THE SUPERHUMAN. PVT 
We had also an opinion about it as wrong and wicked thus to come 
in contact with the evil spirits over the suffering body of one sick. Hence 
Dr. Williamson always refused to practice medicine in a case where the 
conjurer was also employed. And it had been generally understood thar 
we regarded the Dakota method of treating the sick as inconsistent with a 
profession of Christianity. Still the question could not be considered as 
settled. 
In October of 1865 it came up for discussion and settlement in the 
prison on this wise: During the previous summer, when no missionary was 
with them, a number of men had yielded to various temptations. Some 
had drunk beer, and perhaps something stronger, to an extent that they 
could hardly be sober. Some had been persuaded and hired by white men 
to dance an Indian dance, and others had either powwowed or been the 
subjects of the powwow. 
In the adjustment of these cases, one man admitted that he had prac- 
ticed as a Dakota conjurer, and claimed that it was right. His fathers 
practiced in this way, and were often successful in healing the sick. He 
grew up in this system of doctoring, and had also practiced it with success. 
He was not skilled in any other mode of treating disease. The white 
people had their medicine men. No one was willing to see a friend die 
without making some efforts to prolong his life. It was merciful, it was 
right. Jesus Christ when on earth healed the sick and cast out devils. 
Besides, they—the prisoners—were in peculiar circumstances. More 
than one hundred had died since their first imprisonment. And the white 
doctor, who was appointed to treat their sick, cared not whether they died or 
lived. Indeed, they thought he would rather have them die. When a good 
many of them were sick and dying with smallpox, he had been heard to 
say that his Dakota patients were doing very well! Thus they were 
under the necessity of endeavoring to heal their own sick, by the only 
method in which they were skillful. This was the argument. 
The missionary would not decide the case, but referred it to the 
elders—-EKhnamani and his brethren. After two weeks they signified that 
they were prepared to give their decision. When they were come to xether 
for this purpose, they were told that the Gospel of Christ molded the cus- 
toms and habits of every people by whom it was received. There might 
be some wrong things in a national custom which could be eliminated, and 
the custom substantially retained. Or the custom might be so radically 
absurd and wrong, that it could not be redeemed. In that case, Christian- 
