the spirit of the border-第22节

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elk；　the　graceful　deer；　the　rolling　bison；　the　bear；　the　foxall　the　beasts

and　birds　and　fishes。　But　He　was　not　content　for　nothing　He　made　was　perfect

in　His　sight。　He　created　the　white　man　in　His　own　image；　and　from　this　first

man's　rib　He　created　his　matea　woman。　　He　turned　them　free　in　a　beautiful

forest。



〃Life　was　fair　in　the　beautiful　forest。　The　sun　shone　always；　the　birds　sang；

the　waters　flowed　with　music；　the　flowers　cast　sweet　fragrance　on　the　air。　In

this　forest；　where　fruit　bloomed　always；　was　one　tree；　the　Tree　of　Life；　the

apple　of　which　they　must　not　eat。　In　all　this　beautiful　forest　of　abundance

this　apple　alone　was　forbidden　them。



〃Now　evil　was　born　with　woman。　A　serpent　tempted　her　to　eat　of　the　apple　of

Life；　and　she　tempted　the　man　to　eat。　For　their　sin　the　Great　Spirit　commanded

the　serpent　to　crawl　forever　on　his　belly；　and　He　drove　them　from　the

beautiful　forest。　The　punishment　for　their　sin　was　to　be　visited　on　their

children's　children；　always；　until　the　end　of　time。　The　two　went　afar　into　the

dark　forest；　to　learn　to　live　as　best　they　might。　From　them　all　tribes

descended。　The　world　is　wide。　A　warrior　might　run　all　his　days　and　not　reach

the　setting　sun；　where　tribes　of　yellow…skins　live。　He　might　travel　half　his

days　toward　the　south…wind；　where　tribes　of　black…skins　abound。　People　of　all

colors　inhabited　the　world。　They　lived　in　hatred　toward　one　another。　They　shed

each　other's　blood；　they　stole　each　other's　lands；　gold；　and　women。　They

sinned。



〃Many　moons　ago　the　Great　Spirit　sorrowed　to　see　His　chosen　tribe；　the

palefaces；　living　in　ignorance　and　sin。　He　sent　His　only　Son　to　redeem　them；

and　said　if　they　would　listen　and　believe；　and　teach　the　other　tribes；　He

would　forgive　their　sin　and　welcome　them　to　the　beautiful　forest。



〃That　was　moons　and　moons　ago；　when　the　paleface　killed　his　brother　for　gold

and　lands；　and　beat　his　women　slaves　to　make　them　plant　his　corn。　　The　Son　of

the　Great　Spirit　lifted　the　cloud　from　the　palefaces'　eyes；　and　they　saw　and

learned。　So　pleased　was　the　Great　Spirit　that　He　made　the　palefaces　wiser　and

wiser；　and　master　of　the　world。　He　bid　them　go　afar　to　teach　the　ignorant

tribes。



〃To　teach　you　is　why　the　young　paleface　journeyed　from　the　rising　sun。　He

wants　no　lands　or　power。　He　has　given　all　that　he　had。　He　walks　among　you

without　gun　or　knife。　He　can　gain　nothing　but　the　happiness　of　opening　the

redmen's　eyes。



〃The　Great　Spirit　of　whom　I　teach　and　the　Great　Manitou；　your　idol；　are　the

same；　the　happy　hunting　ground　of　the　Indian　and　the　beautiful　forest　of　the

paleface　are　the　same；　the　paleface　and　the　redman　are　the　same。　There　is　but

one　Great　Spirit；　that　is　God；　but　one　eternal　home；　that　is　heaven；　but　one

human　being；　that　is　man。



〃The　Indian　knows　the　habits　of　the　beaver；　he　can　follow　the　paths　of　the

forests；　he　can　guide　his　canoe　through　the　foaming　rapids；　he　is　honest；　he

is　brave；　he　is　great；　but　he　is　not　wise。　His　wisdom　is　clouded　with　the

original　sin。　He　lives　in　idleness；　he　paints　his　face；　he　makes　his　squaw

labor　for　him；　instead　of　laboring　for　her；　he　kills　his　brothers。　He　worships

the　trees　and　rocks。　If　he　were　wise　he　would　not　make　gods　of　the　swift　arrow

and　bounding　canoe；　of　the　flowering　ash　and　the　flaming　flint。　For　these

things　have　not　life。　In　his　dreams　he　sees　his　arrow　speed　to　the　reeling

deer；　in　his　dreams　he　sees　his　canoe　shoot　over　the　crest　of　shining　waves；

and　in　his　mind　he　gives　them　life。　When　his　eyes　are　opened　he　will　see　they

have　no　spirit。　The　spirit　is　in　his　own　heart。　It　guides　the　arrow　to　the

running　deer；　and　steers　the　canoe　over　the　swirling　current。　The　spirit　makes

him　find　the　untrodden　paths；　and　do　brave　deeds；　and　love　his　children　and

his　honor。　It　makes　him　meet　his　foe　face　to　face；　and　if　he　is　to　die　it

gives　him　strength　to　diea　man。　The　spirit　is　what　makes　him　different　from

the　arrow；　the　canoe；　the　mountain；　and　all　the　birds　and　beasts。　For　it　is

born　of　the　Great　Spirit；　the　creator　of　all。　Him　you　must　worship。



〃Redmen；　this　worship　is　understanding　your　spirit　and　teaching　it　to　do　good

deeds。　It　is　called　Christianity。　Christianity　is　love。　If　you　will　love　the

Great　Spirit　you　will　love　your　wives；　your　children；　your　brothers；　your

friends；　your　foesyou　will　love　the　palefaces。　No　more　will　you　idle　in

winter　and　wage　wars　in　summer。　You　will　wear　your　knife　and　tomahawk　only

when　you　hunt　for　meat。　You　will　be　kind；　gentle；　loving；　virtuousyou　will

have　grown　wise。　When　your　days　are　done　you　will　meet　all　your　loved　ones　in

the　beautiful　forest。　There；　where　the　flowers　bloom；　the　fruits　ripen　always；

where　the　pleasant　water　glides　and　the　summer　winds　whisper　sweetly；　there

peace　will　dwell　forever。



〃Comrades；　be　wise；　think　earnestly。　Forget　the　wicked　paleface；　for　there　are

many　wicked　palefaces。　They　sell　the　serpent　firewater；　they　lie　and　steal　and

kill。　These　palefaces'　eyes　are　still　clouded。　If　they　do　not　open　they　will

never　see　the　beautiful　forest。　You　have　much　to　forgive；　but　those　who

forgive　please　the　Great　Spirit；　you　must　give　yourselves　to　love；　but　those

who　love　are　loved；　you　must　work；　but　those　who　work　are　happy。



〃Behold　the　Village　of　Peace！　Once　it　contained　few；　now　there　are　many。　

Where　once　the　dark　forest　shaded　the　land；　see　the　cabins；　the　farms；　the

horses；　the　cattle！　Field　on　field　of　waving；　golden　grain　shine　there　under

your　eyes。　The　earth　has　blossomed　abundance。　Idling　and　fighting　made　not

these　rich　harvests。　Belief　made　love；　love　made　wise　eyes；　wise　eyes　saw；　and

lo！　there　came　plenty。



〃The　proof　of　love　is　happiness。　These　Christian　Indians　are　happy。　They　are

at　peace　with　the　redman　and　the　paleface。　They　till　the　fields　and　work　in

the　shops。　In　days　to　come　cabins　and　farms　and　fields　of　corn　will　be　theirs。

They　will　bring　up　their　children；　not　to　hide　in　the　forest　to　slay；　but　to

walk　hand　in　hand　with　the　palefaces　as　equals。



〃Oh；　open　your　ears！　God　speaks　to　you；　peace　awaits　you！　Cast　the　bitterness

from　your　hearts；　it　is　the　serpent…poison。　While　you　hate；　God　shuts　His

eyes。　You　are　great　on　the　trail；　in　the　council；　in　war；　now　be　great　in

forgiveness。　Forgive　the　palefaces　who　have　robbed　you　of　your　lands。　Then

will　come　peace。　If　you　do　not　forgive；　the　war　will　go　on；　you　will　lose

lands　and　homes；　to　find　unmarked　graves　under　the　forest　leaves。　Revenge　is

sweet；　but　it　is　not　wise。　The　price　of　revenge　is　blood　and　life。　Root　it　out

of　your　hearts。　Love　these　Christian　Indians；　love　the　missionaries　as　they

love　you；　love　all　living　creatures。　Your　days　are　but　few；　therefore；　cease

the　the　strife。　Let　us　say；　'Brothers；　that　is　God's　word；　His　law；　that　is

love；　that　is　Christianity！'　If　you　will　say　from　your　heart；　brother；　you　are

a　Christian。



〃Brothers；　the　paleface　teacher　beseeches　you。　Think　not　of　this　long；　bloody

war；　of　your　dishonored　dead；　of　your　silenced　wigwams；　of　your　nameless

graves；　of　your　homeless　children。　Think　of　the　future。　One　word　from　you　will

make　peace　over　all　this　broad　land。　The　paleface　must　honor　a　Christian。　He

can　steal　no　Christian's　land。　All　the　palefaces；　as　many　as　the　stars　of　the

great　white　path；　dare　not　invade　the　Village　of　Peace。　For　God　smiles　here。

Listen　to　His　words：　'Come　unto　me　all　that　are　weary　and　heavy　laden；　and　I

will　give　you　rest。'〃



Over　the　multitude　brooded　an　impressive；　solemn　silence。　Then　an　aged

Delaware　chief　rose；　with　a　mien　of　profound　thought；　and　slowly　paced　before

the　circle　of　chiefs。　Presently　he　stopped；　turned　to　the　awaiting　Indians；

and　spoke：



〃Netawatwees　is　almost　persuaded　to　be　a　Christian。〃　He　resumed　his　seat。



Another　interval　of　penetrating　quiet　ensued。　At　length　a　venerable…looking

chieftain　got　up：



〃White　Eyes　hears　the　rumbling　thunder　in　his　ears。　The　smoke　blows　from　his

eyes。　White　Eyes　is　the　oldest　chief　of　the　Lenni…Lenape。　　His　days　are　many；

they　are　full；　they　draw　near　the　evening　of　his　life；　he　rejoices　that　wisdom

is　come　before　his　sun　is　set。



〃White　Eyes　believes　the　young　White　Father。　The　ways　of　the　Great　Spirit　are

many　as　the　fluttering　leaves；　they　are　strange　and　secret　as　the　flight　of　a

loon；　White　Eyes　believes　the　redman's　happy　hunting　grounds　need　not　be

forgotten　to　love　the　palefaces'　God。　As　a　young　brave　pants　and　puzzles　over

his　first　trail；　so　the　grown　warrior　feels　in　his　understanding　of　his　God。

He　gropes　blindly　through　dark　ravines。



〃White　Eyes　speaks　few　words　to…day；　for　he　is　learning　wisdom；　he　bids　his

people　hearken　to　the　voice　of　the　White　Father。　War　is　wrong；　peace　is　best。

Love　is　the　way　to　peace。　The　paleface　advances　one　step　nearer　his　God。　He

labors　for　his　home；　he　keeps　the　peace；　he　asks　but　little；　he　frees　his

women。　That　is　well。　White　Eyes　has　spoken。〃



The　old　chief　slowly　advanced　toward　the　C