The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-10-26
INDIAN SHAKER SECT.
4 New and Unique Religion Reid BY
The Abori6Ines.
IT RESEMBLES TIE MESSIAH CRAZE.
iss Representatives Attend the Meet
ing OF she Prcsbyscry- How the
Sect was rounaed--Jshs siecum,s
Peculiar Ore. m and Iss Results.

The representatives Of new and
unique religion attended the meeting Of
the presbytery Of Olympia at Calvary
church, Wednesday night.
They were all Indians. and the religion
which they represent is one all their own,
and one about which little has ever been
published, though 1t has been the subject
Of government inquiry.
To the Indians the sect Is known as the
'Tschadam." BY the whites 1t has been
dubbed the Shaker religion, though its
doctrine Is not the same as that held by
the Shakers Of the eastern states.
The denomination was founded Ia Oc-
tober, 1881, by John Slocum, a Mud Bay
Indian. It now numbers about SO MEM
bers, comprising Indians from all the
tribes in Western Washington, and is
reaching out into the Yakima country.
The way it came to be founded 10 this
John slocum was an Indian Of sporty
proclivities. He had powerful and con-
Stunning thirst for fre-wster, which abb
sorbed Jamaica ginger or psin-killer in
lieu of whiskey or alcohol straight. He
also was the most confirmed gambler Of
his tribe, and there never was an Indian
horse race In which he was not prominent.
One October day he fell sick In his mind.
He thought about his wicked ways and
was sad. Then, at 4 O'Clock one morn
ing to all intents and purposes, he died.
For six long hours he remained In this
l;feess condition. Then he sat up and
proceeded to tell bis people his experience.
He had died, 30 he said, and his soul had
parted from his body. As it arose from
the lifeless clay It looked back and saw
lis former habitation as though 1t be-
longed to some one else. John then went
on to say he went to heaven. There was
big fence around it. and he looked oyer.
Inside were many Of his friends who had
crossed the gloomy river Of death, but the
majority were not there. John inferred
they were in another place. An angel
came out to meet him and said: "John,
you've been pretty bad Indian"
John said he thought SO. too.
There are Just two things you can do
now, john" said the angel. "You can 90
down to hell or you can go back to earth
and preach to your people,"
John preferred the latter proposition,
as the angel pictured in burning language
a hell which even exceeded John Calvin's
idea. Then the angel and the wandering
Indian soul sat down outside the fence,
and the angel told John what he must
tell his people. In the first place he must
instruct them not to drink whiskey. That
was foremost. Then code of morals was
laid down. Lying. gambling, cheating
and horse racing, and RIGHTEOUSNESS were
among the vices prohibited. The code
was u simple one which the Indian mind
could comprehend.
After John had learned 1t all he was
put back into his body and Immediately
came to life, to the great wonder OF his
people. He straight way began to preach
and within four weeks had small church
erected. That was In 1881. Since then
the denomination has grown, and is now
very strong among the Indians. II owns
church edifces at Mud Bay, Oyster Bay,
Cowlitx, Chehalis and Puyallup. 1t has
dozen ministers.
The religion Is combination Of Roman
Catholicism, Professionalism and "toman.
amus' o. Indian medicine. A report
was sent the government bs Agent Eells
on the subject, and one d the depart
ments at Washington pronounced ri.c
scheme of religion similar in some re-
spects to the messiah craze among the
Sioux. The sect acknowledges God and
His son, Jesus Christ, as the Savior OF
the world, but does not accept the bible,
saying: "What do we need with that
Our John Slocum was in heaven just
twelve years ago, and he can tell US all
about IT."
They use the same argument with re-
gard to morality. Certain it is that they
are moral in character and sober, but
they are evidently in a measure fanatics.
Tacoma Ledger.