“Feb. 3rd. . . . Last evening I spent an hour with Captain Orlebar, at his house. He is interested in the Indians. He has contributed towards assisting me during the last three years the sum of about twenty pounds. I have made a good deal of progress in their language. I am compiling a Dictionary and a Grammar, and have brought the former down to P. I had an interesting excursion among the Indians of Nova Scotia when I attended the Association at Liverpool. I found them friendly and interested. I visited the Indian settlement at Shubenacadie and spent all night in a camp. I am now attending a poor sick fellow named Jacob Mitchell. He is going with the Consumption. Sometimes I hope light is beaming upon his darkened mind, at others I am discouraged. One thing is comforting; the work is the Lord’s. Oh that I could feel more deeply, and that I could converse with them in their own tongue. I hope yet to accomplish this.
“March 28th, 1849.—Yesterday Dr. Tremain drove me over to Brother Bain’s. I made a visit to the Indians. Poor Saku Mesal (Jacob Mitchell) is somewhat better, but I think he cannot live long. By the aid of his wife I succeeded in going on with my vocabulary, and worked at it for about four hours. On my return, to my surprise, I observed a new camp by the roadside, and, naturally enough called in. Just as I drew aside the kakun, I heard the old lady say: “Jigulase” (be off with you.) “Do you tell me jigulase?” says I. “Mogwa,” said she, “Piskwa, Piskwa,” (come in, come in.) I accordingly entered, and found them pleased enough to see me. The jigulase was said to be a poor creature who had been drinking, I imagine.
“April 1st, 1849.—By the “Messenger” I learn that poor Burpee (Missionary to Burma) is far gone with the consumption. He must return if he is able. Who will take his place? I have been (or rather was) requested to go, and partially consented. Mrs. Rand objected, and I gave it up; and am reconciled to it with the hope that I may be able to do something for the poor Indians.
“April 8th, 1849.—An Indian woman called to-day to inform me that my poor Nigumach, Saku Mesal, was supposed to be dying. The Lord knows what is best. I am glad the poor fellow has heard in his own tongue the wonderful works of God, and that he used to pay attention. I am, in short, not without hope that his heart had been changed. “Kesalt Sasus,” I lately asked him, (Do you love Jesus?) To which he replied: “Ah, Kesalt Sasus” (Indeed, I love Jesus.).
“May 21st, 1849. . . . I go a great part of my time into the country. My own wish is to devote myself wholly to the Indians. . . . I must draw up a report of my Micmac Mission.
“June 7th, 1849.—I have written my report on the Micmac Mission, and one part has been published in the “Messenger.” I have requested to be employed wholly in this work.
“July 4th.—(At the Association.) . . . There seemed at one time no chance for the Micmac Mission. I felt gloomy, but found comfort casting my care upon the Lord. The cloud burst. I found that most of the ministers and people were interested in the matter. One brother—Whitman Freeman—sent me a letter written in part in Micmac, enclosing 20/. Several other donations were received, and, at the Home Mission meeting, after I had made an address of half an hour, the Moderator proposed a collection and subscription for the Mission. It was acceeded to, and, with what was received before and after the meeting, £20, 18/4 were received. The Missionary Board gave me an appointment as their missionary among the Indians for the ensuing year, with the prospect of obtaining £50 from Nova Scotia; and I am to continue my labours in connection with the church at Charlottetown if they choose. Hoping to receive as much as last year, besides what my “Gulnare” friends may obtain for me. This, I trust, will enable me to live and meet the expenses of the mission. I am in hopes of making a trip to Cape Breton in the “Gulnare,” to remain at least two months, to mingle among the Indians there, to make further progress in the language, and to do what I can for them.”
Thus he laboured, from the inception of the work, never knowing when or whence money would come to bear the necessary expenses. The idea of giving a portion of his income back to the Lord would have been ridiculous. He gave everything, and every power he possessed; and Christian people allowed him and his family to live as best they might on hopes and promises, while he laboured on as their representative among the Micmacs and Maliseets of the Maritime Provinces.
There has been, and perhaps yet is a common impression that the Micmacs are dying out. But anyone who is enough interested to consult the census reports will see that in spite of disease, and what we call civilization, they have been steadily increasing. During the twenty years, from 1851 to 1871, they increased from 1,056 to 1,666 in Nova Scotia, from 1,116 to 1,403 in New Brunswick, and from [?] to 323 in Prince Edward Island. Twenty years later they numbered 2,150 in N. S., 4,511 in N. B., and 321 in P. E. I. People are deceived by the fact that they are not found in large encampments now as formerly. Many of them are building houses, and in other ways adapting themselves to their changed surroundings. When Dr. Rand took up the work, he felt that even if the common impression were correct with regard to the language and people dying out, yet we were none the less under obligation to give them the Gospel. He felt a glow of enthusiasm, as he realized that the privilege was his of carrying the Good News in their own tongue to those who have called our land Magamagee, and Acadie, who have named our rivers and bays, and in so many places the land from which an advancing civilization has gradually ejected them that we may build our homes. Our fathers carried messages of good will to them from European sovereigns, and made the treaties very plain to them. The privilege was his and it is ours to do our share towards making the greatest of all messages plain to every man, woman and child among them, as among ourselves, for we are all brothers, with a common hunger for the world’s great need.
Dr. Rand now had been formally appointed to the work among the Micmacs by the Baptists of the Maritime Provinces. But the thought of teaching denominationalism was farthest from his purposes. He wished to have every Christian in fullest accord with him, as he went from place to place in the prosecution of his work. He felt that, in order to get this common sympathy enlisted, a common responsibility would be an advantage. It was not his purpose to organize “such as were being saved” into separate churches, but to confine himself to leading them into the Gospel light, and then they might unite with whatever churches they wished, or, if they preferred, remain where they were. His support, too, was coming from many who were not Baptists, chief among these were Orlebar and Bayfield of H. M. Brig “Gulnare,” who had collected some money for him among Episcopalians in England. Everything considered, it was decided to organize a Micmac Mission irrespective of denominational lines. Correspondence was opened up, visits were made, and a representative meeting was arranged for in Halifax, before which Dr. Rand presented very fully the condition and claims of the Mission. So great was the enthusiasm of the missionary as he stood before them, filled with a burning desire to give his life to the work, and already acquainted with the language, as a result of more than two and a half years of constant study, that they were all agreed to go on together with the work, and the Micmac Mission was organized on the 12th of November, 1849.