New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Book of Mormon; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
spirits to the good and righteous on earth." The Indian sentiments
and traditions are the same. They believe the higher regions to
be inhabited by good spirits, relations to the Great Holy One,
and that these spirits attend and favor the virtuous. The Indian
language and dialects appear to have the very idiom and genius of
the Hebrew. Their words and sentences are expressive, concise,
emphatical, sonorous, and bold, and often both in letters and
signification synonymous with the Hebrew language. They count time
after the manner of the Hebrews, reckoning years by lunar months
like the Israelites who counted by moons. The religious ceremonies
of the Indian Americans are in conformity with those of the Jews,
they having their prophets, high priest, and others of religious
order. As the Jews had a sanctorum or most holy place, so have all
the Indian nations. The dress also of their high priests is similar
in character to that of the Hebrews. The festivals, feasts, and
religious rites of the Indian Americans have also great resemblance
to that of the Hebrews. The Indian imitates the Israelite in
his religious offerings. The Hebrews had various ablutions and
anointings according to the Mosaic ritual--and all the Indian
nations constantly observe similar customs from religious motives.
Their frequent bathing, or dipping themselves and their children
in rivers, even in the severest weather, seems to be as truly
Jewish as the other rites and ceremonies which have been mentioned.
The Indian laws of uncleanliness and purification, and also the
abstaining from things deemed unclean are the same as those of
the Hebrews. The Indian marriages, divorces and punishments of
adultery, still retain a strong likeness to the Jewish laws and
customs on these points. Many of the Indian punishments resemble
those of the Jews. Whoever attentively views the features of the
Indian, and his eye and reflects on his fickle, obstinate, and
cruel disposition will naturally think of the Jews. The ceremonies
performed by the Indians before going to war, such as purification
and fasting, are similar to those of the Hebrew nation. The
Israelites were fond of wearing beads and other ornaments, even as
early as the patriarchal age and in resemblance to these customs
the Indian females continually wear the same, believing it to be
a preventive against many evils. The Indian manner of curing the
sick is very similar to that of the Jews. Like the Hebrews, they
firmly believe that diseases and wounds are occasioned by divine
anger, in proportion to some violation of the old beloved speech.
The Hebrews carefully buried their dead, so on any accident they
gathered their bones, and laid them in tombs of their forefathers;
thus all the numerous nations of Indians perform the like friendly
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