If I was a Gaddianton and wanted to destroy the Nephites I would cause a greater pain than physical. I would hit them at the very core of their belief system. For example if an Anti-Mormon desecrated my Sacred Garment, or repeatedly said the name of Deity in vain, that would be more difficult for my spirit to feel and thus hurt me even more than physical pain.
We understand how sacred the Lamb is in the Jewish tradition, and the shedding of blood on the cross, and a symbolic apron given to Adam? I believe the Gaddiantons are using those sacred symbols as disrespect to the Nephites trying to arouse the Nephites even more to hate them and fight them. The Gaddiantons are ridiculing and mocking and being sacrilegious with those things that are very sacred to the Nephites.
“Shamed by their nakedness after the Fall, they tried unsuccessfully to cover their shame with garments of their own devising, aprons made of fig leaves (Gen. 3:7). God made them coats of skins,” which involved the sacrifice of life – something they could never forget— “and clothed them” with redemptive garments that covered their shame and allowed them to come into his presence with fear (Gen. 3:21).
After Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, after they had blood flowing in their veins, after all things in the world of which they were a part had become subject to death, the God of Heaven taught them the law of sacrifice. This law required the death –by the shedding of blood – of two lambs whose skins were then placed on Adam and Eve. Those special garments were worn by them when they went out into the lone and dreary world. The garments constituted a constant reminder of the protection they would enjoy (through the shed blood of the Lamb, even the Son of God) from all the effects of the Fall.” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig J. Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000], 223)
“and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins…” (Alma 43:20)
On a side note, we know there were no sheep or goats in Central America, during the time of the Nephites, so with the sheep being such a sacred symbol during the Law of Moses, would the Lord offer substitution for another animal such as the caribou or llama? (Why do I mention a Caribou? Because Mesoamericanists do). I don’t think so. The Nephites lived in the North American Land of the Book of Mormon. The Lord wouldn’t guide Lehi to a land that doesn’t have sheep, goats, oxen, and doves, would He?
Lewis and Clark Journal Summary of Sheep in North America
“In the Journal of Lewis and Clark, there is an account of a quadruped which appears to have not excited that attention which it merits. The following extracts are made from the above mentioned work: “Saw the skin of a mountain sheep, which the Indians say lives among the rocks in the mountains: the skin was covered with white hair, the wool long, thick and coarse, with long coarse hair on the top of the neck and the back, resembling somewhat the bristles of a goat.” Vol. II. p. 49.
“The sheep is found in many places, but mostly in the timbered parts of the rocky mountains. They live in greater numbers on the chain of mountains forming the commencement of the woody country on the coast, and passing the Columbia between the falls and rapids.” Vol. II. p. 169.
The latter passage was written while our travelers wintered at the mouth of the Columbia river. But on their return, at Brant Island, an Indian “offered two sheep skins for sale: one, which was the skin of a full-grown sheep, was as large as that of a common deer; the second was smaller, and the head part, with the horns remaining, was made into a cap, and highly prized as an ornament by the owner. The Clahelellahs informed us that the sheep was very abundant on the heights, and among the cliffs, of the adjacent mountains; and that these two had been lately killed out of a herd of thirty-six, at no great distance from the village.” Account of a North American Quadruped, supposed to belong to the Genus Ovis, Rocky-Mountain Sheep, Ovis Montana,” Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (1817) from Part One – 1800–1846 Naturals and Naturalists Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012 By George Ord Edited by C. R. Resetarits Source Here:
Sheep or a Caribou?
About sheep in Central America, I quote from The Interpreter a Mesoamerica blog by Daniel Sorensen. “A second challenge for Bible translators has to do with translating animal names in the Biblical languages into target languages. In some languages this poses fewer difficulties, but in others this can pose interesting challenges. As an example from the New Testament, Jesus is said to have been moved with compassion on the multitude because “they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). A Greenlandic translation made in 1744 renders sheep as “small animals which are nearly like caribous.” Inge Kleivan explains that, The comparison may at first sight appear astonishing, but in fact Poul Egede [the 1744 translator] has chosen the animal which is nearest to the sheep in size, appearance, and behavior if he wanted to compare the sheep with an animal which the Greenlanders knew. There were only the following land animals in West Greenland: hares, foxes, caribous, and polar bears. The comparison is, however, unsatisfactory at a very important point, because the caribous are not tame animals and the pastoral culture which pervades the Bible was quite unknown to the Greenlanders.33” Source
Editors note: Wow, no sheep; the most sacred emblem as a representative of Christ himself, and all Mesoamerica has is a caribou? Oh no, that’s in Greenland which is North America correct? Here is another opinion from Book of Mormon Central.
Mesoamerica Opinion: “Possible that the translated word “lamb” refers to a similar animal found in the New World”
“While the fierce appearance of the warriors would have been frightening, it may have been the lamb-skins and their being dyed in blood that was the most disturbing.2 Early in the Book of Mormon, the Lamanites were known to shave their heads and dress only in a skin about their loins,3 yet this scripture uniquely identifies the army as wearing a lamb-skin, possibly a new choice in garment that was particularly appalling to the Nephites. Perhaps the Gadianton robbers had girded themselves with a “lamb-skin” and had dyed themselves in blood as a visual mockery of the sacrificial Lamb of God.” (Good idea but Mesoamerica doesn’t have sheep right?
Editors note: Why not substitute llamas for sheep? “The camel, the hare, the llama, the rock badger, and the pig. These are the animals that possess only one of the two criteria required in order to be acceptable as food in the Law of Moses. “The llama is indeed a ruminant [chews the cud] whose hoofs are not cloven.” Food Regulation in Biblical Law A Paper Submitted in Satisfaction of the Written Work Requirement of Harvard Law School By Wendy Ann Wilkenfeld
BOMC continues, “The terms “lamb” and “sheep” appear in the Book of Mormon text over a hundred times, used most often in religious metaphors, such as with the phrase “Lamb of God.” 4 While there is some evidence of sheep in the Americas, 5 it is also possible that the translated word “lamb” refers to a similar animal found in the New World. 6 Whether the Nephites had sheep in the New World, or whether the word “lamb” refers to a different animal, the usage of “lamb” in the Book of Mormon is more often connected with Jesus Christ than it is to a specific species of livestock. 7
(Note 5 from Book of Mormon Central quote above) For evidence of “sheep” in the New World, see Wade E. Miller, Science and the Book of Mormon: Cureloms, Cumoms, Horse and More (Laguna Niguel, CA: KCT & Associates, 2010), 43–48. Wade E. Miller and Matthew Roper, “Animals in the Book of Mormon: Challenges and Perspectives,” Interpreter Blog, April 21, 2014; For evidence of the remains of a young domestic sheep in western New York, see William A. Ritchie, The Archeology of New York State (Garden City, NY: Natural History Press, 1969), 242–243
Editors note: As you can see from the Note 5 above, Book of Mormon Central uses a reference book about New York Archaeologist William A. Ritchie to verify that Mesoamerica had sheep. They are making things up and claiming sheep in New York proves there were sheep in Mesoamerica.
Kipp Island, Hunters Home, and the Point Peninsula Tradition
The Kipp Island and Hunters Home sites are both located north of the Finger Lakes region of Central New York State. Most of the Kipp Island site has been destroyed by canal work, adjacent marsh drainage, damming, highway construction and many years of collectors digs (Ritchie 1944, 1965; Ritchie & Funk 1973). Accordingly, Ritchies excavations in 1963 were concentrated on the southern remnant of the island, where he discovered some habitation features and a cemetery respectively attributed to the Kipp Island and Hunter’s Home phases of the Point Peninsula cultural tradition. These cultural identifications were made on typological grounds and were supported by two radiocarbon dates of A.D. 610±100 and A.D. 895±100, both derived from charcoal found in hearth features (Ritchie & Funk 1973:155). Earlier occupations dating from the Middlesex and Squakie Hill phases were also identified on the site but were absent from the area excavated by Ritchie.
The Hunters Home site, discovered and partly dug by an amateur archaeologist, was later visited by Ritchie who opened a 268 square foot trench in a nearby refuse midden (Ritchie 1965: 258). The site also contains some pits and burials but there is no radiocarbon date for this site. Unfortunately, as was the case with Kipp Island, Ritchie does not say much about excavation procedures, stratigraphy, and exact provenience of the artifacts discovered at Hunters Home.
BOMC continues, “Since the Nephites practiced the Law of Moses, they would presumably have preferred to have an animal equivalent 8 to a lamb in order to perform sacrificial ordinances at the temple. 9 Thus, when 3 Nephi 4:7 describes the skin as a “lamb-skin,” it may be a reference to the New World equivalent of a sacrificial lamb. 10 In fighting the armies of the Nephites, Gadianton robbers’ slaughtering and wearing the skins of an animal of holy sacrifice would certainly have been a jarring image for the Nephites.
The shock-factor of the lamb-skin is heightened when put in the context of Mesoamerican intimidation tactics. The donning of animal pelts was intended to create a fearful spectacle, 11 so it may have been unexpected for the Gadianton robbers to appear in the skins of a non-aggressive herbivore—like a lamb. Brant Gardner explained, “Mesoamericans were well known to wear animal skins, though the animal would typically be a ferocious jaguar, not a peaceful ‘lamb.’”12
While this unusual choice of a lamb (or a similar animal) may not have been terrifying for surrounding Mesoamerican cultures, the blood-stained pelt of an innocent lamb was clearly “great and terrible” (3 Nephi 4:7) to the temple-oriented Nephites. 13 If the objective of the Gadianton Robbers was to stun and terrify the armies of the Nephites, the sacrilege of a slaughtered sacred symbol would surely accomplish just that.” Book of Mormon Central Why Did the Gadianton Robbers Wear a Lamb Skin? Post contributed by BMC Team September 20, 2016 KnoWhy #191
3 Nephi 4:7
And it came to pass that they did come up to battle;
and it was in the sixth month;
and behold, great and terrible was the day
that they did come up to battle!
And they were girded about after the manner of robbers:
and they had a lamb-skin about their loins,
and they were dyed in blood,
and their heads were shorn,
and they had head-plates upon them;
and great and terrible was the appearance
of the armies of Giddianhi because of their armor,
and because of their being dyed in blood!
“The Nephites observed the Law of Moses by sacrificing lambs during Passover. The Lamanites possibly mocked the Nephites and their religion by wearing a lamb-skin about their loins “dyed with blood…” (3 Nephi 4:7). The Lamanites might have killed Nephite lambs, then wore and displayed the lamb-skin as an act of defiance and sacrilege to the Law of Moses during battles with the Nephites” – Amberli Nelson.
THE LAMBSKIN APRON
SHORT TALK BULLETIN – Vol.V November, 1927 No.11 by: Unknown
In Masonic symbolism the Lambskin Apron holds precedence. It is the initial gift of Freemasonry to a candidate, and at the end of life’s pilgrimage it is reverently placed on his mortal remains and buried with his body in the grave.
Above all other symbols, the Lambskin Apron is the distinguishing badge of a Mason. It is celebrated in poetry and prose and has been the subject of much fanciful speculation. Some Masonic writers have contended that initiation is analogous to birth, or our advent from prenatal darkness into the light of human fellowship, moral truth and spiritual faith. Much ancient lore has been adduced in an effort to show that the Lambskin Apron typifies regeneration, or a new life, and this thought of resurrection may be the cause of its internment with the body of a deceased brother. At least it will serve until a better reason is advanced for this peculiar custom in the Masonic burial service. The association of the lamb with redemption and being born again is expressed by John, the Apocalyptic Seer, who had a vision on the Isle of Patmos, and beheld the purified and redeemed “Of All Nations, Kindreds, People and Tongues.” Of them it was said, “These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”…
As a badge of honor, the Lambskin Apron spells out integrity, honesty of purpose, probity of character, and soundness of moral principle. Source
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. (Judges 6:37)
Did the Lord Reject the Fig Leaf Apron?
Q. Why do Mormons wear aprons in the Temple, which represent the fig leaves worn by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, when it is obvious that God rejected the apron of fig leaves?
A. (by Michael W. Fordham) Latter-day Saints view the temple as a sacred place, and as such, we don’t discuss many things about the temple ordinances outside of the temple. There are things that the Lord deems as sacred. The teachings of the Lord to the eleven Apostles after His resurrection and before His ascension could be considered one example (see Acts 1:3). I make this point only to demonstrate why I won’t be going into any lengthy discussion on the Temple ceremonies, per se.
Additionally, everything about the temple is symbolic, from the architecture to the ordinances performed within. Remembering this symbolic perspective is important, not unlike the parables Jesus taught, as you consider my answer to your question.
Your question is based upon an assumption that is never mentioned in the scriptures. The Bible never says that God rejected the fig leaf aprons Adam and Eve wore. Let’s examine what actually took place in the Garden of Eden.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)
Notice that Satan told Eve that their “eyes shall be opened,” giving reference to knowledge, not eyesight. This means that Adam and Eve now had knowledge. The Lord has used the symbolic use of our eyes and ears in reference to foolishness and rebelliousness. They had eaten of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”, thus they became knowledgeable about the difference between good and evil.
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. (Genesis 3:22)
This symbolic teaching is not unique to the Adam and Eve account (see Ezekiel 12:2, Matthew 13:15-16). After both Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, indeed, both of their eyes were opened.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
Garments of Lamb
“Shamed by their nakedness after the Fall, they tried unsuccessfully to cover their shame with garments of their own devising, aprons made of fig leaves (Gen. 3:7). God made them coats of skins,” which involved the sacrifice of life – something they could never forget— “and clothed them” with redemptive garments that covered their shame and allowed them to come into his presence with fear (Gen. 3:21).
After Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, after they had blood flowing in their veins, after all things in the world of which they were a part had become subject to death, the God of Heaven taught them the law of sacrifice. This law required the death –by the shedding of blood – of two lambs whose skins were then placed on Adam and Eve. Those special garments were worn by them when they went out into the lone and dreary world. The garments constituted a constant reminder of the protection they would enjoy (through the shed blood of the Lamb, even the Son of God) from all the effects of the Fall.” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Craig J. Ostler, Revelations of the Restoration, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2000], 223)
d; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7)
They understood that it was not good to be naked all the time. There is a difference between the ideas that Adam and Eve “saw” their nakedness and that they “knew” their nakedness was not necessarily good, at all times and that modesty was to play a part in their lives.
Adam and Eve then hid when they heard the voice of the Lord and only came out, when asked by the Lord,
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (Genesis 3:8-10)
Adam, in response to this question by the Lord, blamed Eve for their transgression, and Eve, in turn blamed Satan. Did the Lord Reject the Fig Leaf Apron?
Girded about with a Lambskin
Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Volume 6 | Number 2 Article 7 7-31-1997 Matthew B. Brown Brigham Young University
This perspective may help explain the warning given by the Lord to his disciples to beware of “false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). In Zechariah 13:4 we learn that false prophets were in the habit of dressing in the same distinctive vestments worn by the true prophets in order to deceive the people with their message. This is also reminiscent of 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, where we learn that false prophets somehow “transform” themselves to be like the Lord’s apostles just as “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (emphasis added). Curiously enough, Joseph Smith taught that one of the ploys Satan uses to deceive others into thinking that he is an “angel of light” is ‘ that he wears “holy garb. “65 This leads us directly back to the circumstances surrounding 3 Nephi 4:7 and a possible explanation for why the lambskin apparel is mentioned there.
Notes:
65– He, 4:573. “These evil ‘angels’ use deception as their main tool of
destruction. They simulate all that is good. . . . Sometimes they may come as
angels of light, in borrowed or stolen raiment. Always they fail to reveal
themselves as they are.” John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1960), 108-9.
66– Daniel C. Peterson, “The Gadianton Robbers as Guerrilla Warriors,”
146, and “Notes on Gadianton Masonry,” 204, 212, both in Warfare in the Book of Mormon.
67– Victor Ludlow, “Secret Covenant Teachings of Men and the Devil in
Helaman through 3 Nephi 8,” The Book of Mormon: Helaman through 3 Nephi 8, According to Thy Word, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate Jr.
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Thirteen years after the Book of Mormon’s final mention of the leather apparel (see 3 Nephi 4:7), the Lord personally warned his followers to beware of false prophets who would approach them in “sheep’s clothing” (3 Nephi 14:15). This could be seen both as metaphorical language and as an identifying characteristic of the Nephite’s enemy. Alma 43:20 mentions that some among the Nephite’s enemy were accustomed to wearing “a skin which was girded about their loins.” A few verses earlier we learn that the enemy consisted of dissenters, apostates, and “descendants of the priests of Noah” (Alma 43: 13). Daniel Peterson has noted several times that the Gadianton robbers should be viewed as “a n alternative religious option within Nephite society. “66 In the beginning of this paper, I proposed that the Nephite temple priests may have worn the priestly robes prescribed for use among the ancient Israelites. If so, it is conceivable that the “descendants of the priests of Noah” may have introduced this sacred clothing among members of the secret combinations because they wanted to make a claim for legitimate priestly power. Indeed, there is
evidence within the Book of Mormon itself that members of the secret combinations were blasphemous imitators of the holy order of God.67 And since the objectives of priestcraft and the secret combinations were one and the same (to get gain) it is proposed that this is the context in which the lambskin apparel of 3 Nephi 4:7 can best be understood. The following ideas should serve to illustrate this point.
Priestcraft:” get gain and praise of the world” (2 Nephi 26:29); “riches and honor” (Alma 1: 16)
Secret Combinations: “get gain” (Moses 5:31; Helaman 6: 17); “kingdoms and great glory” (Ether 8:9)One more correlation should be pointed out here. The apron was an emblem of power in several ancient cultures, but in Israel it could represent the power to speak rightfully in the name of God
(prophet), to administer legally his saving ordinances (priest), and to reign lawfully in his stead (king). The express purpose of those who joined the secret combinations was for them to obtain power (see Helaman 2:8; Ether 8: 14-19, 22-23; 11: 15). What could have been a more meaningful symbol for them than an emblem which for long ages past had represented the very thing for which they sought?
“In Mormon 1: 18-19 a connection is made between the secret combinations and thepractice of magic. In Moses 5:30-31 and 49 a connection is also made between secret combinations and the strange title Master Mahan. Anti-Mormon critics have long claimed that Master Mahan is a thinly veiled variation of Master Mason, which is the designation for the third degree of initiation within Freemasonry. They believe that the presence of this title in LDS scripture clearly demonstrates that Joseph Smith plagiarized Masonic material for his creative ventures. Footnote d for Moses 5:31, however, offers several possible meanings for Mahan based on its etymological root.70 Of the choices offered I personally feel that “destroyer” is the most probable one. My reasoning for this is that the Hebrew word maha means “destroy, “71 and the addition of an n would make the word a noun.72 Hence, maha(n) = destroy(er). Destruction is one of the attributes applied to Satan in the scriptures (see John 8:44; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Hebrews 2:14; 1 Peter 5:8), and he has been identified as the destroyer in latter-day revelation.73 In Moses 5:29-31 we read that it was after Cain had bound himself to Satan with a secret oath, accompanied by the threat of destruction if he revealed this action, that he obtained the title Mahan. It
would appear that he obtained this title because he had been taught how to become a destroyer himself. It is of interest to note that in certain ancient cultures Satan was known by the name Mahoun and those who swore their allegiance to him acquired that name for themselves.74
74 John Jamieson, An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language,
rev. ed. (Paisley, Scotland: Gardner, 1879), 3:205; see also the various references in D. Michael Quinn, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987), 167 n. 4.
The symbolism ascribed by Masons to their white lambskin apron is that it represents innocence. But even this idea is not original to Freemasonry. Some Masonic researchers have come to he conclusion that the white apron’s meaning was derived directly from the white garment given to the ancient Christians when they were initiated into a state of innocence at baptism (see Revelation 3:5}.77 This concept goes much farther back among the Israelites. When the high priest entered the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement, each element of his vesture consisted of unadorned white linen (see Leviticus 16:4). This clothing signified that on that sacred day the nation was reborn and became innocent before the Lord (see Revelation 19:8). The various symbols that decorate Masonic aprons are also not original to Freemasonry, but came about through a long process of assimilation and evolution.78 It should be noted that some
of the symbols found on Masonic aprons are identical to those found on Greek Orthodox liturgical aprons.79
79 The Greek Orthodox aprons were inherited from the Coptic monks.
Both were made of leather. For illustrations see Sherrard, Athos-The Holy
Mountain, 57, 123, 127, 129, 131; Norwich and Sitwell, Mount Athos, 28, 66,
69.
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. (Genesis 3:12-13)
Because of their transgression, Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden. “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.” (Genesis 3:23) Adam and Eve did not have to work in the Garden of Eden in order to survive, for food was provided already. However, outside of the Garden of Eden, life would be very different. “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (Genesis 3:18).
There was no condemnation of the aprons Adam and Eve wore while in the Garden of Eden, only a chastisement and grave consequences for eating of the forbidden fruit. In actuality, the Lord demonstrated his agreement with the covering of their nakedness. That agreement along with the result of now having to live in a different world, with harsh conditions as compared to life in the garden, the Lord gave them something BETTER to clothe themselves with. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
The objective of the aprons of fig leaves was to cover their nakedness, in modesty. It was the best Adam and Eve could come up with, given the circumstances. Had the Lord rejected this modesty, He would have taken the aprons and left Adam and Eve in their nakedness. The coat of skins was provided after the instruction of the Lord of what they would now have to endure. A coat of skins was much more practical and protective from the elements, thorns and thistles outside of the garden than were fig leaves. God did not reject, but gave them something better with which to live in their new conditions.
As I mentioned before, there is symbolism in everything about the temple, this includes the clothing worn there as well. Since your question concerns the apron, let’s discuss that from a Biblical perspective. Let’s examine the word “aprons” which Adam and Eve wore and the symbology behind it. The Hebrew word from which “aprons” was translated was:
chagowr {khag-ore’} or chagor {khag-ore’} and (feminine) chagowrah {khag-o-raw’} or chagorah {khag-o-raw’}
Hebrew: personal noun masculine
Possible Definitions:
1) girdle, belt
2) girdle, loin-covering, belt, loin-cloth, armour
(Strongs’ 2290, see also Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 640a, 640c)
The “apron,” or “girdle” worn by Adam and Eve was most likely a loincloth type covering (much like you see Tarzan wearing) made from leaves. As a loincloth style garment, it served as a “shield” against immodesty.
In addition to being a symbol of modesty, the girdle is also a symbol of righteousness to the Lord. “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” (Isaiah 11:5) The Lord has even commanded some to wear an apron, or girdle.
THUS saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins. (Jeremiah 13:1-2)
Evidently, even the Lord wears a girdle apron (or will in the future) as part of His holy garments.
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:11-13)
This doesn’t sound like a rejection to me.
Besides being a symbol for modesty and righteousness for the Lord, there is yet another symbol for the girdle (apron). It has to do with Priesthood authority. The book of Exodus is very detailed about the dress of “holy garments” for those in authority, and the girdle was part of that.
…and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. It shall have the two shoulder pieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. (Exodus 28:4-8)
The apron, or girdle, is a symbol of righteousness to the Lord, and of Priesthood authority. The Lord never condemned the wearing of fig leaf aprons. Rather, it is a Biblical symbol of Priesthood Authority, righteousness to the Lord, and the creation of man by God, not to mention the clear representation of the symbolism referring to modesty. I hope this answers your question.
http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1169&context=jbms
Understanding Symbols
One key to understanding a symbol is that it often resembles the thing it stands for. For example, the bread and water of the sacrament represent the body and blood of the Savior—in that order. It would make no sense to have bread represent the Savior’s blood or to have water represent the Savior’s body. Bread, like flesh, is solid; water, like blood, is liquid.
Another example is the decoration embroidered on the clothing of the high priest in the Old Testament: “They made upon the hems of the [high priest’s] robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet” (Exodus 39:24). Have you ever eaten a pomegranate? If so, you know that it is full of seeds. So the pomegranate can be seen as a symbol of fertility, of posterity. In addition, the juice of the pomegranate is red, suggesting blood, or life: “The life of all flesh is the blood thereof” (Leviticus 17:14).
After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, “they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7). What color are fig leaves? Green, which symbolizes life and growth. Figs also contain hundreds of tiny seeds, so the fig, like the pomegranate, can represent fertility and posterity. In addition, it was only after the Fall that Adam and Eve were able to have children. As Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed” (Moses 5:9–11) 5 Tips to Better Understand Temple Symbols
by Jack M. Lyon
Breechclout Fact Sheet
- Breechclout Fact 1: The Native Indian breechclouts were basic one-piece articles of clothing that covered the loins of the wearer
- Breechclout Fact 2: When made of cloth, the breechclout is referred to as a breechcloth or loincloth https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-clothing/breechclout.htm
- Red Color Symbolizes war, blood, strength, energy, power and success in war paint. Red clays containing oxides of iron, roots, berries, barks and beets. The Lachnanthes plant commonly known as redroot native to eastern North America Redroot and also used as red war paint. When the root is crushed it “bleeds” a reddish dye. Bloodroot plants are also used to produce red war paint. Red was predominately used for painting because of its availability. https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-culture/war-paint.htm
On May 15, 1776, General George Washington ordered: “The Continental Congress having ordered Friday 
The Old Stone Fort was built during the Middle Woodland Period, 1,500-2,000 years ago. Native Americans used this area continuously for about 500 years, eventually leaving it abandoned. By the time European settlers arrived, it was unclear of what the area had been used for which resulted in it being misnamed as a fort. In 1966, the state of Tennessee purchased 400 acres of the Chumbley estate as the core of what is now Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park. 
Purchase over 200 Book of Mormon in North America 
Clark began his efforts on behalf of the Smithsonian in May of 1875 with the excavation of an earthen mound on the farm of Dr. William Reid, near Franklin. From there, Clark shifted his efforts to the nearby Glass property, of which he wrote: There is a fine group here, and four of them are in a line from north to south, a large one in the centre [sic], flanked on the south by two small ones, and on the north by another, evidently intended to have been a large one, but from some interruption was never finished. This last was not more than three feet high, though seventy-five feet in diameter. It had been cultivated a great number of years, but distinctly showed its proportions. Being in cultivation at the time of my visit, I did not examine it. The two smaller ones were about six feet high and twenty in diameter, while the largest was twenty feet high and four hundred feet in circumference. They did not stand in a perfect circle, the largest mound forming the lowest part of the concavity (W.M. Clark, “
Metal, Coins, Swords, Scabbards, Furnaces, Soldering, Hebrew, Helmets, Iron, Steel, Copper, Nails, etc.
and acclaim of the world
In early 2016, hundreds of media outlets around the world reported that a set of recently deciphered ancient clay tablets revealed that Babylonian astronomers were more sophisticated than previously believed. The wedge-shaped writing on the tablets, known as cuneiform, demonstrated that these ancient stargazers used geometric calculations to predict the motion of Jupiter. Scholars had assumed it wasn’t until almost A.D. 1400 that these techniques were first employed–by English and French mathematicians. But here was proof that nearly 2,000 years earlier, ancient people were every bit as advanced as Renaissance-era scholars. Judging by the story’s enthusiastic reception on social media, this discovery captured the public imagination. It implicitly challenged the perception that cuneiform tablets were used merely for basic accounting, such as tallying grain, rather than for complex astronomical calculations. While most tablets were, in fact, used for mundane bookkeeping or scribal exercises, some of them bear inscriptions that offer unexpected insights into the minute details of and momentous events in the lives of ancient Mesopotamians.
Map showing the extent of Mesopotamia. Shown are Washukanni, Nineveh, Hatra, Assur, Nuzi, Palmyra, Mari, Sippar, Babylon, Kish, Nippur, Isin, Lagash, Uruk, Charax Spasinu and Ur, from north to south.
“The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western Tribes of Indians, having been found through the ministration of an holy Angel translated into our own Language by the gift and power of God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years containing the word of God, which was delivered unto them, By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the Land of America is a promised land unto them, and unto it all the tribes of Israel will come. with as many of the gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jerusalem.” ~Joseph Smith.
Steven E. Smoot believes so, and he shared his story with nearly 800 people attending the Saturday session of the Book of Mormon Evidence Conference…
By 
Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, near Marietta, Ohio 
Hopewell Trading Network
The traditional story is this: the angel Moroni showed Joseph a set of gold plates that he, Moroni, had placed in a stone box when he was still a mortal around 421 A.D. After 4 years, Joseph was allowed to remove the plates from the box. He took them to Harmony, PA, where he translated most of them (Book of Lehi through Book of Moroni). Then he went to Harmony and finished the translation from 1 Nephi through Words of Mormon. At that point, he returned the plates to the angel, who later showed them to the 3 witnesses. A few days later, Joseph showed the plates to the 8 witnesses near his parents’ home outside of Palmyra. Again, Joseph returned the plates to the angel and they haven’t been seen since.
Prior to being baptized for the dead, the proxy must be worthy. The proxy must have fasted for four days and four nights, going completely without drink or nourishment for that period of time, in order to purify the body before performing the proxy baptism. This purification process also requires that the proxy go into a sweat-house, or sweat-lodge, and take a sweat bath. This allows one to sweat out the bad or evil spirits that may reside inside one’s body. The proxy is required to attend to a sweat bath at least twice a day during the four day ordeal. The person entering the sweat-house will wear light colored clothing, although it need not necessarily be white. 
This is a long and extensive article and blog that you will enjoy. 
“A hiatus follows, and the tradition resumes, the tribes still remaining at Shinaki or the Fir Land.
THE MODERN INDIAN AS A BUILDER OF MOUNDS.
There is a considerable number of other mounds in the region within a hundred miles around Mackinac Island, which are known to be the work of Sioux, Chippewas and Iroquois. There are traditions, also, among the two first named, of a race in Wisconsin and Minnesota, known as the “Ground House Indians” from their .custom of banking and covering their houses with earth; they buried their dead in mounds near the dwellings. These were exterminated in the first half of the seventeenth century.—O. A. H., Dec, 1888.
“No prehistoric implement, or article of iron, or evidence of manufactured iron, has been found, excepting objects made from the un-melted ores.
As Jesus continues His teachings to the Nephite disciples (3 Nephi 16:1), He says, “I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem…” The heading of 3rd Nephi chapter 16 states, “In the latter days the gospel shall go to the Gentiles and then to the House of Israel.” Thus, in verses 7-8, the Lord affirms that, 
THIS LAND References
After visiting with the Seminole representatives who went to BYU, I waited for Chief Buffalo Tiger to come in, but he didn’t come. When I called his office his secretary said· he didn’t come because he did not want to. Shortly thereafter I went to Buffalo Tiger’s office in the Everglades, 40 miles west of Miami, and spent the morning with him. During this interview I asked him many questions, the first of which was what he could tell me about his ancient religion. He said he couldn’t tell me anything about their ancient religion. He said, A man at BYU said Indians have a religion, but I don’t understand that. I’ve lain on my bed at night and looked at the ceiling and said to myself, ‘What do you mean we have a religion? It was President Kimball, in speaking to the Indian Chiefs. at the BYU Indian Conference in February 1972, who said the Indians have a religion. Buffalo said, I can tell you about my ancient traditions.” So I asked him to tell me about them.
The first thing he said was, “Jesus came to see us once.” Then he said, “Jesus taught us many things. I asked, “What did Jesus teach you? He said, “First of all, he taught us how to cook, and then proceeded to tell the story of how they learned to cook on big iron pots that weigh about 800 pounds and have a big steel bail over the top of them. The pots are about an inch thick, and they’ve had them so long that the Tribe doesn’t know where they came from, but they still use them for cooking. They suspend them from a tripod and build a fire under them to cook in. He said, “He taught us how to cut up the vegetables and the meat. Then Jesus tasted it and said it was good, and then we tasted it and said it was good, so we cook that way ever since.” And they still do in many areas there.
I asked, “What else did Jesus teach you?” And he said, “Well, he taught us that if our children would be obedient to their parents, they would live a long time.” So I knew that Buffalo was aware of one of the teachings in the Ten Commandments and could have no other source for that information than the tradition that was handed down through the tribe. I asked him again what else Jesus taught them. He said, “Well, Jesus taught us when to plant and when to harvest, and as he waved his arms he said, “We plant and harvest same month each year ever since.” I asked him what else the Savior taught them, and he said, “I don’t want to offend you,” as he leaned over and patted me on the knee. After I assured him that what he had to say would not offend me, he said, Jesus is going to come again soon.” I said, “Oh? Is that right? When’s He coming? “I don’t know exactly when,” he said. I’d have to talk to the old men of the Tribe–but I know that He’s going to come soon. And when He comes, all the White Men are going to be killed. I said, Why do you say that? And he said, Because that’s what Jesus said when He was with us, that the wicked were going to be killed.” I said, “Why do you say that the White Men are wicked?” To which he replied, White Men sleep with other men’s wives, and he stood up and patted himself on the chest and said, “Indians–we clean. We be with Jesus.” So, I said to him, “Well, Buffalo, I only have one wife, and I’m clean. And he looked me square in the eye and said, Indians–WE be with Jesus!”
By then it was twelve o’clock and my appointment was over, so I said, “Buffalo, I’d surely like to spend some more time with you. I have a film to show you and I’d like to discuss this film with you.” He said he was sorry, but he had a luncheon appointment and another appointment at 1 o’clock with a man from Miami. But he said, “You come back and check with me before you go back into town. Rather than go to lunch, I decided that I would continue my fast, as I had been fasting. When I came back to Chief Tiger’s office in an hour; his secretary said, “Buffalo is waiting for you. I said, “What happened to the man from Miami?” She said, “He called and cancelled his appointment. I knew that the Lord had opened the way for me to spend the afternoon with Chief Buffalo Tiger.
When I got into his office, Buffalo said, “I’m free the whole afternoon.” I said, “That’s wonderful. I’ll go get my film.” So I got my projector from my car and showed him the LDS film prepared by the BYU entitled: A Chosen People.” (Full video may be seen at the end of this blog). This film is a true story of the Cree Indians who lived on the LDS Church ranch in Alberta, Canada. This film shows how the Cree Indians in Western Canada came into contact with the Church.
I asked him what else he knew about the Miccosukee traditions, why their
people are so special. And he said, “Our people are special because our wives love their husbands, and our husbands love their wives–and we love our children. I knew then that he knew something about the Book of Mormon which he didn’t realize, and I read for him Jacob 3:7 which says: “Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands, and their husbands and their wives love their children. When he heard this, he was astounded. I said, “Buffalo, the more you tell me of your traditions, the more you prove to me that you really are the people that should have this book, and that you know that I’m telling you the truth because what you tell me from your traditions is what is written in this book.” He said, “Yes, I realize that.”
Then Buffalo had the opportunity of meeting and visiting with President Kimball for an hour and a half. It was at that time that President Kimball first heard Buffalo’s statement that he could not tell us more about his traditions because their teachings were buried in New. York. When President Kimball asked how they were preserved, Buffalo said they were written on thin sheets of gold.(2) President Kimball, of course, was immediately interested and wanted to know if we could publish the story. As I had learned of it earlier, the President wanted to know if I had written it down, which I had not. He then asked me to gather all the information about the tradition that I could and get it written down. Then he made arrangements for me to meet again with Buffalo Tiger to get the complete tradition and story, and told me to notify all the Indian Tribes that we had found their ancient teachings in New York. President Kimball asked me to search out additional information especially about the Last Battle at Hill Cumorah and report to him my progress, which I did. During the next two years I made a number of trips back to see Buffalo Tiger and each time seemed to lose ground. Although he had promised President Kimball that he would make available all the information I wanted, I received none, Buffalo always indicating he could not tell me anymore. I learned later this was because he had taken an oath to keep certain historical and religious information secret because of its sacred nature.
In April 1979, I learned from a friend, Sister Letteriello, that she could not obtain any additional information beyond what I had already in my possession. She said that I must find an Indian medicine man who would know all the history of his people. In May 1979, President Ritchie Marbury, of the Idaho Boise Mission (who did not know of my assignment), called me and said he had something to tell me. He said, “I should have called three months ago and it’s bothering me so much I finally had to stop my work and call you.” He then said, “We have recently baptized in my home ward in Albany, Georgia, an Indian medicine man. He is a Cherokee, does this mean anything to you?” I told him this information was an answer to prayer. As a direct result of several meetings and telephone conversations with this medicine man, I was able to gather most of the material presented in this report.
The Cherokee Chief and medicine man has asked that this information he has revealed be forwarded to President Kimball. It must be understood that the descriptions and narratives contained herein are special and sacred to him. He has taken a “Death Oath” for the protection of these sacred histories, promising that he would never divulge them. The time will come that they can be made known, but he feels that the time is not now. He feels very strongly that he betrayed a trust and a confidence that was placed on him as a leader of his people. He has not given this information for publication purposes, but rather for safe-keeping. All the information given has been carefully organized in the sequence presented here to help the reader understand it best, but it has been left in the words of the medicine man as much as possible.
It has been a great pleasure bringing to light an understanding of what the heart of the Cherokee Chief and medicine man wanted to say, but sometimes could not find the right words to say. It is hoped justice has been done to this much difficult task and assignment. I would like to thank two special friends for their valuable help organizing and preparing this report: Paul Enciso, a Lamanite member of the Church who helped me better understand the Indian ways and Dr. Charles D. Tate, Jr., former Editor of BYU Studies and now President of the Missouri St. Louis Mission, who helped edit it into final form. Many thanks also go to Lori Mickelsen for typing this report. I have tried as best I could to fill the assignment given me by President Spencer W. Kimball.
J. Murray Rawson
Notes
(1) Note: 3 Nephi 16: 13-16; 20:10-22; 21: 11-15,18; D&C 87:5, all state
that is the Gentile nation, who scatter the Indians, do not repent, they will be vexed and cut off. Further, that the Indians will inherit the American Continent and build the New Jerusalem. (See JS 17:300-301).
(2) After the statement about their record being buried in New York had been made to me in June 1972, I left the Miccosukee Reservation and drove over to the Hollywood Reservation to ask Chief Howard Tommie if he had ever heard anything about their ancient teachings being buried in New York. When I got into his office, his assistant Chief Don Osceola, came in and I asked them both, “Have you ever heard of the tradition about your ancient teachings being lost? Howard said, Yes–they’re buried up in New York, and the assistant Chief said, “They’re buried up in New York by a tree.” I showed them the picture of the painting of Moroni burying the plates on our “Jesus Christ–Mediator of All Mankind,” pamphlet. It shows Moroni putting the plates down into the stone box–he’s kneeling down–and a tree at the left of the box. They really got excited about that.
A SPECIAL REPORT on the RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE of the CHEROKEE INDIANS By: J. Murray Rawson
HOW WE KEPT OUR HISTORY
Many, many years ago there lived a particular chief who had a very wise counselor in a medicine man. One day the chief was saddened because he knew that it was very important to figure out a way in which the history of the Cherokee people and his clan might be left for them, so that they would not deviate from the True Ways, some already having started.
Approaching the medicine man, he asked, 1101d Wise One, how am I to leave the history and teachings of our people so that all will remember things pertaining to our past and our ways of life?” The medicine man answered him, 1160 and purify yourself, then face the wind.” The Old Chief did as instructed.
First of all, he went to the river and washed to prepare himself for the purification. While he did this, he had others of the tribe go and prepare the inside of the sweat-lodge• .It was very hot within. He went into the sweat-l odge and stayed there for two days and two nights, going without food and water during the whole time.
Following the second night, he left the lodge and went to the river
to wash and cool off. He then ascended a nearby hill called by the name of Where the Eagle Rests. He remained on this hill three days and three nights. While there he sang and prayed to the Creator of All Things, hoping that he might be shown through a vision how he might be able to rest his troubled heart from the concern that worried him.
On the seventh day, his spirit left his body and went to the sky world. There Brother Wolf and Brother Bear met him. They took him to the chief of the chiefs of the sky world.
In this meeting with the Creator Chief, the chief of the Cherokee was shown and told much. He received specific instruction from the Creator Chief, on a way to preserve the history of his people.
When his spirit was returned to his body, he went to see the medicine man once more. The Wise One patiently waited for the Old Chief to relate his experience. The chief told him of the experience he had, what he had seen and the instruction·he had received, and that the work was to be implemented by the medicine man. The Wise One being very understanding and wise did as the chief had instructed him to do.
The first true words of the people, then, were put on wood; then in time they were placed on rocks; further in time, they were written on paper-leaves; later again, they were written and scribed on gold, copper and silver sheets. This was done because the wood did not last long
enough, and the rocks broke, and the paper-leaves deteriorated. Therefore, it was decided that only gold, copper, and silver talking-leaves (scribed with pictures) would be used.
As time pressed onward, it was found that very few of the people were gaining a knowledge of the sacred ways of the Old Ones, as well as their history, because the metal talking-leaves were kept confined due to their sacredness. It was suggested that some of the people were using the wise teachings and history for their benefit only. This was a matter of great concern for the chief for it is apparent that he had used the historical information in a wrong manner. by a wolf. Therefore, as a punishment, he was attacked.
Prior to his death from this attack, the chief was asked by the wolf why he had taken it upon himself to use the old sacred ways for selfgain, the chief knowing that that was wrong. Consequently, the wolf had attacked him, so that the chief would feel some remorse in anguish prior to his death.
Nevertheless, the chief was granted one wish for the good that he had done wolf.
The wolf, asked the chief if his wish was to have life again, as a The chief replied in the negative. Again the wolf asked if he would care to have life as a bear, to which the chief’s response was once more in the negative. The chief, reasoning that all living things had to come to an end, and die, said he would much rather remain on the earth as a river. Because in so doing, hi could travel far and wide, seeing his people grow day by day. He could be a provider for them, of food and life ( water.) By being a river, he felt that he would be able to contribute to their well being to right all the wrong he might have caused them.
The chief died and was turned into a large river, which passes by the homes of all his people to this very day. The river stretches throughout the land and empties from one sea to another. It is called Lake Hope (lake Erie).
This is how the Cherokee kept and preserved their history. Examples existent today are all the rocks still left to the sight of everyone to see, as well as the numerable other ways of the ancient writings that have been found.
CHEROKEE CREATION LEGEND
The Cherokee legends that have been kept alive from generation to generation from time immemorial the story of the spiritual being
who created the earth, sun, moon and stars, as well as the governing of
their orbital sanctuaries in the universe pattern of their creation.
This being is called 11Yohawa11 but was later changed to “Yowa” in reverence to his name.
It is a belief of the Cherokee that Yowa created the world in seven days, and that in Nutalequa, or in the first new moon of autumn with the fruits all ripe, God made the fi rst. man of red clay, an Indian.1 The Cherokee also believe that God made woman from one of the ribs belonging to the first man. Although it is not known why, the general belief exists that all people, prior to the time of the great flood, were Indians, or to be exact, Red People.
The Oyatageronon, or Cherokee Indians, believe that in the beginning
all living things lived together above in the sky world, which was above the sky vault. One of the chief concerns among the dwellers of the sky wo ld were the crowding conditions of both the people and the animals.
One day someone inquired of the Great Father, chief of all things, what existed below the sky vault. He said there existed water below the sky vault. One of the animal children, Little Water Beetle, by name Beaver Grandchild, asked if he could go down and perhaps see what he could learn. As he flew down from the sky world, he darted in every direction over the surface of the water, but could find no firm place to rest. He dived to the bottom of the water world and resurfaced with some mud, which began growing. As it increased, it extended itself on every side, becoming the island we call “earth.” It was then fastened to the sky with four giant ropes; however, no one remembers who did this.
At first the earth was very flat, soft, and wet. The animals were very anxious to go down to earth, so that no one would be pushed off of the sky world. Prior to their leaving the sky world, and due to their anxiety of wanting to leave the sky world first, they sent out different birds to discover if the earth was amply dry to be lived upon. These became very tired as they flew around the earth-island because they could find no place where they did not sink into the soft mud. This news left the people and animals in the sky world very discouraged.
When more time had elapsed, it was decided that the great buzzard should be sent down to see if the earth had dried sufficiently. This was the grandfather of all the buzzard brothers and sisters. He flew very close to the ground, only to discover that the earth was still very soft. As he reached the area of the Cherokee country, his giant wings began to stroke the ground, because he too had become weary and extremely tired in his earth bound episode and investigation. It is said that the valleys that existed in the Cherokee country became mountains due to the grandfather buzzard’s striking his giant wings upon the ground. Seeing that many of the valleys of the soft earth were being turned into mountains, the people and animals of the sky world reasoned that the entire earth would become mountainous, unless they called for the return of grandfather buzzard to the sky world. It seems that to this day the heart of the Cherokee country is full of mountains.
Finally, the earth was dry, and all the animals came down from the sky world. The earth was still dark; therefore, they took the sun and set it in a track to cross the firmament daily. It ran from east to west. At first, the sun was so close that all the animals almost burned up. The red crawfish had its shell scorched a bright red, so that its meat was spoiled. Because of this, the Cherokee will not eat the meat of the red crawfish.
To remedy the closeness of the sun, the chief medicine man put the sun another hand’s breadth higher in the air; however, it was still too hot. The sun was raised another hand’s breadth, and another, and yet another, until it was raised just under the sky arch. It had finally been raised to just the right placement; therefore, it was left in the highest place, or as the medicine men and women call it, the seventh height, because it is seven hand breadths above the earth. Therefore, the sun routinely travels daily along its track, and at night it returns to its starting place.
Another world yet exists beneath the one the Cherokee people presently dwell upon. It is similar to the Cherokee world, except that the people live on an opposite basis. When the Cherokee are experiencing summer, those on the world underneath experience winter; and similarly, winter in the Cherokee world means summer in the world beneath. The streams that run
down from the high mountains are the trails by which this underworld can be reached, and the springs at the heads of these streams are the doorways which one can enter. No one is allowed to go to this other world without first being 11 purified, 11 and without fasting from four to seven days. The intruder into the other world must be guided by one of the people-dwellers who live in the other world. Entrance into the other world must be done during a certain time of the season of the year. One can tell the season in the other world by the water temperature in the streams. In the summer it is cooler than the outer air, and in the winter it is wanner.
It is not known who told the animals and the plants to keep awake for seven nights when they were first made. Perhaps it was the Great Father Chief. However, as the young men fasted and kept awake, they prayed for their medicine to work. The plants and animals tried to do this and nearly all were awake through the first night. The following night, however, several went to sleep as drowsiness set in. As he nights continued, others were overcome with drowsiness and fell asleep. On the seventh night only two animals were found awake, the owl and·the panther. (The owl represents wisdom and swiftness and the panther represents darkness.) Perhaps there might have been another two who also remained awake. To these animals, the Great Father Chief gave the power to see at night, as well as to prey upon those who had fallen a-sleep·and who must sleep in the nights forever.
To the plants with living spirits–the cedar tree, the pine tree, the spruce tree, and the holly and laurel–it was given to remain green always, as well as to be the best plants for making medicine, for their obedience in remaining awake for the seven nights. To the other plants it was said, “Because you have not endured to the end, you shall lose
your hair every winter.” And so it is.
In the “Ark of the Covenant”, the first law speaks of the creation of man and about the “Tree of Life”. In accordance to this, the ancient Cherokee belief is that the Cherokee used to live in the high heaven with the Great Father Chief, before they came to live on the earth, which earth is a testing ground and a proving site for mortal man. It is a temporary place for man to dwell.
One day the Sky Chief had a son whose jealousy over his mother’s un born child caused him great anxiety, and inevitably caused him to err.
This jealousy was aroused by his thinking that his mother would love the newborn more than she love. In the sky there existed a tree that gave life, called the “Tree of Life”. It was a brilliant tree that gave light to all the sky world.
The jealous son decided to cut the tree down; it fell from the sky world, leaving a large hole in the sky world. ·Because the brilliance of the light was not present any longer, the mother went to the place of the tree and found it not existing. She found that the farther the tree fell from the sky world, the more intensely the darkness increased. The Sky Chief came to the place that his spouse, the mother of his son, was and saw the same as she. Asking his spouse what had happened, she replied that she did not know what had happened; however, he accused her of chopping down the Tree of Life, and condemned her, pushing her into and through the hole that was left in the skyworld by the tree. She and all of her seed after her, were recipients of the same condemnation because of this deed.
However, there existed birds below the sky world at this time, who caught her while she fell, and carried her to the land upon the earth. Because the planet was full of water, the birds had to call upon the musk rats, who were swimming in the water. At that time, all the animals could speak the same language, so they could all communicate with one another.
Therefore, the birds told the musk rats that they carried a woman who was with child, and needed to place her on land. The musk rats then went into the water to speak with brother mud turtle. The mud turtle surfaced and inquired what the matter was. The birds told him that they had a woman who was with child and who also needed a place to dwell upon. The mud turtle then went down into the water and took a piece of mud and brought it to the surface and formed the first land. The birds then placed the woman on the land. In her due time, she walked into the waters to bear her child. Upon returning out of the waters, she carried a baby, and thus the belief that this is how the sea was formed: For the waters now had become the sea.
When the Sky Chief realized that it was his son who had cut down the Tree of Life so that it. fell and created a hole in the sky world, he took his son to the hole and pushed him through it, and told him that he would be condemned for the transgression, forever. The Cherokee call this son by the name of Baboe (which to the Cherokee chief and medicine man sounds like one of Baal’s names, more particularly, the Ekron name of Baal-zebub}. This story is recorded on the first tablet of crystal, which has existed for the last seven generations assuredly, which is inside the Arc of the Covenant. Undoubtedly, it is perhaps beyond those generations in age.
According to the myth keepers of the Cherokee, before the world was sufficiently dry to support people, plants, and animals, these future inhabitants all lived together and spoke a common language in the sky world.
In regard to the bearing of children, it is said that after man was created on the earth, there lived a brother and a sister, who together dwelt in the land. One day the brother struck the sister with a fish (which represents life–which is to say, the power of life-giver), and she bore a child. Every seven days she would bear a child until there was the danger that not enough space would be available upon the land for all the new arrivals from the sky world. It was then determined that a woman would only bring forth a child once every year, and this is how the bearing-period of children came into existence.
First must be understood that in the realization of creation of First Man and First Woman, the Indian People believe that they are the parents of all present existing human families. Because First Man was created out of Red Earth, this identifies him with the Red Race of today, the Indian People. Similarly, Buddha is an Oriental to the people of that race; God is White (perhaps Caucasian) to the people of that race; and the Creator God is Indian to the people of the Red race. When the Creator visited the Indian, he called them “My Children” and said that the Great Father had sent Him to them, as He had also been sent to First Man; therefore, reasoning that the Great Father of Red People must also be Red Man, therefore, an Indian. (Explanation note of theory by the interviewer)
SACRED BELIEFS OF THE CHEROKEE
After a length of time had passed, this man sent out a raven from the house to discover if the land had dried sufficiently to leave the floating house. A dove returned with a leaf in its mouth (this is also the Cherokee symbol for peace). It was not long after the dove had returned that the man found the house resting on dry ground, on the top of a huge hill. This was in the spring of the year. All who had ridden within the house–the family, teachers and all the animals that he had taken–left it and began to make a new life. They became farmers and tilled the ground of the new world.
It generally surprises people to know that such Biblical characters as Aquahama (Abraham) and Wasi (Moses), with their stories paralleling their Biblical counterparts, actually exist in the legends of the Cherokee. The task was comparatively easy to convert the Cherokee to Christianity within a period of about thirty years. It was never known if the missionaries were teaching the Cherokee stories and doctrinal principles from the Christian books (Bible), or from the Cherokee sacred beliefs. It all seemed to be one in the same.
The Cherokee have always believed that on another planet, a heavenly
and holy planet, there exists a Heavenly Mother, who lives with our Heavenly Father. (This belief is very common among all tribes.) The word “heaven” has always existed in the Cherokee language. It is not a word that was brought to them through the Christian missionaries. The Cherokee have always been a religious and humble people because of their conviction and faith in the one true God.
The one supreme being was called Yohawa, but later changed to just Yowa to keep the name in holy reverence. The name was never said, except by certain priests who were permitted to say it aloud. Yowa was a unity of three beings, called The Elder of the Fires Above (Cho-ta-auh-ne-le-eh)–perhaps synonymous to the Holy Trinity of the Christian faith. Other Cherokee people called him the Great Spirit or the Creator, because of the legends which have kept the belief alive of the spiritual being who created the earth, the sun, and the moon and stars.Fire was commanded to take care of the needs of mankind, using smoke as its messenger. Because of the conversion of the Cherokee to the Christian faith, there arose sentiments and division among the people of the tribe. While many of the Cherokee worshiped the sun, moon, stars, and other gods, most of the Cherokee people believed in the teachings and of the existence· of the Three Beings Above, who had created all men and their surroundings.These would also judge all men according to their deeds of good or wrong. They also fixed the time and manner of death. The names of these three beings were Uhahetaqua (the Father God), who is the great head of all power; Atanoti (the Son God), who is Yowa, the Creator; and Usquahula(the Spirit God). These three beings are said to be always unanimous in thought and action. They sit on three white seats above and are the only objects to which all worship and prayers are directed. The angels are their messengers who come down to earth to attend to the affairs of men. The Cherokee people believe that angels can also be people with God-given powers, who are true in heart, and are able to administer to the needs of the people, such as knowing how to cure sick people and how to administer the ordinances of the Old Way–baptism, marriage, and the death rites.
Yowa is the name of the Great King God. His name is very sacred. He was a man, and yet he was also a spirit. He was a great and glorious being. He was so highly revered that never was his name used in common talk. Only the high-high priests, or the chief council medicine men could use his name, or say it (in reverence). If anyone was heard saying or using his name in a wrong way, that person was put to death. If anyone used or said his name without proper permission, or out of his jurisdiction and authorship, that person was also put to death. Certainly, this was one name that could not be misused.
The Great King commanded the people to rest every seventh day. The people were not to work on this day. It was a day of devotion for speaking about the Father God, his son and the spirit. It is believed that the number seven has become a holy number to the Cherokee, coming from the commandment of resting on the seventh day.
There are many evidences of the sacred number seven among the Cherokee: there are only seven clans: The Bird Clan, the Paint Clan, the Deer Clan, the Wolf Clan, the Blue Clan, the Long Hair Clan, and Wild Potato Clan.
Each clan has a chief. Also, the council house of the Cherokee is a seven-sided building, with each chief of the seven clans having a designated section in one of the seven council house chambers. In the middle of the council house, burns a fire kindled with seven different kinds of wood. One can recognize it in the seven heights or steps to the heavens. The seventh heaven is the highest, where one can reside with Yowa.
Still strong in the beliefs of the Cherokee is the remembrance of one called Iitza. The events of his life and death tell that Iitza died on a cross on Skull Mountain. He wore a red robe, which was made by a Cherokee woman. Upon his head he wore thistles or thorns, and died for the Cherokee people. It is believed by .the Cherokee that Iitza is Jesus and was Cherokee. This great chief, son of sky world, climbed a hill called Death Face Hill (which is also the same called Skull Mountain). There he hung for the Cherokee people, his side opened by an arrow.
The numbers four, seven, twelve and fourteen are sacred numbers. The colors Red, Black, White and Yellow are the four holy colors. Each has a meaning, and a variety of symbolic meanings.
The approximate measurements of the Ark of the Covenant are described to be about three-and-a-half feet by two-and-a-half feet, standing about one-foot high, looking somewhat like a cedar chest. Atop its four corners are found four winged personages. The wood is very smooth, and everything about it seems to be exceptionally well preserved, even in perfect condition. There are four staves, with what appears to be brass handles on each of these. These staves are located on the outside of the Ark, going through goldish/brass colored type rings. On the exterior of the Ark one notices the decor of gold and silver, with twelve stones fastened thereto, arranged in a circle. In the center of this circle of stones·sit a red stone– the Holy Stone and two other stones beside it, one to its left and the other to its right side.
These stones basically represent the Twelve Laws of the Cherokee Nation, and remind those who see them of the sacred covenants they have made and been entrusted with. One of the two stones beside the Holy Stone is interpreted to mean that one should not believe in any other God, but only in the beliefs and traditions of the Old Way, which is Amiiwah; and the other is interpreted to mean that one must believe in Iitza (being inter preted, Jesus Christ) with all of one’s heart and soul, that He did visit the Cherokee people, and walked, talked, and taught them His teachings.
Inside the chambers of the Ark are twelve crystals containing the Twelve Laws of the Cherokee Nation. These crystals are of a lightish brown (amber) and white hue. They are long, flat-like glass-slabs that look somewhat like diamond. Their approximate measurements are about eighteen inches by twenty-four inches each. They are not metal, but a
transparent crystalline type stone. These crystals do not appear to be of American Indian style, but seem to resemble a form of Egyptian character writing. Some crystals have large characters on them, while others are inscribed with smaller ones.
The characters on each stone reveal stories pertaining to the First Law, Second Law, etc., to the Twelfth Law of the Cherokee Nation. The First Law speaks about the Creation of Man and the Tree of Life. These sacred crystals and the Ark of the Covenant play a very important part in the true religious ceremonies of .the Cherokee.
The Ark of the Covenant is protected in a cave and is guarded, protected, and cared for by specially selected men. If the Ark is to be moved, prayer and fasting are required before, during and after the move, as well as right before the Ark is re-established. Performing a special ceremony for purifying everything associated with the Ark is essential.
The Cherokee do so in order to keep the spirit of Yowa in the Ark, as well as to keep Yowa with the people.
It is said that to see the Ark is to see a part of the living and loving God. There is a cloud of mist that surrounds the Ark. Only three medicine men can touch the Ark, and only three are allowed to remove the sacred crystals from its chambers. Only seven of the lower medicine men are allowed to lift the Ark to move it. If any one else touches it, without being specifically called to that duty, he shall die. This was the instruction and law given by Yowa. To speak of the Ark is forbidden. If any of the medicine men speak of it, they risk losing all their sacred powers, and perhaps even their lives. An Oath of Death helps keep the secret reverence of the Ark.
Also, according to the Iroquois, the Ark of the Covenant is surrounded by a barrier. No one is allowed to touch the Ark under penalty of death, except for the Chief Grand Council Medicine man.
Belonging to the company of the Ark of the Covenant is found an article called the Foot Wash. It measures approximately four feet in length, so that a person can stand inside of it. It has a small handle on it; however, it has a stand as an accompanying instrument for the purpose of burning incense. This stand has an approximate height of four to five feet (more probably five feet). Seven types of woods are used for the incense burning, which acts as charcoal for the igniting of the raw, green tobacco that is placed over it.
Among the articles belonging to the company of the Ark of the Covenant is also found an altar with four protrusions, which are fashioned after the manner of rams’ horns, and made from a gold-like substance. There is a dark copper-like slab with a wall built around it. On top of this wall was placed another slab, so that a four-cornered altar was constructed.
The altar is taken apart every year, so it must be rebuilt every year for the religious rites to be performed on it. Because no one is allowed to go near enough to the Ark to touch it, a guard stands at each of the four corners. At the site of the altar a high priest stands behind the altar, and two lower priests, or medicine men, stand on each side of the altar.
The Ark of the Covenant is totally encompassed by a white veil, made from a type of cloth that is unique in appearance. No one knows where this cloth came from, or who made it. The fourth veil, which encompasses the Ark, has a bit of gold on it, and comes to a point over the Ark, somewhat like a square tent with the roof coming to a point. There are, then, four veiled walls surrounding the Ark, with each side having seven types of circular holes. Colors are also used. Each color represents the four types of peoples found in the world: Red, black, white and yellow, also red, green, brown, blue and light/dark purple. The red is for fire; green is for Mother Earth; white is for the Spirit; the dark/light purple is the representative for the Lord (Royalty). The other colors represent life, fertility, the earth, etc. The red circle is always in the middle, while the others form a circle around it. They also surround the square where the Ark is located. On the roof-top of the tent are red painted slots (or holes).
When the Ark sits in the temple, there is a hole immediately over the Ark in the roof-top to allow light to shine into the room where the Ark is located.· The light, however, is not allowed to shine directly on the Ark of the Covenant.
As part of the religious rite that is performed, and when such a religious rite continues through the evening hours, particular lamps are displayed that belong to the company of articles belonging to the Ark of the Covenant. These lamps are filled each with one of four kinds of animal oil (whale, bear, etc.). The lamps are not touched; however, a type of goldish-brown light is emitted from them during the night hours of the ceremony The Cherokee believe that Yowa is in the Ark, so that spiritually, they feel His power that allows the lamps to emit light to them for the religious rites being performed.
As mentioned before, no one is allowed to touch the Ark of the Covenant. If anyone should, the guards are instructed to take that person’s life.
CHEROKEE TEMPLE ORDINANCES OF THE COUNCIL HOUSE
The Cherokee Council House (which serves as a temple edifice as well) has seven walls; built in the fashion of a septagon. Each side is representative of the seven Cherokee clans, or family groups. Each side also has an entrance, and a specific place for the chief to sit. The high chief with his two counselors sit in the middle of the council house (or temple). This high chief is also known as the grand council head chief. There is also a sub-grand council head chief, and a medicine man, who is referred to as the “right-hand man.” Next in order sit the clan chiefs, the sub-clan chiefs, and then all the other members of the offices of each clan, or family unit, who sit behind one another in rank. Each one has a delegated seat in the Council House. Lastly the members of each family group can also sit in council and listen to the words that are spoken. Meantime, while the elect officials speak, no one else will irreverence the occasion by their speech.
About one hundred yards away from the seven-sided council house (or temple), the actual temple sits atop a mound. Because today there exists no village, as existed anciently, the Ark is brought and set upon what would be a holy house, made with four sides. The Ark is set there with all of the necessary articles for a religious ceremony.
It must be remembered that during the ceremonial use of the Ark of the Covenant, it had to be situated near a place where water existed so the ordinances of baptism for the living and proxy-baptisms for the dead could be performed. In attending this ceremony, which was usually held for up to four days–depending upon the size of the people gathered for the ordinances to be performed–everyone was expected to walk or go by horseback into the farthest remote areas wherever the Ark was taken and placed.
The walls of the holy house built to perform the ordinances associated with the Ark of the Covenant had to be white. The entrance had to face east, and the exit west.
The pre-requisite for anyone going through the veils of the temple was marriage. One was also required to go through the ordinances of the temple with one’s mate. Those entering the temple must wear light colored clothing, although not necessarily white.
In entering the holy house (temple), one must pass through four veils in order to obtain a view of the Ark of the Covenant. There are altars between each veil passage-way, where incense is burned. In order to pass from one veil to the another, certain passwords and hand-grips must be given. (These hand ‘grips were shown to J. Murray Rawson). The passwords were said to be the names of the old Tribal leaders, and of Yowa.
Regarding the marriage ceremony, Indians (Cherokee) must be married before the Tribal Council. This marriage is for this life only. If Indians are worthy, after the first ceremony, they can then go to the holy house and be married for eternity by the medicine-man and witnessed by all the council chiefs. This marriage cannot be broken or changed. There is no divorce. However, transgression of the eternal marriage covenant will revoke it.
When a spouse and his mate enter the temple house, they first enter through the east and go through a white veil, which is called the first veil. Upon entering, the woman washes the man’s feet, and then his hands. In return, the man washes his woman’s feet and then her hands.
By knowing what ordinance the two are there to perform, the woman will then proceed to go with her husband through the various steps, or rooms. There are four steps that must be performed prior to arriving to the Ark of the Covenant, assuming (hypothetically) they both are there to receive the ordinance of marriage sealing for eternity.
The second room is the incense room. In this room, one can pray and burn incense. It is not unusual for one’s prayers to be answered there. If the medicine-man finds one worthy in this second room, he, or the high priest officiating, will give his decision and recommendation for that person to continue to the third room, where the altar is located. In this third room, the Altar Room, one is allowed to bring his sacrifice, and there sacrifice a bird, or some other type of small animal.
Because only a certain number of people are allowed to enter this Altar Room, certain restrictions are applied. Therefore, after all the sacrifices are received of the high priest there, each person in the room is allotted a specified amount of time to ask questions, to receive guidance and revelation. The offerings are then burnt, at that point, while special prayers are recited. Simultaneously, the person going through the ordinance fervently prays hoping his prayer to be answered, and that he may receive a blessing of the Lord.
As one is found worthy, the medicine man will send him onto the fourth room, wherein he must pass through the fourth veil. In this fourth room the Ark of the Covenant is located. The passageway into the fourth room, through the fourth veil, is also called the “gateway.” Passage is gained only through the use of certain passwords. The officiator returns the same words as have been given to him by the person going through the temple.
The passwords, basically, are the answers to these questions: “Who are you?” and “What do you believe in?” The person then gives the officiator a name for the first password, and tells him that he believes in “Amiiwah”, meaning the Laws of the Long House. Those laws are very similar to the Ten Commandments, and very specific. Therefore, these laws teach one to keep clean, pure and chaste, morally, so that one’s body is pure to progress (spiritually), and also pure to progress symbolically (physically) into the fourth room.
ANOTHER PROPHET OF THE ONONDAGA
THE STORY OF ZELPH AND ONANDAGUS would be displayed as more conclusive by more LDS writers if only it were more faith-promoting. As it stands, however, if requires several levels of accommodation in terms of its ethnographic, archaeological, Book of Mormon-geographical, and now – as must become obvious in this entry – linguistic content. Judging from the early accounts, I will presume that Joseph Smith did not venture to spell the unusual names for the benefit of his hearers. The various renditions of the prophet/ leader’s name were Onandagus (the spelling given by Wilford Woodruff and the History of the Church), Onendagus (Levi Hancock), and Omandagus (Reuben McBride). Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source © 2014 Rick Grunder page 1127
CONTRAST THIS with prominent Book of Mormon defender John L. Sorenson’s disquieting notion that “Joseph Smith could not have known in 1830 from published books or his contemporaries that an ancient civilization had existed anywhere in the Americas. To all settlers of the western New York frontier, an ‘Indian’ was just a savage.” (Sorenson 2002, 262) On the contrary, much if not most of the supposed concrete evidence of advanced Native civilizations came to writers like Dr. Mitchill and Governor Clinton from local New York landowners who came upon deliciously intriguing artifacts and structural remains while plowing their fields, hiking through hills or digging wells. Indeed, we are warned in a note printed on the back of this pamphlet’s title page: “AS the progress of cultivation extinguishes the remains of antiquities mentioned in this memoir, the view of the writer, in publishing it, is to awaken enquiry to a subject of great importance, before the means of investigation are entirely lost.” (p. [2]).
A long time ago when the Creator placed us upon Mother Earth, each family was asked to to go out of the village and tell about the animal they have witnessed. When they reported what they saw, that became the “clan” of your family.
About one hundred winters since the people left the mountains,–the five families were increased and made some villages in the country. The Holder of the Heavens was absent from the country, which was destitute of the visits of the Governor of the Universe. The reason produced the occasion that they were invaded by the monsters called Ko-nea-rau-neh-neh (Flying heads), which devoured several people of the country. The Flying Heads made invasions in the night; but the people were attentive to escape by leaving their huts and concealing themselves in other huts prepared for the purpose. An instance:–There was an old woman who resided at Onondaga; she was left alone in the hut at evening, while others deserted. She was setting near the fire parching some acorns when the monstrous Head made its appearance at the door; while viewing the woman it was amazed that she eat the coals of fire, by which the monsters were put to flight, and ever since the heads disappeared and were supposed concealed in the earth. After a short time the people were invaded by the monster of the deep; the Lake Serpent traverses the country, which interrupted their intercourse. The five families were compelled to make fortifications throughout their respective towns, in order to secure themselves from the devouring monsters.
In April, 1779, Colonel Van Schaick, in command of 150 men, invaded the Onondaga country, burned this village and council house, and drove the Indians from the vicinity; but only temporarily. Soon afterward they moved a little farther south and settled in the picturesque valley of their present Reservation, where they have lived in peace and security for upwards of one hundred years. Here they built a council house, the successor of which, rebuilt about 1875, is familiar to many visitors to that interesting settlement. Just west of it is a small council house which formerly stood across the road, north of the long structure, on or near the spot where now rests the remains of Ka-ny-tie-you, one of the founders of the Pagan religion.
The Onondaga Creek flows northerly and northeasterly through the principal valley of the Reservation, and receives in its course four tributaries. These streams afford excellent drainage. The main road, running along the east side of the valley from Syracuse, enters the northeast corner of the Reservation at Onondaga Castle post-office, sometimes called the “entrance gate,” and runs thence southwesterly through the tract to Cardiff, with a thoroughfare branching off above the council house to South Onondaga. Near this principal highway, on land of Solomon George, stands the somewhat celebrated six-bodied elm. The north entrance to the Reservation is about five miles south of the southern limits of Syracuse.
Drunkenness among Indians is too well known to require more than brief mention here. With the white man came liberal quantities of “fire water,” which performed its work of demoralization and not infrequently destroyed the results of missionary effort. Both warriors and squaws, and even young children, developed an insatiable desire for rum and whisky, and unscrupulous whites generously appeased their thirst. And here allusion may be made to Handsome Lake, or Contatauyou, the Peace Prophet, a Seneca sachem of the Turtle tribe and half-brother of Cornplanter, who was born near Avon about 1735 and died at Onondaga in 1815. About the year 1800, after a dissipated life, he claimed to have had dreams or visions, through which he was commissioned by the Great Spirit to come to the rescue of his people. His first efforts were to eradicate intemperance. With his teachings, which were termed the “New Religion,” he mingled the fancies of his dreams, claiming that he had seen the branching paths which departed spirits trod on leaving the earth. “To a drunkard was given a red-hot liquid to drink, as if he loved it, and as a stream of blaze poured from his mouth he was commanded to sing as when on earth after drinking fire-water.” “A woman who sold fire-water was nothing but bones, for the flesh had been eaten from her hands and arms.” These and other principles upon which his teachings were founded wrought the Handsome Lake and his successor, Sasehawa, a deep place in the confidence of the old Pagan party. Soon after his death the Iroquois Temperance League was formed among the Six Nations, the organization taking place on the Tuscarora Reservation in Niagara county. Since then the League has held annual meetings, made up of representatives and others from various subordinate lodges on the different Reservations. The Onondagas, as a resident nation, were not represented until about 1891, when the Onondaga Temperance Society, which had been organized some two years before, was admitted. This local society meets every two weeks, has about seventy-five members, and under the Iroquois League offers sick, accident, and death beneficiaries. Besides this the Onondagas take considerable interest in Ka-no-sue-nee (Long House) Lodge, No. 777, I. O. G. T., which was organized November 2, 1877, and which has since maintained a flourishing existence. Its oldest charter member in continuous good standing is Albert Cusick, the first marshal and the present lodge deputy. Among other prominent members, past and present, are Rev. Welcome Smith, Elizabeth and Jacob A. Scanandoah, Josiah Jacobs, Christ John Smith, and Elizabeth Thomas. These two organizations have performed noble work in eradicating intemperance and building up morals among the Indians. The combined membership is over 100, and the consumption of whisky, lager, hard cider, and other intoxicating liquors is less by nearly one-half than twenty years ago.
Ownership of land, though not recorded after the manner of the whites, is acquired by verbal bargains accompanied by payment, and such agreements are respected. No papers ever pass between the contracting parties. Many of the farms and other lands are leased to white people for a cash rental or upon shares. This is particularly true of the valuable limestone quarries lying on the east side of the Reservation, a little west of the road to La Fayette, where as many as six derricks have been worked, paying to the nation annually $100 each. Successful agricultural fairs have been held on the Reservation for several years, particularly about 1871.
The sins of the people were expiated, and general joy was manifested by the firing of guns and mutual congratulations. Formerly two white dogs were burned, but now only one is sacrificed. When the full ceremony is carried out the tenth day is given up to dancing by the children, who with adopted persons are named; the eleventh is for the dance for the Four Persons, Ki-yae-ne-ung-qua-ta-ka; on the twelfth are held dances for the Holder of the Heavens, and on the thirteenth occurs the dance for the Thunders. The next morning the men and women take opposite sides in gambling, and if the men win it will be a good season. Between seven and ten days later the False Faces search houses, receive gifts, and dance at the council house.
Captain Samuel George was the last of an illustrious line of chiefs, and held tenaciously to the faith of his fathers, which was Paganism. He served with the Americans in the war of 1812, and on one occasion, without rest or sleep, ran 150 miles to bring an important message to the American army. He was emphatically the leader of his race, enjoying not only their confidences, but also the respect and esteem of the whites. His word was law; his utterances were unquestioned. He was leading war chief (Zi-wynk-to-ko-noe) of the Onondagas from the death of Captain Cold in 1847 until his death; and for more than twenty years he served also as head chief (Ha-no-we-ye-ach-te) of the Six Nations. Under him the tribe made good progress toward civilization. He died at his home about a quarter of a mile from the council house on the evening of September 24, 1873, aged seventy-eight, and was buried with Christian ceremonies on the 26th. After a brief service at the house, conducted by Rev. James M. Clarke, rector of St. James’s church, Syracuse, the coffin was borne to the Church of the Good Shepherd, where it was received by Bishop Huntington and placed upon a bier in the open air. The Bishop, standing on the steps of the little edifice, delivered a most beautiful and appropriate address, Daniel La Forte acting as interpreter. The remains were then uncovered that the assembled people, both Indians and whites, might look for the last time upon the departed chieftain, who was clothed in full warrior costume: across his breast was his wampum belt, and upon his head were his cap and feathers. Thence the body was borne by four young braves to a spot near the council house, where it was lowered to its last resting place.
