George Washington Bean's Narrow Escape with His Life — Divine Deliverance During Indian Relations

During his decades of service as interpreter between the white settlements and Indian tribes, George Washington Bean faced multiple situations where his life hung in the balance. As the preface to his autobiography notes: "His life was saved twice by Washear (Squash), and once by Chief Peteetneet."

Bean's role as interpreter put him in uniquely dangerous positions. He had to explain complex political and spiritual concepts—the relationship between "The Great Spirit," the "Big White Chief" at Washington, D.C., and the "White Chief" at Salt Lake City, and the "Happy Hunting Ground." He had to translate not just words but cultures, values, and sometimes competing interests.

More than once, Bean's life was in imminent danger because of misunderstandings, conflicts, or the volatility of frontier life. Yet in each instance, the Lord provided a way of escape. Whether through the intervention of friendly Indians who had come to trust him, or through divine providence arranging circumstances, Bean's life was preserved again and again.

Bean's own account reveals his extraordinary humility. He did not boast of these narrow escapes or present himself as a heroic figure. Instead, he attributed his preservation to the mercy of God and to the relationships of trust he had built with the Indian peoples. He "always contended that the lack of wisdom on the part of the 'Whites' caused all the trouble with Indians. It was he, as Interpreter, whose life was endangered many times, who learned the facts."

His sense of humor became, in his own words, "his shock-absorber" during these perilous times. And that gift, along with his faith, carried him through decades of dangerous work in the wilderness.

Been's many narrow escapes stand as testimony that faithful service, even in the most dangerous circumstances, places a person under the Lord's protection. "The Lord sees all His people. He values the quiet faithful as much as the celebrated."