90 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



mon form of initiation. It was effected puMicly at a union meet- 

 ing of all the lodges. Whenever a member of one of the lodges 

 died, a candidate was introduced, and he was instructed by a 

 select committee of experienced and pure men, according to the 

 savage notion. 



The novice must bear in mind that purity and feast making 

 are the foundations of the lodge, and pleasing to the Great Mys- 

 tery. " Thou shalt often make a holy feast or a lodge feast to the 

 God. Thou shalt not spill the blood of any of thy tribe. Thou 

 shalt not steal what belongs to another. Thou shalt always re- 

 member that the choicest part of thy provision belongs to God." 

 These were some of their commandments. It is a peculiar fact, 

 already mentioned, that the Great Mystery was never directly 

 approached except upon special and extraordinary occasions, such 

 as the union meeting and dance of the " medicine lodges " once 

 a year. Then a chosen priest usually made a prayer to the Su- 

 preme Being. The material rewards of a godly life were looked 

 for in the immediate future ; and yet there was a feeling of sat- 

 isfaction in the savage bosom that God was pleased with his 

 efforts. 



The spirits of the departed Sioux were, it was supposed, ad- 

 mitted at once into the mysteries of God, except those of the very 

 wicked, who were returned to this world in the form of one of 

 the lower animals. This was their punishment. Yet such a 

 spirit might retrieve its misfortune by good behavior, and thus 

 be promoted to its former shape. 



In man there were believed to be three, souls. One of these, as 

 I have said, immediately enters heaven by the " spirits' path " 

 the milky way escorted by the stars. The second remains where 

 the body is placed, as guardian of the grave ; while the third lives 

 and travels with its relatives. On this account the natives be- 

 lieve that everything said of the departed is heard by them. I do 

 not know just how this triune conception originated. No doubt 

 it had a reasonable explanation somewhere in the early life of 

 the race, but the legend connected with it is lost. 



There is a strong implication that the Great Mystery has made 

 man after himself, and that he is in shape like a man, but with a 

 few modifications. For instance, he is supposed to have horns, 

 symbolic of command ; and his eyes are like the sun no one 

 can gaze into them. The Sioux formerly believed that every 

 created thing can hear what is said of the Creator. Therefore, an 

 Indian fears to take God's name in vain, and there is no profane 

 word in their language. Whenever God's name is used it is done 

 with reverence. In this connection I may be permitted ^to add 

 that when the Indian found that his white brothers used the 

 name of God indiscriminately and irreverently he was shocked. 



