the soul of the indian-第2部分

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love　is　good；　but　lust　destroys；　and　not　less　dreaded　than　the

pestilence　following　upon　crowded　and　unsanitary　dwellings　was　the

loss　of　spiritual　power　inseparable　from　too　close　contact　with

one's　fellow…men。　　All　who　have　lived　much　out　of　doors　know　that

there　is　a　magnetic　and　nervous　force　that　accumulates　in　solitude

and　that　is　quickly　dissipated　by　life　in　a　crowd；　and　even　his

enemies　have　recognized　the　fact　that　for　a　certain　innate　power

and　self…poise；　wholly　independent　of　circumstances；　the

American　Indian　is　unsurpassed　among　men。



The　red　man　divided　mind　into　two　parts；the　spiritual　mind

and　the　physical　mind。　　The　first　is　pure　spirit；　concerned　only

with　the　essence　of　things；　and　it　was　this　he　sought　to　strengthen

by　spiritual　prayer；　during　which　the　body　is　subdued　by　fasting

and　hardship。　　In　this　type　of　prayer　there　was　no　beseeching　of

favor　or　help。　　All　matters　of　personal　or　selfish　concern；　as

success　in　hunting　or　warfare；　relief　from　sickness；　or　the　sparing

of　a　beloved　life；　were　definitely　relegated　to　the　plane　of　the

lower　or　material　mind；　and　all　ceremonies；　charms；　or

incantations　designed　to　secure　a　benefit　or　to　avert　a　danger；

were　recognized　as　emanating　from　the　physical　self。



The　rites　of　this　physical　worship；　again；　were　wholly

symbolic；　and　the　Indian　no　more　worshiped　the　Sun　than　the

Christian　adores　the　Cross。　　The　Sun　and　the　Earth；　by　an　obvious

parable；　holding　scarcely　more　of　poetic　metaphor　than　of

scientific　truth；　were　in　his　view　the　parents　of　all　organic　life。　

From　the　Sun；　as　the　universal　father；　proceeds　the　quickening

principle　in　nature；　and　in　the　patient　and　fruitful　womb　of　our

mother；　the　Earth；　are　hidden　embryos　of　plants　and　men。　

Therefore　our　reverence　and　love　for　them　was　really　an　imaginative

extension　of　our　love　for　our　immediate　parents；　and　with　this

sentiment　of　filial　piety　was　joined　a　willingness　to　appeal　to

them；　as　to　a　father；　for　such　good　gifts　as　we　may　desire。　　This

is　the　material

or　physical　prayer。



The　elements　and　majestic　forces　in　nature；　Lightning；　Wind；

Water；　Fire；　and　Frost；　were　regarded　with　awe　as　spiritual　powers；

but　always　secondary　and　intermediate　in　character。　　We　believed

that　the　spirit　pervades　all　creation　and　that　every　creature

possesses　a　soul　in　some　degree；　though　not　necessarily　a　soul

conscious　of　itself。　　The　tree；　the　waterfall；　the　grizzly

bear；　each　is　an　embodied　Force；　and　as　such　an　object　of

reverence。



The　Indian　loved　to　come　into　sympathy　and　spiritual　communion

with　his　brothers　of　the　animal　kingdom；　whose　inarticulate　souls

had　for　him　something　of　the　sinless　purity　that　we　attribute　to

the　innocent　and　irresponsible　child。　　He　had　faith　in　their

instincts；　as　in　a　mysterious　wisdom　given　from　above；　and　while　he

humbly　accepted　the　supposedly　voluntary　sacrifice　of　their　bodies

to　preserve　his　own；　he　paid　homage　to　their　spirits　in　prescribed

prayers　and　offerings。　



In　every　religion　there　is　an　element　of　the　supernatural；

varying　with　the　influence　of　pure　reason　over　its　devotees。　　The

Indian　was　a　logical　and　clear　thinker　upon　matters　within　the

scope　of　his　understanding；　but　he　had　not　yet　charted　the　vast

field　of　nature　or　expressed　her　wonders　in　terms　of　science。　　With

his　limited　knowledge　of　cause　and　effect；　he　saw　miracles　on　every

hand；the　miracle　of　life　in　seed　and　egg；　the　miracle　of　death　in

lightning　flash　and　in　the　swelling　deep！　　Nothing　of　the　marvelous

could　astonish　him；　as　that　a　beast　should　speak；　or　the　sun　stand

still。　　　The　virgin　birth　would　appear　scarcely　more

miraculous　than　is　the　birth　of　every　child　that　comes　into　the

world；　or　the　miracle　of　the　loaves　and　fishes　excite　more　wonder

than　the　harvest　that　springs　from　a　single　ear　of　corn。



Who　may　condemn　his　superstition？　　Surely　not　the　devout

Catholic；　or　even　Protestant　missionary；　who　teaches　Bible　miracles

as　literal　fact！　　The　logical　man　must　either　deny　all　miracles　or

none；　and　our　American　Indian　myths　and　hero　stories　are　perhaps；

in　themselves；　quite　as　credible　as　those　of　the　Hebrews　of　old。　

If　we　are　of　the　modern　type　of　mind；　that　sees　in　natural　law　a

majesty　and　grandeur　far　more　impressive　than　any　solitary

infraction　of　it　could　possibly　be；　let　us　not　forget　that；　after

all；　science　has　not　explained　everything。　　We　have　still　to　face

the　ultimate　miracle；the　origin　and　principle　of　life！　　Here　is

the　supreme　mystery　that　is　the　essence　of　worship；　without　which

there　can　be　no　religion；　and　in　the　presence　of　this　mystery　our

attitude　cannot　be　very　unlike　that　of　the　natural　philosopher；　who

beholds　with　awe　the　Divine　in　all　creation。



It　is　simple　truth　that　the　Indian　did　not；　so　long　as　his

native　philosophy　held　sway　over　his　mind；　either　envy　or　desire　to

imitate　the　splendid　achievements　of　the　white　man。　　In　his

own　thought　he　rose　superior　to　them！　　He　scorned　them；　even　as　a

lofty　spirit　absorbed　in　its　stern　task　rejects　the　soft　beds；　the

luxurious　food；　the　pleasure…worshiping　dalliance　of　a　rich

neighbor。　　It　was　clear　to　him　that　virtue　and　happiness　are

independent　of　these　things；　if　not　incompatible　with　them。



There　was　undoubtedly　much　in　primitive　Christianity　to　appeal

to　this　man；　and　Jesus'　hard　sayings　to　the　rich　and　about　the　rich

would　have　been　entirely　comprehensible　to　him。　　Yet　the　religion

that　is　preached　in　our　churches　and　practiced　by　our

congregations；　with　its　element　of　display　and

self…aggrandizement；　its　active　proselytism；　and　its　open　contempt

of　all　religions　but　its　own；　was　for　a　long　time　extremely

repellent。　　To　his　simple　mind；　the　professionalism　of　the　pulpit；

the　paid　exhorter；　the　moneyed　church；　was　an　unspiritual　and

unedifying　thing；　and　it　was　not　until　his　spirit　was　broken　and

his　moral　and　physical　constitution　undermined　by　trade；　conquest；

and　strong　drink；　that　Christian　missionaries　obtained　any　real

hold　upon　him。　　Strange　as　it　may　seem；　it　is　true　that　the　proud

pagan　in　his　secret　soul　despised　the　good　men　who　came　to　convert

and　to　enlighten　him！　



Nor　were　its　publicity　and　its　Phariseeism　the　only　elements

in　the　alien　religion　that　offended　the　red　man。　　To　him；　it

appeared　shocking　and　almost　incredible　that　there　were　among　this

people　who　claimed　superiority　many　irreligious；　who　did　not　even

pretend　to　profess　the　national　faith。　　Not　only　did　they　not

profess　it；　but　they　stooped　so　low　as　to　insult　their　God　with

profane　and　sacrilegious　speech！　　In　our　own　tongue　His　name　was

not　spoken　aloud；　even　with　utmost　reverence；　much　less　lightly　or

irreverently。



More　than　this；　even　in　those　white　men　who　professed　religion

we　found　much　inconsistency　of　conduct。　　They　spoke　much　of

spiritual　things；　while　seeking　only　the　material。　　They　bought　and

sold　everything：　time；　labor；　personal　independence；　the　love　of

woman；　and　even　the　ministrations　of　their　holy　faith！　　The　lust

for　money；　power；　and　conquest　so　characteristic　of　the　Anglo…Saxon

race　did　not　escape　moral　condemnation　at　the　hands　of　his

untutored　judge；　nor　did　he　fail　to　contrast　this　conspicuous　trait

of　the　dominant　race　with　the　spirit　of　the　meek　and　lowly　Jesus。



He　might　in　time　come　to　recognize　that　the　drunkards　and

licentious　among　white　men；　with　whom　he　too　frequently　came　in

contact；　were　condemned　by　the　white　man's　religion　as　well；

and　must　not　be　held　to　discredit　it。　　But　it　was　not　so　easy　to

overlook　or　to　excuse　national　bad　faith。　　When　distinguished

emissaries　from　the　Father　at　Washington；　some　of　them　ministers　of

the　gospel　and　even　bishops；　came　to　the　Indian　nations；　and

pledged　to　them　in　solemn　treaty　the　national　honor；　with　prayer

and　mention　of　their　God；　and　when　such　treaties；　so　made；　were

promptly　and　shamelessly　broken；　is　it　strange　that　the　action

should　arouse　not　only　anger；　but　contempt？　　The　historians　of　the

white　race　admit　that　the　Indian　was　never　the　first　to　repudiate

his　oath。　



It　is　my　personal　belief；　after　thirty…five　years'　experience

of　it；　that　there　is　no　such　thing　as　〃Christian　civilization。〃　　I

believe　that　Christianity　and　modern　civilization　are　opposed　and

irreconcilable；　and　that　the　spirit　of　Christianity　and　of　our

ancient　religion　is　essentially　the　same。











II



THE　FAMILY　ALTAR







THE　FAMILY　ALTAR



Pre…natal　Influence。　　Early　Religious　Teaching。　　The　Function　of

the　Aged。　　Woman；　Marriage　and　the　Family。　　Loyalty；　Hospitality；

Friendship。



The　American　Indian　was　an　individualist　in　religion　as　in　war。　　He

had　neither　a　national　army　nor　an　organized　church。　　There　was　no

priest　to　assume　responsibility　for　another's　soul。　　That　is；　we

believed；　the　supreme　duty　of　the　parent；　who　only　was　permitted　to

claim　in　some　degree　the　priestly　office　and　function；　since　it　is

his　creative　and　protecting　power　which　alone　approaches　the

solemn　function　of　Deity。



The　Indian　was　a　religious　man　from　his　mother's　womb。　　From

the　moment　of　her　recognition　of　the　fact　of　conception　to　the　end

of　the　second　year　of　life；　which　was　the　ordinary　duration　of

lactation；　it　was　supposed　by　us　that　the　mother's　spiritual

influence　counted　for　most。　　Her　attitude　and　secret　meditations

must　be　such　as　to　instill　into　the　receptive　soul　of　the　unborn

child　the　love　of　the　〃Great　Mystery〃　and　a　sense　of　brotherhood

with　all　creation。　　Silence　and　isolation　are　the　rule　of　life　for

the　expectant　mother。　　　She　wanders　prayerful　in　the　stillness

of　great　woods；　or　on　the　bosom　of　the　untrodden　prairie；　and

to　her　poetic　mind　the　immanent　birth　of　her　child　prefigures　the

advent　of　a　master…mana　hero；　or　the　mother　of　heroesa　thought

conceived　in　the　virgin　breast　of　primeval　nature；　and　dreamed　out

in　a　hush　that　is　only　broken　by　the　sighing　o