The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-11-22
Prayers OF savages.


The Sioux Indians, abusing their
Great Spirit for sending theru storms, or
the Kamscsdals eursing Kutka for hav.
ing created the mountains so high and
the streams 50 rapid, expose a state OF
thought relating to the gods which il
most diAcult to reconcile With the say.
ages habitual dfesd OF them, but whicl.
is too well authenticated to admit oi
doubt. Franklin saw a Creek hunter
tie an offering ia cotton handkerchief,
looking-glass, tin pan, some ribbon and
tobacco) to the value of twenty skins
round sn image Of the god Kepoocbikan,
at the same time praying to him in
rapid, monotonass tone to be propi-
tious. explaining him the value OF
his presents, ssi ss opgly cautioning
him against inyatnnde. II all the
prayers and presents made TO their God
BY the Tahitians to ave their chiefs
from dying proved in vain, his image
was inexorably banisheo from the temple
and destroyed. The Osiaks OF Siberia,
if things went badly viii them, would
pull down from their pace of honor in
the hut and in every way maltreat the
idols they generally hororsd 80 much !;
the idols whose mouths were always 20
diligently emesred VITA fab fat, and
within whose reach constant supply OF
snuK lay always ready. The Chinese
/ l. IL h. hair
hold gods, if for log time they are
deaf to their prayers. and go do the
Oinghalese. so that the practice is more
than an impulsive manifestation of
merely losI feeling That such feel
ings occasionally crop out in ciyiiised
Catholic countries is & matter of more
surprise; but it is an authentic histoT.
ical fact that the good people OF Castel-
brsnco, in Portugal, Wee once 30 angry
with st. Anthony fer letting the
Bpanisrds plumber their town, contrary
TO his agreement, that tley broke many
of his statues in pieces and taking the
head of the one especially revered, sub
stituted for it the head Of st. Francis.
Mespolitan Alderman are said to this
day TO throw their ssinu overheard II
they do not help them In sterm; and,
# occasion calls for it, the images Of the
Virgin or of St. Jsnsufius, worn in
NeApelitan Gaps, are in danger OF being
trodden under foot and destroyed. And
once during q famine the latter saint
received very clear intination that unless
corn came by a certain tins he would
foEleit his saintship. l. is, perhaps, a
refinement of thought when a present
becomes an sdvisable accompaniment TO
a simple petition; but the principle of
exchange once entered into, the relations
between man and the supernatural lead
logically from the offering of fruits and
flowers to the s.criAce OF animals and of
men. Some Algonkin Indians. mis-
taSing once a missionary for god, aud
petitioning for his mery, begged him to
let the earth yield them corn, the rivers
fish, and to prevent sickness from slsving
or hunger from tormenting them. Their
request they backed With the ofer OF
pipe. The whole OF the savage's philos-
ophy of sacrifice is contsined in this
ridiculous incident. Prescott, coming
with some Indians TO lake they were
10 cross, saw his companions light their
pipes and smoke by way of invoking the
winds to be calm. And the Hurons
offered similar prayer with tobacco Ito
a local god, saying, "Oki, thou who livest
on this spot, We offer thee tobacco.
Help us, save US from shipwreck. De-
fend US from our enemies. Give us
good trade and bring US back safe to our
Villages" In the island of 1anna, the
village priest, addressing the spirits OF
departed chiefs (thought TO preside over
the growth OF yams and fruits), after
the first fruits OF vegetation hsd been
deposited on stone, on the branch of
tree, or on rude altar Of sticks, would
pray, Compassionate father, here is
some TODD eat it; be kind TO us On ac-
count OF it," and in Samoa, iibation
OF ava at the evening meal was the offer
ing, in return for which the father of q
family would beg Of the gods health and
prosperity, productiveness for his planta-
tons, and for his tribe generally 3 strong
and large population for war. Ia Fiji,
sgain, when the chief priests and leading
men assembled to discuss public affairs
in the yaquona or kaya circle, the chief
herald, as the water was poured into the
kAva, after naming the gods Tor whom
the ibation was prepared, would say,
"Be gracious, ye lolds. the gods, that
the rain may cease, and the sua shine
forth" and again, when the potion was
ready, LET the gods be Of q gracious
mind, and send wind from the esst."