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Soon after the first settlements in North America were made, missionaries began to visit the Native Americans for the purpose of instructing them in the Christian religion and to persuade them to adopt the customs of civilization. The Catholic Church was especially active in this work. Early in the 17th century Jesuit missionaries crossed the ocean and began the establishment of missions. While the Jesuit father was something of a fanatic in his religious views, he was generally a man of courage, filled with a sincere devotion to his calling, and loyal to his king. As the white settlements grew in number and strength, the Protestant denominations also became interested in the welfare of the Indians and sent missionaries among them.

Noble L. Prentis, in his 1899 book, A History of Kansas, said: "The missionaries were heroic pioneers of Kansas. They invented phonetic alphabets; the created written languages, wrote dictionaries and song books, and gave to the Indian the Bible and the Christian religion.

Abilene, KS - Great Plains Theatre

Abilene, KS - Great Plains Theatre

Ada, KS - Church

Ada, KS - Church

Allen County, KS - Fairview Chapel

Allen County, KS - Fairview Chapel

Alma, KS - St. Johns Lutheran Church

Alma, KS - St. Johns Lutheran Church

Atchison Co, KS - St Patrick Catholic Church

Atchison Co, KS - St Patrick Catholic Church

Atchison, KS - Benedictine Abbey

Atchison, KS - Benedictine Abbey

Baldwin, KS - Church

Baldwin, KS - Church

Beaumont, KS - Church

Beaumont, KS - Church

Bethel, KS - Church

Bethel, KS - Church

Bison, KS - Church

Bison, KS - Church

Bronson, KS - Church

Bronson, KS - Church

Brownell, KS - Church

Brownell, KS - Church

Brownell, KS - Church - 2

Brownell, KS - Church - 2

Bucklin, KS - Church

Bucklin, KS - Church

Bucklin, KS - Church - 2

Bucklin, KS - Church - 2

Burdett, KS - Methodist Church

Burdett, KS - Methodist Church

Burdett, KS - Old Church

Burdett, KS - Old Church

Carneiro, KS - Church

Carneiro, KS - Church

Chapman, KS - Church

Chapman, KS - Church

Chapman, KS - Church Steeple

Chapman, KS - Church Steeple