John Slocum

John Slocum ( Squ - gently -un ) ( † 1892) was a member of the Squaxin Tribe Iceland ( Sahewamish ), an Indian group in the U.S. state of Washington, which at the southern Puget Sound lived and which belongs to the coastal Salish. He founded in 1881 the Indian Shaker Church.

Life

Slocum worked as a lumberjack in Mason County, Washington. The tradition history after ill Slocum in 1881 and lived in a trance-like state as he died and arrived in heaven. There was proclaimed him how he could save the salvation of the American Indians. He stands in line with other prophets of this era, such as Wovoka, Tavibo and Smohalla.

But five years later, he turned with his teaching, sealed called Adam, to the Indians. 1887 Slocum fell ill again, however, and he was cared for by his wife Mary Thompson Slocum. You will be liable again in trembling and twitching in his presence what her husband suggested as a spiritual phenomenon, which saved his life. He also saw this as a technique by which one can strip away sins. Hence the approach supported by external name Indian Shaker Church or religion.

His mystical idea of ​​the direct recording of contact with God, and his rejection of the writings made ​​him the enemy of the Christian churches. Yet his teaching was quite eclectic and helped himself in the rituals of the elements of Christian rites. Thus, the extensive use of lights, hand bells, and the ritual repetition of the sign of the cross probably derives from Catholic influences. Protestant influences make themselves felt in the public commitment ritual. The ritual of brushing sinfulness, the conscious ritual sequence in worship counterclockwise, the pitch and the spontaneous singing of inspired contents are probably more likely to return to the rites of the Coast Salish. Alcohol and tobacco were rejected, kindness, thoughtfulness and helpfulness were considered high virtues.

1892, the Indian Shaker Church was founded. The first church building was erected in 1882 at the Shaker Slocum Transfer Point opposite the Squaxin Island. Slocum's teachings spread quickly over the trunk out of, first to the Chehalis, where a church was built in 1883 in Oakville, the Skokomish, then to other tribes, such as the Klallam, Quinault, Lower Chehalis and Cowlitz. The latter mediated 1890 contact to the Yakama. This in turn sent missionaries soon to Oregon, where churches in Warm Springs, The Dalles and Siletz (1923 ) arose, and California. At the local Hupa a church at Smith River was born. The Washington Klallam of Jamestown in turn won many Klallam on Vancouver Iceland.

Slocum was taken more than once in custody. The government feared a religious mass movement and a general uprising. She tried (at least for school children ) to channel and regulate the phenomenon by limiting the duration of the rituals, by their public, by restricting the light of day. Since the control and the exercise of power in the reserves was much more intense, churches sprang up outside - the first Mud Bay. On notice of a lawyer, the local church sought to formal recognition. The local church leader was known as Mud Bay Louis and Slocum acquiesced to his death in 1892, when Elder in this municipality, without resist.

The Shaker Church

As of 1907, Mud Bay Sam the local church. On 17 December 1910, she was recognized, their leader was the first bishop. He was advised by five Elders. But since he died a short time later, a gathering of some 600 members in Oakville Peter Heck his successor.

But it was in 1927 a disagreement on the question of the use of the Scriptures in worship - against the reading of the Bible, there were no objections. However, rear rejected their use in worship. His opponent was William Kitsap from Tulalip, who refused the episcopal election for life - what rear stressed - and 1933, won in an election. Heck doubted the legality of the election, as well as the narrow victory of his opponent, 1935. Both opponents called 1938/39, at separate meetings in Neah Bay ( Kitsap ) and Oakville. The meetings now given two bishops. The dispute in 1945 was cleared by the Snohomish County Superior Court

Thus, the church split into the Indian Shaker Church with Bishop tail at the top and the Indian Full Gospel Church, whose bishop was Kitsap. However, the church property remained with the Washington Shaker Church. Another division was in 1953, in the Yakima Church, where the Independent Shaker Church was born. She accepted the Bible use in worship, but was much more conservative than the Indian Full Gospel Church.

Alex Teio, grandfather of later Teo Bishop Harris, was in 1910 Elder of the Church. His grandson was standing in front of the church from 1974 to 1991, he was succeeded by Clifford Tulee.

In 1996, she had 21 congregations and 3,000 members between British Columbia and Northern California.

In British Columbia, there are communities in Brentwood Bay, Capilano, Chemainus Bay, Chilliwack, Duncan, Koksilah, Kuleet Bay, Musqueam, Saanich, Squamish and Vancouver;

In Washington: Auburn, Bellingham, Billy Ville, Chehalis, Colville, Concrete, Eatonville, Gate, George Ville, Grays Harbor, Hoquiam, La Conner, LaPush, Lower Elwha, Lummi Reservation, Marysville, Moclips, Muckleshoot Reservation, Mud Bay, Neah Bay, Nespelem, Nooksack Reservation, Oakville, Olympia, Pierce County, Port Angeles, Queets, Quileute, Quinault, Satus, Seattle, Sedro- Woolley, Skagit County, Skagit reservation, Skokomish Reservation, Snohomish County, Swinomish Reservation, Tacoma, Taholah, Thurston County, Tulalip Reservation, Walla Walla, White Swan and the Yakima Reservation;

In Oregon: Chuloquin, Pendleton, Siletz, Warm Springs;

In California: Crescent City, Hoopa, Johnson (now ghost town ), Klamath Falls, Smith River, Table Bluff in Humboldt County and Ukiah.