Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/94

 82 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews*

high-priefthood into a French American bloody chair, with a bunch of reel and black beads ; where the devil and they could as eafily have inftructed them in the infernal French catechifm, as they did the Canada Indians : as Who killed Chrift ? Anfwer, The bloody Englifh ; &c. *

To difcover clearly the origin of the Indian religious fyftem, I muft oc- cafionally quote as much from the Mofaic inftitution, as the favages feem to copy after, or imitate, in their ceremonies ; and only the faint image of the Hebrew can now be expected to be difcerned, as in an old, im perfect glafs. The priefthood originally centered with the firft male born of every family : with the ancient heathens, the royalty was annexed to it, in a direct: line ; and it defcended in that manner, as low as the Spartans and Romans. But, to fecure Ifrael from falling into heathenifh cuftoms and worfhip ; God in the time of Mofes, fet apart the Levites for religious fer- vices in the room of the firft-born -, and one high-prieft, was elected from the family of Aaron, and anointed with oil, who prefided over the reft. This holy office defcended by right of inheritance. However, they were, to be free of bodily defects, and were by degrees initiated to their holy office, before they were allowed to ferve in it* They were confecrated, by having the water of purifying fprinkled upon them, warning all their body, and their clothes clean, anointing them with oil, and offering a facrifice.

It is not furprizing that the drefs of the old favage Archi-magus^ and that of the Levitical high-prieft, is fomewhat different. It may well be fuppofed, they wandered from captivity to this far-diftant wildernefs, in a diftreft condi tion, where they could fcarcely cover themfelves from the inclemency of heat and cold. Befides, if they had always been poffeffed of the greateft affluence, the long want of written records would fufficiently excufe the difference ^ becaufe oral traditions are liable to variation. However, there are fome traces of agreement in their pontifical drefs. Before the Indian Archi- magus officiates in making the fuppofed holy fire, for the yearly atonement

has a great power to reform them. The bloody Romifh bulls, that France fent over to their Indian converts, clearly prove the former ; and our peaceable corvduft, as plainly fhewed the latter, till Britannia fent out her lions to retaliate.
 * A wrong belief has a moft powerful efficacy in depraving men's morals, and a right one

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