Lecture To A Missionary

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Lecture To A Missionary(Summary) I recently read this lecture by Red Jacket addressed to Reverend Cram of Boston Missionary Society. This meeting was offered on how to instruct the Iroquois on “how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably”. This meeting took place in 1805. When I read this it reminded me so much on the recent articles I have read here on Gather. The tone that Red Jacket used to speak with the Reverend was on of warmth and respect. His opening line was “Friend and Brother, it was the will of the Great Spirit that we should meet together this day.” Red Jacket goes on about how the white man was welcomed as a friend when he came to the new world. The white man was given friendship, food, shelter and even land. He goes on to say that they did not fear the white man and took him as a friend. He says we believed them and gave them a larger seat with us. The more the Indians gave the more the white man wanted until it was clear there was no end. He says now you have our country but you are not satisfied, you want to force your religion upon us. Red Jacket says …”you say you are right and we are lost. How do we know this to be true?”. “ We have a religion that was given to us from our forefathers and has been handed down to our children. We worship in that way. It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive; to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel about religion.” “Brother, the Great Spirit has made us all, but He had made a great difference between his white and red children. He has given us different complexions and different customs...” …” Why may we not conclude that He has given us a different religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit does right. He knows what is best for his children; we

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