History of the Wyandott Mission, at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, under the direction of the Methodist Episcopal church

Front matter

LIBRARY Brigham Young University

JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH

Collection on American Church History

Preface

In presenting this volume to the Christian public, the author claims no other merit than that of giving a plain narrative of facts which fell under his own observation^ or which are derived from authentic sources. In early life he became acquainted with the Indian tribes bordering on our frontier, and acquired considerable knowledge of their history and traditions— their manners and customs— their religion and modes of worship ; and having been subsequently several years a missionary to the ^yandotts, at Upper Sandusky, he is enabled to give a rela-. lion of all that pertains to the introduction and success of the Gospel among them.

In undertaking this work the author has been influenced by the advice of several of his friends, as well as by his own desire to bring to the notice of the public^ the example furnished in the history of the Wyandott mission, of the divine efficiency of Christianity to civilize the heathen nations. He has not aimed at a polished style, and seeks no literary fame ; his highest ambition being to advance the gloiy of God, and the influence of genuine religion among men.

That the historical narrative contained in this volume may edify his readers, and awaken their sympathies and stimulate them to greater cflTorts in sustaining the cause of missions, as well as aflbrd encouragement to the missionary of the cross to renewed exertions in the great work of evangelizing tlie world* is the earnest prayer of

The Author.

Contents

TO

HISTORY OF THE WYANDOTT MISSION.

Chapter I

Indians, why so called — Their origin unknown — Supposed to be descendants of the Ten Tribes of Israel — Revolt of the Ten Tribes — Carried captive into Assyria — Scripture prophecies concernmg them — Of their dispersion and final restoration — Their present existence and place unknown — Outcasts from the rest of the world — Their probable migration to this continent — Arguments to show this — Quotation from Esdras — Probable from Assyria to this continent — Comparison between the Indians and Jews, in their persons, dress, ornaments, &c. — The Indian languages derived from one root — Indians' opinion of their own origin — Hold themselves to be a distinct race. Page 13

Chapter II

The Wyandotts — Former extent of their territory — Strong and warlike — Division of the nation — Then bravery — HospitaUty — Divide their lands with other nations — Diminution of their numbers — Gloomy reflections of the Indian in contemplating the extinction of his race — 111 treatment of them by the whites — The persons of the Indians described— Mental characteristics — Peculiar traits of character — Wcnrship the Great Spirit — Their festivals — Medicine feast — Feast of dreams — Feast of giving names — War feast — The great feast — Wobbeno feast — Feast with the dead — Boys^ feast — Garangula — Autumnal feasts — Solemn feasts — Buffalo feasts — Wyandotts in two tribes — Change in the dynasty — Form of government — Manslaughter and the avenger of blood — A singular example — Towns of refuge — An example — Law about property sold — A case where the author was concerned — Law about theft — Theft formerly almost unknown — Sanguinary law against murder — Its beneficial effect — Witchcraft — Case of a young man bewitched by wolves — Stewart and a witch — Horrible

death inflicted on her — Games — Their religion — BeUeve in two Gods

In future rewards and punishments — In inspiration — Seneca prophet

1*

O CONTENTS,

Shawnee prophet — ^Inferior prophets — Polygamy — Hospitahly — Reception and entertainment of strangers — Author eats a dish of locusts— Mode of eating — A case of two white men transgressing it — Their friendship and hatred , Page 43

Chapter III

Introduction of the Gospel among the Wyandotts — Their degraded condition before tliis — Their reception of the Roman Catholic rehgion — Its bad effects on their minds and lives — John Stewart — His conversion — Is impressed to preach to the Indians — Leaves Marietta for this purpose — Comes to Goshen, on the Tuscarawas — Then to the Delawares at Pipetown — Adventures there — Comes to Upper Sandusky— Kindly received by the Walkers — Interview with Jonathan Pointer, who discourages him in liis undertaking — First preacliing of Stewart among the Wyandotts — Decision of Mr. Walker respecting the Protestant and Catholic Bibles — Stewart departs for Marietta — Robert Armstrong — Visits of local preachers to the Wyandotts — They are recognized by the Ohio Conference as a missionary station— Rev. James Montgomery appointed missionary — Leaves the station, and becomes sub-agent at Lower Sandusky — Moses Henkle, Sen., supplies his place — ^First Indian quarterly meeting held at Ebenezer Zane's, November 19th, 1819 — Interesting exercise of the meeting — Experience of Between-the-logs — Of Hicks — Of Seuteash — Mononcue*s exhortation, and his remarks on whisky — Between-the-logs describes their ancient reUgion, that of the Roman CathoUc, and the Seneca and Shawnee prophets — The Wyandott mission pecuharly blessed — Religion alone truly civilizes savage men — The author pursuades them to have a school, and adopt the habits of civilized life — Address of the nation, dated August 7th, 1821, to the conference held at Lebanon — Dangerous voyage to Detroit — The bark canoe — Quarterly meeting at Detroit — Voyage to Portland — Journey to Lower Sandusky — An Indian poney 73

Chapter IV

The author in August, 1821, appointed missionary — Want of missionary funds and resources — Preparations for his journey — Arrives at the mission — Cordially received — Lives in a cold, open cabin — Builds a new one — Works very hard, and prepares materials for building the mission house — Sufferings during the winter — Stewart teaches Indian school at Big Spring — Happy death of Mononcue's aunt — ^His speech at her funeral — Unformed state of the Church — Organization of a class at Big Spring, and one at themission — Opposition to this course by the luke-warm and irreligious— Unprincipled conduct of the traders — Heads of a sermon at the mission — Between-the-logs exhorts — Indian woman's dream — Indians repair to their hunting ground, to hunt and make sugar — Author visits their camps to hold a two days' meeting — ^Eats boiled raccoon and molasses — The hunting camp — The houses, beds, and fixtures — Mode of hunting raccoons — ^Bears — ^Their habitudes — « Mode of hunting them in winter — Young bears — Bear robbed of her cubs — Bear's flesh and oil — Bear's oil, venison, sugar, and parched com — Account of the meeting — Return to the mission house — Meeting among the whites on Tyamochte creek — Mononcue's address to them on drinking — Difficulties of regulating classes and explaining Discipline Page 115

Chapter V

Interesting examination of the leaders at the quarterly conference— Cleanliness promoted — Better treatment of women — Wicked conduct of traders — Scruples of the chiefs respecting holding civil offices — The author removes their doubts — His reasoning on this topic — Interesting camp meeting on Delaware circuit — Profitable quarterly meeting at the mission — Meeting at the Big Spring — Conversion of an Indian woman on the way, while riding to it — Baptisms and marriages — Organization of two small schools — Erection of the mission house — Dangerous illness of the author, occasioned by hard labor at the house — Illness of Mrs. Finley — Both recover slowly — ^Their great sufferings — ^Evil surmisings respecting Stewart — Bishop M'Kendree purchases a farm for him, and provides for his family — 111 health of the author — Unable to receive a re-appointment to the mission — Correspondence with Rev. J. Soule and Rev. S. G. Roszel — Speech of Between-the-logs at conference — Bishop M'Kendree's reply 135

Chapter VI

The author is appointed to the Lebanon district, and superintendent of the mission — Charles Elliott is appointed missionary — Arrives at Sandusky early in October — A school committee appointed — A school opened, and becomes very large — Two teachers, viz., William Walker, Jr., and Lydia Barstow, appointed — Revival among the children — The author quits the district, and takes charge of the mission — Brother Elliott is employed in making collections for the mission — Opposition of the heathen party — Bloody-eyes determines to kill his brother, Between-the-logs — ^The author's rencounter with the head chief, De-un-quot, and his party — Their dress — The chi? f maintains that there are two gods, one of the whites, another of the red men — The author's reply to this theory — Pertinent remarks of Between-the-logs — The head chief dies shortly after — His wife joins the Church — Difficulty in exercising Discipline — A curious case between a trader and Between-the-logs Page 161

Chapter VII

The author visits neighboring tribes — Conversation with the chiefs on the diiference between Methodist and Presbyterian doctrine— Visit to the Mohawks — Dangerous passage over Honey creek — Interesting meeting and formation of a class among the Mohawks — Visit to the Senecas — The Seneca feast — Reception of the Wyandotts — Speech respecting the Seneca prophet — Preliminary answer of Between-the-logs — Commences a religious meeting— Admirable speech on the superiority of the Christian over the Indian religion — Answers and objections — Speech of Hicks — Speech of Mononcue — His description of the judgment — Effect on the hearers — Closing interview of the Seneca and Wyandott chiefs — The author renews his acquaintance with Wiping-stick, a chief — Good effects of their visit upon the Senecas. . . . 171

Chapter VIII

Quarterly meeting held July 26th, 1823, in the woods — Lov« feast — Speech of Between-the-logs — Good effects of the meeting — The school — Formed on the manual labor plan — Classification and employ of the boys — Of the girls — Bishop M'Kendree's visit — He teaches the boys to hoe — His letter to T. Mason — Mr. Johnston's letter— The Bishop visits and instructs the Indians at their houses — Interesting conversations with them — Religion can civilize savage men — Attempts of the government agents to purchase the Wyandott reservation — Speech of a chief on the occasion — Tlie whites steal their horses — Expedient to remedy this — Journal of their doings in council kept in writing — Regulations concerning marriage and divorce— Extract from their journal — Laws respecting drunkenness — Case of a young man — Good effects of religion on its professors — Treatment of the children — Manner of convincing the Indians of the truth of religion — G. R. Jones' letter 182

Chapter IX

The year 1823-24 — The author re-appointed, and with him the ReY» Jacob Hooper — Letter from Hon.. Lewis Cass — Last illnes& and death of John Stewart — The author sets out for the north, to visit other tribes, accompanied by two Indians — ^Incidents on the way — The ring hunt — A Wyandott hymn — Sin of selling ardent spirits — Lodging at a Frenchman's — Meeting at the house of Honnis — Description of this venerable man — His speech — Roman Catholic priests among the Wyandotts — Mouth of the Detroit river — Maiden — Brownstown — Detroit — Interview with Governor Cass — Crosses to the Canada side of the river — Forms the first Indian class ever formed in Canada — Return to Detroit — Revival there.

Chapter X

The author's return home from Detroit— Preparations for tho journey — Incidents on the way — Sleeps on the ground — Passing tlie Maumee — He and his companions come to an Indian cam]) — Spoons of lynn bark — Return to the mission — Attempts of the heathen party to revive their old religion — Their curious notions respecting the Bible — The chiefs accuse the sub-agent — ^His trial before Mr. Johnston — Unfounded allegations against the author — His manner of defense — Mr. Johnston's letter — The author's life threatened — He employs no means of offense or defense — Respect shown to him by the wicked Indians 235

Chapter XI

The year 1824 — A cftiss formed of the school children — Their religious exercises — Their Christian behavior — Death of Hann^ih Armstrong, in May, 1824 — The Indians go to White river to hunt during the winter — Between-the-logs has charge of the party — They all observe the Sabbath, and hold religious meetings — Whits persons coming to trade on the Sabbath, are reproved — Admirable exhortation of Bctwcen-the-logs on one of these occasions — Their return to Sandusky — Sum-mun-de-wat and the unknown prcaclicr— Unprincipled conduct of the traders — Attempt of the heathen party to restore their religion — Manner in which the author restored those who had been led astray by the heathens — Kindness and revenge of the Indian — ^Instance in the case of Adam Poc and Rohn-yen-ncss — The Indians turn their attention to agriculture and domestic improvements— They receive much aid from the example and assistance of the missionaries — Erection of a meeting house — Interview of the autlior with President Monroe — Also with Mr. Calhoun — Letter from Mr. M'Kennev — Form of a report for an Indian schoal — Objections to this by some — Efficiency of the Gospel lo civilize man Page 243

Chapter XII

May, 1824 — Missionary meeting at Baltimore — Anecdotes and address by Summerfield — The aunt and her niece — Mr. Wirt taken for an Indian — Note from Rev. Richard Reece — ^Influence of religion in civilization — Impulse given to missionary exertions — Letter of T. Jackson, Philadelphia — Also of L. Dorsey, Baltimore — Mr. M'Kenney's letter — Contemplated division of their lands — Mr. M'Kenney's letter on this point — State of the mission at the close of the year — Bishop Soule's letter — State of the Wyandott mission in Canada 262

Chapter XIII

Conference year commencing 1824 — The author and J. Hooper re-appointcd to the mission — Division of the Indian lands considered— Proposal to remove west of the Mississippi — Letter from Mr. M'Kcnney — Letter to the War Department, on the state of the school — Mr. M'Kenney's reply — Gov. Cass' letter — The author's ietter to the War Department on the removal of the Indians — Annoyance of the whites, and the remedy — Gov. Cass' letter — Blackhoof's view on remoiving by the government — Mr. M'Kenney's fetter— Removal of the Indians — Religious state of the mission — Letter from the Female Missionary Society of New York, accompanying a donation of books — Mr. Dando's letter — Letter of the chiefs — Letter of Methodist Female Missionary Society of Philadelphia— The author's reply 294

Chapter XIV

Robert Armstrong — His capture when a child — Brief notice of his. life— His character — Usefulness — ^Death — Author appointed Sub- Agent for the Wyandotts — Correspondence on that subject — Discharges its duties gratuitously — ^Letter from a Juvenile Missionary Society — Reflections — Exhortation to the young — Condition of the mission — Efforts of traders to entice the Indians to intemperance — Severe reproof to makers and venders of ardent spirits — Scuteash seduced by the traders, and led into incurable drunkenness — Unsuccessful attempts of the author to reform him. . . . . » 320

Chapter XV

Conference year commencing in 1825 — The author and Rev. J. C. Brooke appointed missionaries — Twelve of the largest Indian boys sent to live among the whites — The author's exposure in lying out all night — His dangerous sickness — A good quarterly meeting — Conversion of Scionta, the high priest of the heathen party — Letter of the author — He and Between-the-logs, Mononcue, and others, set out to visit the eastern cities — Voyage to Buffalo — Religious exercises on the canal — Arrival at Schenectady — At Albany — At 'Newburgh — At New York — They lodge at Dr. Pitts' — Are disturbed with drays and carts passing before day — Mononcue's opinion of sea crabs — They are amused with the curiosities of the city — School of colored children — Museum — Gas lights — The chiefs speak in the <^ongregation — Rev. H. B. Bascora's admirable missionary sermon — Missionary meeting — Speech of Between-the-logs — Of Mononcue — Of Rev. J. P. Durbin — Letter from Bishop Soule — They visit Philadelphia— Occurrences there — Proceed to Baltimore — Received by Bishop Soule and others at the wharf — Lodged at his house — Kindness of his family — Bishop M'Kendree — Great curiosity to see the chiefs — Favorable impression made by their visit — The Baltimore camp meeting — Address of Between-the-logs — He addresses the congregation by signs — Good effects — The Severn camp meeting — Anecdote of a German — Visit to Washington — The author and the chiefs return home — Their report to their people — Letter from Sarah B. Sargent — Reflection — Judge Leib's Report to the Secretary of War , Page 336

Chapter XVI

Conference year commencing in 1826 — Rev. James Gilruth appointed missionary to the Wyandotts — Death of Between-the-logs — Bishop M'Kendree's last visit to the mission — Rev. John P. Finley — The Bishop's pastoral care of the mission — Holds a council with the chiefs — His address to them — Their reply — Notes of this council, taken by the Bishop — His notice of some of their peculiar customs — Scionta, formerly high priest of the heathen party — His conversion noticed — The Bishop's valedictory — Affecting parting scene — The Bishop, the author, and others, set out for Urbana — Indian provision for the journey — Incidents on the way — Reflections concerning the Bishop's plainness and humility — Indian " cold coffee" — Arrival at Urbana — Bishop's letter to Editors of the Methodist Magazine — Slander against the author investigated and refuted— Certificate of the chiefs in his favor — Young Ladies' Wyandott Missionary Society of Philadelphia — Letters from same. 386

13 CONTEXTS.

Chapter XVII

The Wyandotts want their lands divided — Letter from Gov. Cass on the subject — The division made — Good eflfects thereof — Letter from Mononcue — Case of cruel murder among the Indians — Death of the murdered man — The murderer's Ufe purchased by presents to widow of deceased — Her conversion — She returns the price of her husband's blood, and marries — Stricture on the manufacture and eale of ardent spirits — Publishers' notice — Letter from Kev. James Gilruth Page 392

Chapter XVIII. Obituaries

Betwcen-the-logs — Big-tree — Jos. Williams — Cu-an-da-ma Hicks — Maurice — Mary — Wah-shu-ta-mah — An-daw-y a-wah — Thomas Mason — Isaac Walker — Co-ban — Hannah — Eliza Jane Hansberger — Sister Frost — Two Feathers — Maurice — Ken-taugh-que — Susan Brant — In-cats-see — Cu-ah's wife — John Brant — Eli Pipe — Ta-zuh — ^Nau-gah-hat — Mary Fighter — Sy-on-to's wife — None-way-sa — Yas-yah — Sister Jaco — Men-da-za — Tar-un-ene — Polly Zane — y a-men-dash — Ta-sa-tee — Sister Jacques — Tay-how-wa-ha — Tare-sha — Tar-he-too — Maurice Big Spoon — An-da-wiz-u — Peter Warpole — Jesse Lee — Jacob Hooper — Men-sa-noo — May-yat-ta-hat — John Coon — John M'Lean — Ya-zhe-ah — Charlotte Barnet — Elizabeth Mononcue — Tom Long — Mariah — Rhon-yan-ness — Concluding remarks 401

A HISTORY OF THE WYANDOTT MISSION.

Chapter I

Indians, why so called — Their origin unknown — Supposed to be descendants of the Ten Tribes of Israel — Revolt of the Ten Tribes — Carried captive into Assyria — Scripture prophecies concerning them — Of their dispersion and final restoration — Their present existence and place unknown — Outcasts from the rest of the world — Their probable migration to this continent — Arguments to show this — Quotation from Esdras — Probable from Assyria to this continent — Comparison between the Indians and Jews, in tlieir persons, dress, ornaments &c. — The Indian languages derived from one root — Indians' opinion of their own origin — ^Hold themselves to be a distinct race.

The natives of this continent were called Indians by the first discoverers of it, M'ho supposed that they had reached the eastern coast of India. They found it peopled with a numerous race of copper colored inhabitants, enjoying- many of the blessings of social life, whose very existence was before unknown to all the rest of the world.

Of the origin of the Indian race, history is altogether silent. And although God " hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth," yet, from what branch of the family of Noah they have descended, or how and when they reached this continent, as well as their subsequent history, nothing better is left to us than mere conjecture. Even their own traditions on this subject differ, and, at best, are " shrouded in great obscurity, or rejected as ridiculous fables. The question of their origin, however, is too deeply interesting to be passed over in silence. I must, therefore, ask the indulgence of my readers, whilst I lay before them some thoughts on this subject; in which I shall avail myself freely of the Rev. Ethan Smith's " View of the Hebrews.''^

The opinion that the aboriginals of this great continent are the descendants of the ten lost tribes of ancient Israel, has long been entertained by many, and advocated by some able writers. In the absence of historical evidence to sustain this opinion, we must rely upon circumstantial proof, and upon inferences drawn from a comparison of the present race of Indians with the ancient Israelites.

In the reign of Rehoboam, son and successor of Solomon, king of Israel, about two thousand five hundred years since, the Ten Tribes revolted, and separated themselves from the house of Israel, and Jeroboam became their king. He supposed that if they were permitted to go up to Jerusalem to worship, by their mingling with the house of Judah, their prejudices might be overcome, and they would return to their former alliance. To prevent this, he made golden calves, and set them up in Dan and Bethel, and commanded that for public worship they should assemble at those places ; and by this idolatrous worship, he made Israel to apostatize from God, which brought down on them the curses foretold by Moses, their prophet. (Deut. xxviii, 15.)

How literally was this prophecy fulfilled on Judah and Israel ! Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, captured the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who dwelt east of Jordan, and placed them in Halah and Habor, by the river Gozan. About twenty years after this, and seven hundred and twenty-five years before Christ, the rest of the Ten Tribes were taken by Shalmanezer, and carried into Assyria, and placed with

WYANDOTT iMlSSIOX. 15

their brethren in Media. This happened about nine hundred and forty -three years after they came out of Egypt. From this captivity the Ten Tribes never returned, and they have strangely disappeared from the world, and have no name or place among the nations of the earth ; and we might readily suppose that they had amalgamated with the nations by whom they were captured, were it not that the prophecies in Scripture concerning them, forbid this conclusion, and that we have demonstrative proofs that God has preserved the house of Judah, which has been scattered to the four winds of heaven. These, we know, still remain a separate and distinct people, whose whole present population may be estimated at five millions ; and we may fairly infer that the Ten Tribes have been preserved, by the same powerful hand, separate and distinct. And that they do still exist, we think there can be no reasonable doubt. The prophets foretold their literal ejection from the promised land, which w^as fulfilled ; and the prophecies strongly intimate their literal restoration. (See Ezekiel xxxvi.) Here the long dispersion of Judah and Israel is foretold, and the cause of it stated. But in the final triumph of Messiah's kingdom, God says, by his prophet, "And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned amongst the heathen;'* " and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness^ and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers ; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." " Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your own iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you." "In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities, I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by." "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it : and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded." "And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden ; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it." Again, in chap. 37, v. 14, [I will] "put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord."

This prophecy shows clearly that ancient Israel is not only to be converted from their Judaism, their rejection of Christ, and from their idolatry ; but shall be spiritually born of God, receive a new heart, from which the stony is to be taken away, and cleansed from all their filthiness and idols ; and ancient Israel (that is, the houses of Judah wtAHvoTT MissroS". 1 7

and Israel) are to be restored to the promised land ; and the Lord is to build for them, in the face of all their enemies, their cities and waste places, and make that long desolated country as the garden of Eden. This wonderful event is most beautifully illustrated in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel, by the figure of the valley of dry bones: — *' The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about : and behold, there were very many in the open valley ; and lo, they were very dry." This is a most impressive figure of the present condition of ancient Israel ; and in all human probability, the restoration of this valley of ^'•very dry'"" bones, to Irving human beings, appears quite as impossible as the restoration of ancient Israel, in their present condition^ to the happy enjoyment of their beloved Canaan. "And he said unto me. Son of man, can these bones live ? and I answered, 0 Lord God, thou knowest. And he said unto me. Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord» Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and Avill bring up flesh upon you,, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live ; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded : and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld^ lo, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above : but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind. Thus saith the

Lord God: Come from the four winds, 0 breath, and breathe upon these slam, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: [reader, not a part, but both the houses of Judah and of Israel:] behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost : we are cut off for our parts. Therefore, prophesy and say unto them. Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord."