Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

I am continually amazed by the never-ending hypocrisy of some of the individuals in the religious field who consider themselves to be messengers of God. They alone have a monopoly on what is right or wrong, and the following story should give ample evidence of this claim.

In 1805, the Evangelical Society of Massachusetts decided that the Seneca Indians needed to be converted to Christianity and have a center built on their land for this purpose. A missionary was dispatched to convince these happy and contented people that they were not worshipping the right God and that there would be dyer consequences if they didn't "shape up." They were told that there was only one religion and one way to serve God and that was not with the Great Spirit. They were told that they would be in great darkness if they did not convert.

The Indians listened politely, the chiefs then departing for a council to discuss what had been said by the missionary. At the end of two hours chief Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha of the Wolf tribe of the Seneca Indians emerged to gently but firmly reply to the missionary. He explained the reasons for the Indians wanting to keep their own religion. He said that it was 'right' that they have this meeting as the missionary requested. He explained that their Indian forefathers taught them about the Great Spirit. He gave them hunting grounds where they could hunt buffalo and deer, and could grow corn to make bread, and have clothing from the animal skins. And because of the Great Spirit they were happy with their hunting grounds and made friends with each other and not enemies.

Then a terrible thing happened. Some whites came to this country from across the sea and told the Indians that they had come to get away from some evil men. The Indians welcomed them, gave them meat and corn, and in return the white men gave the Indians poison in the form of liquor and thousands of them died. Wars were started in which peaceful Indians fought against other Indians and many were killed.

The Great Spirit gives people religion according to their understanding, and teaches them to be grateful for meeting all their needs. We do not need to take the white man's religion and books and why should we believe these things you tell us when you have lied so much to us. You take our land and now you try to take our religion from us.

In conclusion, the Indians made an effort to shake hands with the missionary in a show of friendship, but it was refused with the comment that God and the devil do not mix. I suspect that missionary walked away with the thought to himself, "By God, I'm right!!"