had,  in  fact,   superimposed  these  impressions
upon  the  vague  and   misty  idealism   which
formed  the  basi.s  of  their  original  devotions.
2


If  the  wo]'d  had  been  invented  in  Weiser's
day,  ho  might  have  entitled  them  Pantheists.
It  must  be  kept  steadily  in   mind,  however,


CEREMONIAL   STONE   OF   GREEN.
that  Indian  sentimentalism  concerning  the
supernatural  was  very  apt  to  yield  to  entice-
ments, to  plunder,  bloodshed  and  debauchery.
Yet  they  became  skilled  theological  contro-
vei'sialists,  if  we  are  to  place  reliance  upon  the
alleged  reply  of  an  Indian  chief  to  a  Swedish
missionary  who  preached  upon  original  sin
and  the  necessity  for  a  mediator,  at  Cones-
toga,  I^ancaster  County,  Pa.,  in  1710.     The


HAN-J)-M  VIIE   A>rn    rlNfxER  MAEKFI)    M  SSEL    OF
I'OTrLl.l.
story  runs  that  the  missionary  was  so  puzzled
by  the  Indian  logic  that  he  requested  the
University  of  Upsal  to  furnish  him  with  a
confutation  of  it.  The  Indian  speech,  trans-
lated from  the  Latin  in  which  the  worthy
cleric  embalmed  it,  is  in  part  as  follows :

"Since  the  subject  of  his  (the  missionary's)  er-
rand is  to  persuade  us  to  embrace  a  new  doctrine,
perhaps  it  may  not  be  amiss,  before  we  offer  him
the   reasons  why   we  cannot  comply  with  his  re-


10


HISTORY  OF  CAMDEN  COUNTY,  NEW  JERSEY.
quest,  to  acquaint  him  with  the  grounds  and  prin-
ciples of  that  religion  which  he  would  have  us
abandon.  Our  forefathers  were  under  a  strong
persuasion,  as  we  are,   that  those  who  act  well  in


HOE   OF   OBEY    FLIMT,    7;1    BY    61   INCHES.
this  life  shall  be  rewarded  in  the  next,  according
to  the  degree  of  their  virtue ;  and  on  the  other
hand,  that  those  who  behave  wickedly  here  will
undergo  such  punishments  hereafter  as  are  proper-


k:S.  /.-•  -"*';


HORNBLENDE  AXE.
POLISHED  FLESHEE.
