The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-10-31
INDIAN FAITH EXPLAINED.
Pastor Discovers True Religion of the
Iowa Indians.

DIES MONIES, Iowa, Oct. 31.-Rev
Duren ]. H. Ward, after three months
with the Musquakie Indians, at Tama
City, Iowa, has at last discovered the
religion and faith of the only band OF
redskins left on Iowa SOIL.
For years the chiefs of the tribes of
this people have baffied all efforts of
missionaries to find out their beliefs.
1t took DR.. Ward three months to get
statement Of the Musquakie creed.
In a few days he will file with the
State Historical society the result of
his summers work.
For years our Christian people
have marveled because of the unbelief
of the Indians said DR.. Ward, who
returned yesterday to report at the Iowa
Unitarian conference. Now we ma
that their faith is not so different from
ours. After l had been with the tribe
three months 1 succeeded in getting
a council Of war.
1T was only after an hours CONVEX
terpreter that l was able to
make Chief Pashatanequa be-
lieve that l meant his tribe no
harm. When with his counselors he
appeared before me, l explained that
[ was the agent of the State Histo-
rical society, and that all l wanted was
some record to place under the great
gilded dome at the StauehouSe. The
chief said that he would talk. Then he
told me the legend of Manitou, the
great spirit. In this legend is all the
religion of the Indians of Iowa, and it
is a beautiful legend, too, if We will
but study it,
The legend as it will appear in the
state records when DR.. Ward files his
report, will read as follows:
In the beginning when the great
Manitou created the clouds and the sky
and the earth and the big rivers, ne
looked at them and said: 1T is all
good Then he looked about him and
ne said: What shall now make?' And
he cut out a piece of his own heart
bright and red, and he made man
and spoke life into him and spoke to
MIN, ana said, Look at yourself and
tell me what you see,' and he answered,
L see Musquakie' (Which means made
from the red hearD.
The great Manitoa took yellow and
red and black earth and made other
men and we have told them this le-
gend and they liked it not. Strife arose,
and that was the beginning Of war.
This is the true story of the creation
Dr. Ward says that all the religion
that can ever be pounded into the
Musquakle Indians is contained in this
legend. 1t is their Bible.
TAfter my long interview with Pash-
atanequa I knew that the faith could
never Ue S1dhell, Sdlu L. WoIo
knew that tne best we can ever do for
the Indian is to incite in him a desire
to be a good Musquakie, and that is
what l tried to do during the remain
ing portion of my visit. If We send
we must send men who
will leave out the story of the Christ
and dwell upon the Manitoa instead.
After all, if the Indians are honest,
and sober, and lovers of
right, what does it matter whether
they emulate the example of Mani
toa or some other spirit or being
which could mean nothing more to
them
Dr. Wards report will show that
tl.c.e are 342 Indians now in the tribe.
They own their own farms and are
not on a reservation as commonly sup
posed They nave increased in TWEEN
ty years from eighty to 342. The death
of thirty of their number from small
pox last year sobered them up. Their
doctors could not treat the cases. Pale
face doctors had to be called in ana
the efforts of the state to stop the
plague caused a kindlier feeling than
would any number of missionary
teachers.