Quest of the White Man’s Book of Heaven

QUEST OF THE WHITE MAN'S BOOK OF HEAVEN By Hyrum Kay In the early '30's an Indian romance had its inception on the plains of Idaho that shows beautifully the true spirit of the Red man's heart; his adaption and yearning for the religious or spiritual side of life. It vies for beauty and sincerity with Persiphal's Quest of the Holy Grail, or the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon; it caused Christian forerunners to cross the Rocky mountains and bring the Bible and the story of the Christ to the Indians of the West, beginning mission work at Fort Hall in 1834. It consisted of a hazardous trip of 2,400 miles by five Indians, four of whom lost their lives, and only one survived to tell the tale — a tale of disappointment. Having heard the early explorers talk of God, the Bible, and religion, and knowing that on Sundays the flag was raised and work suspended, the Indians wanted to know more about these things. Two chiefs, Hee'-oh'-ks-te-kin (Rabbitskin Leggings), and H'co-a-h'co- cotes-min (No Horns On His Head) , with three other Indians, set out to find the white missionaries, who could inform their troubled minds. It was in 1832 that they arrived in St. Louis where they found General William Clark, who was appointed by President Jefferson, in 1804, to accompany Captain Lewis on the famous expedition to the mouth of the Columbia river, and whom they had known. The messengers were of the Nez Perce tribe (Nez, French for "nose;" Perce, French for "pierce," i. e., Nose-Pierced Indians) . General Clark took them to the cathedral and showed them the pictures of the Saints, and entertained them in the best and most approved Christian style; but they were heart-hungry, and went home dissatisfied. One of them made the following speech to the kind old soldier: "I come to you over a trail of many moons from the setting sun. You were the friend of my fathers who have all gone the long way. I came with one eye partly opened for more light for my people, who sit in darkness; I go back with both eyes closed. How can I go back blind to my people? I made my way to you with strong arms, through many enemies and strange lands, that I might carry much back to them; I go back with both arms broken and empty. The two fathers who came with us, the braves of many winters and wars, we leave asleep by your great water and wigwam. They were tired in many moons, and their* moccasins wore out. My people sent me to get the white man's Book of Heaven. You took me where you allow your women to dance,, as we do not ours, and the Book was not there; you showed me the images of the good spirits and the pictures of the good land beyond, but the Book was not among them to tell us the way. I am going back the long, sad trail to my people of the dark land. You make my feet heavy with the burden of gifts, and my moccasins will grow old in carrying them. When I tell my poor, blind people in the big council, after one more

THE WHITE MAN'S BOOK OF HEAVEN 939 snow, that I did not bring the Book,- no word will be spoken by our old men, or our young braves. One by one, they will rise up and go into darkness, and will go on the long path to the other hunting grounds. No white man will go with them, and no white man's Book will make the way plain. I have no more words." It was the rumor of this address that started Rev. Jason Lee and Marcus Whitman westward over the old trail, according to Rev. James D. Gilliland, in his Trail Tales. These two men, together with Daniel Lee, Cyrus Shepherd, Courtney M. Walker and P. L. Edwards, all Methodists, sent out from Philadelphia and inspired with the task of converting the Indians of the Northwest who had gone in quest of the "White Man's Book," were among the party led by Nathaniel J. Weyeth, who established Fort Hall on the east .bank of Snake river, north of Portneuf, on June 14, 1834. Captain Weyeth and Rev. Jason Lee agreed to hold religious service, and hoist the American flag, on Sunday, July 27, 1834. Rev. Lee chose his text from I Cor- inthians 10:31-33. 'Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God; even as I please all men in all things; not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." Pocatetlo, Idaho. The Dream Will Pass In this dream land that we call life Is love, fond happiness and strife; Shadows are we so dull and gray In the light of the brightest day. 'Tis not life that we now enjoy, Be we sweet maid or happy boy, Or be we young or bent with years Smiling with joy or filled with tears. The life we knew e'er we came here Was full as cannot here appear, For now, we cannot realize The joys that in the real life lies. For when we live, no more to die, No more to grieve, no more to sigh, We then shall be just what we seem And know that this was but a dream. We lived before, we'll live again, We're not awake, as we were then, The dream will pass and we shall be Awake through all eternity. Fred C. Bush