416 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



To some men the Great Spirit had given knowledge and the gift 

 of healing, but they must not be exorbitant. Gifts might be made 

 to them according to ability, but to save life was a sufficient reward. 

 Tobacco was to be used with all medicine, and by this the patient 

 was to return thanks to the Great Spirit for his recovery. It was 

 right to look on the dead, for they were conscious of neglect, and 

 were glad to be remembered and to hear the good resolutions of 

 their friends. A eulogy might properly be given. It was wrong 

 to keep the annual feast of the dead, and this was changed to 10 

 days' feast, but both are still kept. The seller must tell the pur- 

 chaser the actual cost of any article, and anything found was to 

 be restored if possible. The Great Spirit had intended that wild 

 animals should be used at feasts, but things had changed and they 

 might build comfortable houses and raise cattle. Sose-ha'-wa spoke 

 of a morning and evening thanksgiving. At Onondaga it was said 

 that prayer should be offered five times a day. The six principal 

 festivals had each their special directions, the briefest of all being 

 those for the New Year's feast. They might rest any day, but the 

 Great Spirit had appointed no special day for them. 



The way to heaven was less traveled than the other which Hand- 

 some Lake saw, where two keepers sat at the forks of the road 

 beyond the grave, directing spirits to their future abode. Looking 

 into one of these he saw the grotesque and appropriate punishments 

 of evil doers. Some of these might have a future trial and restora- 

 tion, but some could not. Just outside of heaven was Washing- 

 ton's abode, where he lived alone and speechless, but perfectly 

 happy. Handsome Lake was not allowed to enter heaven at this 

 time, for then he could not have returned to earth, but it was not 

 the happy hunting grounds of his fathers. At last the earth would 

 be destroyed, but " before this dreadful time the Great Spirit will 

 take home the good and faithful. They will lie down to sleep, and 

 from their sleep of death they will rise and go home to their 

 Creator. Thus the angels said." 



For the rest of his life, Handsome Lake was to preach and the 

 chiefs were to assist him in their way. Other officers having a 

 care of religious affairs were the Keepers of the Faith called Ho- 

 nun-de-ont by the Senecas. Their female assistants are termed 

 O-nah-ta-hone-tah by the Onondagas. These had official names, 





