The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-10-27

this Being, then, they offer sacrinces and
penances, (by fasting and making inciaions
tn their bodies), as we'll as public prayers
several times Q year.
Tie sacrifices principally consist of scar-
let cloth, now kettles, skins, furs, tobacco,
and other things, which, with great solemni-
and Thunder, as the two greatest medi-
cines through which they may prove avail
able with the Great Spirit at the same
time the devotee utters prayer, making
the request Of which he most stands in
need, and promising a repetition Of the sac !,
rifice in case his demands are complied
with. Afterwards, the article sacrificed is
destroyed, to prevent it's falling into the
hands of travellers or enemies. This cere-
mony is usually done by each Indian per-
former alone in his lodge or on the hills, in
year: They have also days of national
worship, in which all join, but which is too
long to give an account Of here, our object
being only to extract the principal of their
worship. Although they sacrifice, pray,
inf1ict severe punishment on their bodies,
gious motives, all this is only to procure
present and future temporal advantages.
We see nothing in this denoting q sense of
moral responsibility, no repentance for past
deeds, no Thanksgiving for favors received.
Crime and sin, therefore, as viewed In q
amongst them. If they felt themselves in
any way guilty, they would assuredly do
penanee and sacrifice to obtain forgiveness.
But we do not find this to be the case with
any Of them. Moreover, crimes cannot be
offenses against the Great Spirit, as we shall
see, hereafter, that his aid is invoked to
commit the greatest of crimes and sins.
THEIR IDEA, THEN, OF THE GREAT SPIRIT,
10 based on nothing more than q dread Of
unknown evil Detailing them, which it 10 in
their power to avoid by sacrifice and pen
ance offered to an unseen, incomprehensi-
BILE power, the existence of which they
know from actual phenomena. Beyond
of ascribing to this power such attributes
as mercy, forgiveness, benevolence, truth,
and the like. It is this view Of the Great
Spirit, Invested of the superstitious and
fabulous narratives with which it is often
clothed, which is generally prevalent
amOpg all the prairie tribes. War and
peace are not regarded as his acts, for they
know that they themselves mako both;
but success and defeat are, as these are be-
yond their ewn control. Hence a success
full warrior is always called wahcon (medi-
cine). They mean by this that he has by
Spirit. Natural phenomena, unattended
with good or evil results, pass UNDECIDED;
but destructive tornados, deaths by Light
ping, or by sickness such as apople1y, are
viewed as his special acts. Ecfipses are
warnings, loud thunder is warning; and
of averting some pending calamity. From
this dread of unaccountable evil arises
their repugnance to talk on the subject, as
to do so would lay open their secret sources
of apprehension, and might, they think, by
some chance levity, produce the evil they
counter sacrifice on the part of some enc
my, render their own observances unavail
ing.
THE BELIEF IN AMULETs OR CHARMS
is general among the Indians; and the
material of these charms or medicines so
various, their influence over individuals,
so diversified, that to enumerate the whole
would take too much space, and indeed is
not requisite. must, however, en6eaver
to present the idea which underlies this
belief, which is some what difficult to ex-
plain. 1t is this, that although the Great
Spirit is all powerful, yet his will is uncer-
tain. He is also invisible, and only mani
tests his power in extraordinary actsi
smaller matters being beneath his notices.
and under the supervision of minor spirits.
Now, it is their want of some tangible
medium, eonsecrated by ceremony, guard
ed with care and invoked with solemnity,
that induces them to select some object as
this medicine. Every Indian, on attaining
the age of manhood, becomes o warrior, a
time is obliged, by his different occupa-
tions, to live in constant apprehension for
his life aud property from enemies and va
rious other causes. He, therefore, then
chooses something for his wahcon (medi-
eine). This object is chosen in consequence
of some dream, or of some incident or idea
presented to him on some important occa-
sion. In this way the skin of weasel,
stuffed heads and bodies Of different bids,
images made of wood. Of store, of oeads,
wrought upon skin, rude drawings Of bears
Of buffalo. bulls, wolves, and serpents, of
monsters that have NO name nor existence
in fact, every thing animate or inanimate,
10 used, according to the superstition and
belief of the individual. This object,
whatever it is, enveloped in eeveral folds
of skin, with lock Of some deceased rela-
TONS hair, and a small piece of tobacco
enclosed, and the whole placed in q par
aesche sack, neatly ornamented and
fringed; and this composes the arcanum of
the medicine sack. This sack is never
opened in the presence of any one, unless
the owner OF some of his family fall dan
gerously ill; it is then taken out and
placed at the head of his bed, and the aid