1. Obedience

Obedience is the foundation of all law; therefore, at all times; obey the law and the Chief and the Council of your Tribe, without evil-speaking or resentment or delay.

2. Courage

The greatest of all gifts is courage, and the meanest of faults is fear. In the words of Quonab, "My father taught me there is nothing that can shame a man but being afraid".

3. Cleanliness

There is no strength without cleanliness.

While the Redmen took an ice-cold morning plunge each day, from snow around again to snow, there were none on earth to match them in their strength. But when they fell from this high estate, and forgot the old way, their strength went from them, because with dirt came in disease, and they became its prey; for foul disease is ever the child of dirt, be it in person, in camp, in speech, or in mind.

4. Smoking

Let no one use tobacco till he be a fullgrown man of eighteen snows; and then only as a burnt sacrifice to the Great Spirit. In the child or the young brave, it saps the strength; but in the man it may be a helper of prayer and meditation.

5. Fire Water

No Fire-water in camp. Should we drink of destruction, or surrender to an enemy that will wreck our bodies and turn our wisdom into folly?

6. Wild Life

The Great Spirit made all things, and we have no right to unmake them, except we know it be to preserve ourselves. Therefore, protect all songbirds and harmless squirrels. Keep the game-laws, and do no harm to the beauty of the landscape.

7. Wild Fire

The forest is the father of the rivers and the game. There can be no good thing without the forest. The enemy of the forest is wild-fire. Therefore, at all times, be sure to fight it, and leave no camp fire unguarded, lest it should become wildfire.

8. Kindness

Above all others, the great Tecumseh was kind to every man and to the beasts. And his kindness came again to him. It caused him no loss; no, not the value of a hair, and it gave him power over all men. Let each one strive to do at least one act of kindness every day, for thereby he becomes kinder, and his kindness comes to him again.

9. Play Fair

Play no game except according to the rules of the game. Loyalty is playing fair; foul play is treachery.

10. Silence

Do not hasten to speak before your elders.

Keep silence in youth, then it may be your older thoughts will be worth the telling.

11. Reverence

Respect all worship of the Great Spirit; and show deference to those that are your elders.

12. Word Of Honor

Word of honor is sacred.

The Rulers Of The Nation

The whole Nation is ruled by The Great Council, to which all our Head Chiefs, Rulers, Nobles, and Medicine Men may belong, if the Council itself invite them. They are many. They meet once a year, and elect in person:

The High Council of Guidance, which shall be made up of fifteen leaders of the Nation and the Head Chief of all the Medicine Lodges.

They meet as often as they need, and in them is power to make change and enforce all laws. These sixteen shall elect their own Chief, one of themselves. Seven shall be a sufficient and lawful meeting if duly heralded.

The whole Nation is divided into three Lodges:

The Little Lodge, for the very young (all under 15).

The Big Lodge, for the young men (of 15 years and all above).

The Medicine Lodge of the Old Guides and the Medicine Men (for those who have reached the years of manhood, even 21).

Tribe

Each of the first two Lodges is further divided into Tribes numbering from 20 to 100 members in each.

Band

And, again, each Tribe into bands of 5 to 10 members each.

The Medicine Lodge, Or Lodge Of The Old Guides

This is open to all men of ripe years, who have shown a right spirit within, and loving the ways of the woods are willing to help; and who also are voted worthy by the Council of their Medicine Lodge. Nevertheless, the High Council of Guidance may withhold its consent, so the election becomes void.

If besides being Old Guides, they take also the degrees of Camper, Camp Cook, Camp Doctor, and Gleeman, or Herald, they may become Medicine Men of the Lodge, and for those who would follow further, there is the Inmost or Red Lodge of Power whose secrets are known only to the Head Chief of the Lodge and to certain others, but are not to be set down on paper, or given to the people at large.

In the Medicine Lodge, each Medicine Man has two votes, whereas each Old Guide has but one.

In every Tribe is at least one Old Guide or Medicine Man, who presides over their search for wisdom, and their Councils, in time of difficulty, helping with his experience and riper knowledge. Four times in every Moon, he should hold Council with his Tribe, from snow around again to snow.