“O Stop and Tell Me Red Man.” A Collection of Sacred Hymns, for the Church of the Latter Day Saints, 83–84. Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams & Company, 1835.
HYMN 63. P. M.
1 O stop and tell me, Red Man, Who are ye? why you roam?
And how you get your living?
Have you no God;—no home?
2 With stature straight and portly, And deck’d in native pride,
With feathers, paints and broaches, He willingly replied:—
3 “I once was pleasant Ephraim,
“When Jacob for me pray’d;
“But oh! how blessings vanish,
“When man from God has stray’d!
4 “Before your nation knew us,
“Some thousand moons ago,
“Our fathers fell in darkness,
“And wander’d to and fro.
5 “And long they’ve liv’d by hunting,
“Instead of work and arts,
“And so our race has dwindled
“To idle Indian hearts. [83]
6 “Yet hope within us lingers,
“As if the Spirit spoke:—
‘He’ll come for your redemption,
‘And break your Gentile yoke: 7 ‘And all your captive brothers,
‘From every clime shall come,
‘And quit their savage customs,
‘To live with God at home.
8 “Then joy will fill our bosoms,
“And blessings crown our days,
“To live pure religion,
“And sing our Maker’s praise.”