The following is Part 2 of The History of Bdechan Church continued from Page 5 of the Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Devils Lake Journal:
In the spring of 1880, Rev. Renville returned to his church south of present Wilmont or Milbank, South Dakota, named Brownearth (Makaģiyuzapi), to minister to his own people. The famous Rev. Charles Hall (Howaŝte = Good Voice) traveled from his Congregational mission at Fort Berthold to Devils Lake in the fall of 1880, and arranged a meeting between Rev. Renville and Agent McLaughlin. As the wheels were moving in Washington D.C. to change the policy of one religion to a reservation, Agent McLaughlin agreed to help Rev. Daniel Renville in “anyway he could so long as he confined his activities to teaching and preaching”. Rev. Renville was well liked by the local people because he preached in the Dakota language and also taught them to read the Bible in Dakota. Again he stayed over the winter, returning to Brownearth in the spring of 1881.
In mid-July 1881, Rev. Hall returned to the reservation and held services at the home of Makannahunhunze (Making Sounds on the Ground) a former Soldier of Chief Waanatan (Charger). In his sermon Rev. Hall asked them to build a church, Thomas Renville interpreted this to the gathering. They began the next day to haul oak logs with oxen from ten miles away, completing the task in three days. The following day they had a feast and erected the walls of a small log chapel. The following week Rev. Hall accompanied by Red Star and his wife Hill Woman traveled 80 miles to Jamestown (Itaziobaksa =Where they cut wood for bows) and purchased lumber for the roof, windows and door. The return trip was most arduous; the old oxen began to lag before the first day. Compounded by no water along the trail except a puddle found the next day from which they made coffee. Travel was so slow. With the chapel completed, Rev. C. L. Hall organized the Bdecan (Woodlake) Church; installing Simon ShortLighting (WakanhdiPtecena) as elder. Other members included Martha Yuhuzewin (Shake hands Woman – Mrs. Shortlighting),
Cannunpeŝa (Red Pipe), Lydia Kampeska (White Shell – Mrs. Red Pipe), Daniel Paul (Ŝunkawanzina = Lone Dog), Stephen Hepana (Second Born Boy), Josephine Pahawin (Hill Woman), Henok Appearing Cloud, Ticaģeŝni (Forbids Use of his House), Amos Howard Dowannaĥonpi (They Hear His Song), Amos Wakankoyake (Sacred Garments), Frank Catan (Fourth Born Boy), and George Maĥpiyawicaŝta (Skyman – paternal grandfather to the Ironheart family). These twelve, and their families, are the founding members of the Bdecan Church.
Rev. Hall returned to his mission at Fort Berthold. Rev. David Greycloud (Tamaĥpiyaĥota, B. 1840 –D. 1890) next served as pastor until the fall, when Rev. Renville returned. In the spring of 1883 William O. Rogers (Owancamaza = Metal All Over) from Flandreau, South Dakota became the permanent pastor, serving until 1890. Up until this time the Bdecan Church was of the Congregational faith. In 1883 a vote was taken in which they were asked to chose between the Congregational and Presbyterian faiths. They chose the later, and became Bdecan Ohdeptecena Wakan Okodakiciye or Woodlake Presbyterian Church and received into Dakota Presbytery.
The congregation soon was more than the log church could hold. 1884 saw 19 members of the church. 1885 the Indian agent reported two Presbyterian day schools, one at Woodlake (Abrahams place) with Owancamaza (Rev. Rogers), and one at Raven Hill with Wahinsa (Rev. John Flute 1851 – 1933), as teachers. Both day schools continued to operate until 1897, with Rev. Samuel W. Hopkins (1854 – ?) and Rev. Coe (1867-1932) as teachers.
To be continued.