COUNCILS AND CEREMONIES OF ADOPTION OF NEW YORK INDIANS 417 



laying them aside if they gave up the office, a thing seldom done, 

 as there were future privileges and penalties. The prophet said: 



The same office exists in Heaven, the home of our Creator. They 

 will take the same place when they arrive there. There are dread- 

 ful penalties awaiting those Keepers of the Faith who resign their 

 office without a cause. Thus the angels said. 



As his mission was commended by the authorities at Washing- 

 ton for its beneficial moral effects, many Indians have claimed that 

 he had a commission from the President to preach. Jefferson said : 



Go on, then, brother, in the great reformation you have under- 

 taken. Persuade our red men to be sober and to cultivate their 

 lands ; and their women to spin and weave for their families ... It 

 will be a great glory to you to have been the instrument of so happy 

 a change, and your children's children, from generation to genera- 

 tion, will repeat your name with love and gratitude forever. 

 Stone, p. 449 



This was in November 1802. In March of that year, Hon. Henry 

 Dearborn, Secretary of War, said to the Iroquois chiefs, by direc- 

 tion of President Jefferson ■ 



Brothers, — The President is pleased with seeing you all in good 

 health, after so long a journey, and he rejoices in his heart, that 

 one of your own people has been employed to make you sober, 

 good and happy; and that he is so well disposed to give you good 

 advice, and to set before you so good examples. 



Brothers, — If all the red people follow the advice of your friend 

 and teacher, the Handsome Lake, and in future will be sober, 

 honest, industrious and good, there can be no doubt that the Great 

 Spirit will take care of you and make you happy. Clark, 1 1107 



On this occasion Handsome Lake said the four angels desired 

 him to select two sober men to take care of the question of strong 

 drink, and supplementary revelations came at convenient times. 

 He made annual visits to all but the Oneidas, the latter rejecting 

 his claims, and died on a visit to Onondaga, August 10, 1815. He 

 was buried under the center of the old council house, a little north 

 of the present one, where his unnoticed grave still remains. It has 

 been proposed to erect a simple monument 1 on the spot to the 

 memory of a remarkable man, who certainly elevated the character 

 of his people. 



After the preceding was written, the writer examined a Seneca 

 version of this preaching, recently placed in the State Library, with 



iIThis monument was erected during the summer of 1906, with appropriate ceremonies. 



