The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-02-07
Heathen Idea OF God

idea Of a Supreme Being or future
state"
Mr.. Schmidt, of the German Mission
to the aborigines, once attempted at
Moreton Bay, says, 81 have not been
able to trace among them the idea Of
any superior beingi they have likewise
no idols"
Yet these ideas are not universally
entertained. Count Strezlecki says,
SOne fact appears certain they recog-
nize q God though they never name him
in their vernacular language, but call
him in English Great Master, and con-
slider themselves his slaves. They be-
lieve in immortality, or existence Of
everlasting enjoyment, and place its
locality among the stars, or other con-
steIlations of which they have a perfect
knowledge" Others who have had
long experience as protectors of the
blacks in Victoria give this testimony
''That traditionary mythology exists
among them, rude and obscure indeed,
but in all probability the indistinct relics
Of some older and complete system.
That they have au idea of a future state,
think they will be happy, and that there
isa world above with all the requisites
for Subsistence without trouble or
change. They have a notion of trans
migration, Some starae they say, were
once blackfellows on this earth" All
writers seem to agree respecting these
aborigines that whatever be their notions
regarding Supreme Being, they have
no forms Of worship, and no practical
religion.
Mr.. Parker says:-aI think, in their
ceremonies and superstitions may be
traced the obscure aud nearly obliter-
ated relics of the ancient ophilatria, or
serpent worship, still extant in India
and Africa" Capt. Hunter, more than
sixty years ago, affirmed that ''the ma
tivea sung a hymn or song of praise
from daybreak till sunset" which has
the appearance of reverential and CRATE
full feeling toward the Supreme Being.
It might have been q mourning dirge
which they are in the habit Of singing
at daybreAk and also at sunset for some
time after q death.
Mi. Green, missionary at Coranduk,
Upper Yara, has discovered the traces
of q tradition, seemingly derived from
inspiration. He states that the blacks
have had, independently of all teaching
from the whites, an idea Of q great
chief reigning supreme IN the upper
world ander the name Of Bundjil that
this mighty chief has brother whose
name Is Tudger, and that he has son
whose name Is Tarang; that there is
another grert being OF bad nature and
character named Rondulogan, who is
the opposite and the antagonist of
BupdillI that there Is a state of happi-
nest after death where Bundjil lives,
with whom all delights are enjoyed aud
: state Of misery where the bad chief
enSlaves and oppresses bis subjects,
compels them to labor hard that be may
eat and drink and have abundance,
while be starves them, and makes them
extremely wretchedi that the time was
when the blackfellows were being all
destroyed by large snake in the heart
Of fallen tree, and by bad blaokfel-
low acting In league with the serpenti
that this blackfellow always stood beside
the fallen log, and called "cooey, cooey"
to all TIE blaakfellows he saw, and when
they came, be, under a pretext Of friend.
ship, invited them to put their hand to
the end Of the tree and he would drive
out plenty bandicoot, which they could
kill aud 1eat, for there was abundance
within the great logi that when they
put their hand 10 tho end Of it, he
drove out the snake, which bit them,
and possoned them TO death that they
were Being al wasted and destroyed,
when the good Bundjil sent bis brother
Tudger, who appeared in disguise as a
bleekfellow, in order TO effect their
deliyerance, that, when he presented
himSaf, the blackfeilow, in league with
tho snake, oOoeyed as he was in the
habit OF doing, aud asked Tudger to
put his hand 70 the end of the tree and
he would drive out bandicoot for him.
Tadger said "No," and asked him to
drive ont the game and he would Kill Il
with bic waddy or yam-stick. The
man would not for 3 while, but Tudger
was firm and the other yielded. Then
upon bis driving out the snake, Tudger
killed Il, and next dispatched the man,
thereby delivering the race.
Another tradition. very similar, is the
following IA wicked lubra stationed
atthe side of 3 great mountain, was,
bya system of craft and cruelty, vast
ing and Destroying the blackfellows,
She bad q number 81 fires burning and
mia-mias always standing, as If Il wa
the place Of d large enhampiuent o.
blackA. When The hlackfellows saw the
FIRE. they wera acted to the spot !.
when they cam saw none bnt the
woman They aSksd her where were