Sitting (Spirit): Sitting Bull's message from spirit life

lO SITTING BULLS MESSAGE.

Truth is ever bold! it spareth

None to whom it makes appealing;

But, while wounding, it gives healing,

Giveth ever where it taketh,

Bindeth wheresoe'er it breaketh.

Though his written word sharp stingeth,

Sitting Bull no malice bringeth

From the Hunting-grounds of Spirit.

The quick blood he did inherit

Floweth now more calmly, slowly;

Therefore cometh he more lowly,

In a spirit of contrition.

Gone is all his proud ambition,

Gone his bitterness and hatred,-—

All his anger hath been sated.

From the people long departed.

They, the wise ones, the large-hearted.

Hath he learned a kindlier feeling,

Therefore cometh he appealing

For the good of every nation.

True, with stronger obligation

Turns he to the Indian races.

Yet he seeth that pale faces

Are in bondage and oppression.

Even they have not possession

Of the rights belonging to them.

Of the freedom that is clue them.

What shall rend the cloud asunder,

That the nations now sit under,—

The dark cloud, that sore oppresseth ?

Sitting Bull with pain confesseth

That far distant seems the dawning

Of that glad, redemption morning

Pictured oft in ancient story,—

Not yet seeth he its glory.

Yet, while far the time appeareth,

There is still one sign that cheereth;

He beholdeth every nation

In a state of agitation.

This a better time presages

For mankind in coming ages.

Sitting Bull sees by this token

That the yoke shall yet be broken.

That now resteth on his nation.

And they gain full liberation.

It is coming, O pale faces,—

Freedom for the Indian races!

Though the white man's power seem stronger.

Comes a day when he no longer

Can misuse the Indian nation.

Even now, with indignation

Is his hot blood doubly heated.

And indignities repeated

Will but make him more miruly;

Do not anger him unduly.

He not easily is sated,

Not soon is his wrath abated,

Not soon doth he make retraction

When he hath been roused to action.

Sitting Bull sends forth his warning,-

To be met, no doubt, with scorning;

Such as oft to him was meted

When for justice he entreated.

Yet hath he no motive, other

Than to save his pale faced brother,

And the Indian tribes and races,

From the conflict that disgraces.

And alike unto each nation

Bringeth woe and desolation.

Sitting Bull the " oil of healing "

Fain would pour on wounded feeling

Of his stricken sons and daughters,—

Fain would calm the troubled waters

By which they are now surrounded.

He, with love that is unbounded,

Saith unto them. Education

Is your only sure salvation

From the evils that surround you,

SITTING BULLS MESSAGE.

From the ills that long have bound you.

Oh, then, rouse! put forth endeavor!

To injustice grant no favor;

But, all bitterness eschewing,

Labor for the full undoing

Of the ignorance of ages.

Back of you are seers and sages,

Back of you your long gone sires,—

These shall help you light the fires

Of a noble, true ambition,

That in time shall yield fruition.

With the fathers, gone before you.

Are your mothers, they who bore you;

They, their past rude life ignoring.

Now return to you, imploring

That you rise from degradation

And become a noble nation.

Urge with kindness the pale faces

To accord you better places.

Better lands and reservations —

Then fulfil your obligations.

Plough and sow, and you shall gather —

' Tis the law of the Great Father;

And while it remains unheeded

Will the bread of life be needed.

Gain that comes to him that worketh.

Cometh not to him that shirketh.

Not to him that idly sigheth,

But to him whose feet swift flieth

Is the race at length accorded,

And the golden prize awarded.

Listen ! my beloved nation,

To the earnest exhortation

Sitting Bull brings from your sires.

Dance no longer round your fires.

Thinking thus to woo the sages.

The Messiahs of past ages !

All your forms have no attraction

For these souls of earnest action.

But in every true endeavor

Will they aid and guide you, ever.

And, O pale face, more enlightened,

Be not anxious, be not frightened.

When you see the red man dancing,

' Round his camp fires wildly prancing ;

' Tis his mode of invocation.

White man maketh supplication

When and wheresoe'er he chooseth.

Yet the privilege refuseth

To his poor, untutored brother,

Who at present knows no other

Way to ease his burdened feeling.

Than by this rude, wild appeaUng. Would you lift him to your station, Pale face, give him education: Not the kind that comes from preaching, Or from praying — but the teaching That results from observation. Give him this, O pale faced nation. By allowing him to enter Every business mart and centre That is open to pale faces. Why not he, like other races. Be accorded free admission, Come and go without permission ? The Great Father who created Red and white man hath not stated That the red man's claim be bounded. Nay! in liberty was founded Life for every tribe and nation : Bondage bringeth degradation. Therefore Sitting Bull now prayeth That whene'er the red man strayeth From his lands and reservations Unto those of other nations. He be kindly met and treated — Kindness would in turn be meted — For the red man hath deep feeling.

lb SITTING BULLS MESSAGE.

And love maketh strong appealing

To his nature deeply hidden.

Should he sometimes come unbidden,

Or with rudeness seek to enter

The dominions where you centre

As a great and mighty nation,

Do not flee in consternation;

Let him view your ways and measures.

Look upon your arts and treasures;

It would quicken his ambition.

Help to change his sad condition,—

This the teaching red' man needeth.

Seldom is it that he readeth

Of what goeth on around him.

White man's laws so close have bound him,

That he knoweth not nor heedeth

How the world about him speedeth.

Sitting Bull the white man heareth,

Making answer, that he feareth

The red man would sore abuse him,

Were he from his bonds to loose him.

Nay! were red man's wrongs adjusted,

He could be as safely trusted

As can any other nation.

Red man feels deep obligation.