The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-01
STRANGE MISSION
Oh Burcham Harding. the Famous
Modern rheosophist.
AMONG REDSKINS.
lie Says They are iiornrhso.op h,a. Tn,
Indians vsnsrntlon for the Religion.
Costume, OF Ills Aneestors-Ir. Hard.
inS's Teachings Create u sensn,,on.

"' VI ih'tpE uay tncoSophiStS, Is
now engaged In proselytlng among the
Indians, says the Chicago Times. uerala.
He has met with remarkable success in
introducing the teachings of his mystIc
creed, and has discovered that theoso-
ply was one OF the cardinal principles Of
the Indian religion centuries age. MIR.
Harding's mission has been conducted
very quietly, and this Is tie first time
the public has been made acquainted
with the facts.
The red men first visited were the
remnants OF the must famous confedera-
tioh or indian tribes that ever cxistel-
the Six Nations. While these were call
Ell the SIX Nations they were really all
members OF the great Indian race Thai
spread over the east and northeast.
known as the lroquos. The divisions
which led to calling the whole the Six
Nations were the Senecas. Onondages,
Oneida, Tonawandas, Mohawks and
Iuscaroras. The reservations on which
Toe members of these tribes are now
located are situated In northern New
YORK ana pennsylvania. 1t is to these
points mat Mr.. Harding has journeycd
v.
While the Indians OF to-day, and mar
tlculary the one who is resident OF an
eastern state, has In u nature become
thoroughly inculcated with the ideas
and methods OF the white man, there still
fingers within him that radical instinct
which has prevented and will ever pre-
vent the entire obliteratlon Of the identi-
" of the savage. 1t may, therefore. be
readily seen that when Mr.. Harding
faced gathering OF these people at Cat
taraugus, n. Y, the chief point of the
SIX Nations reservation. he had before
him an audience who would not receive
| his ideas as gathering of white per-
sons would have done.
There Is latent in the mind OF every
indian a dim suspicion that when a
white man seeks to impress upon him n
new BELIEF he has sinister motive In so
doing. Therefore the difficulty In speak
! Ing of strange belief to an audience of
Indians is far better than would be the
| case II the speakers hearers were of that
race which has driven the Indian from
| ocean to ocean.
Seven hundred Indian men and women
| listened to Mr.. Harding at Cattaraugus
| on the occasion of his first public speech.
| The chairman OF the meeting was the
! chief of the Senecas. The audience in
cluded delegates from every tribe on
both reservations of the Six Nations.
The Indian has the most veneration for
| the religious customs of his fathers, even
though modern Christianity has taught
him that they were wrong. The theoso-
| phist missionary gained a hearing M
once by advising his audience to revive
their ancient religion He told them
| that under those forms of olden times
they had In ages long since past gained a
height of civilization. far greater than
that occupied by the white man at
| present.
This is probably the first time in a
century, at least, that the American In
| dian has been told by one Of the race
| that has caused him 10 fall from great
| ness that he was ever the superior of the
white man. il advanced go new an idea
| 10 the descendants OF the men who once
controlled every foot OF the east from
| the Canadian line to the borders of the
VirSinias, that they seemed to feel that
| they were listening to romanCer When
| the speaker further advised them that II
| they desired to again achieve the great
ness that had once been theirs they must
| revive their old religion and act both ac-
| cordins the spirit and letters thereof,
| they were plainly startled. They were
| also told that the Great Spirit had made
| them red men; had given them the reli-
| gion best suited 10 their condition. and
| that any other religion that white men
| might essay to teach them should be ig-
nored and brushed aside.
1t may thus be seen that Mr. Harding
was allowed TO appear before these
wards of the government under the most
| favorable auspices and preach TO them a
doctrine the acceptance and observance
| Of ,rI,tch ~ in I'M n
and moral revolution. Literally, they
were advised 10 return to that condition
| in which they were when the pioneers OF
| civilization first stepped upon the shores
| Of the new world.
| Naturally Mr.. HardinG's advice and
attempted teachings have created de-
cided sensation, although up to this time
| the matter has been kept very quiet.
| Nevertheless, an unusual and remarka-
| BILE train of thought has been suggested
to the Indian mind. and the result is an
upturnng Of the old religious ideas, such
as the Indians of to-day never dreamed
would come TO pass. The statement has
beeen made. which Is vouched for on
| good authority. that the ancient Indian
| religion contains many principles that
smack strongly OF theosophy as 1t Is
| taught to-day.
| 1t Is pointed out that the Indians al
ways believed in the Great Spirit. and
considered him manifest in every objec;
| of nature. The tale Is told at the council
fires that are being held nowadays "a
discuss this revival of theoFophic princi-
| pies Is that each man in ancient time was
| known as fire carrier" 1t Is also al
| legged that the fact contributed very
| largely to the elevation OF the Indian 10
the point in civilization that he reached
| trIa F,,f J., Il
dence that thcosophy was existent
among the Indians In other days Ia
claimed that the doctrine OF reincarna.
ton was formerly taught. In fact. TWO
| aged Indians, resident of the New Iori!
| reservations, say they have Il distinct
| recollection of hearing this fact men,
toned by their grandfathers. Many OF
the older Indians declared that they re.
tain an inefTaccable recollection of an in
| finite d!ety working through the hler-
| arches OF nature, and that they believe
| almost instinctlvely in what the theoso-
phIst terms the law OF Karina and lndi.
vIdual responsibility
Mr.. Harding, In speaking of the result
| of His labors, said: II find that the peu-
pie who listen to my words are more
| than delighted to find n pale face who
| will encourage the red man to revive
| his old religion They are q portion of
discouraged humanity. sadly wanting
| the truth, light and liberation OF theoso-
ply"
The work Of prosclying among the In
dams will be continued by Mr. Harding
and other theosophlsts Indefinitely. a
series of week meetings will be held both
in New York and Pennsylvania and the
| entire line of effort directed toward
brilliant elimination at the festival to be
held ut Cat tarugus by the Indians next
| In