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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
THE SOUL OF THE
INDIAN
An Interpretation
BY
CHARLES ALEXANDER EASTMAN （OHIYESA）
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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
TO MY WIFE ELAINE GOODALE EASTMAN IN GRATEFUL
RECOGNITION OF HER EVER…INSPIRING COMPANIONSHIP IN
THOUGHT AND WORK AND IN LOVE OF HER MOST INDIAN…
LIKE VIRTUES I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
I speak for each no…tongued tree That； spring by spring； doth nobler be；
And dumbly and most wistfully His mighty prayerful arms outspreads；
And his big blessing downward sheds。 SIDNEY LANIER。
But there's a dome of nobler span； A temple given Thy faith；
that bigots dare not ban Its space is heaven！ It's roof star…pictured
Nature's ceiling； Where； trancing the rapt spirit's feeling； And God Himself
to man revealing； Th' harmonious spheres Make music； though
unheard their pealing By mortal ears！ THOMAS CAMPBELL。
God！ sing ye meadow streams with gladsome voice！ Ye pine…groves；
with your soft and soul…like sounds！ Ye eagles； playmates of the mountain
storm！ Ye lightnings； the dread arrows of the clouds！ Ye signs and wonders
of the elements； Utter forth God； and fill the hills with praise！ 。 。 。 Earth；
with her thousand voices； praises GOD！ COLERIDGE。
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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
FOREWORD
〃We also have a religion which was given to our forefathers； and has
been handed down to us their children。 It teaches us to be thankful； to be
united； and to love one another！ We never quarrel about religion。〃
Thus spoke the great Seneca orator； Red Jacket； in his superb reply to
Missionary Cram more than a century ago； and I have often heard the
same thought expressed by my countrymen。
I have attempted to paint the religious life of the typical American
Indian as it was before he knew the white man。 I have long wished to do
this； because I cannot find that it has ever been seriously； adequately； and
sincerely done。 The religion of the Indian is the last thing about him that
the man of another race will ever understand。
First； the Indian does not speak of these deep matters so long as he
believes in them； and when he has ceased to believe he speaks
inaccurately and slightingly。
Second； even if he can be induced to speak； the racial and religious
prejudice of the other stands in the way of his sympathetic comprehension。
Third； practically all existing studies on this subject have been made
during the transition period； when the original beliefs and philosophy of
the native American were already undergoing rapid disintegration。
There are to be found here and there superficial accounts of strange
customs and ceremonies； of which the symbolism or inner meaning was
largely hidden from the observer； and there has been a great deal of
material collected in recent years which is without value because it is
modern and hybrid； inextricably mixed with Biblical legend and
Caucasian philosophy。 Some of it has even been invented for
commercial purposes。 Give a reservation Indian a present； and he will
possibly provide you with sacred songs； a mythology； and folk…lore to
order！
My little book does not pretend to be a scientific treatise。 It is as true
as I can make it to my childhood teaching and ancestral ideals； but from
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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
the human； not the ethnological standpoint。 I have not cared to pile up
more dry bones； but to clothe them with flesh and blood。 So much as has
been written by strangers of our ancient faith and worship treats it chiefly
as matter of curiosity。 I should like to emphasize its universal quality； its
personal appeal！
The first missionaries； good men imbued with the narrowness of their
age； branded us as pagans and devil…worshipers； and demanded of us that
we abjure our false gods before bowing the knee at their sacred altar。
They even told us that we were eternally lost； unless we adopted a tangible
symbol and professed a particular form of their hydra…headed faith。
We of the twentieth century know better！ We know that all religious
aspiration； all sincere worship； can have but one source and one goal。
We know that the God of the lettered and the unlettered； of the Greek and
the barbarian； is after all the same God； and； like Peter； we perceive that
He is no respecter of persons； but that in every nation he that feareth Him
and worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him。
CHARLES A。 EASTMAN （OHIYESA）
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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
CONTENTS
I。 THE GREAT MYSTERY 1
II。 THE FAMILY ALTAR 25
III。 CEREMONIAL AND SYMBOLIC WORSHIP 51
IV。 BARBARISM AND THE MORAL CODE 85
V。 THE UNWRITTEN SCRIPTURES 117
VI。 ON THE BORDER…LAND OF SPIRITS 147
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THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
I THE GREAT MYSTERY
Solitary Worship。 The Savage Philosopher。 The Dual Mind。
Spiritual Gifts versus Material Progress。 The Paradox of 〃Christian
Civilization。〃
The original attitude of the American Indian toward the Eternal； the
〃Great Mystery〃 that surrounds and embraces us； was as simple as it was
exalted。 To him it was the supreme conception； bringing with it the
fullest measure of joy and satisfaction possible in this life。
The worship of the 〃Great Mystery〃 was silent； solitary； free from all
self…seeking。 It was silent； because all speech is of necessity feeble and
imperfect； therefore the souls of my ancestors ascended to God in
wordless adoration。 It was solitary； because they believed that He is
nearer to us in solitude； and there were no priests authorized to come
between a man and his Maker。 None might exhort or confess or in any
way meddle with the religious experience of another。 Among us all men
were created sons of God and stood erect； as conscious of their divinity。
Our faith might not be formulated in creeds； nor forced upon any who
were unwilling to receive it； hence there was no preaching； proselyting；
nor persecution； neither were there any scoffers or atheists。
There were no temples or shrines among us save those of nature。
Being a natural man； the Indian was intensely poetical。 He would deem
it sacrilege to build a house for Him who may be met face to face in the
mysterious； shadowy aisles of the primeval forest； or on the sunlit bosom
of virgin prairies； upon dizzy spires and pinnacles of naked rock； and
yonder in the jeweled vault of the night sky！ He who enrobes Himself in
filmy veils of cloud； there on the rim of the visible world where our Great…
Grandfather Sun kindles his evening camp…fire； He who rides upon the
rigorous wind of the north； or breathes forth His spirit upon aromatic
southern airs； whose war…canoe is launched upon majestic rivers and
inland seasHe needs no lesser cathedral！
That solitary communion with the Unseen which was the highest
expression of our religious life is partly described in the word bambeday；
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