to their ruin, and become worse than they used to be before. But no wonder, and any one acquainted with the work of education youths, will admit that this has always happened and will happen again.
What the future of the Osages will be, is more than I can tell. But one thing is certain, that if they will listen to, and will follow the advises now given them by the zealous priests under whose care they are, in few years more their industry, and good manners will raise them to a standard by no means inferior to that of their white neighbors.
However here at the end, I must answer a question which perhaps more than one might address me, namely “Did after all the good Father succeed in civilizing the Osages?” To this I must reply that in great part he did, though there be as yet left a large room for improvement. From history we learn that the civilizing of savage nations, and bringing them from an aboriginal condition, to that of culture and refinement has never been the work of one day.
In fact, neither the Gaul's nor the Teutons were induced to abandon their barbarian customs in the course of but a few years. It took long terrible wars, years and years of toilsome missionary labors and it was only after hundreds of self sacrificing men had lost their life in the midst of hardships and trials that at last the great work of their civilization was accomplished. And through the lapse of many centuries, the nature of those wild people has been almost entirely changed, this very day, a traveler over the Pyrenees, the Alps. or Apennines will find here and there, in the fastness of those mountains, remnants of ancient aboriginal races, living in a condition not much better that that in which their grand, grand fathers were living a thousand years ago.
All this well considered, what wonder is it if Father Schoenmakers, after exercising all his best energy for over 35 years in behalf of the Osages, could not succeed in totally changing their nature, and from savages, whose very name used to be a terror to the settlers of western Missouri, were not all turned by him into industrial American citizens? But this I am allowed to say, that his labors were not entirely fruitless, and the seeds of probity, and self control, the love of industry he did have among them, have gradually developed, and begin to bear some fruit, the great advantage of the Osages. Finally, I must acknowledge, that not all those to whom the Father did impart the benefit of a good education would once, out of school, act according to what they had been learned; nay in many instances they would turn the knowledge they had received, to their ruin, and become worse than they used to be before. But no wonder, and any one acquainted with the work of education youths, will admit that this has always happened and will happen again.
What the future of the Osages will be, is more than I can tell. But one thing is certain, that if they will listen to, and will follow the advises now given them by the zealous priests under whose care they are, in few years more their industry, and good manners will raise them to a standard by no means inferior to that of their white neighbors.
