The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 36

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 36

CHAPTER I.

 

OF THE CONDITION AND EMPLOYMENT OF OUR SOCIETY IN NEW FRANCE.

 

 

WE have six Residences in New France. The first, beginning with the

first land encountered in coming into these countries, is called

the Residence of Sainte Anne; it is at Cape Breton. The second is

the Residence of Saint Charles, at Miskou. The third, which we

are going to occupy this Autumn, the Residence of Nostredame de

Recouvrance, at Kebec, near the Fort. The fourth, the Residence

of Nostredame des Anges, half a league from Kebec. The fifth,

the Residence of the Conception, at the three Rivers. The sixth,

the Residence of Saint Joseph, [10] at Ihonatiria, among the

Hurons.[19] I hope that we shall soon have a seventh, in the same

country, but in a Village other than Ihonatiria. Now, as the

Vessels which go to Cape Breton and to Miskou do not go up as far

as Kebec, it thus happens that we have no communication with our

Fathers who are in the Residences of Sainte Anne and of Saint

Charles, except by way of France; hence neither letters nor other

things should be sent to us to hold for them, but they should be

given to those Vessels which go to these French settlements. It

follows also that I can say nothing of the things which take place

in these Residences, on account of their remoteness and the little

commerce we have with them. All these Residences are maintained

by the Gentlemen of the Company [11] of New France,--who have had

Fortresses and dwellings for our French people built in different

parts of the country,--except the Residence of Nostredame des

Anges, which is supported principally through the liberality of

Monsieur le Marquis de Gamache.[20] This Residence has three great

plans for the glory of our Lord; the first, to erect a College for

the education of the children of the families, which are every day

becoming more numerous. The second, to establish a Seminary for the

little Savages, to rear them in the Christian faith. The third, to

give powerful aid to the Mission of our Fathers among the Hurons

and other stationary Tribes. As to the College, although it is

not yet built, we shall begin this year to teach a few children.

Everything has its beginning; [12] the most learned once knew only

the first elements of the Alphabet.

 

Quant au Seminaire, nous le faisons bastir: il sera pour vn temps en la

Residence de Nostredame des Anges: mais s'il se trouue quelque personne

de pieté qui le veüille fonder, & nourrir de pauures petits barbares,

pour les rendre enfans de Iesus Christ, il le faudra transporter plus

haut; & là les Sauuages ne seront point de difficulté d'amener leurs

enfans. I'en enuoye vn petit à V.R. laquelle s'il luy plaist nous le

renuoyera dans vne couple d'années; il seruira à arrester & instruire

ses petits compatriotes; celuy que i'auois enuoyé, & qu'on nous a

ramené, nous contente fort. Les Sauuages commencent à ouurir les yeux,

& à connoistre que les enfans sont bien instruits auec nous.

 

In regard to the Seminary, we are now having one built. For a while

it will be in the Residence of Nostredame des Anges; but, if some

pious person be found who wishes to endow it, and to support the

poor little barbarians that they may be made children of Jesus

Christ, it will have to be moved farther up the river, to a place

where the Savages will not object to bring their children. I send a

little boy to Your Reverence, and, if you please, you will return

him to us in a couple of years; he will help to retain and teach

his little compatriots; the one I did send you, and who has been

returned to us, pleases us greatly. The Savages are beginning to

open their eyes and to recognize that children who are with us are

well taught.

 

[13] Reste pour la Mission des Hurons & d'autres Peuples stables, elle

est de tres-grande importance pour le seruice de nostre Seigneur;

Messieurs de la Compagnie la cherissent & la soulagent: C'est de ces

Peuples que nous attendons de plus grandes conuersions; c'est là où il

faudra enuoyer grand nombre d'ouuriers, si la foy commence à éclairer

ces ames plongées dans les tenebres depuis tant de mille ans. Que si

on ne peut trouuer quelque fondation pour l'entretenir, ie quitterois

quasi volontiers, & le soin d'vn College & d'vn Seminaire, pour la

faire reüssir. Mais des personnes qui ayment mieux que leurs noms

soient écrits au Liure de vie que sur ce papier, nous defendent bien

fort de rien quitter de nos desseins, nous asseurant d'vne verité bien

certaine, que Dieu a plus de force, & plus de volonté [14] de nous

secourir, que nous n'auons de cœur d'entreprendre pour sa gloire.

 

[13] Finally, as to the Mission among the Hurons and other

stationary Tribes, it is of the greatest importance for the service

of our Lord. The Gentlemen of the Company cherish and assist it.

It is among those Tribes that we expect the greatest conversions;

it is there that a great number of laborers must be sent, if the

faith begins to illumine those souls, so many thousands of years

plunged in darkness. If some fund cannot be found to maintain it,

I would almost willingly give up the care both of a College and

of a Seminary, to make it succeed. But some persons, who prefer

to have their names written in the Book of life rather than upon

this paper, positively forbid us to abandon in any wise our plans,

assuring us of a very certain truth, that God has more strength and

more willingness [14] to help us than we have courage to undertake

enterprises for his glory.

 

Or pour ne m'éloigner de nos Residences, nous exerçons en

icelles toutes les fonctions de Curé ou de Pasteur, n'y en ayant

point d'autres que nous; nous annonçons la parole de Dieu; nous

administrons les Sacrements de Baptesme, de l'Autel, & de Penitence,

de l'Extréme-Onction; nous assistons au Sacrement de Mariage; nous

enterrons & enseuelissons par fois les morts; nous allons visiter les

malades; nous enseignons la Doctrine Chrestienne aux enfans, & comme

ils se vont multipliant par la venuë des familles, nous leur donnerons

bien-tost la premiere teinture des lettres, comme i'ay dit. Que si les

commencemens sont petits, la fin en peut estre grande & bien-heureuse.

 

Now not to wander from the subject of our Residences, we exercise

in these all the functions of Curé or Pastor, as there are no

others here besides ourselves; we preach the word of God, we

administer the Sacraments of Baptism, of the Altar and of Penance,

of Extreme Unction; we assist at the Sacrament of Marriage; at

times we bury and lay out the dead; we visit the sick; we teach the

Christian Doctrine to the children, and, as they are becoming more

numerous through the arrival of families, we shall soon give them

the elements of letters, as I have said. Thus, if the beginnings

are small, the end may be great and blessed.

 

[15] Outre cela vne partie de nous estudie fort & ferme à la langue,

occupation qui sera vn iour d'autant plus vtile, qu'elle est

maintenant épineuse: Nous visitons encor les Sauuages, & par nos

begayements nous tâchons de ietter dans leurs ames quelque petit grain

de la semence Euangelique, qui fructifiera en son temps s'il plaist

à Dieu. Voila nos exercices plus ordinaires, outre les obseruances

de la Religion, qui ne se doiuent iamais obmettre. Pour nos François

ils s'occupent à se fortifier, à bastir, à défricher, à cultiuer la

terre: mais ie ne pretends pas d'écrire tout ce qui se fait en ce pays,

ains seulement ce qui tend au bien de la foy, & de la Religion. Cét

hyuer passé, la maladie de terre ou de scurbut, s'estant iettée dans

la nouuelle habitation des trois Riuieres, où le Pere Buteux [16] &

moy estions allez, nous a donné nouuelle occupation meflée de ioye &

de tristesse. Nous estions marris d'vn costé, de voir souffrir quasi

tous nos pauures François, & d'en voir mourir quelques vns: de l'autre

nous nous réiouyssions de voir des effects tout à fait admirables de

la grace de nostre Seigneur dedans leurs ames; bon nombre des malades

n'ont iamais voulu demander la santé à Dieu, disans ces paroles auec

vne grande resignation; Il est nostre Pere, il sçait mieux ce qui nous

est bon que non pas nous, laissons le faire, sa saincte volonté soit

faite. Ie croy qu'il n'y en a qu'vn seul de ceux qui sont passez en

l'autre vie, qui n'aye fait vne confession generale deuant sa mort.

Comme i'auois grand desir que l'vn d'eux, pour estre vn ieune homme de

fort bonnes mœurs, retournast [17] en santé, ie luy conseillay de faire

vn vœu au glorieux Patriarche S. Ioseph, pour impetrer la deliurance

de son mal, Ie vous obeyray, me fist-il, mais si vous me laissez en ma

liberté, ie prieray seulement le bon S. Ioseph, de m'obtenir de nostre

Seigneur la grace d'accomplir sa tres-saincte volonté. Vne autrefois vn

ieune garçon fort & robuste se pourmenant dans la chambre des malades,

leur demánda ce qu'ils voudroient bien donner pour iouyr d'vne aussi

forte santé que la sienne; l'vn d'eux repartit fort sainctement, Ie

ne voudrois pas détourner la teste d'vn costé pour iouyr de toute la

santé du monde, si bien pour acquiescer au bon plaisir de Dieu. Cette

repartie fit veoir combien la grace operoit fortement dans ceste ame.

Vn autre qui auoit esté heretique, & d'vne vie assez libertine, estonna

[18] tous ses compagnons à la mort: car apres auoir rendu des preuues

de sa croyance, apres s'estre reconcilié auec vne grande douleur de

ses offenses, comme ie luy presentois le saint Viatique, Ie croy en

vous mon Sauueur, disoit-il, ouy ie croy en vous, venez, faites moy

misericorde, vous estes assez puissant pour me pardonner tous mes

pechez: & se sentant affoiblir il nous pressa sur l'heure mesme de

luy donner l'Extreme-Onction, ce que nous fismes; l'ayant receuë auec

beaucoup de sentimens de douleur, il apostrophe tous ses Camarades, &

leur dit, Adieu mes Camarades, Adieu mes compagnõs, il faut partir,

ie vous demande pardon, ie vous crie mercy à tous, ie suis bien marry

d'auoir si mal vescu; mais i'espere que Dieu me fera misericorde, mon

Dieu ayez pitié de moy. Proferant ces paroles il expira. [19] Qu'on

mette la maladie tant qu'on voudra au rang des mal heurs de ceste vie,

ie tiens celle qui a emporté ces ieunes gens, pour l'vne des plus

signalées faueurs, qu'ils ayent iamais receu de la main de Dieu. Pour

conclusion la santé est maintenant par toutes nos habitations, mais non

pas encore la saincteté.

 

[15] Besides this, some of us are making an arduous and thorough

study of the language, an occupation which will some day be so

much the more useful as it is now difficult. We also visit the

Savages, and through our stammerings try to cast into their souls

some little grain of Gospel seed, which will ripen in its time,

God willing. These are our more ordinary occupations, besides the

observances of Religion, which must never be omitted. In regard to

our French people, they are occupied in fortifying, in building,

in clearing and cultivating the land. However, I do not pretend

to describe all that takes place in this country, but only that

which concerns the welfare of the faith and of Religion. This last

winter, the land disease, or scurvy, appeared in the new settlement

of the three Rivers, where Father Buteux [16] and I had gone;

and this gave us a new occupation, which was mixed with joy and

sadness. On the one hand, we were grieved to see almost all our

poor Countrymen suffer, and to see some of them die; on the other,

we rejoiced to see the altogether admirable effects of the grace

of our Lord within their souls. A great many of the sick men never

cared to ask God to restore their health, saying these words with

great resignation: "He is our Father; he knows better than we what

is good for us; leave it all to him, his holy will be done." I

believe there was only one of those who passed to the other life,

who did not make a general confession before his death. As I was

very anxious that one of them, since he was a young man of very

good morals, should be restored [17] to health, I advised him to

make a vow to the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, to grant him

deliverance from the disease. "I will obey you," he replied; "but,

if you leave me free to act as I please, I will merely pray the

good St. Joseph to obtain for me from our Lord the grace to carry

out his most holy will." Another time, a young man, very strong and

robust, walking about in the room of the sick, asked them what

they would give to enjoy such vigorous health as his; one of them

answered, very piously, "I would not even turn my head aside to

enjoy all the health in the world, so readily as I would acquiesce

in the good pleasure of God." This answer showed how powerfully

grace was working in this soul. Another who had been a heretic, and

something of a libertine, astonished [18] all his companions at his

death; for, after having given proofs of his belief, after having

made his confession, with great contrition for his offenses, when I

presented to him the holy Viaticum, "I believe in you, my Savior,"

said he, "yes, I believe in you; come, be merciful to me; you

are powerful enough to pardon all my sins," and, feeling himself

growing weaker, he urged us at that very moment to give him Extreme

Unction, which we did. Having received it with many __EXPRESSION__s of

grief, he addressed all his Comrades, saying, "Adieu, my Comrades,

adieu, my companions; I must go; I ask your pardon, I ask pity from

all of you, I am very sorry to have lived so badly; but I hope that

God will have mercy upon me; my God, have pity upon me." Uttering