The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-08-08

NOVA. Comanche. Apache. Csddo and
wichita all living together IN whal
vas then Indian Territory. Thes,
tribes were all more or less under the
Influence OF the new religion. The
principal study was made among the
Arapaho. who were among the most
active propagators Of the Messiah doe
trine among the southern tribes. ana
are especially friendly and cordial IN
disposition. Another trip lasting three
months was made among the Klawas
and third for the purpose Of lnvesti-
eating the dance among the Sioux
where 4 attracted most attention. and
among the Paiuie where Il ORIGINATED.
ON this journey. the author visited the
Omaha. Wlnnchago. Sioux OF Pine
Ridge. Paiute. Cheyenne and Arapaho.
me, and talked with the Messiah him.
self. and afterwards on the strength OF
this fact obtained from the Cheyenne
the original letter containing his mes
sage and Instruction TO the southern
tribes. The entire Investigation occu.
pied twenty-five months and Involved
nearly $4,000 miles OF travel and more
or less time spent with about twenty
tribes.
Mr. Mooney In his account OF the
ghost dance religion proper prefaeea
Il With a discussion OF the primitive
Messiah belief and or the teachings Of
the various Indian prophets who have
preceded Wovoka. the founder Of the
ghost dance cult.
Probably every tribe had ia early
hero god who accomplished his work /
In the mythlc halcyon days. and whose
return to resume his kingdom ia ear
nrly looked for Curlously enough.
his Messiah Is usually described "a a
white man with a flowing beard.
The doctrine that the world IA old
md worn out and that the time OF rs
'enewal Is a.. hand. q an essential mar,
y the teachings OF the ghost dance
The number OF these cycles OF dostruc-
Ion is variorsly stated among different
ribes Air. Mooney quotes school,
RATS account Of the myth smonr the
'innchago as the mos, sadly prophet.
p Forty yeas ago they held that
he tenth generation OF their peopio
gas near iis close. and that al the end
{ the thirteenth the red race would be-
estroyed. By prayers and no aro IN
be center. helng much like the modern Z
host dance. ,
u o. said that the Mormons who
Old the theory that the Indians are q
he descendants Of the ten lost tribes. 6
iorish the belief that some OF the Lost !
rvs are still fee bound 90 the frozen I
'rih, wh'ncc they Will smcrre 10 ioln ,
.eir brethren In the south. when :
e news of this Indian revelation came
their caN tho Mormon priests ac.
niod @ as prophecy of the sppady
lulmcni oi their own traditions. and
.sor Pratt preached sermon which
's extensively copied and commented
on o. the time, urging the faithful
arrangr their Affairs. and put their
uses In order 90 receive the lone-ex-
'ted wanderers Il appears that the
'rmons sent emlssarics to the Ban.
eks urslng them 20 90 to Salt Lake
y TO be baptized into the Mormon
iglon. A large number accepted the
iiation withou, the knowledge OF the
mt went down TO Utah. and were
re baptized and then returned 10
TX as missionaries Of the new faith
onS the tribes The Mormons fur
hca free railons 20 all who would
me- took an active Interest IN the
gious ferment then existing among
Indians and helped 10 give shane
ording to Mr.. Mooney. to the doc
&c Which crystalllzed some years
2 o. tho ghost dance.
When Iavibo, The prophet Of Mason
ley died about 1870. he LEFT = son