Geronimo...Apache Leader...one of a kind...

Today, September 4th, in the year 1886, the famous Chiracahua Apache leader, Geronimo...surrendered to U.S. military and marked the last of the "Indian Wars of the Southwest".
 General Nelson Miles was the U.S. military leader who accepted Geronimo's surrender. The time had come, his followers few (approx. 150), and the southwest United States was now becoming more inhabited with established towns and cities throughout the entire region of Arizona and New Mexico.

 Born on June 16th, 1829, Geronimo had seen much bloodshed in his lifetime. He had fought not only against the white settlers coming into his habitat, but the Mexican militia as well. In 1858, while in Mexico, he went into a town to trade furs for personal items his family was in need of. He had left his family outside of town, and while trading, his own family was attacked and slaughtered. Some reports indicate it was from "whites" who were in the area, while other reports claim it was the Mexican army that murdered his entire family.
 From that point, Geronimo sought revenge from both the "whites" and "Mexican people".
For over 30 years, Geronimo raided, fought, and battled those who were moving into the land that belonged to the Apaches.
Numerous times Geronimo escaped capture, even into the year 1885. The man called Geronimo, who never was an actual Chief of the Apache nation, displayed skills as a military leader that are still admired to the present day.

 Geronimo, born near Ft. Bowie along the Arizona/Mexico border...was a warrior...and a man given to thought and reason. Geronimo's latter days were spent on a reservation, actually designated for the Comanche and Kiowa tribes, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

 It has been reported that Geronimo became a Christian during his days on the reservation. It is said he was introduced to Christ Jesus in the early 1900's by missionaries of the Dutch Reformed Church. Geronimo was quoted: " Believing that in a wise way it is good to go to church, and that associating with other Christians would improve my character, I have adopted the Christian religion. I am not ashamed to be called...Christian. I have advised all my people who are not Christians, to study this religion, because I have found it is the best religion in enabling one to live right."

Geronimo, pronounced "Go-khla-yeh" in his native language meaning "one who yawns", found life confusing and hard to comprehend at times...even in the Christian sector. Although Geronimo joined the Dutch Reformed Church in 1903, he was expelled in 1907 because of gambling. I think Geronimo faced what many of us face today....following a religion vs. having a relationship with Him.
 Geronimo lived out his days at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was a participant of President Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade in 1905. The Apache leader dictated his biography, written by S.M. Barrett, who was a superintendent of education in Lawton Oklahoma. The biography: "Geronimo's Story of His Life" was published in 1906.

On a cold February night, in 1909 Geronimo was thrown from a horse while riding home. He laid on the road all night, and when found the following morning, he had become ill from the chill of the night air. On February 17th in 1909, Geronimo passed away. He was said to have told his nephew: "He regrets how things have turned out for his people...from the surrender."
Geronimo was 79 years of age.

 I think a remarkable statement Geronimo made in the last days of his life was this: " We always believed that there was a life after this one, but no one had ever told me what part of a man lived...after death."  Yes, I do think we will see Geronimo...with Jesus!