Memoir | Page 9

will be seen
by the following fact: The feast of St. Anne is a great festival for the
Indians, and I made a point of being at Chezzetcook on that day. Two
hundred Indians assembled, most of them came in a spirit of devotion,
but some of them had evil designs, for they mediated killing their king
and all his family. I discovered this plot in time, and learnt the cause
with astonishment. It was that they believed that the chief and all his

family would change their religion, that they had become Protestants,
or that they intended so to do. This is how it came about. Some heretics
called Methodists, had done all in their power to attract the king of the
Indians to their sect, going so far as to give him all sorts of provisions,
and other valuables, such as cows, pigs, farming implements, &c. One
of these Methodists was sent among the Indians to learn their language,
and so corrupt them more easily. In this way the report got about that
their Chief, Benjamin (which was the name of the king) had joined the
Methodists with all his family. Mr. Mignault, parish priest of Halifax,
and myself knew this to be false, for Benjamin himself, whom we had
warned against the dangers that threatened him, had replied: "The
potatoes, cows, and the other provisions of Bromlet (which was the
name of the Methodist who had given him the things) are good, I have
taken them and made use of them, but his religion is worthless, I will
have none of it."
In consequence of this we assembled the Indians in the church of
Chezztecook, which was not large enough to hold them all, and we
made the king repeat his profession of faith in their presence, so that
they should no longer doubt his sincerity. He did this in a most edifying
manner. His example was followed by all his officers, who also made
their profession of faith. We remarked in particular one of his brothers
who was conspicuous by the touching beauty and eloquence of his
speech, and by the earnestness of the gestures which he employed.
Some fragments of his discourse were rendered into our language by an
Acadian interpreter, who understood Mic-mac pretty well.
"How," said he, "could we leave our religion that will save our souls if
we follow it, this religion that comes from God, whose son died on the
cross for our salvation? Shall we lose our souls that have cost Him so
dear, for which he suffered so much, and which he shed all his blood to
purchase? No, better die than change our faith and do such a great
wrong."
I had written to Mr. Mignault to come so as to render the affair more
imposing and dignified, and he arrived in good time. He carried a large
crucifix, which at the conclusion of the ceremony the Indians came to
venerate. The missionary then said a few words of instruction, after
which the Indians embraced each other as brothers and friends, in token
of general satisfaction and peace. I heard all their confessions, and a

large number had the happiness of receiving Holy Communion. On the
eve of St. Anne's feast, they made a bonfire, and while the wood burned
they fired off guns and danced around the fire, clapping their hands in
imitation of musical instruments. This lasted for a great part of the
night, however, they had previously said their evening prayers, and
sung hymns and canticles.
We can obtain almost anything from them in the name of our holy
religion, so great is their attachment to it, as will be seen by the
following: One day while I was in Halifax, a number of Indians came
to the presbytery to complain to me of the Governor who resided in the
town. They clamored for the guns and powder which had been
promised to them, and which they were accustomed to receive every
year from the English Government in addition to their gifts of woolen
blankets. The missionaries distributed, or saw to the distribution of
these latter. I was obliged to go myself to see the Governor on the
subject of this small rebellion, for the Indians wore a threatening air.
His Excellency begged me to pacify them and to tell them that their
demand would soon be granted. I returned and said a few words in the
name of religion, which at once quieted them.
Another time some barbarous and fanatical miscreants set a number of
Indians against us, making them believe that we only drew them around
us in order to do them harm, and to emperil their safety. This they
apparently believed, for we were warned that they would attempt our
lives. I spoke to