The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-10-02
INDIANS MAY BE HEBREWS


William Penn CAV" the clue 10 mary
subsequent Biblical scholars in de-
Glazing that he had founo in the Am
erioan Indians the lost tribes Of Israel.
The superficial resemblance between
the two people was SO striking that he
was led to say: when | look at their
children l imagine my SELF in the Jew
.sh quarter OF London. Rev. j. Wes-
ley Annas says in lions Herald G3os-
,on) that as late as 1850 well-in
termed representative OF the Meskol
tribe, when questioned concerning the
legends Of his people replied: They
are all in the Old Testament Read
Them there, without the trodbie Of
taking them down from our people
CorToboratiye of this is the statement
uf Or. ". w. Warren in his history
of the Ojibway nation that in response
10 parts of the Bible which he trans
lated for his people they said: The
BOOK must be truc, for our ancestors
nave told US the same stories for gen
erations." The theory here presented
is not new. the Jewish Encyclopedia
giving the substance of il without pro-
nUuncins upon its credibility. The
writer meets the objection 10 the
theory based on the great distance be
tween the habitatiOns of the two people
~ cling the books of Esdrds.
They affirm that after the captivity
me Hebrews resolved To separate
themselves from the heather and to
seek spot where they might religious
~ observe the law, for the violation
Of which they had been so severely
punished. Accordingly he reports them
10 have migrated 10 a country which
was uninhabited, and so far distant
that they journeyed for year and
half or even more.
This theory is further supported by
the writings Of the famous Manassah
and Asia. now separated by Behring
strait, were formerly one continent
and that during the early period these
Hebrews penetrated to AMERICA by
land.
Adding to these statements the fact
their ancestors came into the coun-
try from the northwest, and we seem
to have three connecting links in the
chain Of our evidence"
Still more conclusive proof is found
m comparative study of the Ian -uage
religion, customs and traditions of the
two people Such resemblances a.
these are noted:
Like the hebrews the Indians, when
Grst visited By the Europeans, wer.
d very reiislous people yet they had
entirely escaped The idolatry whi-h |
was common to almost all ancient
peoples. They Acknowledged but. on,
eiod-tnc Great SpiIit-and the NAM
~ which he was known was Ale the |
Old Hebrew name for God
In their dances they were heard to |
Say distinctly, 'Hallelujdh.' or praise |
to Jah-tne cry word which was USED |
bF thv hebrews themselves.
They kept annual festivals. which |
II sembled those Of the Mosaic ritual. |
They performed morning and evening |
sacrifices. and offered of their mr.
fruits 10 God. They practiced the rita |
% ..it, uiucisiun, ana cel- brated a fc3s' |
like that Of Tabernacles. They had |
cities Of refuge, t. which even a mur- |
uerer might flee and be safe.
The Indians rcckoned time in the
same manner as the Hebrews, and |
their year began 1t the same season !
The same superstitions seem to have |
marked their burial places. and tn, |
same creeds were. the rule of then |
lives. both to the present and the fu-
ture.
THE Indians as well rs the ancient |
Hebrews, lived in tribes ruled by @ |
chief, and their forms of government, |
were almost identical The clan sys-
TEN of the Indians has preserved q |
clue to some of the mysterious rites
Of the early Hebrews. What IS now
known about the clan system of the |
IroquCis explains what was formerly |
mystical about the tribes of Israel
Each tribe had totem. usually |
some animal, such as a deer n bear
or panther. So also. had the Israel
ties such n totem and this explains
why. in the blessing of Jacob upon his
sons. judah is surnamed lion, and
Joseph n bough. Literary Digest.