28 MICMAC MISSION

Word of God, and to religious instruction. My aim has been to explain the way of salvation, and to direct them to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. White friends have oc- casionally accompanied me on these visits. Invariably the solemn attention witnessed has surprised, impressed and pleased them. They have owned that, had they been unacquainted with the facts of the case, they could never have imagined these people to be other than Protestants and devout Christians. For the sake of brevity I will omit details except in two cases. In one place in New Brunsr wick, Ivisited Within a radius of about seven or eight miles, four small encampments, and some of them twice. The chief resided there and I called on him twice. I have known him for years. He treated me very courteously and at our last interview asked me to tell him more particularly what my object is in going round among the Indians. I told him. I said, I am a minister of the Gospel. My sole business as such is to read, and expound the Word of God, both publicly and privately, both among the white people and among the Indians, to teach the way of salvation and to urge people to love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. I told him further that since I could speak Micmac, and read the Scriptures in their language, that I took special delight in going among them, to read and sing and pray, and talk with them of their soul’s salvation. He enquired how the Indians around in that place received me. I hesitated for a moment whether I ought to tell him, as it might possibly be the means of bringing some of them into trouble. But after a little reflection and silent prayer, I resolved to conceal nothing. They receive me kindly, said I, as they now do everywhere in Nova Scotia —they listen attentively and invite me to repeat my visits. “Well,” he answered, “that is just what I was going to say to you. But you don’t come often enough, nor early enough in the day. We have been looking for you ever since your last visit, when you promised to come again, and now it is so near night and you are in such a hurry that we have not time to ask you half the questions we wish to ask, not to learn half the things we wish to learn. We want you to come in the morning and stay with us all day.” Such in substance was the statement of this worthy chief. Surely no one can reason-