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
[188] Since I have referred to this man's decision, I will tell
a memorable thing which happened to him after his Baptism. The
Devil appeared to him in the form of one of his deceased brothers.
Entering his cabin without any salutation, he sat down on the other
side of the fire opposite our new Christian, and remained a long
time without speaking. At last beginning to speak, he said to him,
"How now, my brother, do you wish to leave us?" Our Joseph, who was
not yet sufficiently equipped for this warfare, replied, "No, my
brother, I don't wish to leave you; I will not leave you," and it
is said this false brother then began to caress him. Still, he has
since declared several times that he desired to go to Heaven.
Le vingt-septiesme de Nouembre Martin Tsicok, vieillard desia [189]
fort aagé, & d'vne humeur fort douce, fut baptisé. Ce bon hõme ne
cessa d'inuoquer Iesus & Marie depuis son baptesme iusques au 15.
Decembre qu'il mourut. Ie commençay à l'instruire par cette verité:
que nos ames apres la mort alloient toutes en Enfer ou en Paradis: Que
le Paradis estoit vn lieu remply de delices & de contentemens: & au
contraire, l'Enfer, vn lieu de feux, de peines & de tourmens eternels.
Qu'au reste, il auisast, tandis qu'il estoit encore en vie, auquel
de ces deux lieux il vouloit aller, & demeurer pour iamais. Alors ce
bon vieillard se tournant vers sa femme, Ma femme, luy dit-il, ne
vaut-il pas bien mieux aller au Ciel? I'ay peur de ces effroyables feux
d'enfer: sa femme fut de mesme aduis; & ainsi il presta volontiers
l'oreille aux instructiõs qu'on luy dõna.
On the twenty-seventh of November, Martin Tsicok, already a very
[189] old man and of a very gentle disposition, was baptized. This
good man did not cease to invoke Jesus and Mary from his baptism
until the 15th of December, when he died. I began to instruct
him with this truth, that our souls after death all go to Hell
or to Paradise; that Paradise is a place full of delights and
contentment, and on the contrary that Hell is a place of fires, of
pains, and eternal torments; that, besides, he should think, while
he was yet in life, to which of these places he desired to go and
dwell forever. Then this good old man, turning to his wife, said to
her, "My wife, is it not indeed better to go to Heaven? I am afraid
of those horrible fires of hell." His wife was of the same opinion,
and thus he willingly listened to the instructions we gave him.
Le dixneufiesme Ianuier, ie partis [190] pour aller en la maison de
Louys de saincte Foy, distante de nostre village de sept ou huict
lieuës. Ie n'auois peû ny deu y aller plustost, pour ce qu'il estoit
allé en la Nation neutre querir son Pere, qui y estoit demeuré perclus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account