The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-08
THE INDIAN MESSIAH.
The MOrmOnS Believed to Be The InStiga.
TORS Of the Superstition.

ST. PAUL, Nov. General Miles, Com
mander of the Division of the Missouri, is
here on his return from his Western tour.
Regarding the causes and nature OF the re-
ligious craze existing among the Indian
tribes he says: Il have been to the Utah,
Montana and Cheyenne reservations iuves-
tigating this craze. You no doubt have
heard that the Indian tribes are reported to
believe that the Messiah is coming, who is
to restore them TO their former glory, bring
back the buffalo and drive the whites from
the land. / have learned this belief exists
among the various tribes of the Sioux, Chey-
ennes, Blackfeet, ShoShoneS and other
tribes. In all the craze extends to sixteen
tribes, the Snake Indians be the only ones to
repndate il.
holding this belief in the Indian Messiah
are sincere, and few have certainly seen
some person whom they took to be that
Messiah. Several small parties of Indians
have gone westward from their tribes to
some point which, as near as can locate, IS
in Nevada. There they have been shown
somebody disguised as the Messiah and have
spoken with him. 1 am inclined to believe
there is more than one person impersOnatng
this Messiah, for when the Sioux have
spoken with him he replied in the Sioux
language, and TO the Biackfcet ha has spoken
tives of each nation or tribe, speaking their
own language to each.
WHO do you think is responsible for this
imposition upon the lndiansp'
II cannot state positively, but 1t is my
belief that tine Mormons are the prime
movers in it. This is not hard statement
to believe, for there are 100000 Mormons,
and they themselves believe in prophets and
spiritual manifestations, and they even now
claim to hold intercourse with the spirit OF
Joe Smith. Besides, they have had mission
aries at work among the Indians for many
years, and they have made many converts.
do you think this new belief of the In
dians will lead to ar outbreak and blood
ShedP'
81 do not think so. But when an ignorant
race become religious fanatics it is hard TO
tell just what they will do. 1t is note
worthy, however, that this sO-called Mes
sah tells the Indians that when he comes to
reign over them firearms Will no longer be
used or necessary. He tells them also that
with his coming the dead Indians will all
be raised TO lie. and the buffalo will return
and he will draw line behind him on which
he will gather all the Indians, aud then he
will roll the earth back upon the whites.
This has naturally excited the Indians, and
large numbers have accepted the new be-
lief. Among those who have done SO none
are more ardent than Sitting Bull, who is
intensely Indian in all his ideas"
DO you tnlnk Tue person. WHO is lnpeI-
sonating the Messiah is white man or an
indiana"
Those who have seen him say he is
muffled up and disguised so they do not see
his face. but l believe he is iull-blooded
white. The argument the Indians use il
discussing the matter Is that the whites
have had their Messiah and the Indians will
now have theirs. The situation is moi
alarming in any way, ana Go not know
whether any action will be taken by the
Government regarding the matter after
have made my report"