THE LONG SEARCH
by Pahuska,
(Melissa Carolyn Clark)
A long time ago, before the white man or the black man came to this land, we came. We came in large grass boats from the islands—which islands, I do not know, but it was somewhere in the Caribbean, I believe. We came here to wait for "The Servant", We knew be would not come to our islands, but we knew he would come to this land. Our prophesies were always true, and they said he would come to this place, this land. And when be came, all people must be told. Therefore, in each generation, some one was appointed to be the Yat-ka, the one to watch for "The Servant". The Yat-ka must share the news of his coming or lose his share of what "The Servant" brought to the People.
My people were called the Mound-Builders long ago, and the mounds move inland from wherever we landed in this great land. The Mounds are holy places; tbere many would come to meet and discuss the affairs of the People; some would come from very far away, and always the Yat-ka would report to the high councils.
There is a great pattern to the mounds, and many mysteries are hidden there. Soon now, these mysteries will be revealed and this land will blossom and the mounds will be fruitful like the squash hills which feed the people during bad times.
My Grandmother was a Yat-ka, and before she died, she appointed my father Yat-ka, and when he died, he appointed me.
But let me tell you about my father. He was a very small man in size but a great man; he followed the old ways and he taught me a little. He kept the little wooden animals, used by the hunters, and when he made the beautiful chants, they would move and tell their secrets — where to bunt and where to fish, that sort of thing.
My father was born in 1893. One day when he was chanting long ago, he heard a change in the wind, and he knew that ‘"The Servant" bad come. My father was 19 years old when the wind changed; that was in 1912. He spent the next 50 years looking, praying and waiting. He had made a big mistake once when be was young, so be went to his grave feeling a punishment, that is, that be had not found "The Servant" though he KNEW that be had come.
My father died in 1963 and appointed me Yat-ka. I spent the next five years looking everywhere, into every religion, church, sect or cult that I could find, but none had the answers that I was told to look for. I was to look for:
1. "The Servant" who came in 1912 with news of the "Twin Stars" from across the sea where the sun rises.
2. He would bring instructions about bow to unite all the people again into one brotherhood.
3. He would bring a new way of life.
4. He would explain the bidden secrets.
5. He would be "The Sun" whom the mounds are built for.
In the summer of 1967, I stumbled upon two children who were out of school observing a Holy Day I had never heard of. They said they were Bahá'ís.
I met their parents; they were exceptional in their daily lives—so different from what I knew. / was immediately drawn to them. They lived right and did not say one thing and live another. I watched them very carefully; I wanted to know what they believed that made them guide their lives so carefully.
They gave me a book; I didn’t read it. It was about Indians. I had read so many books about Indians that were so bad, so wrong, that I really did‘t care to read another one. I must admit I was really getting tired of my search for "The Servant" It caused much disunity between me and my husband of that time, who is dead now. He said no one had beliefs like me and my father and that I sbould come to my senses and stop this crazy search.
But these beautiful people—I couldn't stay away from them. I loved tbem and I didn‘t know why. They gave me another book after learning I was much interested in prophesies; I had become a Christian during my search. Christ was so easy to love, but I couldn‘t understand the min isters and I didn‘t see why people should feel guilty for things they didn’t do. I also did not understand about Hell and the Devil. I believed in only one God, but what I beard there made me think that they believed in two Gods, a good one and a bad one, and that the bad one was winning be cause he was stronger.
I couldn’t understand the Bible; the language was so difficult. But a red-letter Bible showed the words of Christ in red letters, and He did talk straight. I am very sorry that some of the ministers don ‘t read the red letters.
Christ talked like the Old Ones who talked about the "Twin Stars." He talked about when they would come and how. He spoke spirit talk—not to the ears—but to the heart. One must be very quiet and listen inside to hear spirit talk.
I skipped through the book they gave me, and I found a passage that said they believed that Christ had returned. This I went to ask about. The lady said that this was true and she asked me what I thought about it. I told her I was very glad because He had said He would come and the time had certainly come, but I was looking for two, the "Twin Stars" and "The Servant ". She then became very excited and told me about the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, and then about 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
That night I went to a fireside and heard them answer my questions without any hesitation—exactly the answers written in my heart. Already I was a Bahá'í for I had found the "Twin Stars" and "the Servant", ‘Abdu'l-Bahá. He had come to this land in 1912 to share the news, just as the Old Ones bad told. He stirred the wind and made it talk. He planted the "Tree of Unity". He explained the hidden secrets; he brought a new way of life. This life is for all people and all people must be told.
I am not so young now, and I need help to fulfill the prophesies of my people. I am a Yat-ka. Can I share in what the Servant has brought,
if I do not share the news of his coming? Bahá'í Canada 7200 Leslie Street, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2A1 Canada -- JULY/AUGUST 1979