Cherokee Messenger

"He is wise; he has something to say. Let us call him 'A-tse-nu-sti, ' the messenger". This is the story of Reverend Samuel Austin Worcester (1798-1859), "messenger" and missionary to the Cherokees from 1825 to 1859 under the auspices of the American Board of Foreign Missions (Congregational). He set Sequoyah's alphabet in type so that he and Elias Boudinot could print the bilingual Cherokee Phoenix. After removal to Indian Territory, he helped establish the Cherokee Advocate, edited by William Ross, and issued almanacs, gospels, hymnals, bibles, and other books in the Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw languages. He served the Cherokees in numerous roles, including those of preacher, teacher, postmaster, legal advisor, doctor, and organizer of temperance societies. In the foreword to this new edition, William L. Anderson discusses Worcester's life among the Cherokees."Mrs. Bass's book is important not only as biography, but as Cherokee history. In it are related the shady details of the 'treaty council' of New Echota which resulted in the spurious document of December 29, 1835, yielding to removal, that was not signed by chief John Ross or any other official of the Cherokee nation". -- Ethnohistory."The book carries much interesting and colorful matter descriptive of life among the Cherokees and in missionary stations". -- New York Times Book Review.