WHEN GOD REACHED OUT TO THE DELAWARE INDIANS.
Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
CHARLES JOURNEYCAKE was the son of a full-blooded Delaware Indian father, and his mother was Mrs. Sally Journeycake, a Caucasian who spoke English and several Indian dialects. Because of her ability she became an expert interpreter, and when a Methodist mission was started among the Wyandottes on the reservation adjacent to that of the Delawares, Sally became the interpreter. At that time there was not a Christian Delaware in the settlement.
Late in 1827 Mrs. Journeycake became gravely ill, and her husband went to find help for her. During his absence it was supposed that Mrs. Journeycake was dying, but she awoke out of her comatose condition and began praising God. The Word of God that she had heard had registered by the Holy Spirit’s power, and she was gloriously saved. She immediately began living for the Lord, and it was in that environment that young Charles was then raised. The testimony of his mother made a marked impression on his young life, and he was saved in 1833 and became the first Delaware Indian to be baptized. Soon thereafter both of his parents were baptized, and so formed the nucleus of a Baptist church among the Delaware.
In a few short years, Charles Journeycake began to preach in his own language as well as the Shawnee, Wyandotte, Seneca, and Ottawa dialects. His status among his people continued to grow, and ultimately Journeycake was elected the principal chief of his tribe and became an influential negotiator with the United States Government for his people.
Rev. Charles Journeycake pastored, preached revivals and baptized 266 among the various Indian tribes from 1871 through 1880 before going home to be with the Lord on January 3, 1894.