RECOLLECTIONS OF AN INDIAN AGENT. 241 was visible in the turmoil he created by his persistent efforts to run the agency on a purely revival basis. The secularists or non-professionals above named and Mr. Baughman, who was a Methodist, attended to their business as doers and teachers of handicraft and gave the agent no trouble. As a defense against Howard's assaults, Mr. Palmer ex- plained to me that while he had been a conforming Methodist he had never been a shouter, was not gifted in prayer, and he did not see why he should be doubted because nature had denied him such gifts. I did not share his faith in the good intentions of Howard, whom I recognized as an unscrupulous meddler aspiring to the chief place, and I was bold enough to express my opinion publicly. I also advised the General to discharge him at once and ask the Methodists to send a man who would attend to his own affairs and be solicitous in some degree for the welfare of others. Joel Palmer at that time was well advanced on the down-hill side of life and was, there- fore, more inclined to avoid conflicts which, in his prime, he would have faced with admirable resolution. So Howard remained to vex his administration. In truth, Palmer, be- sides being kind and lovable, was brace, determined and re- sourceful when the occasion demanded, and there were many such occasions in his eventful career. But brave men do not always bear petty annoyances with composure and Palmer was one of that sort. He could fight Indians if necessary but he had no taste or pluck to oppose an arrogant pseudo Chris- tian. He could see no practical way out of the constantly increasing sectarian jangle but to resign his office. I advised; against such a course, on his account, and because I saw that the religious experiment, as it would be conducted, must proves injurious alike to the service and churches. I furthermore^ gave my opinion that the Methodist mutiny so disagreeable toj him was confined mainly to the Siletz reservation and thatj Methodists as a body did not know but that all was peace inj his dominions. A half dozen protesting letters solicited byj Howard could create quite a tempest in this small Siletz tea-j pot, but what is that to the great Methodist denomination ?
