The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
Ils se rendent fort assidus & attentifs aux instructions que nous leur
donnons: ie ne sçay, si c'est par complaisance, car ils en ont beaucoup
naturellement, ou par instinct d'enhaut, qu'ils nous escoutent si
volontiers sur les mysteres de nostre Foy, & redisent apres nous, soit
qu'ils l'entendent ou non, tout ce [214] que nous leur en declarons.
Ils font tres-volontiers le signe de la Croix, comme ils nous voyent
faire, leuans les mains & les yeux au Ciel, prononçans, Iesus Maria,
comme nous: iusque-là qu'ayans remarqué l'honneur que nous rendons à
la Croix, les pauures gens se la peignent au visage, à l'estomach, aux
bras, & aux iambes, sans en estre priez. Ie veux bien qu'ils fassent
tout cela en ces commencemens par vne simplicité naturelle, qui les
porte à imiter tout ce qu'ils voyent, plus que pour aucune meilleure
consideration; si est-ce qu'auec le temps, ils en peuuẽt estre aidez;
& ils ne seront pas les premiers, quãd ils viendront à pratiquer par
election, ce qui leur a esté en vsage, comme par rencontre & par
hazard. Au surplus, ce qui n'est pas peu, ils nous pressent parfois
de prier nostre bon Iesus pour eux, [215] pour les succez de leurs
chasses, & pour la deliurance de leurs maladies.
They are very diligent and attentive to the instructions we give
them; I do not know whether it is through complaisance, for they
have a great deal of this naturally, or through an instinct from
above, that they listen to us so willingly concerning the mysteries
of our Faith, and repeat after us, whether they understand it or
not, all that [214] we declare to them. They very willingly make
the sign of the Cross, as they see us make it, raising their hands
and eyes to Heaven and pronouncing the words, "Jesus, Mary," as we
do,--so far that, having observed the honor we render to the Cross,
these poor people paint it on their faces, chests, arms, and legs,
without being asked to do so. I am very willing that they should
do all these things in the beginning from a natural simplicity,
which causes them to imitate all they see, rather than from any
greater consideration; because in time they may be helped by it,
and they will not be the first, who come to practice by choice that
to which by casual encounter they have become accustomed. Besides,
what is of no small importance, they sometimes urge us to pray our
good Jesus for them, [215] for the success of their hunting and for
relief from their diseases.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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