Career
In 1881 he became ill and subsequently fell into a trance where he was transported to heaven where he met an angel who instructed him to start a new religion. While in trance he was told how to bring Native American peoples to salvation. This experience was similar to that described by other 19th-century Native American prophets, including Wovoka, Tavibo and Smohalla.
In 1886, he began preaching a message he designated "Tschadam".
About a year later, Slocum once again became illinois When he recovered, he interpreted her shaking as a spiritual manifestation which saved him from death.
Slocum incorporated shaking or twitching into the religion as a way to brush off sin, sickness, or bad feelings. The Indian Shaker Religion is still practiced and combines many traditional native beliefs and customs with Christian beliefs about God and the realities of heaven and hell.