On returning to the fort I enterd into familiar conversation with Rev. Mr. Brouette, one of the priests, who can speak very good English, on the subject of the “Catholic Ladder,” which has, for several years, been distributed among our Indians, and I believe very generally through all the tribes of Oregon. This “Ladder” and the instructions which usually followd it, generally in the hands of half-breeds previously instructed, declard the Roman Catholic church to be the only true church—that the “Suyapu,” [Protestants, Americans,] Heretics, had left the true church when Luther laid aside his black gown and cross and went after a maid,—that we were all going down to hell,—that while we Protestants by our poisons were causing them to die, by our instructions we were sending them to hell.
The excitement producd among the Indians by these measures was most intense. It is impossible for any one who was not a constant witness to conceive of the agitated state of the Indians when this alarm was fastend upon their superstitious minds, and consequently of our critical and dangerous situation. My attention had been suddenly arrested by the outcries and wailings of a whole camp, occasiond by the arrival of some one with an additional explanation of the “Catholic Ladder,” always accompanied with the declaration, the American missions are causing us to die.
I told the priest that in self-defense and in order to counteract these false ideas, I had prepard a chart on which was exhibited the rise of the Papal church as predicted by Paul, 1st Timothy iv. 1-3, 2d Thes. ii. 3. I told him we understood where each other stood. He and his church regarded and pronouncd us vile heretics and worthy to be persecuted and expeld from the country, and reminded him of the means, the “Catholic Ladder,” which would soon effect this object if not counteracted. On the other hand, we Protestants regarded the Papal church as the Man of Sin, and while I would as a neighbor afford them every facility my limited means would allow, to aid them in the beginning in the way of provisions, seeds, native books, &c., as I presumd they would do the same by us in like circumstances, as a minister of what I regarded the gospel of Christ, set for its defense in this part of the world, and especially as having been first and long in the field, we should exert ourselves to the utmost to enlighten and instruct the people, to disabuse them of the errors and highly inflammatory doctrines every where spreading through the country by this “Catholic Ladder” and its teachers, greatly to our prejudice and danger.
Not to do any thing like working behind their backs, the chart was brought and spread out before the bishop and his priests, and briefly explaind.
The equality of the apostles as declard by their great Head, is exhibited on this chart. The rise of the Man of Sin as foretold by Paul, and which history and observation compel us to believe to be the church of Rome by one markd sign, “forbidding to marry,” and the abominable sin of idolatry in the worship of many and the bowing to the cross—is represented in the chart, sitting in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God, by the act of expiating given sins for fixd sums of money, as 10s 6d for killing a father, brother or wife, 18s for going into a nunnery alone, &c., and the burning of Bibles in New York in 1843, are represented. Other abominations as substantiated by history and Catholic authors, are shown.
The exhibition of this chart calld forth a close but friendly discussion. I askd one question—Is it true as claimd by one of your authors that the priest has the power to reproduce the person of the Lord Jesus Christ? Mr. Brouette replied distinctly, that he and every priest had power given them to recreate the person of Jesus Christ entire, flesh, bones, blood, head, hands, feet, &c., just as he was while on earth, and farther, they have the power to communicate the Holy Ghost, and to give even the Father himself. My blood ran cold! I was shockd at the horrible blasphemy of my friend, who otherwise treated me like a gentleman.
I told him if I could be made to believe that I had the power to reproduce the person of Christ our Lord, I should be horribly shockd at the idea of taking the deadly weapon and of committing murder, and of cutting up this body and feeding it to the people, and so convert them into a herd of cannibals, which is repeated many times every day in the Roman Catholic church in the mass. He replied that it was the glorified body of the Lord that they reproducd and sacrificd, and therefore it could not be susceptible of suffering when cut up. I replied, your mass then answers no purpose. The law of God requires as a condition of salvation, “without shedding of blood,” i. e. without suffering, “there is no remission of sins.” The glorified body of Christ cannot shed blood or suffer. He then shifted back again and said, we continue the sacrifice that was commencd on the cross. I rejoind, you admit the awful fact. The natural, real person of our blessed Saviour was naild to the cross and murderd by the wicked Jews. You claim to continue that murder. Therefore by your own positions you are murderers and cannibals,—therefore it follows unavoidably that the system of Catholicism is downright cannibalism or base deception.
After tea, to which Mr. McRean kindly invited us, in company with the bishop and his priests, our party left for Waiilatpu. Encampd on the Tushee.
27th. Arrived at the station early. A message had arrivd from Hezekich or Five Crows, and Tauwitwai on the Utilla, soliciting Dr. Whitman to visit the sick in that camp. I should have mentiond under date of 25th, that a Nez Perces in the camp of the Walla-walla chief, came to our tent and askd if the doctor was not killd, with as much indifference as if he had been inquiring about a horse. I replied, no. He said he heard the doctor was to be killd. This Nez Perce was a young man from my place, in whose statements no one ever expects to place any confidence. Had he been apprizd of the purpose of the Cayuse to destroy all Americans, I think he would have apprizd Mr. Jackson and myself, being our particular friend.
I stated this to the doctor, Mr. Kimble and others, at the station,—we considerd it a re-iteration of what had been said for a long time, “A ball can penetrate your body.” True it was a time of great excitement among the people on account of the measles and dysentery which they every where said the Catholic priests told them were causd by us.