14 When I see myself surrounded by murderous waves, by infinite forests, and by a thousand dangers there comes to mind that precious saying of the martyred St. Ignace, Nunc incipio esse Christi discipulus: to-day I begin to be of the Company of Jesus. For what avail so many exercises, so many fervent Meditations, so many eager desires? all these are nothing but wind, if we do not put them into practice. So old France is fitted to conceive noble desires, but the New is adapted to their execution; that one desires in old France is what one does in the New.
15 Ie ne sçay que c'est que le pays des Hurons, où Dieu m'enuoye par vne misericorde infinie: mais ie sçay bien que i'ayme mieux y aller qu'au Paradis Terrestre, puisque ie vois [231] que Dieu en a ordonné de la sorte. Chose estrange! que plus i'y vois de Croix preparées, & plus le cœur me rit, & y volle; car quel bõ-heur de ne voir rien de ses yeux que des Sauuages, des Croix, & Iesus-Christ: en ma vie ie n'ay bien compris en France, que c'estoit de se défier totalement de soy-mesme, & se confier en Dieu seul: mais ie dis seul, & sans meslange d'aucune creature. Maior est Deus corde nostro. Dieu est plus grand que nos cœurs: cela est euidẽt en la Nouuelle France, & c'est vne consolation du tout ineffable, que quand on ne trouue plus rien, aussi tost on rencontre Dieu, qui se communique plus abondamment aux bons cœurs.
15 I do not know what the country of the Hurons is, where God sends me in his infinite mercy, but I do know that I would rather go there than to an Earthly Paradise, since I see [231] that God has so ordained. Strange thing! the more Crosses I see prepared for me there, the more my heart laughs and flies thither; for what happiness to see with these eyes nothing but Savages, Crosses, and Jesus Christ. Never have I understood in my life in France what it was to distrust self entirely and to trust in God alone; I say alone, and without the presence of any creature: Major est Deus corde nostro, "God is greater than our hearts;" this is evident in New France, and it is an unutterable consolation that when we find nothing else we immediately encounter God, who communicates himself most richly to good hearts.
16 Ma consolation parmy les Hurons, c'est que tous les iours ie me confesse, & puis ie dis la Messe, comme si ie deuois prendre le Viatique, & mourir ce iour là, & ie ne crois pas [232] qu'on puisse mieux viure, ny auec plus de satisfaction & de courage, & mesme de merites, que viure en vn lieu, où on pẽse pouuoir mourir tous les iours, & auoir la deuise de S. Paul. Quotidie morior fratres, &c. mes freres ie fais estat de mourir tous les iours.
16 My consolation among the Hurons is that I confess every day, and then I say Mass as if I were to take the Viaticum and die that very day; and I do not think [232] that a person can live better, nor with more satisfaction and courage, and even merit, than to live in a place where he expects every day to die, and to have the motto of St. Paul, Quotidie morior fratres, etc., "I protest, brethren, that I die daily."
17 Pour conuertir les Sauuages, il n'y faut pas tant de science que de bonté & vertu bien solide. Les quatre Elemens d'vn homme Apostolique en la [180] Nouuelle Frãce, sont l'Affabilité, l'Humilité, la Patiẽce & vne Charité genereuse. Le zele trop ardent, brusle plus qu'il n'eschauffe, & gaste tout; il faut vne grande magnanimité & condescendence pour attirer peu à peu ces Sauuages. Ils n'entendent pas bien nostre Theologie, mais ils entendent parfaictement bien nostre humilité, & nostre affabilité & se laissent gaigner.
17 To convert the Savages, not so much knowledge is necessary as goodness and sound virtue. The four Elements of an Apostolic man in New France are Affability, Humility, Patience, and a generous Charity. Too ardent zeal scorches more than it warms, and ruins everything; great magnanimity and compliance are necessary to attract gradually these Savages. They do not comprehend our Theology well, but they comprehend perfectly our humility and our friendliness, and allow themselves to be won.
18 La Nation des Hurons se dispose [233] à receuoir la lumiere de l'Euangile, & on espere vn bien incroyable en tous ces quartiers là: mais il y faut deux sortes de personnes pour bien faire cela: les vns en l'anciẽne France assistãt de leurs sainctes prieres, & de leur charité; les autres en la Nouuelle, trauaillant auec grande douceur, & infatigabilité de la bonté de Dieu, & de ce doux cõcert dépend la conuersion de plusieurs milliers d'ames, pour chacune desquelles Iesus-Christ a versé tout son pretieux sãg.
18 The Huron Nation is becoming disposed [233] to receive the light of the Gospel, and inestimable good is to be hoped for in all those regions; but two kinds of persons are necessary to accomplish this,—those in old France, assisting by their holy prayers and their charity; the others in the New, working with great gentleness and tirelessness; on the goodness of God and on this sweet harmony depends the conversion of many thousand souls, for each one of whom Jesus Christ has shed all his precious blood.
19 Si on pouuoit fonder à Kebec vn petit Seminaire d'vne douzaine de petits Hurons, dans peu d'années on en tireroit vn secours incroyable, pour aider à conuertir leurs Peres, & planter vne Eglise fleurissante dans la Nation des Hurons. Helas! combien y en a t'il en Europe qui perdẽt à trois coups de dez, plus qu'il ne faudroit pour conuertir vn monde.