"After service all the villagers, to the number of about 600, had to come and pass through the Mission-house to shake hands with all the inmates. In doing this they so crowded the verandah that the boards actually gave way beneath them, but the ground being only about two feet below no injury resulted. After all the shaking of hands was over, the villagers returned home to their own private entertainments, and most of us at the Mission enjoyed a quiet Christmas evening together; but Mr. Duncan entertained at tea a party of the chiefs and principal persons of the village, whom we did not join, from inability to converse in the Tsimshean tongue.
"The day after Christmas was again a gay one. The constables, twenty -five in number, paraded and exercised on the green with banners and music, and about fifty volunteers, in neat white uniforms, with drums and fifes and banners flying, went through creditable evolutions and exercises. All the strangers who had come from neighbouring villages to spend Christmas at Metlakahtla were collected by Mr. Duncan in the Mission Hall, and, after a suitable address received, all of them, presents of soap, apples, sugar, tobacco, etc. In the evening the usual week-day service was held in the schoolroom, always crowded.
"The following day all the children of the schools were assembled by Mr. Duncan at his house, first the girls and then the boys, about 200 in all; and, after being amused by him, were treated to sugarplums and apples, and each one received some article of clothing (cap or cape, etc.), so as to be sent away to their homes rejoicing.
"Next day all the men of the village, about 300, were assembled in the market-house to be addressed by Mr. Duncan. After he had given them the best advice he could, their Christmas presents were distributed to them in the presence of all the Mission party. These consisted of 1/2lb. sugar and six apples to each one, with copy-book and pencil, or tobacco for the older men.
"The day after this, Mr. and Mrs. Schutt kindly entertained all the widows of the village, about sixty in number, to a substantial dinner. It was a pleasure to see even the old and decrepit able to sit at table and enjoy their meal, and it made us enter fully into the idea of the renovating influence of Christmas blessings, to think in what dark and murderous heathenism these aged widows had been reared when young. After dinner Mr. Duncan brought them to his Hall to listen to an address, so that they might not return home without words of Gospel truth and comfort to cheer them for struggling days.
"The morrow, being Sunday, was marked by the usual services; these consist, first, of morning Sunday School at half past nine, at which about 200 are present, both children and adults, males and females being in separate buildings. All the elder scholars learn and repeat a text both in English and Tsimshean, and have it explained to them, and they are able to use intelligently their English Bibles for this purpose. At eleven is morning service in church, attended at Christmas time by 700 to 800. Hymns are sung, both in English and Tsimshean, and heartily joined in by the congregation. This being the last Sunday in the year, the service was made a specially devotional one to seek mercy for the offences of the past twelve month.
"After morning service the adults met again in Sunday School to learn in English and Tsimshean the text of the sermon, and have it again explained to them by the native Sunday School teachers, who are prepared for this duty at a meeting with Mr. Duncan on Saturday evening. It is very interesting to see about 300 adults gathered together in the three schools at midday, entirely in the hands of native teachers, and with English Bibles in their hands poring intelligently over the text, and following out again the subject of the morning discourse. I cannot but think it would be a great gain if this scheme of Mr. Duncan's could be largely followed in other Missions.
"Afternoon service is held in the church at three o'clock, with a Litany, and after this, when the daylight lasts long enough, there is a second Sunday School. The church is as full in the afternoon as in the morning, and the punctuality of the attendance is surprising. In the evening, at seven o'clock, service is again held in the school room, which is crowded, and occasional meetings are held by the elder converts for the benefit of any aged people unable to come to church.
"To return to the Christmas doings: On the Monday all the women of the village, about 300, assembled in the market-house, and, after suitable addresses, valuable presents were made to each, viz., 1lb. soap, 1lb. rice, and several apples, etc. so that they return home laden and rejoicing. Altogether about L50 must have been spent upon the Christmas presents.
"On Monday evening, being the last night of the old year, a suitable service was held in church, the subject being Psalm xc., 'So teach us to number our days,' etc. On New Year's-day the festivities were renewed. Bugle-notes and drums and fifes, and the exercises of the volunteers, enlivened the scene. The youth of the village played football on the sands. All the men of the village were assembled in the market-house, and were permanently enrolled in ten companies, the members of each company receiving rosettes of a distinguishing colour. Each company has in it, besides ordinary members, one chief, two constables, one elder, and three councillors, who are all expected to unite in preserving the peace and order of the village. The ten chiefs all spoke in the market-house on New Year's-day, and in sensible language promised to follow the teaching they had received, and to unite in promoting what is good. After the meeting all adjourned to the green in front of the church, and joined in singing 'God save the Queen,' in English, before dispersing to their homes. The rest of the day was spent in New Year's greetings.