The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-23
Last Sad Rites Performed Over
 Mrs. Converse
WAS "GREAT WHITE MOTHER"
Delegates Attend Ceremony from the Six lropuos Nations. Sioux, Az tees and Numerous Other
 Indian Tribes.

New York, November 22-In the pres ence of many representatives of the peo- pie to whom she had devoted her life, the last rites were performed today over the body of Mrs. Harriet Maxwell Converse. the Great White Mother" of the six na- tions of the great Iroquois confederacy. Eulogies were pronounced by the dead woman's pastor and by the chiefs of the various clans of the Seneca nation, by whom Mrs. Converse was adopted when a little girl and one of the chiefs per formed the ancient rite of "the passing of the horns which consisted of taking the string of sacred wampum beads, the insignia of office, from the lid of the cas- ket and presenting them to Joseph Kep- pler long associated with Mrs. Converse in her work amongst the Indians, by which MT. Keppler was nominated by the chiefs present as the successor of the dead woman. MT. Keppler was adopted by the Senecas many years ago and bears the name of Gy-Ont- -Wa-Ka or the panther"
 In addition to the delegates from the six nations, there were present represen- tatives of the Hurons, Sioux. Abynxi, Algonquins. Aztecs of Mexico, and several other tribes. The Rev Thomas II Sill. of St. Chrysotoms chapel the dead wo- mans pastor, read the Episcopal services for the dead. after which William Crow, Seneca warrior, made a brief address in his native tongue. lamenting the death of the Great White Mother"
 Seneca Warrior Speaks.
 Tn speaking. he addressed himself to the body before him. and in conclusion wished her happiness in the spirit land. Then turning to his tribesmen, he said
 We have lost our best and dearest friend In the many gifts which the great spirit has given us, there came nothing so beautiful as this woman She was the most beautiful of all our gifts. She knew us and understood us. She stood between us and those who would have wronged us. It will be a happy task now foe the great spirit to make her a home in the happy land"
 Chauncey Abrams, also a Seneca, act ing for Chief Corn Planter, lifted the horns" from the casket and presenting them to MT. Keppler informed him that he had been selected to take the great white mothers office. Then turning to the coffin he said:
 'I wish you, Gy-Ont-Wa-Ka a safe and happy journey to the spirit land.'
 keppIer Accepts the Trust.
 MT. Keppler, accepting the ancient horns," promised faithfully to admins ter the trust imposed on him by his red brethren.
 Chief Corn Planter followed, wearing under his vest red sash, the badge of the high priest of the Gon-oi-d din religion ax fc taf in, broken English, while tears streamed down his face, and then sat in his chair, buried his face in his hands and wept
 Dark Face, a magnificent looking man with hair streaming below his broad shoulders, said:
 T am not Seneca, but come of the Denikee tribe. I know the great white mother as every red man in this land knows her. She studied the Indians re- ligion It is founded on the true God. Our God touched this woman's heart and she understood us. She was the angel of God We may not have a Christ in our religion, but we have a mediator, and she was the great mediator between the whites and Indians. We see our God-we hear our God We see Him in the trees in the rivers. and even in a blade of grass, just as we hear him in the rustic of the leaves in our forests. Ours is the God of nature She was a leader to us. She inspired us to better things. We loved her and now she Is gone from us. But while we are sad, 1t is fe.
 we are sad. not for her. because we know she is happy. We are sad because we are left alone. I think ours is the sweetest of all religions.
 Addresses were also made by Chief Longfellow. Morris Leigh and Carlos an Aztec from Mexico
 The interment will be made tomorrow in the Converse family plot at Elmira, New York.