On the contrary his
convictions, arising from observation, were against it; because he saw his
people were made worse, by associating with the whites. When asked on one
occasion, why he was opposed to the coming of missionaries among his
people, he replied,--"Because they do us no good. If they are not useful
among the white people, why do they send them among the Indians?--If they
are useful to the white people, why do they not keep them at home? They
are surely bad enough, to need the labor of every one, who can make them
better."
The Indians made no distinction between those who professed religion and
those who made no profession. Their own religion was national. There was
no division between the religious and irreligious. All were religious. In
other words, they were all educated in the same faith, all united in
observing the same religious rites, and all entertained the same religious
belief, as had been handed down to them from their forefathers. This was
salutary in promoting among them many virtues, worthy of commendation.
They very properly estimated the value of religion, by the practical
influence it exerted on those who received it. And they judged of the
Christian religion, by the conduct and character of the nation that
received and cherished it; who were nominally Christian.
Unfortunately for the success of Christianity among them, they had
witnessed so much deceit and fraud, there were so many among the whites,
who were ready to take advantage of them,--to make them drunk, and then
cheat them, they were unable to perceive in what way the religion of the
whites, from whom they had received such treatment, could be better or as
good, even as their own.
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