God shall hereafter grant the purpose to do this, will consider that the fruit for which we labor is the fruit of the Gospel,—which, if it is to be good and durable, will only come [34] after much patience. I beg them, therefore, not to grow weary of practicing this charity, the greatest that can be exercised in this world,-looking at these matters always with the eye of faith, which alone will reveal to them the merit and excellence thereof,- and to consider also that works so important are not accomplished all at once. How much time and trouble is necessary in France to convert a single heretic, or, indeed, any Sinner, young or old? Ah! what is that in comparison with the conversion of a whole world, earthy and brutal to the last degree, grown old in its errors and superstitions during so many centuries? We find ourselves here as if in the midst of a sea where a million persons are drowning, and, not knowing to which one we should hasten, we feel our hearts breaking, and find ourselves reduced to the point of experiencing what the Apostle of the Gentiles said, Charitas Christi urget nos. This misfortune occurs only through a lack of workers, or rather of means of affording them subsistence here and of maintaining them in a Country and among peoples, where one must of necessity, with Saint Paul, renounce the dues of the Gospel and live upon [35] his own means, at least for the present, if one would not see, in a moment, all overthrown, and affairs reduced to a hopeless condition. I know very well that the difficulties of bringing hither from outside the means of subsistence are extreme; but after all, there remains here a whole world to be converted, and there is no more convenient gate paffer, que celle où nous fommes auiourd'huy & c'est ce qui afflige noftre cœur & noftre efprit. Que fi ces pertes nous font fi fenfibles à qui ces peuples ne font rien; combien a-on fuiet de croire, qu'elles font confiderables à celuy qui leur à donné l'eftre, pour les rendre bien-heureux; & de plus vne vie diuine, & fon fang pour leur rachapt, Heureuses les Ames à qui le S. Esprit donne & conferue la deuotion de contribuer felon leur pouuoir à estancher la foif de IESVS Chrift mourant en Croix; & à ramaffer les gouttes de fon fang precieux, on pour mieux dire; la marchandise dont ce fang adorable a efté le prix. Ie ne puis icy obmettre la loüãge qui est deuë à meffieurs les affociez de la Compagnie de la Nouuelle France, qui continuënt plus que iamais, à contribuer de ce [36] qu'ils peuuent pour vne si sainte entreprise. Et cét ouurage auffi bien que tous les autres de la Nouuelle France, aura à iamais vne tres-particuliere obligation à Monfieur le Cheualier de Mont-magny nostre Gouuerneur; à la prudence, generosité, charité & zele duquel, il ne femble pas qu'il foit poffible de rien adiouster: toutes lefquelles vertus & belles qualitez fe font auffi bien fentir icy à trois cent lieuës, que nous fommes de fon fejour, que fur les lieux où il fait fa demeure. Il y en a encore plufieurs autres, qui meriteroiết vne bõne part à la loüange de contribuer felon leur pouuoir à vn si saint ouurage, Mais ce ne feroit iamais fait, & c'eft le point, que le liure de vie en cõferue pour iamais la memoire. Pour nous, tout ce que nous pouuons, c'eft de leuer les mains au Ciel, & de dire de tout noftre cœur, de rore cœli & de pinguedine terræ, & defuper fit benedictio veftra. through which to reach them than this where we are to-day; and it is this which afflicts our hearts and minds. And if these losses are so keenly felt by us, to whom these peoples are nothing, how much reason have we to believe that they are important to him who has given them existence, in order to render them happy, and, more, a divine life, and his own blood to redeem them. Happy the Souls in whom the Holy Ghost inspires and maintains the devout purpose to contribute according to their power to quench the thirst of JESUS Christ, dying upon the Cross, and to collect the drops of his precious blood,— or, to express it better, the wares of which this adorable blood was the price. I cannot omit here the praise that is due to messieurs the associates of the Company of New France, who continue more than ever to contribute [36] what they can to so holy an enterprise. And this work, as well as all the others of New France, will always be under most special obligation to Monsieur the Chevalier de Mont-magny, our Governor, to whose prudence, generosity, charity, and zeal it does not seem possible to add anything; all of which virtues and noble qualities make themselves felt as well here where we are, three hundred leagues from his residence, as in the locality where he makes his home. There are still many others who would merit a good share of praise for contributing according to their means to so holy a work, but that would never be completed, and the point is this, that the book of life preserves the memory thereof forever. As for us, all that we can do is to raise our hands to Heaven, and to say with all our hearts, de rore cœli et de pinguedine terræ, et desuper sit benedictio vestra. [37] CHAP. IV. DE CE QUI EST ARRIUÉ DE PLUS REMARQUABLE EN L LA RESIDENCE DE LA CONCEPTION AU BOURG DE LA NOUUELLE EGLISE DE CE BOURG. E nombre des enfans baptifez en maladie en cette Refidence, eft de 52. dont vingt-fept s'en font enuolez au Ciel. Celuy des plus aagées qui ont esté baptisez à la mort, ou en extremité de maladie, de septante-quatre dont vingt-deux font morts, & comme il est à prefumer de la bonté & mifericorde de Dieu, ont pris le mefme chemin du Ciel. Celuy des Catechumenes, baptifez en bonne fanté, de quarante-neuf. Deuant que de declarer ce qu'il y a eû de plus remarquable en tout cecy, il faut que ie parle de ceux qui ont dauantage participé à ce bon-heur, & qui nous rendront en fuite, plus que iamais, adorables les fecrets profonds, & les abyfmes de la fageffe, Bonté & Prouidence diuine fur [38] fes Esleûs. Les 8enrôhronons faifoient par le paffé vne des Nations affociées à la Nation Neutre, & eftoient fituez fur les confins du cofté des Hiroquois les Ennemis communs de tous ces Peuples. Tant que cette Nation d'enrôhronons a efté en bonne intelligence auec ceux de la Nation Neutre, elle a efté bastante pour refifter aux Ennemis, fubfifter & fe maintenir contre [37] CHAP. IV. OF THE MORE REMARKABLE EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE RESIDENCE OF LA CONCEPTION AT THE VILLAGE OF OSSOSSANE, AND ES PECIALLY OF THE NEW CHURCH OF THAT VILLAGE. HE number of children baptized in sickness at THE this Residence is 52, of whom twenty-seven have flown away to Heaven; that of elderly persons who were baptized at death, or at the crisis of their illness, is seventy-four, of whom twenty-two died, and, as may be presumed from the goodness and mercy of God, took the same road to Heaven; that of Catechumens, baptized while in good health, forty-nine. Before relating what was especially remarkable in all these baptisms, I must speak of those who have longest partaken of this blessing, and who will therefore render, more than ever, adorable to us the profound secrets and the abysses of divine wisdom, Goodness, and Providence respecting [38] his Elect. The Wenrôhronons1 formed in the past one of the associate Nations of the Neutral Nation, and were located on its boundaries, toward the Hiroquois, the common Enemies of all these Peoples. As long as this Nation of Wenrôhronons was on good terms with the people of the Neutral Nation, it was sufficiently strong to withstand its Enemies, to continue its existence, and maintain itself against their raids and in |