Have you heard a long-ago prophecy of a hero who would have a miraculous birth, do great feats for people, and teach them the arts of peace?
You’ve probably heard of the poem in school
I’m not talking about the Christian story of Jesus Christ, but of Hiawatha, hero of the Ojibwa tribe in northern Michigan, written about in the epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha.
The poem, published in 1855 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a great one, and in it, a heavenly personage called the Master of Life promises,
“I will send a Prophet to you,
A Deliverer of the nations,
Who shall guide you and shall teach you,
Who shall toil and suffer with you.
If you listen to his counsels,
You will multiply and prosper;
If his warnings pass unheeded,
You will fade away and perish!”
This sounds much like the prophet Isaiah’s prediction in the Bible of a savior.
You might wonder if this was Longfellow’s manipulation of the native American legends to fit the story of the Christ child.
Indeed, there have been many arguments since the poem was written about the authenticity of the native American legends from which Longfellow claims as the origin of his poem. Evidently these challenges started in the author’s own time, since he defended the poem, insisting, “I can give chapter and verse for these legends. Their chief value is that they are Indian legends.”
Ink spilled
I was surprised to see how much ink has been spilled by scholars over the years who have sought to discredit the Christian religious themes of this poem.
Yes, it would be good to know how accurate the predictions of a messiah figure are among these legends. I, for one, tend to believe the stories. There is a similar legend from the time of the Aztecs of central America of white men coming in ships with the Gospel message. In other words, it seems to me that these ancient pagan legends have the hope of the Christian Gospel buried within them.
Thus, it is not too difficult to believe that God planted into the hearts of mankind the hopes of a messiah who would save people of their sins and bring peace upon the land.
