“WHERE IS THE WHITE MAN’S BOOK OF HEAVEN?”
In 1831, four Indian chiefs from Idaho made their way over the Rockies and were found on the streets of St. Louis, asking, “Where is the white man’s Book of Heaven?”
General Clark befriended them, took them around the city, where they were shown everything of interest, and they were treated with the utmost kindness. Finally two of the chiefs fell ill and died, and when the remaining Indians were preparing to return to their own tribes, the general gave a feast for them. At the banquet, in a farewell address to General Clark and friends, one of the two Indians poured forth his burden of sorrow in words of pathetic eloquence, as follows:
“I came to you over the trail of many moons from the setting sun. I came with an eye partly open for my people, who sit in great darkness, but I go back with both eyes closed. How can I go back blind to my blind people? I made my way to you with strong arms, through many enemies, and through strange lands, that I might carry back to my people much knowledge, for my people sent me to get the white man’s Book of Heaven.
An Indian woman whose attention was attracted and picture taken without her knowledge. Indians are very superstitious and are afraid to have their pictures taken.
“You took me to see many strange things, and to places where you allow your women to dance, as we do not ours, but the Book was not there, and now we are going back the long trail to our people in the dark land. You make my feet heavy with many gifts, and my moccasins will grow old carrying them, but the Book is not among them. What shall I do? Shall my people die in darkness? When I go to them, without the white man’s Book of Heaven, and tell them I could not get it, they will rise up, one by one, and go out, to return no more, for it is for that Book that they have been awaiting my return. How can I return to my people without the Book?”