hv_swaynej_diary_1798_084

A few days after Cornplanters Brother Connudiu or Handsome Lake collected a num ber of Indians and told them he had lately needed instructions from Heaven by three men whom he stated he had previously seen these men had told him many things, that the Indians shamed keep up their old practice and manner of claiming for that was right and if they did so the Great Spirit would send into their woods great plenty of game and cover their ground with a new and rich soil whereby the Indians may live plentifully without much labor and that it was not right for them to raise wheat and corn to sell to one another but they were right in wearing old and ragged clothes and in painting their skins and tanning often which was pleasing to the great spirit. These and often such like foolish and supersitious doctrines and nations tends very much to obstruct the work of civilization being calculated to suit the weak ideas of the natives, and retard our endeavours for their good - About this time while their minds were in much agitation some of them gas a little displeased with the Quakers being amazed then and as we were informed came to a conclusion that we should have the plan Henry Obeal, the son of Cornplanter being as far our with us had a very warm debate with them on the ocassion and told them what we had done for them which served to put a