The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-07-16


1t was in the Scriptures. have heard
1t from the lips of the missionary in
the Nez Perces, Spauling, God ne
with him, and that Indian missionary.
Rev. James Hays, who labored on this
reservation and In Utah, telling the
Indians the same story.
And these were the words that CAP
tured this young Indian, who was
trained to become warrior, who be-
came savage through drinking your
cursed drink. heard somebody
speaking; wandered into the church
to make fun; to ridicule those mon,
and was soon listening to that Mini
ster telling the people Of the gospel.
I laughed at that man, I laughed at
him when ! heard these words "nIar-.
vel well what say unto We, 'Ye must
be born again. Away with your
teaching. am no coward Indian, !
am a warrior. | am not going to be-
come white man, because my skin
will never become white. That Is
what said. am not going to be-
come coward Indian, because | am
an Indian. My grandfather never told
me anything of this; he was very
wise man. He could tell me a great
many things about the spirits OF 9TH
err things. He never told me that
some day would become a little pa
poose again. (Laughter).
III tYou dom know that you are lit
tie papoose, perhaps. You don't
know, perhaps, what it means. But
do. for they said those words again,
coming into your heart. 'Ye must
be born again. And tried to laugh
1t out. tried to put It away. /
tried every way to get rid Of 1t. Again
and again We must be born again.
And then heard these words:
For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that
whatsoever believed in him should not
perish, but nave ever lasting life.
u believed that there was in Heav-
en-, not a Happy Hunting Ground as
you call it, no Indian ever said that,
but that there is happy home where
the spirit Of good Indian would go,
who didn't follow the white-man's
teaching, believed in that. And the
words | heard That whatsoever be-
lieyed in your God. And it shook the
Foundation Of my belief, and there
and then was captured. Those two
verses captured this man, and from
| that time on have been tame. | am
holding up the scriptures. These In
dams that are War Dancing are not.
/ am telling the message. The old,
old story, repeating 1t over and over
again, for it is ever your duty. For
| God SO loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whose
ever believed in him should not per-
ish, but have ever lasting life
This is the experience that | have
had. And am glad to say to you
that you don t know what you are
missing when you don't stand up with
that grand man and that belief, and
knowing that you are right, and not
| yet experiencing what tits to be-
come true son OF God, and to know,
man to man, what it is to enjoy be-
| ing children of God
And am glad to testify to this
power Of saving and transforming.
can not explain to you, ! can't tell
you what it means. But | know in
my life what it means to me. And
| | know what those words means to
me. And hope that in your Chris
tian life, that you will do something
| for your blessed Saviour who loved
you so. And may God bless you all.
Mote: The book and views can be
obtained of 0. p Larson, of Squirrel,
Idaho. He will be at Blackfoot un-
| til September first.)