LIFE—WORK 2 3

the Scriptures in Micmac, and the interview that followed I shall not soon forget. And I heard of a case at Shubenacadie where a priest went to see a young Indian who was dying of consumption. He found him reading the Gospel. He snatched the book out of the poor fellow’s hand and committed it to the flames. But he soon found out, and had to confess to the boy, that he had been rash, and difficult was it to obtain a hearing from the indignant and outraged ” untutored Indian.” . . . “A white man once consented to carry me to an Indian’s hut, which we reached in a boat. . . . I never learned what the effect was on them, but the gentleman who was with me assured me afterwards that it was the means of his own conversion.”

One more extract written two years before his death, which leaves the robe of responsibility resting upon all Christians, and we are done for the present.

May 26th, 1888. . . . They (the Micmacs) have equal access to the free schools with all others, and are extensively taking advantage of the privilege. Let them mingle with their white brothers, learn the arts of civilization as they are doing, and become useful citizens. Let the white people abandon their abominable and unreasonable ideas of caste. Let the ministers, everywhere, each look upon the Indians in his neighborhood as a part of his charge like all other poor sinners—then there will be no need of a separate Mission and a separate establishment for them.

Here one can almost see the aged warrior,—for his incessant labour, and his malady which made it necessary for him to carry a surgical instrument with him for years, had at last weakened his wonderful vitality—like the venerable Apostle Paul whom he re— sembled in so many respects, at last saying: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course.” And the burden passes from his shoulders, not to those of one other, but to many others, as he cheerfully goes on to walk with God in that larger and fuller life. Let it be said to our shame that we, who were entrusted with that burden, have not discharged our trust as faithfully as it was our privilege to have done.

Thus did the venerable Dr. Rand labour on incessantly day