He had no distinct views of the nature of Christianity as a method of
salvation, and denied the need of it. As to the unity of the races, I
asked if he ever knew two distinct races, even of the lower animals to
propagate their seed from generation to generation. But do not Indians and
white men do so? He allowed it; but denied that it proved the matter in
hand. I pressed the points of resemblance in every thing but color, and
that in the case of the Christian Indians there was a common mind on
religion. He finally waived this part of the debate, by saying that one
thing was certain, whatever else was not, that white men had a great love
for Indian women, and left their traces behind them wherever they could!
"On the point of needing pardon, from being wicked, he said the Indians
were _good_ till the white man corrupted them. But did not the Indians
have _some_ wickedness _before_ that? 'Not so much.' And how was
_that_ regarded by the Great Spirit?--Would he forgive it? He hoped
so, 'did not know.' Jesus, I rejoined, came to tell us He would, and to
get that pardon for us.
"As to suffering and death among the Indians, did not they prove that the
Great Spirit was angry with _them_, as well as with white men? Would
he thus treat men that were _good_? He said they were not wicked
before white men came to their country, and taught them to be so. But they
_died before that_? And why did they die, if the Great Spirit was not
angry, and they wicked? He could not say, and in reply to my explanation
of the gospel doctrine of the entrance of death by sin, he again turned
the subject by saying he was a 'great doctor,' and could cure any thing
but death.
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