Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-12-18
The Indian Messiah Again.

In an address before the American Folk
Lore Society held in New YORK last week
Miss Alice c. Fletcher, for many years
stationed at the Ncz Perces Indian Agen-
cy Idaho, and an expert on Indian folk
lore, gave this new account OF the origin
and history OF the Messiah craze among
the Indians
This Messiah craze is an old story"
said Miss Fletcher, land has possessed
various Indian tribes for number of
years. Being very much interested in the
outbreak, took the trouble thoroughly to
investigate its history and origin, with the
result Of a>certaining that IL had is rise
in the neighborhood Of the Cheyenne Riv
er between six and seven years ago. The
exact date | wa, unable to learn, but the
craze began with the nominal conversion
OF an Indian to Christianity He became
very enthusiast tic. saw visions and recount
ed them TO his comrades. who took on his
enthusiasm and were also able TO observe
strange sights The vision seen by the
original convert was one representing the
good old times of Indian history,
There was a large terd of butfaloes
and the convert also saw his ancestors
come from the spirit land agitated by a
great awakening and there seemed to be
a path opened from the Indian village to
the luminous place. Along this path a
figure advanced, 1t was not that of an
Indian because not SO red as an Indian,
| and yet not pale face, because not so
| light a. a white man. The mysterious
| figure had a robe thrown around 1t so as
| to conceal the form, and spoke to the In
! dians, calling them My Indian children.
| Throwing aside its mantle, the figure pro-
| claimed itself to be the Christian Saviour.
and, barring its arms, exhibited the marks
made by the nails that were driven into
the cross.
The figure entered into conversation
with the Indians and explained that it had
been rejected as the white mems Saviour
and had come to the red men. This Is
what the white men did to me- said the
figure IN the vision, showing the scars re-
ceived at the crucifixion. i come now to
my Indian children, whom the white men
have oppressed and despised.' The figure
connseed with the Indians and declared
TO them that all of their former glory
would return and that the dead Indians
were rallying from the spirit land around
their living descendants.
I'm these early visions the figure did moi
betray any active antagonism to the white
race beyond that arising from the rejection
of the figure by the pale faces as their Sa
viour. The Indians who saw these Wis
ions returned TO their village and related
what they had seen and heard. The out
come Of this was great religious revival
and these visions and revivals occurred
and recurred during a period of six ol
seven years, spreading from one lndiar
tribe to another Men undertook to i'm
personate the visions seen by the genuin,
converts at the revivals. These impostor'
INDUCED in sayings and advice differing
from those proceeding from the vision.
This brought trouble The Indian:
were aroused over wide stretch of coun
try, from the Cheyenne River down int
Indian Territory. The craze pre-emlnent
ly affected the Cheyenne Indians, wh'
made pilgrimages to those places at whicl
the visions were seen by the converts, 81
as to come into contact with the hgur
proclaming itself to be the Saviour of tn
white race. The bona fide vision did no
counsel using arms against the whites
but simply counseled arraying one agains
the cther. The story Of Christ's secon'
coming was echoed and re echoed over tn
Indian country, and exerted an effect upo
the Christian as well as upon the paga
: Indian"