Iroquois Religion and Its Relation to Their Morals

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Columbia University Press, 1919 - 111 páginas

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Página 9 - A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden — beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.
Página 86 - One of the most attractive features of Indian society was the spirit of hospitality by which it was pervaded. Perhaps no people ever carried this principle to the same degree of universality, as did the Iroquois.
Página 51 - And yet," say those injured people, " these white men would always be telling us of their great Book which God had given to them ; they would persuade us that every man was good who believed in what the Book said, and every man was bad who did not believe in it. They told us a great many things, which they said were written in the good Book, and wanted us to believe it all. We would probably have done so, if we had seen them practise what they pretended to believe, and act according to the good words...
Página 30 - And as often as they applied the fire to that unhappy one with torches and burning brands, an old man cried in a loud voice: 'Aireskoi, we sacrifice to thee this victim that thou mayst satisfy thyself with her flesh, and give us victory over our enemies.
Página 94 - Two old men commonly go about, every year or two, to receive this tribute ; and I have often had opportunity to observe what anxiety the poor Indians were under, while these two old men remained in that part of the country where I was. An old Mohawk sachem, in a poor blanket and a dirty shirt, may be seen issuing his orders with as arbitrary an authority as a Roman dictator.
Página 83 - ... actions and bad actions, both equally open to them to do or commit; that good acts are pleasing to the good Spirit which gave them their existence, and that on the contrary, all that is bad proceeds from the bad spirit who has given them nothing, and who cannot give them any thing that is good, because he has it not, and therefore he envies them that which they have received from the good Spirit, who is far superior to the bad one. This introductory lesson, if it may be so called, naturally makes...
Página 87 - No hospitals are needed among them, because there are neither mendicants nor paupers as long as there are any rich people among them. Their kindness, humanity and courtesy not only make them liberal with what they have, but cause them to possess hardly anything except in common. A whole village must be without corn before any individual can be obliged to endure privation.
Página 94 - Ongue-honwe ; that is, men surpassing all others. This opinion, w,hich they take care to cultivate into their children, gives them that courage which has been so terrible to all the nations of North America; and they have taken such care to impress the same opinion of their people on all their neighbors, that they, on all occasions, yield the most submissive obedience to them.
Página 92 - Interpretation of whatever is said to him by either of us, equally allied to both ; he is of our Nation, and a Member of our Council, as well as of yours. When we adopted him, we divided him into two equal Parts : One we kept for ourselves, and one we left for you. He has had a great deal of trouble with us, wore out his Shoes in our Messages, and dirty 'd his Clothes by being amongst us, so that he is become as nasty as an Indian. " In Return for these Services, we recommend him to your Generosity...
Página 86 - ... an invitation to partake. It made no difference at what hour of the day, or how numerous the calls, this courtesy was extended to every comer, and was the first act of attention bestowed. This custom was universal, in fact one of the laws of their social system; and a neglect on the part of the wife to observe it, was regarded both as a breach of hospitality, and as a personal affront. A neighbor, or a stranger, calling from house to house, through an Indian village, would be thus entertained...

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